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Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders of Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) - Only in Swedish Only in Swedish
Kallelse till Extra Bolagstämma i Athera Biotechnologies AB (Publ)
Styrelsen i Athera Biotechnologies AB (Publ) kallar härmed till extra bolagsstämma tisdagen den 9:e april 2013 kl 16.00 i bolagets lokaler på Fogdevreten 2A. Deltagande Rätt att deltaga på stämman Aktieägare som önskar deltaga i årsstämman ska dels vara införd i, den av Euroclear Sweden AB förda, aktieboken tisdagen den 3:e april 2013, dels anmäla sin avsikt att deltaga i stämman senast tisdagen den 3:e april 2013. Anmälan om deltagande i extra bolagsstämma m.m. Anmälan om deltagande i extra bolagsstämman ska ske skriftligen senast tisdagen den 2:a april 2013 till Athera Biotechnologies (Publ), Carina Schmidt, Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna eller per e-post info@athera.se. Vid anmälan ska uppges aktieägarens namn, personnummer/organisationsnummer, adress och telefonnummer. Dessutom ska vid anmälan anges om aktieägaren ska företrädas av ombud och om aktieägaren ska medföra biträde. Högst 2 biträden får medföras. Aktieägare som företräds genom ombud ska utfärda skriftlig daterad fullmakt för ombudet. Fullmakten får inte vara äldre än ett år. Fullmakten bör i god tid före stämman insändas till bolaget på ovanstående adress. Om fullmakten utfärdas av juridisk person som ej är registrerad i det av Bolagsverket förda aktiebolagsregistret, ska bestyrkt kopia av registreringsbevis eller motsvarande för den juridiska personen bifogas. För beställning av fullmaktsformulär gäller samma kontaktuppgifter som för anmälan (se ovan). Förslag till dagordning 1. Stämmans öppnande 2. Val av ordförande vid bolagsstämman. 3. Upprättande och godkännande av röstlängd. 4. Val av en eller två justeringsmän att jämte ordföranden underteckna protokollet. 5. Godkännande av dagordning. 6. Prövning av om bolagsstämman blivit behörigen sammankallad. 7. Information om bolagets ekonomiska situation. 8. Beslut om: a) Nedläggning av bolagets verksamhet enligt förslag b) Ändring av bolagsordningen enligt förslag, för att omvandla bolaget från publikt till privat aktiebolag och följdändringar med anledning därav 9. Övriga frågor som anmälts till bolaget senast tisdagen den 3:e april 10. Stämmans avslutande Förslag till beslut 8. a) Förslag till plan för nedläggning finns tillgänglig hos bolaget på Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna senast två veckor innan stämman. b) Förslag till ändring av bolagsordningen, med syfte att omvandla bolaget från publikt aktiebolag till privat aktiebolag, och följdändringar med anledning därav, föreslås i huvudsak enligt följande. Vidare föreslås en ändring av bolagets verksamhetsföremål (§3) under förutsättning att beslut om nedläggning fattas. Bolaget föreslås omvandlas till privat bolag genom att ändra följande paragrafer i bolagsordningen § 1 Firma: Aktiebolagens firma är Athera Biotechnologies AB. § 3 Verksamhet Att äga och förvalta lös egendom samt bedriva verksamhet förenlig därmed. § 7 Styrelse Styrelsen ska bestå av minst en och högst fem ledamöter med högst fem suppleanter. Består styrelsen av en eller två ledamöter skall minst en suppleant utses. § 8 Kallelse Kallelse till bolagsstämma ska ske genom brev med posten eller via e-post till aktieägares senast kända adress tidigast 4 veckor och senast 2 veckor före bolagsstämman. § 12 Avstämningsförbehåll – stryks Föreslagen ny bolagsordning i sin helhet finns tillgänglig hos bolaget på Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna senast två veckor innan stämman. Övrigt Kallelse med styrelsens förslag och övriga handlingar som i enlighet med aktiebolagslagen skall finnas tillgängliga inför stämman finns tillgängliga hos bolaget på Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna senast två veckor innan stämman och skickas till de aktieägare som begär det och uppger sin postadress. Solna den 8 mars 2013. Styrelsen Athera Biotechnologies (Publ) E-post: info@athera.se www.athera.se Fogdevreten 2A 171 65 Solna Org.nr: 556620-6859 Styrelsens säte: Solna kommun, Stockholms län
121025 Low levels of anti-PC predict vein graft failure STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – October 25, 2012. Athera Biotechnologies AB, a Karolinska Development AB portfolio company, today announced that results from a new study were presented at the Pacific Northwest Vascular Society Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada. The data shows that low levels of plasma anti-PC, measured with Athera’s CVDefine® kit, are associated with a high risk for vein graft failure after bypass surgery. It is known from previous published studies that low plasma levels of antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) are linked to poor prognosis in acute heart attack patients, as well as to development of atherosclerosis and serious cardiovascular consequences like heart attack and stroke in healthy individuals. Professor Michael Sobel of the Division of Vascular Surgery, VA Puget Sound HCS and the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, and his colleagues have now