Scientists at TU Braunschweig and DeveloGen AG receive Phoenix Science Award 2009 for a publication in the field of beta cell regeneration

Goettingen, Germany — DeveloGen AG, a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapies for diabetes and other metabolic and endocrine disorders announced today that a team of scientist who published an article in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry in the field of beta cell regeneration was awarded the renowned Phoenix Science Award 2009 in the category pharmaceutical chemistry. The award is endowed with 10.000 Euro.

The team of scientists from DeveloGen AG in cooperation with Prof. Conrad Kunick’s laboratory at the Technical University Braunschweig, Germany, published results which demonstrate that small synthetic molecules can promote the regeneration of insulin producing beta cells. In cell culture experiments the team of scientists demonstrated that highly potent and specific glycogen synthase 3 beta inhibitors are able to protect beta cells from apoptosis and stimulate their proliferation.

Cord Dohrmann, CEO of DeveloGen AG, said: “Receiving the Phoenix Science Award is further confirmation of the worldwide leading work conducted at DeveloGen in the field of beta cell regeneration. Together with Prof. Kunick we were able to generate important insights about how beta cells can be protected from apoptosis and stimulated to proliferate. This is an important step towards the discovery and development of innovative and potentially disease modifying therapies for the treatment of diabetes.”

The title of the publication is: “9-Cyano-1-azapaullone (Cazpaullone), a Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) Inhibitor Activating Pancreatic Beta Cell Protection and Replication”. The article was published in April 2008 in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

About Diabetes

Diabetes is a global epidemic with devastating human, social and economic consequences. In 2007 it was estimated that 246 million people worldwide have diabetes, representing roughly 6% of the adult population. The number is expected to reach 380 million by 2025, representing over 7% of the adult population. Diabetes/obesity is the fastest growing disease in the USA, afflicting one in four Americans and accounting for well over 30% of the Medicare budget.

About DeveloGen

DeveloGen AG is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic and endocrine diseases. The Company has a highly innovative and deep preclinical discovery pipeline addressing the key drivers in the development of diabetes and obesity such as insulin resistance and loss of insulin-producing beta cells. This pipeline includes programs for the potential treatment of obesity through orally available small molecules based on novel and proprietary targets as well as growth factors targeting beta-cell regeneration (type 1 and type 2 diabetes). In addition, the Company is developing DG3173 (Somatoprim), a potentially best-in-class somatostatin analogue for the treatment of acromegaly, carcinoid tumors and diabetic retinopathy, which has recently successfully completed a Phase 1 clinical trial. DeveloGen is based in Göttingen, Germany. For more information on DeveloGen, please visit www.develogen.com.

About Phoenix Science Award (“Phoenix Wissenschaftspreis”)

Each year, Phoenix Pharma AG awards a price for scientific work in the areas pharmacology, pharmaceutical biology, pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmaceutical technology, which has been published in a German or English journal.