Evotec SE — Environmental & Social Information 2015

Oct 20, 2015

News Details

Corporate | 20 October 2015 07:26

Evotec and Beyond Batten Disease Foundation collaborate to advance emerging therapies to fight juvenile Batten Disease

DGAP-News: Evotec AG / Key word(s): Alliance

2015-10-20 / 07:26

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Hamburg, Germany - 20 October 2015: Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange:
EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced an EVT Execute
collaboration with Beyond Batten Disease Foundation ("BBDF") aimed at
discovering and developing new treatments for juvenile Batten disease, a
rare, fatal autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder.

Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec will develop and use in vivo
mechanistic and efficacy assays to assess the translational potential of
fundamental and early drug discovery findings emerging from academic
institutions in the United States and Europe. The goal of this programme is
to leverage Evotec's broad discovery expertise and experience to validate
findings and to initiate their translation from bench to bedside. Evotec
joins a dynamic, multidisciplinary pipeline of foundation-led activity
designed to prioritise therapeutically promising findings while
de-emphasising programmes that under-perform in the translational space.
The collaboration includes substantial research funding to Evotec and runs
to the end of 2017, with an option to extend beyond this period.

Further financial details were not disclosed.

Dr Mario Polywka, Chief Operating Officer of Evotec, commented: "We are
pleased to welcome Beyond Batten Disease Foundation as a new partner and
join in the effort to develop therapies against this rare disease. We are
confident that with our world-leading drug discovery platform and expertise
significant progress can be made in this programme and collaboration."

Craig Benson, BBDF Founder and Chairman of the Board added: "BBDF is
delighted to be partnering with a global industry leader like Evotec to
further our mission to eradicate juvenile Batten disease. Our goal is to
leverage their expertise to advance our research into clinical trials, and
ultimately a treatment, as quickly as possible."

ABOUT BATTEN DISEASE
Juvenile Batten (CLN3) disease is a rare, fatal, inherited disorder of the
nervous system that usually begins in childhood. The first symptom is
usually progressive vision loss in previously healthy children followed by
personality changes, behavioural problems and slowed learning. Seizures and
psychosis can begin at any time during the course of disease. Progressive
loss of motor functions (movement and speech) start with clumsiness,
stumbling and Parkinson-like symptoms. Eventually, those affected become
wheelchair-bound are bedridden and die prematurely.

ABOUT BEYOND BATTEN DISEASE FOUNDATION
Beyond Batten Disease Foundation ("BBDF") is the world's largest
organisation dedicated to funding research for a treatment or cure for
juvenile Batten (CLN3) disease. Since its inception in 2008, BBDF has
applied over $ 15.5 m. BBDF is spearheading a unique, cohesive strategy,
incorporating independent scientific resources and collaboration with
related organizations to drive research in juvenile Batten Disease. For
more information, visit www.beyondbatten.org.

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. 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, pain, metabolic
diseases as well as oncology, inflammation and infectious diseases. Evotec
has long-term discovery alliances with partners including Bayer, Boehringer
Ingelheim, CHDI, Genentech, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, MedImmune/AstraZeneca,
Roche and UCB. In addition, the Company has existing development
partnerships and product candidates both in clinical and pre-clinical
development. These include partnerships with Boehringer Ingelheim and
MedImmune in the field of diabetes, with Janssen Pharmaceuticals in the
field of depression and with Roche in the field of Alzheimer's disease. For
additional information please go to www.evotec.com.

Contact Evotec AG:
Gabriele Hansen, VP Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Phone:
+49.(0)40.56081-255, gabriele.hansen@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.

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Language: English
Company: Evotec AG
Manfred Eigen Campus / Essener Bogen 7
22419 Hamburg
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)40 560 81-0
Fax: +49 (0)40 560 81-222
E-mail: info@evotec.com
Internet: www.evotec.com
ISIN: DE0005664809
WKN: 566480
Indices: TecDAX
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated
Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover,
Munich, Stuttgart

End of News DGAP News Service

403837 2015-10-20