conducted a pilot, prospective, observational study in patients undergoing vein bypasses for atherosclerotic occlusive disease of the legs. The objective of the study was to determine if low anti-PC antibody levels might be associated with loss of primary patency. Measurements of anti-PC levels in these patients, using a simple blood-test, showed that low levels were associated with a high risk of thrombosis or re-intervention for stenosis, also raising the possibility of treatment with immunotherapies to improve bypass longevity. The testing was performed using Athera’s CVDefine® kit. More than one in four of all vein graft procedures develop stenosis or fail within the first 1-2 years. These patients are at risk for re-intervention, as well as more serious complications like leg amputation or death. Current treatments to improve graft longevity are limited to general medical treatments (e.g. antithrombotic drugs and lipid lowering agents) or procedures to revise the graft, but no targeted treatments are approved yet. Carina Schmidt, CEO of Athera: “Athera is developing an anti-inflammatory antibody therapy, PC-mAb, for prevention of secondary cardiovascular events in myocardial infarction patients with low levels of anti-PC. These new findings may open opportunities for PC-mAb and its companion diagnostic kit CVDefine®, for identification and treatment of a high-risk patient group in a niche indication of high medical need.” About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The lead product candidate, PC-mAb, is in late preclinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore vascular and cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. For more information, please visit www.athera.se. For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 76 193 81 90 c.schmidt@athera.se 120302 Annexin A5 at low doses prevents atherosclerosis – Study published in Atherosclerosis Solna, Sweden, March 2nd, 2012 –Treatment with low doses of recombinant Annexin A5 prevents vascular remodelling in a preclinical study. These results were recently published in an article in Atherosclerosis. Patients who undergo common surgery for cardiovascular disease are at risk for inflammation-driven complications after the intervention. It has previously been shown that Annexin A5 beneficially affects remodelling in a preclinical model of coronary bypass grafting. This study showed that Annexin A5 could prevent injury induced accelerated atherosclerosis and thickening of the vascular intima, in a model mimicking catheter-based percutaneous interventions (PCI) in mice. The results confirm that the anti-inflammatory effect of recombinant Annexin A5 could be seen in doses 3-10 times lower than previously investigated. PCI has become a gold standard in rapidly treating patients with acute heart attack. Millions of PCI procedures are done per year due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and the number is rapidly increasing. “These recently published findings support our approach to develop recombinant Annexin A5 as an anti-inflammatory therapy, primarily targeting prevention of complications following vascular surgery. We have successfully developed a cost-effective manufacturing process which has been transferred to the cGMP facility and we are now actively discussing co-development opportunities for further preclinical and clinical studies", says Carina Schmidt, CEO of Athera. About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. Athera’s vision is to develop recombinant Annexin A5 for prevention of complications in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) undergoing vascular surgery. The project is currently in preclinical phase. PC-mAb from Athera is in late preclinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se 120207 Study linking outcome in acute coronary syndromes to anti-PC published in International Journal of Cardiology Solna, Sweden, February 7th, 2012 – Scientists conclude that measuring antibodies to phosporylcholine (anti-PC), using a simple blood-test, may provide important and independent information on the prognosis of heart attack patients, in a study just published on-line in International Journal of Cardiology. The testing was performed using Athera Biotechnologies CVDefine® kit. Already published studies have reported that low levels of anti-PC in healthy individuals are linked to development of atherosclerosis and serious cardiovascular consequences like heart attack and stroke. This study measured anti-PC levels in samples from 1185 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and shows for the first time that low anti-PC levels indicate poor prognosis in these patients, with a high risk for new cardiovascular events and even death. The scientists suggest that low levels of anti-PC might give an insufficient protection to counteract vascular inflammation and the risk of plaque rupture. Low anti-PC levels may therefore represent a new paradigm for reporting reduced atheroprotection in heart disease and identify patients in need of more intense treatment to prevent secondary events. “We are in active development of an anti-inflammatory antibody therapy for prevention of secondary cardiovascular