Evotec AG Announces DeveloGen AG's Metabolic Disease Alliance With MedImmune; EUR 5 Million Upfront With Potential EUR 254 Million in Milestone Payments

HAMBURG, Germany , Dec. 15, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Evotec AG (Frankfurt:EVT) today announced that via its subsidiary Develogen AG it has entered into a license and collaboration agreement with MedImmune (the global biologics unit of AstraZeneca), in the diabetes therapeutic area, with a particular focus on the regeneration of insulin producing beta cells. The license gives MedImmune exclusive access to a portfolio of research programs and represents the first deal executed by Evotec on beta cell regeneration assets and capabilities.

The agreement triggers an upfront payment of EUR 5 million. Further on, additional deferred payments including potential milestone payments of up to EUR 254 million as well as royalties are agreed. The milestone payments will be due upon achievement of certain clinical as well as regulatory and commercial events. Further milestone payments may be achieved with the approval of additional indications and programs. Evotec will also receive research payments to support further in vivo and in vitro pharmacology efforts conducted in collaboration with MedImmune.

Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: "The loss of insulin producing beta cells is tightly linked to the development of diabetes. Using a unique screening approach for beta cell regeneration targets, we have identified and validated novel and highly relevant biological factors. The most advanced factor has demonstrated efficacy in animal models of beta cell regeneration in particular increasing the functional beta cell mass and thereby improving and restoring glycemic control." Dr. Dohrmann continued: "MedImmune is a leader in biopharmaceutical research with cutting edge protein production and engineering capabilities and thus a perfect partner for Evotec. Together we intend to generate a pipeline of biological factors that have the potential to prevent or reverse disease progression, and confer optimal glycemic control in patients. "

ABOUT EVOTEC AG

Evotec is a leader in the discovery and development of novel small molecule drugs with operational sites in Europe and Asia. The Company has built substantial drug discovery expertise and an industrialized platform that can drive new innovative small molecule compounds into the clinic. In addition, Evotec has built a deep internal knowledge base in the treatment of diseases related to neuroscience, pain, oncology, inflammation and metabolic diseases. Leveraging these skills and expertise the Company intends to develop best-in-class differentiated therapeutics and deliver superior science-driven discovery alliances with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Evotec has long-term discovery alliances with partners including Boehringer Ingelheim, CHDI, Genentech, Novartis, Ono Pharmaceutical and Roche. Evotec has product candidates in clinical development and a series of preclinical compounds and development partnerships, including for example a strategic alliance with Roche for the EVT 100 compound family, subtype selective NMDA receptor antagonists for use in treatment-resistant depression and an alliance in the field of diabetes with Andromeda (Teva). For additional information please go to www.evotec.com.

ABOUT DEVELOGEN

DeveloGen AG, Gottingen, Germany, is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the research and development of metabolic diseases. Since September 2010 DeveloGen AG is part of the Evotec group of companies with 99.4% of the outstanding capital acquired by Evotec AG. Under the terms of the acquisition, Evotec AG owes, amongst others, a portion of any upfront, milestone and royalty payments of certain agreements (including the agreement relating to beta cell regeneration assets) entered into by DeveloGen AG as deferred purchase consideration. This agreement also triggers a further share consideration of 1,398,561 shares held in escrow.

Forward-Looking Statements — Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our 2010 financial outlook and our expected financial results in future quarters, our revised revenue guidance for 2010 and expected revenue growth, our ability to deliver on our liquidity guidance, our belief that we are on course to sustainable profitability latest in 2012, our expectations and assumptions concerning regulatory, clinical and business strategies, the progress of our clinical development programmes and timing of the commencement and results of our clinical trials, strategic collaborations and management's plans, objectives and strategies. These 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. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, among other things: risks that product candidates may fail in the clinic or may not be successfully marketed or manufactured; the risk that we will not achieve the anticipated benefits of our collaborations, partnerships and acquisitions in the timeframes expected, or at all; risks relating to our ability to advance the development of product candidates currently in the pipeline or in clinical trials; our inability to further identify, develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the risk that competing products may be more successful; our inability to interest potential partners in our technologies and products; our inability to achieve commercial success for our products and technologies; our inability to protect our intellectual property and the cost of enforcing or defending our intellectual property rights; our failure to comply with regulations relating to our products and product candidates, including FDA requirements; the risk that the FDA may interpret the results of our studies differently than we have; the risk that clinical trials may not result in marketable products; the risk that we may be unable to successfully secure regulatory approval of and market our drug candidates; and risks of new, changing and competitive technologies and regulations in the U.S. and internationally.

The list of risks above is not exhaustive. Our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other documents filed with, or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, contain additional factors that could impact our businesses and financial performance. 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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