Evotec receives US$ 2.5 M Grant to Leverage Human iPSC-Derived Teratogenicity Platform for Global Health Programmes

Rhea-AI Summary

Evotec SE (EVT) has received a US$ 2.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for its teratogenicity platform and joins the foundation's Global Health Discovery Collaboratory. The grant provides GHDC members access to Evotec's high-throughput teratogenicity platform at no extra cost, enabling cost-effective de-risking of drug candidates early in the discovery process.

• EVOTEC JOINS THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION FUNDED GLOBAL HEALTH DISCOVERY COLLABORATORY ("GHDC") AS A NEW ADDITION TO THE FIFTEEN COLLABORATORY PLATFORMS
• GRANT FROM THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION PROVIDES GHDC MEMBER INSTITUTIONS WITH ACCESS TO EVOTEC'S IPSC-DERIVED HIGH-THROUGHPUT TERATOGENICITY PLATFORM

HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / December 19, 2023 / Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809; NASDAQ: EVO) announced today that the Company has received a US$ 2.5 m grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ("the foundation") for its teratogenicity platform, and joins the foundation's prestigious Global Health Discovery Collaboratory ("GHDC"), a network of researchers, centres of excellence, and technology platforms working together to accelerate the discovery and translation of global health interventions.

Potential teratogenicity of drug candidates, i.e., their ability to cause defects in a developing foetus, is usually assessed very late in the drug discovery process using time- and cost-intensive in vivo models. Using human induced pluripotent stem cell ("iPSC") technology, Evotec has developed an in vitro teratogenicity platform with high-throughput capability, which enables cost effective de-risking of drug candidates early in the drug discovery process. The grant provides GHDC members receiving funding from the foundation access to Evotec's high-throughput teratogenicity platform at no extra cost.

Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: "We are very proud to receive this grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and thereby join the Global Health Discovery Collaboratory as a Collaboratory Platform. Our high-throughput in vitro platform for teratogenicity testing in a human model holds potential to de-risk drug discovery programmes across many indications much earlier than with conventional in vivo methods and thereby improve the probability for a successful drug development."

About teratogenicity

Teratogenic liability, the capacity of certain agents, particularly drugs, to disrupt normal foetal development, leading to congenital anomalies, is a major concern around any drug taken by women of childbearing age. These anomalies are a major cause of infant mortality, prevalent in both high and middle-income countries. With 40 to 80% of pregnant women in Western countries taking prescription drugs, the risk of exposure to teratogens is significant, especially when used for prolonged periods of time. Traditionally, teratogenicity assessments involve late-stage, time-consuming in vivo models with potential species-specific oversights.

About Evotec's teratogenicity platform

Evotec's teratogenicity platform uses human induced pluripotent stem cell ("iPSC") technology as in vitro models for teratogenicity testing. This approach allows for early and cost-effective evaluation of drug candidates in a high-throughput format, while also reducing the risk of missing human-specific teratogenic effects. The platform includes multiple human iPSC-based model systems representing tissues affected by teratogenic compounds. It employs an automated, high-throughput imaging-based approach for compound assessment, using immunostaining and automated image analysis. The platform has been validated with well-described compounds including teratogens as well as non-teratogens, demonstrating a high level of accuracy. Evotec also intends to combine its teratogenicity platform with other in-house A.I./M.L.-powered platforms to enable early in vitro teratogenicity prediction of drug candidates. However, this does not replace the requirements for later stage in vivo teratogenicity studies to fully de-risk a high-quality candidate for which the teratogenicity platform can help to identify.

ABOUT EVOTEC SE

Evotec is a life science company with a unique business model that delivers on its mission to discover and develop highly effective therapeutics and make them available to the patients. The Company's multimodality platform comprises a unique combination of innovative technologies, data and science for the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Evotec leverages this "Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures" for proprietary projects and within a network of partners including all Top 20 Pharma and over 800 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, as well as other healthcare stakeholders. Evotec has strategic activities in a broad range of currently underserved therapeutic areas, including e.g. neurology, oncology, as well as metabolic and infectious diseases. Within these areas of expertise, Evotec aims to create the world-leading co-owned pipeline for innovative therapeutics and has to-date established a portfolio of more than 200 proprietary and co-owned R&D projects from early discovery to clinical development. Evotec operates globally with more than 5,000 highly qualified people. The Company's 17 sites offer highly synergistic technologies and services and operate as complementary clusters of excellence. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on X/Twitter @Evotec and LinkedIn.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning future events, including the proposed offering and listing of Evotec's securities. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "should," "target," "would" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements include comments regarding Evotec's expectations for revenues, Group EBITDA and unpartnered R&D expenses. These forward-looking statements are based on the information available to, and the expectations and assumptions deemed reasonable by Evotec at the time these statements were made. No assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of Evotec. Evotec expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Evotec's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Media Contact Evotec SE:
Gabriele Hansen, SVP Head of Global Corporate Communications, Gabriele.Hansen@evotec.com
Hinnerk Rohwedder, Director of Global Corporate Communications, Hinnerk.Rohwedder@evotec.com

IR Contact Evotec SE:
Volker Braun, SVP Head of Global Investor Relations & ESG, Volker.Braun@evotec.com

SOURCE: Evotec SE

View the original press release on accesswire.com

FAQ

What is the grant amount Evotec received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation?

Evotec received a US$ 2.5 million grant from the foundation for its teratogenicity platform.

What is the purpose of Evotec joining the Global Health Discovery Collaboratory?

Evotec joins GHDC to provide members access to its high-throughput teratogenicity platform, enabling cost-effective de-risking of drug candidates early in the discovery process.

What is the potential impact of Evotec's in vitro teratogenicity platform?

Evotec's in vitro teratogenicity platform using iPSC technology holds potential to de-risk drug discovery programs across many indications much earlier than with conventional in vivo methods.

Who commented on Evotec's grant from the foundation?

Dr. Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented on the grant, expressing pride in joining the Global Health Discovery Collaboratory as a Collaboratory Platform.