Hamburg, Germany | Oxford, UK - Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX 30) today announced that Boehringer Ingelheim (Boehringer) has extended the scope of its collaboration with Evotec. In addition to the substantial discovery programme to jointly identify and develop therapeutics acting on G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) (see press release 8 September 2004) Boehringer research sites in Biberach (Germany) and Laval (Canada) will now collaborate with Evotec under a fee-for-service agreement.
For selected Boehringer target proteins, Evotec will apply its skills in biochemical and cellular assay development as well as in ultra-high-throughput screening (uHTS) using its proprietary FCS+plus detection platform to rapidly and accurately identify promising hit molecules from Boehringer's and Evotec's compound libraries. Active compounds will be further progressed by Boehringer to develop novel treatments for different diseases.
Dr Mark Ashton, Executive Vice President Business Development Services at Evotec, commented: "We are extremely delighted to further expand our collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim. Boehringer is a successful pharmaceutical company which places significant emphasis on innovative approaches to drug discovery. The fact that they have chosen Evotec as a partner for assay development and screening services is a strong endorsement of the high quality results we deliver in our ongoing collaboration in the field of drug discovery."
Professor Mikael Dolsten, Head of Corporate Division Pharma Research/Discovery, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, said: "Evotec has a strong track record in performing uHTS screens and handling large compound pools in complex assays. Evotec's proprietary detection technology also offers sensitive and robust systems for hit identification. These skills together with the experience we have made in our ongoing collaboration have convinced us that Evotec is the ideal partner for our drug finding programmes."
About Evotec AG
Evotec is a leader in the discovery and development of novel small molecule drugs. Both through its own discovery programmes and through contract research partnerships, the Company is providing highest quality research results to its partners in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. In proprietary projects, Evotec specialises in finding new treatments for diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Its lead compound, EVT 201, is in clinical phase I for the treatment of insomnia. In addition, the Company has a number of products in late stage pre-clinical development, the most advanced of which, EVT 101, a subtype selective NMDA receptor antagonist for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, is expected to enter clinical trials later this year.
In contract research, Evotec has established itself as the partner of choice for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide. The Company provides innovative and often integrated solutions from drug target to clinic through an unmatched range of capabilities, including early stage assay development and screening through to medicinal chemistry and drug manufacturing.
Over 600 people located in Hamburg, Germany and near Oxford and in Glasgow, UK, are committed to generating value for its partners, shareholders and employees through a sustainable strategy that balances short and long-term business opportunities.
www.evotec.com
About Boehringer Ingelheim
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 144 affiliates in 45 countries and nearly 36,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.
In 2004, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of 8.2 billion euro while spending nearly one fifth of net sales in its largest business segment Prescription Medicines on research and development.
For more information please visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
Contact: Anne Hennecke, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Evotec AG, Phone: +49-40-56081-286, anne.hennecke@evotec.com
Contact: Anne Hennecke, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Evotec AG, Phone: +49-40-56081-286, anne.hennecke@evotec.com