PLANEGG-MARTINSRIED, Germany, February 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The Martinsried drug discovery and development company 4SC AG (Frankfurt, Prime Standard: VSC) and the Wuppertal-based AiCuris GmbH & Co KG today announced that they have entered into a research collaboration. The long-term goal of this collaboration is to jointly set-up a product pipeline with innovative, anti-infective drug candidates.

It has been agreed in a first step that 4SC AG will, within the context of its collaboration business segment, provide extensive resources from its medicinal chemistry to AiCuris, for research purposes. In return 4SC AG is to receive relevant research funds, of an undisclosed amount, which are to be used for further development of its own project pipeline.

In the months to come an expansion of the collaboration is to be decided upon as a supplement to this agreement.

Since its creation as a spin-off of Bayer Healthcare AG in the beginning of 2006, AiCuris has been working on research and development of new treatment options for viral and bacterial infections. Targeted indications are severe, potentially life-threatening diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, HCMV, as well as antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in the hospital.

4SC AG has likewise been pursuing several promising projects to develop drug candidates for diseases which have, up to now, inadequate treatment options - including a project to combat influenza A virus infections.

"The synergies of both our companies are obvious," comments Dr. Ulrich Dauer, CEO of 4SC AG. "AiCuris has extensive expertise in the anti-infective research sector, whereas 4SC brings its comprehensive know-how in the chemically-based discovery and development of drugs for illnesses of different indications to the collaboration. We strongly believe that together we are in a position to achieve significant progress in the area of anti-infective research."

Prof. Dr. Helga Rübsamen-Waigmann, CEO of AiCuris, comments: "We are very much looking forward to be working with 4SC AG. This collaboration enables us to gain access to 4SC's innovative technology platform 4SCan(r) and will allow us to optimize current compounds efficiently. We also expect to initiate new projects, using the expertise of both parties."

About AiCuris:

AiCuris is a pharmaceutical company based in Wuppertal. It was formed on 1 March 2006 as a spin-off of Bayer HealthCare. Its aim is to find and clinically develop innovative resistance-breaking therapeutics for serious, potentially live-threatening infectious diseases, caused by multi-resistant bacteria, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and viruses from the herpes group.

The AiCuris pipeline contains nine development candidates, of which the most advanced is in Phase II. In addition, the company has four research projects, which are directed against multi-resistant bacteria, HIV and Hepatitis C.

The reversed genomics technologies of AiCuris allow the identification of new chemical classes in all indications The AiCuris projects, therefore, are not derived from existing compound classes against which resistance has developed, but have resistance-breaking potential.

AiCuris is to pursue an active in- and out-licensing strategy.

About 4SC AG:

4SC AG (ISIN DE0005753818) has been listed in the Prime Standard of Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 15 December 2005. Founded in 1997 and now with a staff of 63, the company develops novel drug candidates for inflammatory diseases and cancer using a cheminformatics based technology platform. Traditional high throughput screening of therapeutic agents has been transferred from the lab to the computer. Thus, the company offers substantial cost and time advantages as well as increased success rates in drug development. 4SC AG uses its patented technology platform to create a sustainable product pipeline for active agents that are developed in early clinical phases ("proof of concept") and subsequently result in upfront and milestone payments as well as participation in sales generated by out-licensed products to the pharmaceutical industry. There are currently six projects in the pipeline. The first project on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has completed clinical phase IIa. Four other product candidates are in preclinical development and another project is in the research stage. Furthermore, the company has its technology platform in co-operation projects with biotech and pharma companies and is already generating initial revenues.

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This document may contain projections or estimates relating to plans and objectives relating to our future operations, products, or services; future financial results; or assumptions underlying or relating to any such statements; each of which constitutes a forward-looking statement subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results could differ materially, depending on a number of factors.

For more information please contact: Bettina von Klitzing Manager Investor Relations und Public Relations 4SC AG Tel.: +49(0)89-70-07-63-0 Bettina.von.klitzing@4sc.com Prof. Helga Rübsamen-Waigmann CEO AiCuris GmbH & Co. KG Tel.: +49(0)202-317-63-1176 info@aicuris.com

For more information please contact: Bettina von Klitzing, Manager Investor Relations und Public Relations, 4SC AG, Tel.: +49(0)89-70-07-63-0, Bettina.von.klitzing@4sc.com; Prof. Helga Rübsamen-Waigmann, CEO, AiCuris GmbH & Co. KG, Tel.: +49(0)202-317-63-1176, info@aicuris.com