events in myocardial infarction patients with low levels of anti-PC. These new findings strengthens the therapeutic approach with a companion diagnostics potential and suggests that increasing anti-PC levels in these patients could have a beneficial effect on outcomes", says Carina Schmidt, CEO of Athera About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. PC-mAb from Athera is in late pre-clinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se 111111 Athera Forms New Scientific Advisory Board – Professors Libby, Simoons, Wallentin and de Faire join Solna, Sweden, November 11th, 2011 – Athera Biotechnologies, part of the Karolinska Development portfolio, announced today that the new Scientific Advisory Board is formed, including professors Peter Libby, Maarten Simoons, Lars Wallentin, and Ulf de Faire. "We are very pleased to welcome four well-respected medical experts in CVD research as new members of the Scientific Advisory Board," says Per Sjöberg, Chairman of the Board in Athera Biotechnologies " Their tremendous knowledge in cardiovascular disease, vascular inflammation, biomarkers and new treatment approaches is very valuable to Athera, as our projects now are advancing towards the clinic." Dr Peter Libby is the chief of cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Mallinckrodt Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, both in Boston, USA. His current major research focus is the role of inflammation in vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Dr. Libby has received numerous awards and recognitions for his research accomplishments. His areas of clinical expertise include general and preventive cardiology. Dr Maarten Simoons is Professor of Cardiology (emeritus) and was Chief of Cardiology, at the Thoraxcenter, Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His research interests include acute and chronic ischemic heart disease, as well as information technology and pharmacogenetics. He was a member of the Board of the European Society of Cardiology and president of the Society 2000-2002. He is a member or the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science (KNAW). Dr Lars Wallentin is Professor of Cardiology (emeritus) at the Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital and founder of Uppsala Clinical Research Center (UCR). Over the last 20 years professor Wallentin has been the chairman and principal investigator of many national and international clinical trials of new treatment concepts in cardiac diseases. His group has pioneered the use of molecular biomarkers and new treatments concepts in acute coronary artery diseases. Dr Ulf de Faire is Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology (emeritus) at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden. He is active in research on mechanisms and risk factors, involved in the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, and with particular emphasis on genetic mechanisms and biomarkers. Professor de Faire is a scientific founder of Athera. About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. PC-mAb from Athera is currently in pre-clinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se 110823 Athera Receives Allowance of Key Patent for CVD Antibody Therapy Solna, Sweden, August 23th, 2011 – Athera Biotechnologies, part of the Karolinska Development portfolio, announced today that the US Patent Office intends to grant a key patent related to the Company's intellectual property covering its therapeutic antibody candidate PC-mAb. Following subsequent grant, the patent will provide strong protection for pharmaceutical uses of PC-mAb for the treatment of atherosclerosis and prevention of ischemic cardiovascular diseases. The corresponding European and Australian patents have already been granted and further applications are pending worldwide. "This US patent strengthens our efforts in building an attractive and competitive pharmaceutical product portfolio in cardiovascular disease," says Carina Schmidt, Athera Biotechnologies CEO. "I am convinced that PC-mAb has the potential to develop into a medicine that will fulfill important medical needs. We can see this also in a great interest from the pharmaceutical industry to explore partnering opportunities with Athera for future clinical developments." About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. PC-mAb from Athera is currently in pre-clinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se 110530 Study mapping genetic and environmental links of anti-PC published in Atherosclerosis Solna, Sweden, 30 May 2011 – Scientists suggest an independent role of anti-PC as a biomarker in cardiovascular disease in a study just published on-line in Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis. The testing was performed using Athera Biotechnologies CVDefine® kit. Previous studies have reported that low levels of anti-PC are linked to development of atherosclerosis and serious cardiovascular consequences like heart attack and stroke. This study measured anti-PC levels in samples from 2036 elderly twins, with an observed heritable component of 40 %. This may help to explain the strong genetic impact on cardiovascular risk. “We