Novo Nordisk and Cardior Pharmaceuticals today announced that Novo Nordisk has agreed to acquire Cardior for up to 1.025 billion Euros, including an upfront payment and additional payments if certain development and commercial milestones are achieved. Cardior is a leader in the discovery and development of therapies that target RNA as a means to prevent, repair and reverse diseases of the heart. The company’s therapeutic approach targets distinctive non-coding RNAs as a platform for addressing root causes of cardiac dysfunctions with an aim to achieve lasting patient impact. The agreement includes Cardior’s lead compound CDR132L, currently in phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of heart failure. The acquisition is an important step forward in Novo Nordisk’s strategy to establish a presence in cardiovascular disease. Novo Nordisk aims to build a focused, impactful portfolio of therapies through internal and external innovation to address the significant unmet needs that still exist within cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of death globally. “By welcoming Cardior as a part of Novo Nordisk, we will strengthen our pipeline of projects in cardiovascular disease where we already have ongoing programmes across all phases of clinical development,” said Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for Development at Novo Nordisk. “We have been impressed by the scientific work carried out by the Cardior team, especially on CDR132L, which has a distinctive mode of action and potential to become a first-inclass therapy designed to halt or partially reverse the course of disease for people living with heart failure.“ CDR132L is designed to halt and partially reverse cellular pathology by selectively blocking abnormal levels of the microRNA molecule miR-132, potentially leading to long-lasting improvement in heart function. In a phase 1b trial published in the European Heart Journal(1) , CDR132L was reported to be safe and well tolerated and the results suggested cardiac functional improvements in people with heart failure compared to placebo. CDR132L is currently being investigated in the phase 2 trial HF-REVERT in 280 people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who have previously suffered a heart attack (myocardial infarction). The first patient was dosed in the HFREVERT trial in July 2022. Novo Nordisk plans to initiate a second phase 2 trial that will investigate CDR132L in a chronic heart failure population with cardiac hypertrophy – a condition that causes the walls of the heart muscle to become thick and stiff, affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood. “This acquisition is a reflection of CDR132L’s transformative potential as a disease-modifying therapy for heart failure,” said Claudia Ulbrich, MD, CEO and co-founder of Cardior. “Novo Nordisk is the ideal partner based on its deep clinical and commercial expertise combined with its resources to accelerate our late-stage development programme, including through larger registrational studies. We look forward to advancing CDR132L towards market approval.” The closing of the acquisition is subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and is expected to happen in the second quarter of 2024. The transaction will not impact Novo Nordisk’s previously communicated operating profit outlook for 2024 or the ongoing share buy-back programme. Novo Nordisk will fund the acquisition from financial reserves. Centerview Partners LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Cardior. CMS Germany is acting as legal counsel to the sellers of Cardior and Latham & Watkins LLP is acting as legal counsel to Novo Nordisk in the transaction. About heart failure Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. The condition leads to frequent hospitalisations, and more than half of people diagnosed with heart failure die within five years(2) . Heart failure affects more than 65 million people globally and is most commonly caused by heart conditions such as ischaemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy or high blood pressure(3). The condition cannot be cured. Current therapies can slow but not halt disease progression(4) , and morbidity and mortality remain high(5). About Cardior’s approach Cardior works to identify and counteract the molecular mechanisms of the broad area of ischaemic-induced heart failure as well as specific cardiac diseases such as hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies. Cardior primarily seeks to advance a novel class of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting so-called non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are able to act on several key disease pathways simultaneously, triggering a concerted therapeutic effect against key hallmarks of heart disease, including cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, impaired contractility and reduced vascularization. Although ncRNAs are not translated into proteins, they are important for the regulation of critical cellular processes and their dysregulation is a hallmark of many diseases. With its deep knowledge in RNA biology, Cardior is developing a clinicallyoriented approach to restore normal levels and functions of these key players in the pathological processes of cardiac diseases. About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases, built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 63,400 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com. About Cardior Cardior Pharmaceuticals is a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery and development of RNA-based therapeutics designed to prevent, repair and reverse diseases of the heart. Cardior’s therapeutic approach uses distinctive non-coding RNAs as an innovative platform for addressing the root causes of cardiac dysfunctions. The company aspires to bring transformative therapeutics and diagnostics to patients and thereby make a lasting impact on the treatment of cardiac diseases worldwide. (1) Täubel J et al. European Heart Journal 2021 Jan 7;42(2):178-188 Novel antisense therapy targeting microRNA-132 in patients with heart failure: results of a first-in-human Phase 1b randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study - PubMed (nih.gov) (2) Jones NR et al. European Journal of Heart Failure 2019 Nov; 21(11): 1306–1325 Survival of patients with chronic heart failure in the community: a systematic review and meta‐analysis - PMC (nih.gov) (3) Bragazzi NL et al. Preventive Cardiology 2021;28(15):1682-1690 Burden of heart failure and underlying causes in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2017 – PubMed (nih.gov) (4) McDonagh TA et al. European Heart Journal 2021 Sep 21;42(36):3599-3726 2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure - PubMed (nih.gov) (5) Savarese G, Lund LH. Cardiac Failure Review. 2017;03(01):7-11 Global Public Health Burden of Heart Failure - PubMed (nih.gov)

Tubulis today announced the successful completion of an upsized and oversubscribed €128 million ($138.8 million) Series B2 financing. The round was co-led by EQT Life Sciences and Nextech Invest Ltd, on behalf of one or more funds managed by it, with participation from new US-based funds, Frazier Life Sciences and Deep Track Capital as well as all existing investors, including Andera Partners, BioMedPartners, Fund+, Bayern Kapital (with ScaleUp-Fonds Bayern), Evotec, coparion, Seventure Partners, OCCIDENT and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF). Tubulis is developing a pipeline of uniquely matched antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with an indication-tailored targeting molecule and payload combination to develop novel ADCs with superior properties. The proceeds of the Series B2 will primarily support progress in Tubulis’ pipeline of next-generation ADCs toward clinical evaluation and help achieve clinical proof-of-concept for lead candidates, TUB-040 and TUB-030. TUB-040 addresses tumor-antigen Napi2b, a well-characterized target in ovarian and lung cancer and TUB-030 targets 5T4, an antigen often overexpressed in solid tumors. Preclinical proof-of-concept data for these two candidates will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in April. The company expects to start its first Phase 1/2a clinical trial, including dose escalation and dose optimization cohorts in 2024. The capital will also fund the expansion of Tubulis’ suite of technology platforms to unlock novel payloads for the development of versatile and customizable ADCs. In line with the addition of new US investors, Tubulis plans to increase its corporate footprint by establishing a US subsidiary. “This substantial financing from a syndicate of global specialist biotech investors recognizes Tubulis’ unique position in the ADC space. Our proprietary platform technologies and internal know-how are the foundation for our pipeline of truly differentiated