SphingoTec Announces Management Changes
Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany, March 26, 2024
– Diagnostic company SphingoTec announces a significant change in its management team. Joerg Menten, Managing Director and CEO, leaves the company to enter into retirement. Dr. Angelo Moesslang, Managing Director and CFO, leaves SphingoTec after the completion of a 3-year term. SphingoTec is pleased to announce the following appointments to its management team, mainly selected from the internal ranks:
• Deborah Bergmann as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Dr. Florian Uhle as Managing Director and Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
• Nicole Witzmann as Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Dr. Gerald Moeller, Chairman of the Advisory Board at SphingoTec, said, "On behalf of the Advisory Board, I would like to thank Joerg Menten and Dr. Angelo Moesslang for successfully leading the company during the past years in a challenging external environment, preparing SphingoTec for entering into first commercial agreements, and streamlining the company's complex portfolio. This will allow their successors to focus on the key value drivers going forward. Furthermore, I congratulate Deborah Bergmann, Dr. Florian Uhle, and Nicole Witzmann on their appointments. Their hands-on experience in our global industry will help grow our company to become a key provider of diagnostic innovations in critical care.
The long-term and multi-faceted past management roles of Deborah Bergmann within the company offer an experienced and dynamic leader. Dr. Florian Uhle is completing the team with his deep understanding of critical care settings and experience in translating science into clinical routine practice, and Nicole Witzmann with her successful track record in ensuring financing structure, fundraising, and allocation of funds for successfully achieving relevant milestones. I look forward to dynamic and focused actions with the new management team."
Deborah Bergmann, CEO of SphingoTec, stated, "With gratitude to the outgoing management team for their dedicated leadership, I am honored by this appointment and committed to building upon their foundation. Together with the team, we will expand the global reach of our biomarker innovations, focusing on enhancing patient care and addressing unmet clinical needs. Our collective effort aims to reshape diagnostic standards in critical care while focusing on further licensing agreements and assisting current partners and pharma cooperations. Additionally, we are committed to supporting existing customers as routine users, particularly university hospitals, and strengthening the scientific and clinical evidence around our diagnostic tests."
Deborah Bergmann appointed as Managing Director and CEO:
Deborah Bergmann brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of SphingoTec's mission. With a Master's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Potsdam, Ms. Bergmann has been an integral part of SphingoTec's journey from its inception. Her multifaceted contributions across research and development, marketing, sales, and business development have been instrumental in securing the company's first routine users, driving sales conversion of reference customers, and overseeing the out-licensing activities. Ms. Bergmann's leadership skills and international cooperation aptitude have facilitated the company's expansion into global markets, underscoring her commitment to advancing diagnostic standards in critical care.
Dr. Florian Uhle appointed as Managing Director and CMO:
Dr. Florian Uhle brings over 15 years of experience in healthcare. With a diploma in Biology from the Justus-Liebig University, a Master of Science in Clinical Research and Translational Medicine from the University of Leipzig, and a Ph.D. in Translational Critical Care from the Justus-Liebig University, Dr. Uhle has held several leadership roles within Inflammatix Inc. and the University Hospitals Heidelberg and Giessen. His expertise in diagnostic research activities and innovation-oriented initiatives, coupled with his extensive publication record in renowned scientific journals, positions him as a valuable leader to SphingoTec. Dr. Uhle is committed to bridging the gap between research and clinical practice, ensuring that SphingoTec's diagnostic innovations translate into tangible improvements in patient outcomes.
Nicole Witzmann joins SphingoTec as CFO:
Nicole Witzmann assumes the role of Chief Financial Officer, bringing over eight years of corporate finance experience in the healthcare industry. With a Master's degree in Business Communication from the University of Applied Sciences Berlin (HTW Berlin), Ms. Witzmann previously served as CFO at InfanDx. She was instrumental as Head of Finance at Adrenomed AG, ensuring financial oversight and fundraising. Her expertise aligns seamlessly with SphingoTec's strategic objectives: allocating financial resources, which aims to achieve tangible milestones, fostering shareholder value, and substantial advancements in patient care.
