Evotec SE — Regulatory Filings 2015

Dec 15, 2015

News Details

Corporate | 15 December 2015 07:30

Evotec and Spero Therapeutics extend collaboration to develop novel antibacterials

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

2015-12-15 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Hamburg, Germany - 15 December 2015: Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange:
EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced an extension of an
existing collaboration with Spero Therapeutics ("Spero"), based in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, aimed at discovering and developing new and
ground-breaking therapeutics for Gram-negative bacteria to treat serious
infections and address the growing threat to global public health resulting
from antibiotic resistance.

Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec will complement Spero's
capabilities by providing early-stage research support for key projects
such as Spero's Potentiator programme which is focused on increasing the
potency of existing drugs against multi-drug resistant Gram-negative
bacteria. Infections resulting from Gram-negative bacteria is an area that
has been without novel therapeutics or approaches in more than fourty
years.

In addition, Spero will direct Evotec's in vitro and in vivo infectious
disease capabilities to advance its MvfR programme which focuses on two
highly important bacterial processes, virulence and persistance. The
collaboration includes substantial research funding to Evotec and runs to
the end of 2016.

No further financial details were disclosed.

Dr Mario Polywka, Chief Operating Officer of Evotec, commented: "We are
delighted to continue to work in this expanded fashion with Spero in the
important fight against multi-drug resistance shown in bacterial
infections. This programme highlights Evotec's unique capabilities in
infectious disease and the ongoing success of the 2014 acquisition of
Euprotec."

Dr Ankit Mahedevia, Founder and CEO of Spero Therapeutics, added: "Spero
continues to pioneer ground-breaking approaches to treat serious
infections; Evotec's support has been essential in our efforts to develop
multiple new therapeutic class of medicines."

ABOUT SPERO
Spero is a product-focused biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline
of novel treatments for bacterial infections and is located in Cambridge,
Massachusetts. The company's pipeline of anti-infective agents is one of
the most unique in the industry - focused exclusively on gram-negative
bacterial infections. The Spero Potentiator program provides the
opportunity to increase the power of standard of care by enhancing existing
drugs through a dramatic increase in their potency against multi-drug
resistant gram-negative bacteria. Spero's MvfR inhibitor program works
differently from existing antibiotics by targeting a pathway involved in
two critical bacterial processes: virulence and persistence. Spero's
pipeline of drug candidates may uniquely reduce the morbidity caused by
severe infections and promote their clearance, including in bacterial
strains highly resistant to even the most potent existing antibiotics. The
investors in Spero include Atlas Venture, SR One, The Partners Innovation
Fund, Lundbeckfond Ventures, MRL Ventures, and The Kraft Group. For more
information, please visit www.sperotherapeutics.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. 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.

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.

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

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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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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

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