are already developing a therapeutic antibody for prevention of secondary cardiovascular events in myocardial infarction patients with low levels of anti-PC. These new findings indicate that the novel biomarker anti-PC can provide information on atherosclerotic progression not already captured by other established biomarkers", says Carina Schmidt, CEO of Athera About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. PC-mAb from Athera is currently in pre-clinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se 110505 Athera to present at AngloNordic Biotech Conference in London London, United Kingdom, 5 May 2011 – Athera CEO Carina Schmidt is today an invited speaker at the AngloNordic Biotech Conference. The Anglo-Nordic region continues to be one of the fastest growing biotech regions in the world. Now entering the eighth year, the Anglonordic Biotech Conference provides an opportunity to meet contributors to this success. The audience is invited professionals of pharmaceutical companies and venture capital firms. Ms Schmidt will present the investment opportunity Athera, part of Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio, in the Aescap Venture Investment Room. About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. PC-mAb from Athera is currently in pre-clinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se 110428 Athera presents at the first International Pharmacy Engineering and Biotechnology Forum in St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, Russia, 28 April 2011 – Athera CEO Carina Schmidt is one of the invited speakers at the first international business forum IPhEB, dedicated to establishment of a pharmaceutical cluster in St. Petersburg. Ms Schmidt will build on experiences from development of the emerging biotech company Athera, part of Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio- from early innovation stages to product development and commercialization - to discuss issues around the topic “From Innovation to Business – Challenges and Rewards”. The IPhEB business event is planned to be participated by over 300 delegates from 200 companies – government authorities, top managers and experts of the Russian and international pharmaceutical and biotechnological enterprises, and representatives of scientific research centers and institutes. Speakers include Evgeny Zaytsev, Director General, Helix Ventures, Dr. Jonas Brambeck, Investment Manager Industrifonden, Dr. Bo-Ragnar Tolf, Director, Innovation Office, Karolinska Institutet, G. Steven Burrill, Director General, Burrill & Company and many other leading specialists of the industry. About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. PC-mAb from Athera is currently in pre-clinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se For further Information: Carina Schmidt, CEO Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se 110407 Notice of Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Only in Swedish Årsstämma i Athera Biotechnologies AB (Publ) Styrelsen i Athera Biotechnologies AB (Publ) kallar härmed till årsstämma fredagen den 6:e maj 2011 kl 16.00 i bolagets lokaler på Fogdevreten 2A. Deltagande Rätt att deltaga på stämman Aktieägare som önskar deltaga i årsstämman ska dels vara införd i, den av Euroclear Sweden AB förda, aktieboken lördag den 30:e april 2011, dels anmäla sin avsikt att deltaga i årsstämman senast måndag den 2:a maj 2011. Anmälan om deltagande i årsstämman m.m. Anmälan om deltagande i årsstämman ska ske skriftligen till Athera Biotechnologies (Publ), Carina Schmidt, Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna eller per e-post info@athera.se. Vid anmälan ska uppges aktieägarens namn, personnummer/organisationsnummer, adress och telefonnummer. Dessutom ska vid anmälan anges om aktieägaren ska företrädas av ombud och om aktieägaren ska medföra biträde. Högst 2 biträden får medföras. Aktieägare som företräds genom ombud ska utfärda skriftlig daterad fullmakt för ombudet. Fullmakten bör i god tid före stämman insändas till bolaget på ovanstående adress. Om fullmakten utfärdas av juridisk person som ej är registrerad i det av Bolagsverket förda aktiebolagsregistret, ska bestyrkt kopia av registreringsbevis eller motsvarande för den juridiska personen bifogas. För beställning av fullmaktsformulär gäller samma kontaktuppgifter som för anmälan (se ovan). Förslag till dagordning 1. Stämmans öppnande 2. Val av ordförande vid bolagsstämman. 3. Upprättande och godkännande av röstlängd. 4. Val av en eller två justeringsmän att jämte ordföranden underteckna protokollet. 5. Godkännande av dagordning. 6. Prövning av om bolagsstämman blivit behörigen sammankallad. 7. Framläggande av årsredovisningen och revisionsberättelsen. 8. Beslut om: a) fastställande av resultaträkningen och balansräkningen, samt i förekommande fall av koncernresultat- och koncernbalansräkning. b) dispositioner beträffande aktiebolagets vinst eller förlust enligt den fastställda balansräkningen och c) ansvarsfrihet åt styrelseledamöterna och verkställande direktören. 9. Val till styrelsen och revisor. 10. Fastställande av arvoden till styrelsen och revisorn. 