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Epigenomics\' CEO Alex Olek receives first annual German StartUp award
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| Date: Wednesday, 12.06.2002 |
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| Press Release, Berlin |
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Epigenomics AG, a transatlantic biotech company company pioneering the applications of DNA methylation, today announced that its CEO, Dr. Alex Olek, was awarded the first annual "Deutscher Gründerpreis" - the German StartUp Award in a ceremony last night. The award, hosted by the StartUp partners stern, the Sparkassen (German Saving’s Banks), McKinsey&Company and the ZDF (Germany’s second TV program) is presented annually to companies at various stages of their entrepreneurial success. With the award the hosts are honouring exceptional and outstanding achievements during the set-up of new enterprises in Germany. The German Federal President Johannes Rau, who is the initiative’s patron, presented the Award in ZDF’s capital studio "Unter den Linden". The highly distinguished jury included, amongst others, Bernd Kundrun, CEO of Gruner + Jahr AG&Co, Hartmut Mehdorn, CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG, Lothar Späth, CEO of Jenoptik AG, Thomas Osterkorn, stern’s Editor-in-Chief, and Markus Schächter, Programme Director at the ZDF.
Epigenomics was nominated for the category "Visionary". Nominees for this category have entrepreneurially and successfully addressed a theme that is decided annually by the Award’s jury. This year the focus lies on the application of DNA analyses for the early detection and therapy of diseases.
"The German StartUp Award is an invaluable support for the future development of Germany’s start-up and entrepreneurial culture. We are very proud of having been chosen from some of Germany’s best companies and to be named as the leading visionary enterprise," remarked Alexander Olek. "This will boost the innovative spirit of our company that has grown from a mere vision into a transatlantic enterprise employing more than 120 people. It strengthens our determination to achieve our goals - the development of individualized medicine of tomorrow."
The StartUp-Initiative was established in 1997 by stern, the Sparkassen and McKinsey&Company. It is Germany’s biggest scheme of its kind and makes a substantial contribution to the nationwide promotion of a start-up culture in Germany. The StartUp-Initiative incorporates the German StartUp Award, the StartUp Competition, a competition for young entrepreneurs, and the StartUp Workshop, an internet-based project planner for students. The German StartUp Award for the first time incorporates companies that have proved themselves on the market.
Epigenomics is a transatlantic biotechnology company, with headquarters in Berlin, Germany and its wholly owned subsidiary in Seattle, Washington, USA, pioneering tomorrow\'s personalized medicine. By detecting DNA methylation patterns, the \"on\" and \"off\" signs for genes, Epigenomics can create a digitized readout (Digital Phenotype®) for each tissue. The comparison of healthy and diseased tissue enables an exact diagnosis of disease at a very early stage and reveals new therapeutic opportunities. The combination of diagnosis and therapy, based on this epigenetic information and our robust proprietary technology, is leading the way to improving patients\' quality of life. Epigenomics is the world\'s first and only company focusing exclusively on DNA methylation and its importance in the post-genomic age, and is supported by the world\'s premier network of academic researchers and clinicians with expertise in the field of cancer and DNA methylation. For further information, please visit our website at www.epigenomics.com. |
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