Evotec Receives Milestone Payment For Start Of Second Phase II Trial In Its Multi-Target Alliance With Bayer

PHASE II CLINICAL TRIAL ON PERSISTENT CHRONIC COUGH

HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / February 28, 2019 / Evotec AG (OTC PINK: EVTCY) (FSE: EVTA) (XETRA: EVT), (MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) announced today that another promising small molecule from its multi-target alliance with Bayer has advanced into Phase II clinical development for the treatment of persistent chronic cough. As a result of the trial initiation, Evotec received a payment of EUR 3 m.

In October 2012, Evotec and Bayer began their multi-target discovery alliance with the shared goal to discover three clinical candidates with a focus in the field of endometriosis. The successful and productive long-term alliance ended in 2018, generating six first-in-class pre-clinical candidates three of which have progressed into Phase I clinical trials. Bayer advanced a first programme into a Phase II trial in chronic cough in July 2018 and has now initiated a further candidate into a second Phase II trial for the same indication.

Dr Werner Lanthaler, Chief Executive Officer of Evotec, commented: “Our long-term alliance with Bayer represents our continued commitment to bring new therapeutics options to millions of patients. We are pleased to see a second compound from this alliance moving into Phase II studies for chronic cough, a debilitating condition affecting about ten percent of the global population and with no approved, curative therapy.”

About Chronic Cough

Chronic cough is a painful, debilitating condition characterised by unexplained coughing episodes ranging from 10s to 100s of times per hour and persisting for longer than 8 weeks in adults or 4 weeks in children. Chronic cough can last for months or even years and is one of the most common reasons for seeing a doctor. The global prevalence of chronic cough is approximately 10 percent. Currently, treatments are available to manage this condition – including antihistamines, inhaled asthma drugs, among others – but there are no approved drug therapies that treat the underlying condition of chronic cough.

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 and our more than 2,500 employees provide the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery and development solutions. We cover all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry’s need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery and development (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 neuronal diseases, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and inflammation, oncology, infectious diseases, respiratory diseases and fibrosis. On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of approx. 100 co-owned product opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term alliances with partners including Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, CHDI, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, UCB and others. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter @EvotecAG.

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

SOURCE: Evotec AG

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