About SphingoTec
SphingoTec GmbH ("SphingoTec"; Hennigsdorf near Berlin, Germany) is a commercial-stage diagnostic company focusing on innovative critical care biomarkers for diagnosing, predicting, and monitoring acute medical conditions. SphingoTec’s innovative markers are made available on different IVD platforms. SphingoTec's proprietary biomarker portfolio includes Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid), a biomarker for the assessment of kidney function in critical diseases, and bioactive Adrenomedullin 1-52 (bio-ADM), a biomarker for the assessment of endothelial function in conditions like sepsis.
Media contact:
Ruxandra Lenz
Head of Marketing and Communication
SphingoTec GmbH
Neuendorfstr. 15 A
16761 Hennigsdorf
Tel. +49-3302-20565-0
• New ELISA sphingotest® penKid® enables widespread measurement of the kidney function biomarker Proenkephalin 119-159 (penKid) using standard laboratory equipment. • Only available test to match SphingoTec’s reference chemiluminescence assay, developed with patented high-sensitivity technology to provide consistent results across platforms. Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany, April 28 2026 - SphingoTec GmbH announces the launch of the ELISA sphingotest® penKid®, a new assay designed to make testing of its proprietary biomarker broadly accessible to research laboratories and pharmaceutical partners. Providing ease-of-use and precision, the test facilitates large-scale investigations of human kidney function in both acute and broader clinical research contexts. Responding to growing research interest The launch follows increasing demand from the scientific community to study penKid - a biomarker reflecting the current state of kidney function in critical care environments. While SphingoTec’s high-sensitivity sphingotest® penKid® assay serves as the reference method for clinical research and third-party IVD assays, the assay technology requiring dedicated equipment was not easily adoptable in research laboratories. The new ELISA sphingotest® penKid® now allows researchers worldwide to benefit from SphingoTec’s patented detection technology using standard photometers, extending penKid testing capability to a wider range of laboratories. Proven performance and data continuity The ELISA sphingotest® penKid® has been developed to achieve excellent correlation with SphingoTec’s reference chemiluminescence assay, ensuring consistent, high-quality results across different assay platforms. Both methods share the same underlying technology capable of detecting penKid concentrations in the picomolar range. Thanks to this technology transfer, researchers can rely on the same analytical precision and reliability that supported the clinical studies establishing penKid as a valuable kidney function biomarker. The assay’s robust design and German manufacturing ensure durable consistency and reproducibility. With this research-use ELISA, SphingoTec responds to the increasing availability of non-validated assays and encourages researchers to not compromise assay quality and performance to ensure trustworthy results - since data from non-validated tests may reflect assay limitations rather than the true performance of the penKid biomarker. Complementary approaches for clinical use and scientific exploration SphingoTec pursues its commercial strategy for the biomarker penKid through strategic out-licensing partnerships such as Boditech Med, which has developed an IVDR-certified assay for routine clinical use and rapid diagnostics. The newly launched ELISA sphingotest® penKid® represents a complementary initiative, specifically designed to support high-throughput clinical and translational research. Through this dual approach, SphingoTec reaffirms its commitment to fostering scientific collaboration and promoting the broader exploration of penKid across diverse research settings. “Developing the ELISA sphingotest® penKid® reflects our long-term commitment to improving critical care diagnostics,” said Deborah Bergmann, Managing Director and CEO of SphingoTec GmbH. “Beyond its currently validated clinical applications, we see strong potential for penKid to support research and improve diagnostics in other fields where kidney function is relevant. By encouraging scientists worldwide to incorporate penKid into their studies and clinical programs, we aim to accelerate innovation and advance best-fit diagnostic solutions that ultimately improve patient care.” About SphingoTec SphingoTec GmbH ("SphingoTec"; Hennigsdorf near Berlin, Germany) is