• An alliance for personalized healthcare in cancer Research and Development

Hamburg, Germany and Basel, Switzerland - 24 June 2011: Evotec AG (FSE: EVT, TecDAX) and Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced a collaboration in novel protein-activity based biomarkers for Roche's oncology drugs under development. Evotec AG will employ its PhosphoScout® platform to discover protein-phosphorylation's that predict favorable dosage and efficacy of targeted cancer drugs in patients. Roche will be responsible for conducting clinical trials as well as assessing the development of companion diagnostics for patient stratification.

"We are very pleased to collaborate with Evotec AG and benefit from the PhosphoScout® technology to identify appropriate pharmacodynamics and patient stratification biomarkers," said Mike Burgess, Global Head of Oncology, Roche Pharma Research and Exploratory Development. "These biomarkers are core to the development of targeted therapeutics for cancer therapy."

"Biomarker-based personalized healthcare has led to a paradigm shift in cancer therapy," said Dr. Werner Lanthaler, Chief Executive Officer of Evotec AG."We are proud to partner Evotec's novel biomarker concept with Roche, the world leading personalized healthcare company, and its Pharma Research and Development Organization."

Under the initial three-year term Evotec and Roche will conduct multiple biomarker programs for therapeutic antibodies or small molecule inhibitors. Evotec will receive undisclosed up-front and success-based payments for each program. 

About the PhosphoScout® platform

Evotec's PhosphoScout® platform employs high-end mass spectrometry to identify and quantify thousands of cellular phosphorylation events on a global scale. Unlike immunoassays, PhosphoScout® allows truly unbiased systems-wide profiling of signalling pathways. Monitoring changes in the cellular phosphoproteome in response to drug treatment not only supports mechanistic understanding of targeted drugs but also enables the discovery of predictive biomarkers.

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 report. 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.