protein-drug conjugates,” said Dominik Schumacher, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of Tubulis. “Our goal is to establish Tubulis as a global ADC leader as we transition into a clinical-stage company and harness the full power of ADCs to bring their therapeutic value to patients with solid tumors.” In conjunction with the financing, Christoph Broja, Managing Director at EQT Life Sciences and Kanishka Pothula, Managing Partner at Nextech Invest will join Tubulis’ Supervisory Board. An overview of all members as well as their biographies can be found here. Kanishka Pothula, Managing Partner at Nextech Invest commented: “Recent developments in oncology underscore the significant potential of ADCs for the treatment of solid tumors. We are convinced that Tubulis will be at the forefront of this next wave of ADC therapeutics. The team continuously pushes the boundaries of ADC design and has developed an impressive set of platform technologies that give the company the full flexibility to tailor each component of the ADC to a specific indication. The company is on the path towards providing new, high-quality treatment options for many hard-to-treat cancers and we are excited to join their journey by providing strategic support in the next phase of corporate growth.” “Dominik and the Tubulis team have developed highly differentiated ADC candidates that have the potential to significantly change the treatment paradigm in targeted solid tumor indications. We are looking forward to supporting the Tubulis team in realizing their vision of delivering the true value of ADCs by extending patient benefit and improving quality of life, said Christoph Broja, Managing Director at EQT Life Sciences. At EQT, we are focused on guiding the next global leaders in healthcare and Tubulis is well positioned to directly impact the future of oncology treatments,” added John de Koning, Partner at EQT Life Sciences. Tubulis was established with the goal of maximizing the overall performance of ADCs by addressing the main bottlenecks in the field through innovation in all aspects of ADC development. The company has created a unique suite of technologies that combine a diverse range of targeting molecules, innovative payloads, and proprietary conjugation technologies to deliver revolutionary ADCs with superior, indication-tailored properties. The company’s platforms allow it to move beyond traditional payload classes and expand antibody conjugation options through novel chemical groups, resulting in stable, high drug-to-antibody ratios. ¹Nextech Invest Ltd, on behalf of one or more funds managed by it. About Tubulis Tubulis generates uniquely matched protein-drug conjugates through the combination of novel proprietary technologies and disease-specific biologic insight. Our goal is to expand the therapeutic potential of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) by increasing design flexibility while overcoming constraints of toxicity, efficacy and indication. Tubulis will build new conjugates to fill its growing pipeline and will continue to collaborate with industry partners to usher in a new ADC era and deliver better outcomes for patients. About EQT Life Sciences EQT Life Sciences was formed in 2022 following an integration of LSP, a leading European life sciences and healthcare venture capital firm, into the EQT platform. As LSP, the firm raised over EUR 3.0 billion (USD 3.5 billion) and supported the growth of more than 150 companies since it started to invest over 30 years ago. With a dedicated team of highly experienced investment professionals, coming from backgrounds in medicine, science, business, and finance, EQT Life Sciences backs the smartest inventors who have ideas that could truly make a difference for patients. More info: www.eqtgroup.com Follow EQT Life Sciences on LinkedIn.

