Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany (ots)

Pieris AG, a
bio-pharmaceutical company developing Anticalins®, a novel class of 
targeted human protein therapeutics, today announced successful 
completion of a series of preclinical studies validating the use of 
Anticalins® in ophthalmologic disease.

The studies reported by Pieris relate to PRS-055, an Anticalin® 
specific for VEGF. VEGF is a key factor in the regulation of 
neovascular permeability and is implicated in debilitating eye 
diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), 
proliferative diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity. 
Intravitreal injection of PRS-055 has been shown to inhibit 
VEGF-induced breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier in a rabbit in 
vivo model. The antagonistic effect of PRS-055 has been shown to be 
of equivalent potency to that of the approved ophthalmology product 
Lucentis® (ranibizumab; Genentech / Novartis).

"These exciting results have demonstrated that Anticalins® are 
viable candidates as potent biotherapeutics for diseases of the eye" 
said Dr Andreas Hohlbaum, Director of Science and Preclinical 
Development of Pieris. "Based on the success of the PRS-055 program 
to date, we are now selecting technologies for depot and/or 
non-invasive drug delivery that will exploit the favorable size and 
excellent stability characteristics of Anticalins®."

The preclinical data on PRS-055 will be presented on September 
8th, 2007, at the IV. International Symposium of the German 
Ophthalmological Society (DOG) in Baden-Baden, Germany.

Anticalin® is registered trademark of Pieris AG.

Contact:

For further information, please contact:
Pieris AG
Dr Andreas Hohlbaum, Director of Science and Preclinical Research
Phone +49 (0) 8161 1411 400

Further information is available at http://www.pieris-ag.com