• DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF INHIBITORS AGAINST TESARO'S IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY TARGET UTILISING EVOTEC'S COMPREHENSIVE DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM

Hamburg, Germany, 26 October 2017: Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) and TESARO, Inc. ("TESARO") today announced a three-year integrated drug discovery collaboration to discover and develop novel small molecule product candidates against an undisclosed immuno-oncology (IO) target. 

Under the terms of the collaboration, Evotec will apply its integrated drug discovery platform, from lead discovery through nomination of a pre-clinical development candidate, to TESARO's translational research pipeline to advance best-in-class oncology therapies. In particular, Evotec will leverage its industry leading structural biology platform to identify novel start points to progress into a full-blown drug discovery programme. 

"TESARO is excited to work with Evotec to expand our discovery capabilities against immuno-oncology targets", said Jeffrey Hanke, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Research and Development, and Chief Scientific Officer of TESARO. "Evotec has a proven track record of enhancing its partners' drug discovery efforts in oncology. We look forward to working with Evotec to accelerate the identification of new therapies to help patients facing cancer." 

Dr Mario Polywka, Chief Operating Officer of Evotec, commented: "Oncology is one of Evotec's core therapeutic areas of focus and we are pleased to enter into this exciting and innovative partnership with TESARO, a globally recognised oncology leader and one of the fastest growing biotech companies in the USA. This collaboration further demonstrates the value of our integrated research site in Toulouse and our world-leading structural biology group in Oxford. Using our integrated drug discovery platform, we are committed to helping TESARO drive innovation in this very important field of high-unmet medical need." 

No financial details of the collaboration were disclosed.  

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.