Healthcare industry

Article - 19/11/2012

Uncovering the genetics of prostate cancer

The prostate genome project, which is part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, is focused on the genetic and epigenetic causes of the development and progression of this highly variable cancer and finding markers that enable the reliable diagnosis of the disease. The German research groups involved in the project are coordinated by the German Cancer Research Center and concentrate on prostate cancer patients under 50 years of age, as…

Prostate cancer is the most frequent malignant tumour in men. Researchers from Freiburg and Bonn have succeeded in developing the basics for new therapies in particular for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

The German regulatory authority has approved the Clinical Trial Application CTA to begin a Phase I clinical study with RNActive - derived mRNA vaccine CV9103. It will be tested in patients with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer.

Article - 13/09/2010

Sven Perner: a pathologist with the courage to carry out interdisciplinary research

Dr Sven Perner from Tuebingen was recently awarded the newly created Württemberg Cancer Prize for his work that has made decisive contributions to the understanding of prostate cancer development. In addition the identification of a tumour-specific gene fusion might also be of great importance for other types of cancer.

Article - 26/01/2015

A biomarker as indicator for the likelihood of developing aggressive prostate cancer

Overexpression of the protein BAZ2A, which leads to alterations in epigenetic patterns, increases the malignant properties of tumour cells, including their mobility and their ability to form metastases. The findings of a team of researchers from Heidelberg, Zurich and Hamburg may have led to the discovery of an urgently needed prognostic biomarker that would make it possible to differentiate aggressive prostate cancer from the less malignant…

Article - 04/03/2013

Genomic structural variations can cause cancer

Genome-wide sequencing analyses show that comprehensive structural variations of chromosomes can play a key role in the pathogenesis of many types of cancer. Dr. Jan Korbel’s research group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg has been investigating chromosomal aberrations in paediatric brain tumours and early-onset prostate cancer.

Germany will contribute another project to the International Cancer Genome Consortium ICGC. Coordinated by the German Cancer Research Center and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf physicians and molecular biologists will now start to investigate the genetic causes of early prostate cancer.

Article - 14/09/2022

Theranostics of prostate cancer: the combination of radionuclide diagnostics and radionuclide therapy

Using a low-level radiopharmaceutical that binds to the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), positron emission tomography/computed tomography can be used to visualise even small prostate cancer metastases. Developed by Heidelberg researchers, the radiopharmaceutical is a modified radionuclide diagnostic agent that has been coupled with a powerful emitter and used as a therapeutic tracer to irradiate and destroy cancer cells from within.

CureVac Receives IND Approval from the FDA to start its Phase I/IIa mRNA Vaccine Clinical Trial in Prostate Cancer.

CureVac GmbH, the mRNA vaccine company, today announced that the German authorities approved the start of the Phase IIa trial in Prostate Cancer after assessment of the first safety data of lead candidate CV9103, a RNActive®-derived mRNA vaccine. Results so far from the Phase I show CV9103 to be safe and well tolerated.

On March 23, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval to the first targeted radioligand therapy against metastatic prostate cancer based on a joint patent of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University of Heidelberg. The agent significantly improves the chances of survival for those affected.

On December 13, 2022, the European Commission granted approval to a drug against metastatic prostate cancer whose active ingredient was developed under the leadership of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in collaboration with Heidelberg University Hospital and Heidelberg University. The drug can significantly improve the survival chances of patients.

CureVac GmbH has entered into a partnership with the Department of Urology University of Florida Gainesville U.S. to jointly advance its lead candidate CV9103 into the clinical development. The alliance covers preclinical studies and a US phase III trial.

Press release - 20/06/2011

CureVac presents new data for prostate and lung cancer vaccines

CureVac GmbH presented promising new data for prostate cancer vaccine CV9103 and lung cancer vaccine CV9201 at the ASCO Conference in Chicago. Final trial results confirm safety and excellent antigen-specific immunogenicity of prostate cancer vaccine CV9103. And initial promising data from phase I/IIa trial of lung cancer vaccine CV9201 further supports the potential of CureVac’s RNActive® vaccination technology in cancer immunotherapy and…

Dossier - 12/12/2011

Development of new molecular biomarkers

Biomarkers are playing an increasing role in drug discovery and development. They can be used as molecular indicators for diseases and disease risks as well as for monitoring the effectiveness of therapy. Highly specific molecular biomarkers are being identified using state-of-the-art technologies from the fields of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.

Press release - 12/05/2010

CureVac raises EUR 27.6 Million in Financing Round

CureVac GmbH, the mRNA vaccine company, today announced the closing of a EUR 27.6 million (US$ 35.25 million) financing round with its major shareholder, dievini Hopp BioTech holding GmbH & Co. KG.

Press release - 12/11/2012

Searching for new strategies against prostate cancer

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced that Roland Schüle, Scientific Director at the Department of Urology, University of Freiburg Medical Centre has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant. Professor Schüle will receive €2.5 million for a period of 5 years for his research proposal to identify and characterize the molecular and physiological functions of the epigenetic enzyme LSD1 and to explore its role in prostate cancer.

Press release - 22/11/2012

CeGaT and Genomatix are finalists of Boston Children’s Hospital’s CLARITY challenge

CeGaT (Center for Genomics and Transcriptomics) GmbH, the Department of Prostate Cancer Research, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn and Genomatix Software GmbH were announced as finalist (Top 3) of the CLARITY challenge, organized by Boston Children’s Hospital.

With the "Česká Hlava" awards, the Czech government has been honoring the country's most brilliant minds every year since 2002 and recognizing exceptional achievements in research, development and innovation. Martina Benešová-Schäfer of the German Cancer Research Center was among the six laureates honored in 2022 at Charles University in Prague.

Professor Roland Schuele from the University Womens Hospital in Freiburg originally studied biochemistry. Nowadays Schuele is researching the development of prostate cancer. During his scientific career he has learnt that research cannot be steered in a particular direction. It develops and we follow it said Schuele who has been able to gain astonishing insights into the molecular processes in tumour cells.

Article - 18/01/2018

Medications that target metastasing tumours

Tumour metastases are often resistant to the drug that is used to eliminate the primary tumour. Genome-wide analyses of mutation patterns in the primary tumour and its metastases provide information on the aggressiveness of cancer and may help to find the best available means of further treatment. This has been demonstrated by scientists from Heidelberg in a clinical trial on the molecular evolution of renal cancer.

CureVac GmbH, the mRNA company, today announced that the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, the German regulatory authority for medicinal products, has approved the start of a Phase IIa trial for CV9201 to treat Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).

Press release - 22/06/2009

New important triggers for the migration of cancer cells

Embryonic cells and metastasising cancer cells are able to migrate and intrude into other tissues. Investigations of frog embryos have now provided scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology with the information that a well-known protein, cadherin-11, triggers cell migration. This glycoprotein is also responsible for the defective behaviour of cells that results in prostate cancer and arthritis.

Press release - 28/05/2009

CureVac Begins Clinical Study with mRNA Vaccine

CureVac GmbH announced that the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, the German regulatory authority for medicinal products, has approved the Clinical Trial Application (CTA) to begin a Phase I clinical study with RNActive® derived mRNA vaccine CV9201. The vaccine will be tested in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who have been pre-treated with different therapies.

Press release - 09/03/2011

DKFZ and IBM have signed a collaboration agreement on cancer genome analysis

The International Cancer Genome Project analyzes the complete genomes of thousands of cancer patients. This generates enormous amounts of data. To find those gene segments which are pivotal for cancer development and treatment, intelligent IT systems are needed. The German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in Heidelberg and IBM have signed a strategic partnering agreement at CeBIT 2011. The aim of the agreement is to…