11. Bemyndigande till styrelsen att genomföra nyemission av aktier. Förslag till beslut 9. Val till styrelsen och revisor För val intill slutet av nästa Årsstämma föreslås att: a) Antal styrelseledamöter ska uppgå till 7 stycken. b) Till styrelsens ordförande väljs: Per Sjöberg c) Till ordinarie styrelseledamöter väljs: Sverker Ljunghall, Tore Mellstrand, Paul de Potocki, Akbar Seddigh, Otto Skolling och Jan Würtz. Förslaget innebär att alla ledamöter i sittande styrelse omväljs. d) Till revisor väljs: Revisionsbolaget KPMG AB med huvudansvarig revisor Anders Linér. 10. Fastställande av arvoden till styrelsen och revisorn Förslag att arvode för styrelsearbetet ska för arbetetet intill nästa årsstämma ska uppgå till 100 000 kronor till styrelsens ordförande, och 50 000 kronor vardera till de oberoende styrelseledamöterna Sverker Ljunghall, Tore Mellstrand, Paul de Potocki, Akbar Seddigh och Jan Würtz. Förslag att arvode till revisorn utgår enligt löpande räkning. 11. Bemyndigande till styrelsen att besluta om nyemission av aktier Föreslag att årsstämman bemyndigar styrelsen att genomföra nyemission av maximalt 400 000 aktier med avvikelse från aktieägares företrädesrätt till en affärsmässigt väl grundad emissionskurs. Bemyndigandet ska gälla intill nästa årsstämma. Skälen för att avvika från aktieägarnas företrädesrätt skall vara att täcka behovet av rörelsekapital eller annan affärsmässig grund för att säkerställa bolagets verksamhet. Om styrelsen skulle besluta om nyemission enligt bemyndigandet med maximalt antal aktier ryms det inom bolagsordningens gränser varför ingen ändring av bolagsordningen är påkallad. Övrigt Kallelse med styrelsens förslag och handlingar i enlighet med aktiebolagslagen finns tillgängliga hos bolaget på Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna senast två veckor innan årsstämman. Solna den 31 mars 2011. Styrelsen Athera Biotechnologies (Publ) E-post: info@athera.se www.athera.se Fogdevreten 2A 171 65 Solna Org.nr: 556620-6859 Styrelsens säte: Solna kommun, Stockholms län 110317 Emerging Biotech Company Athera and Lonza Sign Development and Manufacturing Agreement •The agreement secures a development and cGMP manufacturing plan for Athera Biotechnologies, part of the Karolinska Development portfolio •Lonza will initiate cell line and process development, using Lonza’s GS Gene Expression SystemTM •Athera’s monoclonal antibody, PC-mAb, is intended for the treatment of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome who are at an increased risk of secondary cardiovascular events and death Basel, Switzerland, 17 March 2011 – Athera and Lonza announced today a new development and manufacturing agreement. Lonza will initiate cell line and process development for Athera’s monoclonal antibody PC-mAb. Athera’s PC-mAb is intended for the treatment of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome who are at an increased risk of secondary cardiovascular events and death. This agreement secures a development and cGMP manufacturing plan for Athera. Lonza will initiate cell line and process development, using Lonza’s GS Gene Expression SystemTM. “Lonza is pleased to continue our support of emerging biotech companies with this commitment to Athera’s promising pipeline,” said Stephan Kutzer, Head of Lonza’s Custom Manufacturing Division. “The PC-mAb project from Athera fits well with Lonza’s core competencies and technical experience.” “We are very confident with Lonza as our development partner,” said Carina Schmidt, CEO of Athera Biotechnologies. “They have an excellent track record in the field of monoclonal antibody development.” About PC-mAb Naturally occuring antibodies to phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) have anti-inflammatory properties and prevent the uptake of oxidized LDL in macrophages. PC-mAb from Athera is currently in pre-clinical development, using a unique fully human monoclonal antibody developed for Athera by Dyax Corp. in Boston, USA. PC-mAb is being developed to restore cardio-protective levels of anti-PC and prevent secondary CVD events after acute coronary syndrome. In addition, Athera has developed a biomarker and companion diagnostic CVDefine® kit. The biomarker, anti-PC, is linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and could in the future be used for identification of patients that benefit from Athera’s novel therapeutics. About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with cardiovascular conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. Athera, a Swedish company, is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se About Karolinska Development AB (publ) Karolinska Development aims to create value for investors, patients, and researchers by developing innovations from world class research into products that can be sold or out-licensed with high returns. The business model is to: SELECT the most commercially attractive medical innovations; DEVELOP these to the stage where the greatest return on investment can be achieved; and COMMERCIALIZE the innovations through the sale of companies or out licensing of products. This will result in upfront payments, milestone payments and royalties. An exclusive deal flow agreement with Karolinska Institutet Innovations AB, along with other cooperation agreements