HAMBURG, Deutschland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.
| 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: | ||
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| ISIN: | DE0005664809 | |
| WKN: | 566480 | |
| Indices: | TecDAX | |
| Listed: | Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart |