Evotec AG Release: Company Enters Into An Integrated Drug Discovery Collaboration With Asahi Kasei Pharma

HAMBURG, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced it has entered into an integrated drug discovery collaboration on an ion channel target with Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.

Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec will apply its integrated drug discovery platform including medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry and in vitro pharmacology to optimise hit compounds identified and selected from the Evotec compound library collection through a recent successful high-throughput screening campaign executed at Evotec.

Dr Mario Polywka, Chief Operating Officer of Evotec, stated: "We are delighted to expand our collaboration with Asahi Kasei Pharma into a fully integrated drug discovery project. Evotec operates one of the most comprehensive ion channel platforms in the industry and this collaboration represents further validation of the strength of this platform and the library screened. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues at Asahi Kasei Pharma."

No financial details were disclosed.

ABOUT ASAHI KASEI

Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a research-based health care innovator that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceuticals and diagnostic products. Asahi Kasei Pharma is a wholly owned business unit of Asahi Kasei Corporation, a US$ 18 billion technology company that provides innovative, science-based solutions to a diverse range of markets including health care, chemicals and fibers, housing and construction materials, and electronics. For more information, please visit the Asahi Kasei Corporation website at www.asahi-kasei.co.jp.

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 to meet the industry's need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery (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 neuroscience, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and inflammation, oncology and infectious diseases. On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of more than 70 partnered product opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term discovery alliances with partners including Bayer, CHDI, Sanofi or UCB and development partnerships with e.g. Janssen Pharmaceuticals in the field of Alzheimer's disease, with Sanofi in the field of diabetes and with Pfizer in the field of tissue fibrosis and with Celgene in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. 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:		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, Tradegate Exchange