Pharma Partnerships
Evotec is committed to delivering solutions for some of the largest and most pressing global medical needs and brings the most promising scientific ideas forward to make a difference in key medical areas. In its research initiatives, Evotec is progressing its preclinical assets to potential entry points for drug discovery alliances and partners those to pharmaceutical companies for upfront payments, on-going research fees and significant milestones and royalties. Through this strategy, Evotec is building a pipeline without bearing the extensive financial risk normally involved in such projects.
Bristol Myers Squibb Partnerships
Molecular Glue Degraders
The collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in the area of molecular glue degraders using Evotec's state-of-the-art proteomics platform has been expanded and extended for additional 8 years and further deal potential. Beginning in 2018 with an indication focus on Oncology, both parties leverage Evotec's PanOmics & PanHunter platforms as well as AI/ML-based drug discovery and development platforms with the goal of an unbiased and highly systematic approach to build a joint pipeline of molecular glue degraders.
Molecular glue degraders are small, drug-like compounds that induce interactions between an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a molecular target. The induced interaction results in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the recruited protein leading to long-lasting therapeutic effects. Bristol Myers Squibb is a leader in this field based in particular on its unique library of cereblon E3 ligase modulators (CELMoDTM).
Neuroscience
The long standing neuroscience collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, leverages Evotec’s precision medicine technologies for modality-agnostic drug discovery and development. A first program originating from the collaboration, EVT8683, was in-licensed by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in September 2021, following the successful filing of an IND application with the FDA.
There is a significant unmet medical need for therapies that slow down or reverse disease progression in the field of neurodegenerative diseases as the only currently approved drugs offer short-term management of patient's symptoms. Evotec and Bristol Myers Squibb aim to identify disease modifying treatments for a broad range of neurodegenerative diseases.
The partnership has proved highly productive in generating a promising pipeline of discovery to clinical-stage program. Under the license agreement in July 2023, Bristol Myers Squibb has selected an undisclosed number of programs that were rapidly developed and progressed using Evotec’s precision medicine platforms for further development within the expanded collaboration.
Sandoz Partnership With Just - Evotec Biologics
Under a multi-year, long-term tech partnership with Sandoz, Just - Evotec Biologics will support development & manufacture their biosimilar pipeline. The partnership supports our mission to provide global access to important biotherapeutic medicines.
Mission & Rationale
- Long-term tech partnership aspires to disrupt the biosimilars market with affordable and accessible highest-quality medicines
- Just - Evotec Biologics to bring AI-driven, fully integrated tech platform and continuous manufacturing and Sandoz leading biosimilars pipeline and capabilities
- The collaboration is uniquely structured and marks a step-change in the CDMO environment
- Transformative two-pronged agreement secured highest flexibility in aligning the needs of both companies
Agreement with Sandoz
- Multi-year, long-term tech partnership for the immediate development and subsequent manufacturing of multiple biosimilars
- Option for the non-exclusive in-licensing of Just - Evotec Biologics' proprietary J.DESIGN platform process development and continuous manufacturing technology by Sandoz for building its fully-owned S.POD facility (in analogy to Just - Evotec Biologics' state-of-the-art J.POD facilities)
- The development of the biosimilars will ramp up in 2024 in a highly collaborative fashion at Just - Evotec Biologics' J.POD facilities
- Just - Evotec Biologics to receive double-digit million upfront, future payments dependent on successful development progress of US$ 640 m, additional undisclosed payments dependent on progress into commercial manufacturing and exercising the S.POD option
Boehringer Ingelheim Partnership
Evotec and Boehringer Ingelheim entered into a target and drug discovery partnership in January 2022 focusing on induced pluripotent stem cell (“iPSC”)-based disease modelling for ophthalmologic disorders. The iPSC-technology part of the PanOmics building block has been the driver for this strategic collaboration.
Through phenotypic screening of human iPSC-derived cells, supported by Evotec’s PanOmics platform, Evotec will identify small molecules able to modulate disease phenotypes and validate the underlying promising targets for potential therapeutic interventions.
Boehringer Ingelheim will then continue with the discovery and development of potential therapeutic candidates.
Lilly Partnership
Beginning in 2022, Evotec entered into a drug discovery collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”) in the field of metabolic diseases with a focus on kidney diseases and diabetes. The multi-year, multi-target research collaboration in field of diabetes & associated complications (CVD, CKD, NASH) leverages Evotec's broad metabolic expertise and unique kidney disease patient databased as well as integrated data-driven drug discovery and development platforms. The agreement containing an undisclosed up-front payment gives Lilly the right to select up to five programs.
- E.MPD data mining is key component of collaboration
- Two initial drug discovery programs, validated targets & some chemical matter provided by Lilly
- Additional targets nominated from PanHunter based target ID from E.MPD
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