About Protea Biopharma

PROTEA biopharma N.V. is a Belgian biopharma company developing improved diagnostics and therapeutics for infectious and chronic immune diseases that affect millions of people worldwide.

History and activities

PROTEA biopharma's activities started in 1998, with the acquisition of a license from Temple University, USA. This license granted to the Company the exclusive rights to commercialize a new marker for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS-ME), based on the detection of an abnormal form of Ribonuclease L, an enzyme involved in antiviral defense. In 1999 the Company raised 3.3 million euro in equity investment and recruited a multidisciplinary team of scientists with experience in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry and immunology.

Over the past ten years the Company has developed an extensive and unique expertise in the field of innate immunity and antiviral pathways. Besides CFS-ME, our research activities have extended to other chronic immune conditions (MS, inflammatory and auto-immune diseases), as well as to viral infections such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. In addition to biomarker discovery, the Company has engaged in a drug discovery program to look for potent antiviral molecules. We believe that we are now in a leading position in the search for compounds that can activate an overall viral defense mechanism (RNase-L modulators), to make ideal additions to combination antiviral therapies.

Patents

For any biotechnology company, the intellectual property is one of the most valuable assets. In addition to the exclusive license received from Temple University, the Company has over the years filed and been awarded a number of patents. A total of 13 US and European patents have been granted to the PROTEA biopharma or are under examination. It remains the Company's policy to vigorously pursue the protection of its scientific discoveries. During the past twelve months, two new patents have been awarded, and three new applications have been filed.

Related Entities

PROTEA biopharma focuses on R&D activities: biomarker discovery and drug development.

• R.E.D. Laboratories focuses on clinical laboratory activities, commercializing specific diagnostics assays for chronic immune dysfunctions, including the proprietary tests developed by PROTEA biopharma.

• Kalida B.V., located in the Netherlands, commercializes nutritional supplements specially designed and formulated for CFS-ME patients. Kalida B.V. works as a distributor of products from other companies (ProHealth, Livon labs, ReadiSorb) but also produces its own range of supplements.