with leading Nordic universities, delivers a continuous flow of innovations. Karolinska Developments flexible exit strategy enables projects to be exited at whichever stage of development offers the greatest return on investment, usually after Phase II clinical trials have indicated the desired pharmaceutical effect on patients - this being an important value enhancing step. Today, the portfolio consists of over 40 projects at various stages, from concept development to Phase II clinical trials, twelve projects are in clinical trials with six in Phase II. The portfolio is particularly strong in the areas of cancer, dermatology, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, women's health and diseases that affect the central nervous system. www.karolinskadevelopment.com About Lonza Lonza is one of the world's leading suppliers to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life science industries. Products and services span its customers’ needs from research to final product manufacture. It is the global leader in the production and support of active pharmaceutical ingredients both chemically as well as biotechnologically. Biopharmaceuticals are one of the key growth drivers of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Lonza has strong capabilities in large and small molecules, peptides, amino acids and niche bioproducts which play an important role in the development of novel medicines and healthcare products. In addition, Lonza is a leader in cell-based research, endotoxin detection and cell therapy manufacturing. Furthermore, the company is a leading provider of value chemical and biotech ingredients to the nutrition, hygiene, preservation, agro and personal care markets. Lonza is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. In 2010, the company had sales of CHF 2.680 billion. Further information can be found at www.lonza.com. For further Information: Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Chief Executive Officer Carina Schmidt Tel +46 761938190 c.schmidt@athera.se Lonza Group Ltd Corporate Communications Investor Relations Media Relations Dominik Werner Dirk Oehlers Melanie Disa Tel +41 61 316 8798 T +41 61 316 8540 +1 201 316 9413 dominik.werner@lonza.com dirk.oehlers@lonza.com melanie.disa@lonza.com 100908 New Board of Directors in Athera (Only in Swedish) Ny styrelse i Athera Athera Biotechnologies har på en extra bolagsstämma valt ny styrelse. Sverker Ljunghall, Akbar Seddigh och Paul de Potocki är nya ledamöter intill nästa bolagsstämma. Athera Biotechnologies är ett av Karolinska Developments portföljbolag. Per Sjöberg, styrelseordförande i Athera: ”Jag är mycket glad över att vi får arbeta med de nya ledamöterna, som tillför betydande industrierfarenhet. Deras kontaktnät inom kardiologi, till investerare och möjliga licenspartners, samt deras kompetens inom läkemedelsutveckling ger oss utmärkta möjligheter att förbereda bolaget för nästa utvecklingsfas.” Antalet styrelseledamöter utökas i och med denna stämma från nuvarande 6 till 7. Otto Skolling, Per Sjöberg, Tore Mellstrand och Jan Würtz kvarstår i styrelsen. De tidigare styrelseledamöterna Johan Frostegård och Ulf de Faire utträder ur styrelsen. Frostegård och de Faire, som även är vetenskapliga grundare och verksamma som professorer på Karolinska Institutet, kommer att vara fortsatt engagerade som vetenskapliga rådgivare och i bolagets vetenskapliga råd. Sverker Ljunghall är läkare och professor emeritus i medicin vid Uppsala Universitet. Närmast före pensionen har Ljunghall arbetat drygt 10 år inom AstraZeneca, bland annat som global chef för klinisk utveckling. Akbar Seddigh har en stor erfarenhet från styrelsearbete i noterade bolag inom medicinsk forskning och utveckling. Bland andra uppdrag är Seddigh styrelseordförande i Elekta AB (publ), styrelseordförande i Innovationsbron AB och Blekinge Högskola, vice styrelseordförande i Sweden Bio (branschorganisation för bioteknisk forskning). Paul de Potocki har haft ett flertal positioner inom global försäljning och strategisk marknadsföring på Pharmacia, Fresenius, Kabi och inom Unileverkoncernen. Han har bland annat varit direktör för global strategisk marknadsföring på Fresenius Kabi och vice VD, strategisk marknadsföring och försäljning på Pharmacia. De Potocki har tidigare arbetat med Biovitrum AB där han hade en tjänst som direktör för kommersiell och strategisk utveckling och varit medlem av företagsledningen. Han är idag VD för Aerocrine AB (publ) som han var med och introducerade på NASDAQ OMX. För ytterligare information kontakta: Carina Schmidt, VD Athera Biotechnologies AB Telefon : 070-552 5115 E-post: c.schmidt@athera.se TILL REDAKTIONEN Om Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera är ett bioteknikföretag med unik kompetens kring immunologiska orsaker till åderförkalkning, den inflammatoriska process som leder till hjärtkärl-sjukdom. Bolaget har idag två biologiska läkemedelskandidater för att behandla patienter med hjärtinfarkt och en biomarkör som är kopplad till behandlingen. Athera är ett portföljbolag inom Karolinska Development AB (publ). www.athera.se Om Karolinska Development AB (publ) Karolinska Development förvaltar en av de största portföljerna med life