Design and clinical application of SOLNATIDE, a new peptide for treatment of critical pulmonary dysfunctions
Bernhard Fischer
CEO, APEPTICO
Dysfunction of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), which regulates salt and water homeostasis in epithelia, causes several human pathological conditions, including pulmonary oedema and impaired alveolar gas exchange. SOLNATIDE is a 17 residue peptide and has been designed in silico based on the lectin-like domain of TNF. Various derivatives of SOLNATIDE have been synthesized. SOLNATIDE peptides demonstrated to activate ENaC in several experimental cell-based and animal models of lung oedema, ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE) and pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA), as well in clinical studies in patients with pulmonary oedema and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and in patients with primary graft dysfunction (PGD) following lung transplantation.
Professor Dr. Bernhard Fischer is a biotechnology expert and entrepreneurial pharma manager with long standing record in international life science biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. In the course of his career he headed senior management positions in biopharmaceutical research and development, regulatory affairs, chemistry manufacturing & controls documentation and technical drug development. During his professional development he was research biochemist at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Institute of Biotechnology in Germany, Higher Scientific Officer at the Department of Protein Engineering of the AFRC in the United Kingdom, Head of the Department of Recombinant Proteins at the Biomedical Research Center of Baxter in Austria, Manager Chemistry Manufacturing & Controls and Manager Regulatory Affairs at Sandoz (Novartis) in Austria, Chief Technical Officer at Avidis in France, Vice President Development and Chief Technical Officer at Fibrex Medical in Austria.
Since 2008, Dr. Fischer serves as founder and CEO of APEPTICO, a Vienna based biotechnology company with focus on identification, preclinical and clinical development of proprietary peptide-based medicines for the treatment of various life-threatening pulmonary conditions.
Dr. Fischer is author of numerous scientific publications in the field of biotechnology and drug development. He is inventor and co-inventor of patents and patent applications in biotechnology and life science.
Dr. Fischer is Lecturer for Protein Chemistry and Bio-Medicinal Drug Development and Regulatory Affairs at various Universities and Business Schools. Dr. Fischer has a Master degree in Business Administration from the Open University Business School (UK). He is member of the Middle European Society of Regulatory Affairs (MEGRA), the Societies of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, the Austrian Biotech Industry (ABI), the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS).