"The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research has bundled renowned expertise in the field of pulmonary hypertension, an area with considerable unmet medical need," said Dr. Helmut Haning, Head of Global Innovation Sourcing at Bayer HealthCare on the occasion of the LBI opening ceremony. "Pulmonary hypertension is also central to Bayer’s research and development activities, so the LBI for Lung Vascular Research is an attractive partner for us, with which we want to develop new treatment options for PH patients."

The LBI for Lung Vascular Research studies the development of the blood vessels that carry blood through the lungs. A lung vascular dysfunction can result in pulmonary hypertension, a severe and life-threatening disease that can lead to heart failure and death. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disorder in which the pressure in the pulmonary arteries is above normal. People with PH develop a markedly decreased exercise tolerance and reduced quality of life. Due to non-specific symptoms, PH is often misdiagnosed or diagnosis is delayed. The most common symptoms of PH include shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness and fainting, all of which are worsened by exertion.

The strength of the LBI for Lung Vascular Research is "lived translational medicine" according to Professor Andrea Olschewski, director of the LBI for Lung Vascular Research. This means that all areas of medicine are available and involved, from molecular biology to clinical practice. To achieve these goals, an interdisciplinary team of basic scientists and clinicians work together in one center. "The LBI therefore acts as a catalyst in combining cutting-edge preclinical research and clinical medicine", Olschewski added.

About the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft
Founded in 1960, the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG) is a private organization that sponsors research institutions in Austria. Its institutes carry out research in the areas of medicine and the humanities, and on social and cultural issues. The LBG is supported by public and private funding, and incorporates a number of institutes and clusters. It currently employs about 300 people. The Ludwig Boltzmann Institutes operate on the basis of inviting grant applications, with an international evaluation process. A special feature of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institutes is their collaboration with institutional partner organizations.

About Bayer HealthCare
The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales of EUR 16.913 billion (2010), is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Bayer HealthCare has a global workforce of 55,700 employees (Dec 31, 2010) and is represented in more than 100 countries.