Evotec and UCB Sign Multi-Year CNS Pharmacology Agreement

Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced a collaboration with UCB to provide a broad range of in vitro pharmacology services.
Under the terms of the three-year agreement, Evotec will support UCB’s
in vitro pharmacology team in drug discovery projects across multiple
target classes, particularly in the CNS space. Key activities will
include assay development, compound profiling and mechanistic studies
and will provide UCB with access to key Evotec expertise in the field of
in vitro pharmacology and electrophysiology.
Dr Mario Polywka, Chief Operating Officer of Evotec, commented: “Through
this significant collaboration focusing on CNS pharmacology, we continue
to strengthen our relationship with UCB, a strategic partner of Evotec.
With both teams already working closely together, we look forward to
adding value to UCB’s drug discovery programmes.”
Dr Neil Weir, Senior Vice President of Discovery at UCB, added: “Evotec
has demonstrated its scientific excellence and as such is a key partner
supporting our drug discovery efforts. We welcome the addition of CNS
pharmacology, where Evotec has specific expertise, to the range of
activities we collaborate on.”
No financial details were disclosed.
ABOUT UCB
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of small
molecules and antibody based therapies for the treatment of severe
immune-mediated diseases and central nervous system disorders. UCB has
over 7,700 employees worldwide with research and early development
scientists based in Belgium (Central Nervous System) and UK (immunology)
supporting an innovative pipeline of novel therapeutics. UCB’s core
products are treating patients with epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis and
Parkinson’s disease. UCB recognises that the identification of new and
innovative protein targets remains a core challenge for the
pharmaceutical industry. UCB therefore continues to invest internally,
externally and through collaboration to ensure that we identify novel
targets and mechanisms to tackle serious diseases. For more information
please visit: www.ucb.com.
ABOUT EVOTEC AG
Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company
focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with
leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academics, patient
advocacy groups and venture capitalists. We operate worldwide providing
the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery solutions,
covering all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry’s
need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery (EVT Execute). The
Company has established a unique position by assembling top-class
scientific experts and integrating state-of-the-art technologies as well
as substantial experience and expertise in key therapeutic areas
including neuroscience, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and
inflammation, oncology and infectious diseases. On this basis, Evotec
has built a broad and deep pipeline of more than 70 partnered product
opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT
Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term discovery alliances
with partners including Bayer, CHDI, Sanofi or UCB and development
partnerships with e.g. Janssen Pharmaceuticals in the field of
Alzheimer’s disease, with Sanofi in the field of diabetes and with
Pfizer in the field of tissue fibrosis. 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. 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.