a biomarker company focusing on the out-licensing of innovative critical care solutions for diagnosing, predicting, and monitoring acute medical conditions. SphingoTec develops its biomarkers to the commercial stage and partners with IVD companies to make them available on different IVD platforms. SphingoTec's proprietary biomarker portfolio includes Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid), a biomarker for the assessment of kidney function in critical diseases, and bioactive Adrenomedullin 1-52 (bio-ADM), a biomarker for the assessment of endothelial function in conditions like sepsis. Discover more on www.sphingotec.com Media Contact: Email: press@sphingotec.com Phone +49-3302-20565-0 SphingoTec GmbH Neuendorfstr. 15A 16761 Hennigsdorf, Germany
• PenKid surpasses serum creatinine on Day 1 post-transplant in detecting delayed graft function (DGF), with an AUROC of 0.87 versus 0.56 for creatinine. • PenKid differentiates slow graft function (SGF) from DGF up to 8 days earlier than current methods, supporting more timely clinical decisions. • PenKid levels remain unaffected by kidney replacement therapy (KRT), allowing for more accurate assessment of kidney function. • Independent validation in transplant cohort from Australia confirms performance and broad applicability. Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany, July 1, 2025 - Diagnostic company SphingoTec GmbH (“SphingoTec”) announces a landmark study (1) published in Transplant International, led by Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany in collaboration with researchers from Sydney, Australia, which identifies Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid) as a reliable biomarker for early and precise assessment of graft function trajectories following kidney transplantation. The research demonstrates that PenKid not only identifies patients at risk for DGF significantly earlier than traditional markers but also distinguishes between slow and delayed graft function with remarkable accuracy, offering clinicians a valuable new tool for patient management. The study prospectively evaluated 159 consecutive kidney transplant recipients at Heidelberg University Hospital and validated findings in an independent cohort from Sydney. PenKid consistently outperformed serum creatinine (SCr) in predicting graft function trajectories, particularly in the critical early post-transplant period. Notably, PenKid’s ability to remain unaffected by KRT—a treatment for severe kidney dysfunction—further sets it apart from SCr, which can be influenced by non-renal factors and KRT itself, thereby enhancing the reliability of graft function assessment. Multivariate analysis confirmed PenKid as the strongest independent predictor of both short-term graft function and 30-day outcomes, underscoring its clinical utility for early risk stratification. The biomarker’s superior granularity allows for nuanced classification of DGF severity, supporting more informed decisions regarding the initiation of dialysis or biopsy and offering potential for individualized patient care. With these findings, penKid steps forward as a practical addition to the transplant clinician’s toolkit, promising to sharpen decision-making for optimal outcomes. Its adoption could help transplant teams act with greater confidence and precision, ultimately strengthening the standard of care in kidney transplantation. ## References 1. Benning L et al. (2025) Proenkephalin A 119-159 in Kidney Transplantation: A Novel Biomarker for Superior Tracking of Graft Function Trajectories. Transpl. Int. 38:14366. doi: 10.3389/ti.2025.14366 About SphingoTec SphingoTec GmbH ("SphingoTec"; Hennigsdorf near Berlin, Germany) is a biomarker company focusing on the out-licensing of innovative critical care solutions for diagnosing, predicting, and monitoring acute medical conditions. SphingoTec develops its biomarkers to the commercial stage and partners with IVD companies to make them available on different IVD platforms. SphingoTec's proprietary biomarker portfolio includes Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid), a biomarker for the assessment of kidney function in critical diseases, commercially available on diagnostic platforms AFIAS and Nexus IB10 and bioactive Adrenomedullin 1-52 (bio-ADM), a biomarker for the assessment of endothelial function in conditions like sepsis. Discover more on www.sphingotec.com Contact : Ruxandra Lenz Marketing and Communication SphingoTec GmbH Phone +49-3302-20565-0 Email: press@sphingotec.com