Evotec and Takeda enter strategic RNA targeting drug discovery and development alliance (english)

    Evotec and Takeda enter strategic RNA targeting drug discovery and development alliance

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DGAP-News: Evotec SE / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
Evotec and Takeda enter strategic RNA targeting drug discovery and
development alliance

22.03.2021 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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  * EVOTEC LEVERAGES ITS PROPRIETARY SMALL MOLECULE RNA TARGETING PLATFORM
    AGAINST MULTIPLE RNA TARGETS ACROSS TAKEDA'S KEY INDICATIONS

  * EVOTEC RECEIVES RESEARCH FUNDING AND IS ELIGIBLE FOR SUCCESS-BASED
    MILESTONES AND TIERED ROYALTIES


Hamburg, Germany, 22 March 2021:
Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809)
today announced that the Company has entered into a multi-RNA target
alliance with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") with the goal
to discover and develop RNA targeting small molecule therapeutics for highly
attractive targets that are difficult to address via more conventional
approaches.

Evotec and Takeda will jointly identify and develop small molecules
targeting a range of RNA targets aligned with Takeda's research and
development areas. The collaboration will leverage Evotec's extensive RNA
targeting platform to optimally identify promising RNA sequences to target
with small molecule ligands that can be developed into potentially
first-in-class therapeutics.

Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec will receive significant research
funding and will be eligible to receive discovery, pre-clinical, clinical,
commercial and sales milestone payments of up to US$ 160 m per programme.
Additionally, Evotec is entitled to tiered royalties on net sales of any
products resulting from the collaboration.

Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: "Many
highly validated targets have proven to be intractable via conventional
protein targeting approaches. For this reason, Evotec has been pioneering
RNA targeting strategies and approaches for quite some time. We are very
excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Takeda in this field as
both companies share the vision to jointly develop small molecule
therapeutics against high value RNA targets that will deliver long awaited
therapeutics."

"Takeda recognizes targeting RNA with small molecules as a promising new
modality that has tremendous potential for much needed medicines for
patients through modulating historically undruggable targets", said Dr Larry
Hamann, Head, Drug Discovery Sciences, Takeda. "We are excited to be working
with Evotec and their impressive capabilities."


About Evotec's RNA platform
The structure-based recognition of RNA tertiary structures by RNA-targeted
small molecules ("rSM") provides an alternative to sequence-based
approaches, such as antisense oligonucleotides ("ASOs"). rSM approaches
enable novel therapeutic potential by allowing to target highly conserved
parts of RNA, creating pathways in cases where the encoded protein cannot be
targeted conventionally, and unlocking the largely unexplored field of
non-coding RNAs, which can also be disease drivers.

Evotec's proprietary RNA targeting platform is specifically designed to

  1. identify RNA tertiary structural elements where rSM are able to bind
    with sufficient selectivity and affinity,

  2. discover and develop suitable rSM binders that potentially deliver
    orally available drugs, and

  3. identify and deliver proof-of-target engagement for disease-relevant
    RNA structures, allowing biologically active rSM binders.

Evotec's cutting-edge RNA small molecule platform builds on the
well-established drug discovery routes within Evotec and combines them with
novel, highly innovative technologies such as third generation sequencing,
sequencing-based structure elucidation of RNA molecules, which constitute a
first-class expertise in this area.


ABOUT TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY LIMITED
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502/NYSE: TAK) is a global,
values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan,
committed to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments, guided by
our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its
R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetic and
Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted
R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on
developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a
difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment
options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and
capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees
are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with
our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries. For more
information, visit www.takeda.com.


ABOUT EVOTEC SE
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 3,500
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, fibrosis, rare diseases and women's health.
On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of more than 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, Bristol Myers Squibb,
CHDI, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, UCB and others. For
additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter
@Evotec.

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.

Media Contact Evotec SE:
Gabriele Hansen, SVP Head of Global Corporate Communications & Marketing,
Phone: [phone], [e-mail]

IR Contact Evotec SE:
Volker Braun, SVP Head of Global Investor Relations & ESG, Phone:
+49.(0)40.56081-775, [e-mail]


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22.03.2021 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Archive at www.dgap.de

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   Language:       English
   Company:        Evotec SE
                   Manfred Eigen Campus / Essener Bogen 7
                   22419 Hamburg
                   Germany
   Phone:          [phone]
   Fax:            [phone]
   E-mail:         [e-mail]
   Internet:       www.evotec.com
   ISIN:           DE0005664809
   WKN:            566480
   Indices:        MDAX, TecDAX
   Listed:         Regulated Market in Berlin, Frankfurt (Prime Standard);
                   Regulated Unofficial Market in Dusseldorf, Hamburg,
                   Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
   EQS News ID:    1177129



   End of News    DGAP News Service
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1177129 22.03.2021

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