ProBioGen Announces the Appointment of Dr. Volker Sandig to Chief Scientific Officer

Berlin, Germany, 31 March 2010

Former CSO Dr. Uwe Marx leaves for academia

ProBioGen AG, a leading biotechnology company in cell engineering and production of biopharmaceuticals, today announced that Dr. Volker Sandig has been appointed to Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of the company. He will take over the duties of Dr. Uwe Marx, who will take an opportunity to lead an entrepreneurial innovation team at the Technical University Berlin. 

Dr. Sandig has established ProBioGen's cell line development program in 2000 and has been responsible for the development of high producer cell lines and the customized design of new cell lines from primary sources. Prior to joining ProBioGen, he held senior management positions at Merck Research Laboratories, USA, focusing on the development of manufacturing systems for gutless adenoviruses. Using his knowledge in viral vectors, he also participated in Merck's vaccine program. Earlier in his career, he designed experimental strategies for adenovirus-based tumor treatment and directed research projects in cell cycle regulation and artificial promoters at Max Planck Society and Hepavec, a Berlin-based biotech company. After finishing medical training, Volker Sandig received his PhD in Molecular Biology from Humboldt University, Berlin. 

"We would like to thank Uwe Marx for his important role in the success of ProBioGen. As a founder of the company, he has built a strong team of seasoned scientists over time,” commented Hubertus Leonhardt, Chairman of the Board. “We are convinced that Volker Sandig, who has a long track record with ProBioGen, will be an excellent successor to Uwe Marx. Dr. Sandig has not only developed the company's proprietary AGE1 cell lines, he has also been a key scientist in establishing the company's broad technology and product portfolio."