science-företag i Europa. Genom en unik affärsmodell kan bolaget kostnadseffektivt styra kommersialiseringen av life science-innovationer i världsklass. Sedan starten 2003, har Karolinska Development byggt upp en portfölj av ett 40-tal bolag. Bland bolagens projekt befinner sig 12 läkemedelskandidater i klinisk utvecklingsfas och totalt bedöms mer än 20 substanser ha "first-in-class"-potential. www.karolinskadevelopment.com 100827 Athera signs distribution agreement in Scandinavia Athera Biotechnologies and Electra-Box Diagnostica, announced today that they have signed an agreement for distribution of "CVDefine" kit. CVDefine measures a new biomarker in blood, a specific anti-body, that has been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Athera Biotechnologies is part of the Karolinska Development portfolio. Carina Schmidt, VD i Athera: "This is an important step in the broader commercialization of CVDefine. Together with Electra-Box we will now be able to expand our contacs with leading clinial scientist in the cardiovascular field and increase the exposure of our trademark. We look forward to be able to work with the experienced Electra-Box team." Peter Blom, responsible for clinical chemistry in Electra-Box Diagnostica: "We are very excited about the opportunities this agreement present. This will allow us to offer a new CVD biomarker to customers in Scandinavia. Since CVDefine® may add important and independent information in cardiovascular risk assessment; we believe there is a lot of interest from scientist in the field to generate further clinical research data". High levels of IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) have been shown to be cardio-protective. Low levels of anti-PC are known to be involved in atherosclerosis development and increased risk for acute cardiovascular events, like stroke and myocardial infarction. Athera is investigating the possibilities to develop new immunological therapies to prevent secondary cardiovascular events and to identify the patients who benefit most from this treatment with CVDefine, and consequently contribute to better care after acute heart disease. For additional information, please contact: Carina Schmidt, CEO Phone: +4670-552 5115 E-mailt: c.schmidt@athera.se TO THE EDITORS About Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with acute heart conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. Athera is part of the Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio. www.athera.se About CVDefine CVDefine® is a diagnostic test measuring IgM anti-bodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PC). Low levels of anti-PC indicate a risk for future development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVDefine® is an ELISA kit for early detection of increased cardiovascular risk due to atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation. About Karolinska Development (publ) Karolinska Development manages one of the largest portfolios of life science companies in Europe. Using a unique, highly cost efficient business model, the management team guides the commercialization of world class life science innovations, helping to shape the next generation Pharma industry. Since 2003, Karolinska Development has built a portfolio of some 40 companies; among the company's projects 12 compounds are undergoing clinical trials. The portfolio contains a total of 21 potential first-in-class products. www.karolinskadevelopment.com About Electra-Box Diagnostica AB Electra-Box Diagnostica is a distribution company for products to research and clinical laboratories in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Baltic countries. www.electrabox.com 100810 Notice of extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders of Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Only in Swedish only in Swedishonly in SwedishOnly in Swedish only in swedis Kallelse till extra bolagsstämma i Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) Välkomna till extra bolagsstämma i Athera Biotechnologies AB (publ) tisdagen den 7 september 2010 kl. 10.00 i bolagets lokaler på Fogdevreten 2A, Solna Deltagande Rätt att deltaga på stämman Aktieägare som önskar deltaga i årsstämman ska dels vara införd i, den av Euroclear Sweden AB förda, aktieboken tisdag den 31:a augusti 2010, dels anmäla sin avsikt att deltaga i årsstämman senast tisdag den 31 augusti 2010 kl 12.00. Anmälan om deltagande i bolagsstämman m.m. Anmälan om deltagande i bolagsstämman ska ske skriftligen till Athera Biotechnologies (Publ), Carina Schmidt, Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna eller per e-post info@athera.se. Vid anmälan ska uppges aktieägarens namn, personnummer/ organisationsnummer, adress och telefonnummer. Dessutom ska vid anmälan anges om aktieägaren ska företrädas av ombud och om aktieägaren ska medföra biträde. Högst 2 biträden får medföras. Aktieägare som företräds genom ombud ska utfärda skriftlig daterad fullmakt för ombudet. Fullmakten bör i god tid före stämman insändas till bolaget på ovanstående adress. Om fullmakten utfärdas av juridisk person som ej är registrerad i det av Bolagsverket förda aktiebolagsregistret, ska bestyrkt kopia av registreringsbevis