Evotec has significant experience in respiratory drug discovery, from target identification to pre-clinical development.
Our capabilities are well established and growing, along with our dedicated team of experienced respiratory scientists. Robust translational models of respiratory disease complement our state-of-the-art in vitro capabilities, biomarker development and ADME/DMPK expertise in both systemic and lung delivery of potential new therapeutics.
Evotec scientists have so far contributed to the identification of at least four clinical candidates in respiratory diseases across three different mechanisms with two compounds in clinical development and four integrated projects currently ongoing. We also carry out smaller packages of work and individual studies to address specific questions, applying our knowledge and experience to any stage of your project.
Key capabilities
- Medicinal and computational chemists with experience and understanding of the optimisation of compounds targeting a wide range of target classes for oral and inhaled routes of administration. Integrated medicinal and process chemistry leading to rapid and successful transition into IND and Phase I clinical development
- Full integration of ADME/DMPK to drug discovery efforts
- State-of-the-art in vitro pharmacology capabilities, including biochemical and cell-based assays in cell types relevant to respiratory disease, including from disease patients
- Addition of key capabilities for respiratory drug discovery, including Ussing-chambers for cystic fibrosis projects
- Cross-species potency determination and biomarker development for use in both PD/disease models and the clinic
- Extensive electrophysiology capabilities and phenotypic screening
In vivo models
- Rat and mouse LPS-stimulated pulmonary neutrophilia
- Rat and mouse OVA models of mild to moderate allergic asthma
- Mouse models of HDM-induced mild to moderate and severe steroid-resistant allergic asthma
- Mouse bleomycin-induced model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Robust and consistent response measured by both lung hydroxyproline content and Modified Ashcroft score assessed by in-house histopathologist. Other markers also being assessed
- Pulmonary infections (see anti-infectives webpage)
- Read-outs include cellular inflammation, BALF inflammatory mediators, airway hyper-responsiveness, tissue biomarkers and histopathology. Bespoke model development also undertaken
- PolyI:C induced lung inflammation/COVID model
- Precision cut lung slices (including fibrotic cocktail stimulus)