Toronto, Canada, 12 May 2020:
Evotec SE and its collaborators Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (“TIAP”) and AmorChem Therapeutics today announced a $ 1.75 m investment into a drug development project focused on a rare skin disease called Netherton Syndrome, that affects one in 200,000 newborns worldwide.

The project was initiated in partnership with a group of scientists from Sinai Health’s Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto, Canada and focuses on a specific group of enzymes called tissue kallikreins. These proteins play a critical role in development of Netherton Syndrome and other skin inflammatory diseases. In 2018, TIAP and Evotec, through their academic BRIDGE partnership LAB150, provided funding, medicinal chemistry expertise, project management and business development support to advance initial efforts.

With $ 1.75 m additional financing from the consortium, the project will now complete crucial pre-clinical studies including lead optimisation with the goal of generating a kallikrein-targeting candidate for IND-enabling studies by 2021.

Dr Werner Lanthaler, Chief Executive Officer of Evotec, commented: “The progress within this LAB150 programme marks an important step on our path towards translating groundbreaking academic science into commercially available therapy options for patients who urgently need them. The ability to attract external follow-up funding for this project makes a strong case for efficient translation of academic projects through our BRIDGE model. We are glad to continue Evotec’s operational support in this endevour.”

Please follow this link for TIAP’s full version of the press release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of Evotec as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.