Evotec and Shionogi Enter Fragment-based Drug Discovery Alliance
Hamburg, Germany - 05 October 2010: Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX) today announced that it has entered into a multiple target drug discovery collaboration with Shionogi & Co Ltd. (Tokyo and Osaka Stock Exchanges: 4507), to identify small molecule modulators of various protein-protein interaction targets.
Evotec will apply its proprietary and integrated fragment-based drug discovery platform, EVOlution(TM) to the programme. The key benefit of this platform for the selection of target-specific strategies is its versatility, combining biochemical and biophysical techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and X-ray crystallography. Within this collaboration, EVOlution(TM) will be used to investigate protein-protein interactions on targets selected by Shionogi.
Dr Mario Polywka, COO of Evotec stated: "We are extremely pleased that Shionogi has decided to undertake these projects with Evotec. Our proprietary fragment-based drug discovery platform has shown that it adds significant value to our partner's programmes and we look forward to supporting Shionogi in finding novel treatments for inflammation and infectious diseases."
No financial details are disclosed.
About EVOlutionTM
EVOlutionTM is Evotec's fragment-based drug discovery platform which combines biochemical and biophysical techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and X-ray crystallography for the screening of low molecular weight compounds and fragments. By the combination of the orthogonal screening technologies, Evotec's fragment screening platform is capable of screening a more diverse set of biological targets than other fragment screening approaches, as well as being able to screen the fragments in a high-throughput mode. The benefit of this is the ability to identify active fragments for numerous classes of biological targets in a short space of time. For further information, please see: www.evotec.com/fragment-based drug discovery.
About Fragment-based Drug Discovery
Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a drug discovery strategy that utilises very small molecules - fragments of more complex molecules - to generate efficient starting points for drug discovery. This approach thus provides the opportunity to effectively manage the molecular weight and overall complexity of drug candidates, a recognised success factor in drug development.
About Evotec AG
Evotec is a leader in the discovery and development of novel small molecule drugs with operational sites in Europe and Asia. The Company has built substantial drug discovery expertise and an industrialised platform that can drive new innovative small molecule compounds into the clinic. In addition, Evotec has built a deep internal knowledge base in the treatment of diseases related to neuroscience, pain, oncology, inflammation and metabolic diseases. Leveraging these skills and expertise the Company intends to develop best-in-class differentiated therapeutics and deliver superior science-driven discovery alliances with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Evotec has long-term discovery alliances with partners including Boehringer Ingelheim, CHDI, Genentech, Novartis, Ono Pharmaceutical and Roche. Evotec has product candidates in clinical development and a series of preclinical compounds and development partnerships, including for example a strategic alliance with Roche for the EVT 100 compound family, subtype selective NMDA receptor antagonists for use in treatment-resistant depression and an alliance in the field of diabetes with Andromeda (Teva). For additional information please go to www.evotec.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our 2010 financial outlook and our expected financial results in future quarters, our revised revenue guidance for 2010 and expected revenue growth, our ability to deliver on our liquidity guidance, our belief that we are on course to sustainable profitability latest in 2012, our expectations and assumptions concerning regulatory, clinical and business strategies, the progress of our clinical development programmes and timing of the commencement and results of our clinical trials, strategic collaborations and management's plans, objectives and strategies. These 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. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, among other things: risks that product candidates may fail in the clinic or may not be successfully marketed or manufactured; the risk that we will not achieve the anticipated benefits of our collaborations, partnerships and acquisitions in the timeframes expected, or at all; risks relating to our ability to advance the development of product candidates currently in the pipeline or in clinical trials; our inability to further identify, develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the risk that competing products may be more successful; our inability to interest potential partners in our technologies and products; our inability to achieve commercial success for our products and technologies; our inability to protect our intellectual property and the cost of enforcing or defending our intellectual property rights; our failure to comply with regulations relating to our products and product candidates, including FDA requirements; the risk that the FDA may interpret the results of our studies differently than we have; the risk that clinical trials may not result in marketable products; the risk that we may be unable to successfully secure regulatory approval of and market our drug candidates; and risks of new, changing and competitive technologies and regulations in the U.S. and internationally.
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