Material- und Verfahrensinnovationen, innovative Therapieansätze und effizientere Nachhaltigkeit im Bereich Energie: Science4Life zeichnet die besten Teams der Konzeptphase aus.  Frankfurt am Main, 14.03.2024. Technologien zur Diagnose, digitale Gesundheitslösungen und ein Anstieg von neuen Entwicklungen im Energiebereich – das war die Konzeptprämierung von Science4Life. Die 74 eingereichten Geschäftskonzepte verdeutlichen die Innovationskraft der deutschen Gründerszene. „Start-ups spielen eine bedeutende Rolle als Treiber des Fortschritts und als Impulsgeber für Veränderungen. Ihre Bereitschaft, Wandel zu gestalten, ist ein entscheidendes Element für nachhaltigen Erfolg und prägt maßgeblich die Entwicklung unserer Wirtschaft", so Umut Sönmez, Staatssekretär im Hessischen Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Energie, Verkehr, Wohnen und ländlichen Raum. Dr. Jens Atzrodt, Head of R&D Operations Germany bei Sanofi in Deutschland, hebt besonders die positiven Auswirkungen auf die Gesellschaft hervor. „Die Innovationen von Start-ups stärken das deutsche Gesundheitswesen und stützen die Positionierung Deutschlands auch als führenden Akteur in der europäischen und globalen medizinischen Forschung und Technologieentwicklung. Sie tragen dazu bei, die Zukunft der nationalen Gesundheitsversorgung und darüber hinaus zu gestalten.”  Die besten zehn Teams der Konzeptphase des Science4Life Venture Cup und die fünf besten Teams des Science4Life Energy Cups erhielten die Möglichkeit, ihre Geschäftskonzepte im Rahmen der Academy-Days in individuellen Experten-Coachings sowie Workshops zu schärfen. Die besten fünf Teams aus Life Sciences und Chemie sowie die drei besten Teams aus der Energiebranche wurden zusätzlich mit einem Preisgeld prämiert. Ab sofort beginnt die finale Etappe des Wettbewerbs – die Businessplanphase. Start-ups, die erfolgreich ins Unternehmertum starten wollen, können sich ab sofort unter www.science4life.de zur Teilnahme registrieren und ihre Businesspläne in Form eines Read Decks bis zum 15. April 2024 online einreichen. Pioniere aus den Bereichen Life Science und Chemie CeraSleeve® stellt eine patentierte, kreislauffähige Materialinnovation zur Herstellung von nassfestem und wasserabweisendem Papier her. Entgegen konventioneller Methoden wird auf den Einsatz synthetischer Harze und Kunststoffe verzichtet, was erstmals ein vollständiges Recycling ermöglicht. fiberior hat ein neues Fertigungsverfahren zur Herstellung von Bauteilen aus Faser-Thermoplast-Verbunden entwickelt. Hierdurch können diese Hochleistungswerkstoffe signifikant kostengünstiger und nachhaltiger verarbeitet werden. immuneAdvice entwickelt eine therapiebegleitende Diagnostik, die eine frühzeitige Beurteilung der Wirksamkeit von Immuntherapeutika ermöglicht. Durch den präzisen Nachweis spezifischer Immunzellpopulationen mit den von immunAdvice entwickelten innovativen Immunzelltracern (ICE-Ts) kann das individuelle Therapieansprechen sichtbar gemacht werden. ResCure nutzt ein neuartiges Polymermaterial, um erstmals die überschießende Entzündung in der chronischen Wunde ursächlich zu bekämpfen. Dabei werden, anders als bei konventionellen Wundauflagen, störende Entzündungsfaktoren über einen rein physikalischen Prozess gebunden und somit die Heilung der Patienten ermöglicht. Die Technologie ist auch für andere entzündliche Hauterkrankungen anwendbar. Chemotherapien werden bei mischzelligen Tumoren noch nach “trial and error” zugewiesen, weil aktuelle Diagnostika die unterschiedlichen Zelltypen nicht auflösen können. 2NA FISH misst RNAs, die diese unterschiedlichen Zelltypen identifizieren. Durch den räumlichen Kontext werden heterogene Tumore hochsensitiv analysiert – für präzise Therapieentscheidungen.    Der Science4Life Energy Cup: Lösungen für die Energiewende ILLUTHERM will die industriellen CO2-Emissionen und Energieverbräuche reduzieren, indem sie Materialien wie z.B. Keramik und Zement mittels intensiven blauen LED-Lichts aus grünem Strom auf hohe Temperaturen erhitzt. Nanolope geht ein wichtiges Problem an: Deutschland ist beim Thema Heizen zu abhängig von Kohle, Öl und Gas. Jedoch haben erneuerbare Systeme zu starke Schwankungen, um Gebäude verlässlich und ausreichend mit Wärmeenergie zu versorgen. Mit dem Nanolope PCM, einem Wärmespeichermaterial, puffert Nanolope effizient diese Schwankungen und ermöglicht damit eine ganzjährige und autarke Wärmeversorgung mit erneuerbarer Energie. SHIT2POWER entwickelt und betreibt Containeranlagen, die Energie aus Klärschlamm auf lokale, erneuerbare und nachhaltige Weise erzeugen. Dadurch werden Kläranlagen zu Kraftwerken und es entsteht ein Anreiz, Süßwasser weltweit im Umlauf zu halten. Die fünf besten Teams der Konzeptphase des Science4Life Venture Cup 2024 (in alphabetischer Reihenfolge) CeraSleeve aus Darmstadt fiberior aus Kaiserslautern immuneAdvice aus Reutlingen/Tübingen ResCure aus Dresden  2NA FISH aus München Die drei besten Teams der Konzeptphase des Science4Life Energy Cup 2024 (in alphabetischer Reihenfolge): ILLUTHERM GmbH aus Darmstadt Nanolope aus Berlin  SHIT2POWER GmbH aus Berlin