A Boost for the Immune System: Biologics for Animals Reduce Need for Antibiotics

Three investors have joined the startup 4 Animals AlsterScience GmbH.  Innovationsstarter Fonds from Hamburg, a Business Angel from the far north and High-Tech Gründerfonds from Bonn are investing in development of biologic drugs and feed supplements for animals that improve immune function.

 “Our development work focuses on drugs and treatments for pets – but also livestock – that strengthen natural immune systems in animals. Good and effective natural drugs are urgently needed. A healthy immune system protects from infections, ideally makes antibiotics unnecessary and is the prerequisite for overcoming diseases and consequently for healthy animals. Supporting the immune system through innovative natural mechanisms leads to safe and effective treatments that are well tolerated.” Prof. Dr. Dr. Edith Huland and Conny Cloppenburg, Managing Directors of 4 Animals AlsterScience GmbH, explained.

Drug products from 4 Animals AlsterScience GmbH have already been used successfully for viral diseases, tumors, inoculations and cell therapies and can help break the vicious cycle of resistance to conventional drugs.

Use of natural mechanisms to strengthen the immune system specifically of animals is an innovative and promising approach. In 2008, the market for animal drug products was valued at US $ 19.2 billion worldwide (Wikipedia) and approx. EUR 660 in Germany. Immunological and anti-infective drugs accounted for a large share of sales. 4 Animals AlsterScience GmbH is setting important new standards in this market for the well-being of animals and humans.

“The veterinary market is a very attractive and often underestimated business sector. With fairly manageable investments and short communication channels, treatments from 4 Animals AlterScience GmbH can find use here“ Dr. Michael Brandkamp, Managing Director of High-Tech Gründerfonds, said with enthusiasm.

Equally enthusiastic is Dörte Bunge of Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg: “The wide scope of applications in pets and livestock as well as the positive preliminary results observed in severe virus infections in horses convinced us in our investment decision. We look forward to supporting the experienced team in building a successful company.”

Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg invests risk capital to sponsor research and development work in young, innovative Hamburg companies. It operates by acquiring open interests of not more than 1 million EUR in limited liability companies. The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) each hold a 50% interest in the fund, which has a volume of EUR 12 million. The fund is managed by IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Hamburgische Investitions- und Förderbank.

Contact:
IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH
Dörte Bunge
Besenbinderhof 31
20097 Hamburg
Tel.: +49 40 657980595
bunge@innovationsstarter.com
www.innovationsstarter.com

About High-Tech Gruenderfonds
High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests in young, high potential high-tech start-ups. The seed financing provided is designed to enable start-ups to take an idea through prototyping and to market launch. Typically, High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests EUR 500,000 in the seed stage, with the potential for up to a total of EUR 2 million per portfolio company in follow-on financing. Investors in this public/private partnership include the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, the KfW Banking Group, as well as strategic corporate investors including ALTANA, BASF, Bayer, B. Braun, Robert Bosch, CEWE, Daimler, Deutsche Post DHL, Deutsche Telekom, Evonik, Lanxess, media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, METRO, Qiagen, RWE Innogy, SAP, Tengelmann and Carl Zeiss. High-Tech Gruenderfonds has about EUR 576 million under management in two funds (EUR 272 million HTGF I, EUR 304 million HTGF II).

Contact:
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Dr. Michael Brandkamp
Schlegelstraße 2
53113 Bonn
Tel.: +49 228 823001-00
Fax: +49 228 823000-50
m.brandkamp@htgf.de
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de