Stefan Büchter

NRW.Bank (Private Equity) (NRWB PE) is the private equity operating division of the NRW Bank which traces their origins to 2002 when Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale was split up into two entities. From this basis and further to the 2004 Reorganization Act, the current foundations for NRW Bank were established. Headquartered in Dusseldorf, Germany, NRWB PE specializes in providing capital and business development support for SMEs in North Rhine-Westphalia. They manage a number of private equity funds. Through mezzanine capital as a co-investor alongside lead investors, they provide equity limited to minority stakes as a silent partner.

AplaGen was founded in April 2001 by Prof. Dr. med. Hans-Georg Frank, Prof. Dr. med. Peter Kaufmann and Dr. Franzpeter Bracht. Its basic technologies were a spin-off of the University of Technology Aachen, Germany (RWTH). From this starting point, AplaGen has transformed into a company with broad expertise in peptide design, synthesis and analysis. It has successfully developed own products with independent patent protection for major markets, including the anemia market (EPO-market) and the thrombocytopenia market. The discovery of cytokine-mimetic peptides defines its core expertise. With its proprietary cytokine-mimetic peptide products, AplaGen is approaching large existing biopharmaceutical markets in a 'smart-follower' position, which provides an optimal risk/chance profile. Pharmacokinetic optimization of peptides is based on the approved drug Hydroxyethylstarch (HES) and protected by AplaGen´s IP. As privately held company, AplaGen has closed seed financing in 2001 and a series financing in 2005. AplaGen is dedicated to improvements for patients with dysfunctional bone marrow, especially oncologic patients. Both, erythropoietin and Thrombopoietin mimetic peptides will be developed by AplaGen at least until Phase II. To support this focus on oncologic indications AplaGen is seeking early partners for the erythropoietin mimetic peptide in the indication of renal anemia.