ProBioGen Announces the Appointment of Dr. Volker Sandig to Chief Scientific Officer

Former CSO Dr. Uwe Marx leaves for academia -

Berlin, March 31, 2010 - ProBioGen AG, a leading biotechnology company in cell engineering and production of biopharmaceuticals, today announced that Dr. Volker Sandig has been appointed to Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of the company. He will take over the duties of Dr. Uwe Marx, who will take an opportunity to lead an entrepreneurial innovation team at the Technical University Berlin.

Dr. Sandig has established ProBioGen´s cell line development program in 2000 and has been responsible for the development of high producer cell lines and the customized design of new cell lines from primary sources. Prior to joining ProBioGen, he held senior management positions at Merck Research Laboratories, USA, focusing on the development of manufacturing systems for gutless adenoviruses. Using his knowledge in viral vectors, he also participated in Merck´s vaccine program. Earlier in his career, he designed experimental strategies for adenovirus-based tumor treatment and directed research projects in cell cycle regulation and artificial promoters at Max Planck Society and Hepavec, a Berlin-based biotech company. After finishing medical training, Volker Sandig received his PhD in Molecular Biology from Humboldt University, Berlin.

“We would like to thank Uwe Marx for his important role in the success of ProBioGen. As a founder of the company, he has built a strong team of seasoned scientists over time,” commented Hubertus Leonhardt, Chairman of the Board. “We are convinced that Volker Sandig, who has a long track record with ProBioGen, will be an excellent successor to Uwe Marx. Dr. Sandig has not only developed the company´s proprietary AGE1 cell lines, he has also been a key scientist in establishing the company´s broad technology and product portfolio.”

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About ProBioGen AG

ProBioGen is a leading cell specialist. By combining deep molecular understanding of cells with state-of-the-art industry process engineering and production know-how, ProBioGen’s technologies enable biopharmaceutical companies to develop products with superior efficiency, safety and a more favourable cost profile. Since its inception in 1994, the company has processed more than 300 cell lines and established a GMP unit based on disposable reactor technology, which supports all currently available manufacturing processes. The company is headquartered in Berlin.

Contact for ProBioGen:

Dr Gertraud Unterrainer, CFO
Goethestrasse 54
13086 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0)30 924 006-0
Fax: +49 (0)30 924 006-19
email: info (at) probiogen.de

Media Inquries:
Ines-Regina Buth
akampion
Platz vor dem Neuen Tor 2
10115 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0)30 2363 2768
ines (at) akampion.com

This release was published on openPR.