eller motsvarande för den juridiska personen bifogas. För beställning av fullmaktsformulär gäller samma kontaktuppgifter som för anmälan (se ovan). Förslag till dagordning 1. Stämmans öppnande 2. Val av ordförande vid stämman 3. Upprättande och godkännande av röstlängd 4. Godkännande av förslaget till dagordning 5. Val av två justerare 6. Prövning av om stämman blivit behörigen sammankallad 7. Beslut om ändring av bolagsordning 8. Bestämmande av antalet styrelseledamöter 9. Val av styrelse samt beslut om ersättningar till nyvalda styrelseledamöter 10. Stämmans avslutande Förslag till beslut 7. Beslut om ändring av bolagsordning För att möjliggöra en önskad sammansättning av styrelsen föreslår styrelsen att stämman beslutar: att nuvarande § 6 i Bolagsordningen ska erhålla ändrad lydelse: § 6 Styrelse Styrelsen ska bestå av minst tre och högst sju ledamöter utan suppleanter. Styrelsen väljs årligen på årsstämman för tiden intill utgången av nästa årsstämma. 8. Bestämmande av antal styrelseledamöter Antal styrelseledamöter till och med nästa årsstämma föreslås vara 7. 9. Val av styrelse Styrelseledamöterna Johan Frostegård och Ulf de Faire utträder ur styrelsen efter denna bolagsstämma. Valberedningen föreslår att de avgående ledamöterna ersätts med Sverker Ljunghall, Paul de Potocki och Akbar Seddigh intill nästa årsstämma. Arvode för styrelsearbetet till de nyvalda styrelseledamöterna ska vara totalt tre prisbasbelopp att fördelas enligt styrelsens beslut. Övrigt Kallelse med styrelsens förslag och handlingar i enlighet med aktiebolagslagen finns tillgängliga hos bolaget på Fogdevreten 2A, 171 65 Solna och på bolagets hemsida. Solna den 6 augusti 2010. Styrelsen Athera Biotechnologies (Publ) 100629 Study links anti-PC to Alzheimer´s disease Scientist show doubled prevalence of Alzheimer`s disease in patients with low levels of anti-PC in a study just published in Journal of Alzheimer´s Disease. The testing was performed using Athera Biotechnologies CVDefine® kit. "Previous studies have established that high levels of anti-PC are linked to decreased risk of atherosclerosis. It has also been reported that low levels of anti-PC contribute to development of atherosclerosis and serious cardiovascular consequences like heart attack and stroke. We are already developing theraputic antibody candidates for prevention of secondary cardiovascular event after myocardial infarction, says Carina Schmidt, CEO of Athera. These new findings indicate that there may be other serious diseases where immunological treatments may be of interest." For further information: Carina Schmidt, VD Athera Biotechnologies AB Telefon : 070-552 5115 E-post: c.schmidt@athera.se 100215 Low levels of natural antibodies behind stroke The chances of suffering a stroke are linked to the presence of a certain type of antibody in the immune system, a new study from Karolinska Institutet shows. The research group, which was led by Professor Johan Frostegård, has previously demonstrated that high levels of a certain type of antibody (anti-PC) in the immune defence are linked to a reduced risk of arteriosclerosis, a common cause of thrombosis and myocardial infarction. In the present study, the researchers focused exclusively on stroke - a blood clot in the brain - and compared 227 individuals who had suffered stroke over a 13-year period with 445 sex and age-matched controls. After controlling for other risk factors (age, sex, smoking habits, cholesterol levels, diabetes, BMI and blood pressure), they were able to show that low levels (below 30 per cent of average) of PC antibodies correlated with a higher risk of stroke, which in women meant an almost three-fold increase. Natural antibodies to phosphorylcholine (PC) are known to be cardio-protective and are antibodies to specific surface regions on OxLDL. High levels of antibodies against PC (anti-PC) have been shown to be predictive of less atherosclerosis development in hypertensive patients. Later data from several studies confirm that low anti-PC levels predict an increased risk of CVD and even are linked to increased mortality in Acute Coronary Syndrome patients. The pharmaceutical product candidate, PC-mAb, is developed by Athera in collaboration with Dyax Corp. in Boston, USA (NASDAQ:DYAX). The biomarker product CVDefine®, that has the potential to enable a “theranostics” approach in prevention of cardiovascular disease, is on the market and provides an easy-to-use ELISA kit (CE-marked) for quantitative analysis of anti-PC in human blood. About Athera Biotechnologies Athera has a unique and in-depth understanding of the immunological components in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory process leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The company currently has two biopharmaceutical product candidates aimed at treating patients with acute heart conditions and a biomarker linked to the therapeutic approach. Athera is a Karolinska Development AB (publ) portfolio company and is also a major partner in the highly ranked EU-project CVDIMMUNE, which also includes Karolinska Institute, Imperial College London, Phadia GmbH and TNO. Contact: Carina Schmidt, CEO Phone: +46 70 552 5115 Mail: c.schmidt@athera.se |