Hamburg, Germany | Oxford, UK - Evotec OAI AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX 30), a leader in integrated high-value-added drug discovery and development, today announced that they have extended their global discovery chemistry agreement with Roche signed in May 2004 for a further 12 months.
 
Evotec OAI has a long-standing relationship with Roche. In 2004, the companies signed a substantial medicinal chemistry agreement, supporting four Roche sites in the design and synthesis of high quality chemical compounds. A dedicated team of chemists from Evotec OAI is working full-time to support medical chemistry programmes of Roche and its Japanese subsidiary Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
 
Dr Mark Ashton, President, Discovery Services, Evotec OAI, said, "We are extremely proud to have been working with Roche since 2000 as a preferred chemistry partner. The renewal of this considerable collaboration is of particular importance for Evotec OAI as it emphasises our world leading chemistry expertise and the continued trust of our partner Roche. We are pleased that we have been able to continually support Roche's drug discovery programmes and are a competent and reliable partner to them."
 
"The collaboration with Evotec has been very beneficial for us," said Lee Babiss, Ph.D. Vice President, Preclinical Research and Development at Roche. "The high quality impact of this partnership over the past few years has supported our drug discovery projects significantly, resulting in an extension of the collaboration."
 
About Evotec OAI AG
Evotec OAI is a leader in the discovery and development of the next generation of novel small molecule drugs both through its own discovery programmes and through contract research partnerships. In its own discovery programmes, the Company specialises in finding new treatments for diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), which were expanded in March 2005 through the acquisition of Evotec Neurosciences. The Company now has a number of products in late stage pre-clinical development, the most advanced of which, a subtype selective NMDA receptor antagonist for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and neuropathic pain, is expected to enter clinical trials later this year.
In contract research, Evotec OAI has established itself as the partner of choice for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide. The Company provides innovative solutions from drug target to clinic through an unmatched range of integrated capabilities, including early stage assay development and screening through to medicinal chemistry and drug manufacturing.
 
With over 600 people located in Hamburg, Germany and near Oxford, UK, Evotec OAI is committed to generating value for its partners, shareholders and employees through a sustainable strategy that balances short and long-term business opportunities.
www.evotecoai.com

Contact:
Evotec OAI AG
Anne Hennecke
Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone: +49-40-56081-286
Fax: +49-40-56081-333
E-Mail: anne.hennecke@evotecoai.com  
Contact:

Evotec OAI AG
Anne Hennecke
Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone: +49-40-56081-286
Fax: +49-40-56081-333
E-Mail: anne.hennecke@evotecoai.com