Just – Evotec Biologics to Produce Monoclonal Antibody Products Against Covid-19 for the Department of Defense

HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / July 22, 2020 / Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced that the U.S. Department of Defense (“DOD”) awarded its Seattle-based subsidiary, Just – Evotec Biologics, Inc. a contract valued up to $ 18.2 m to develop and manufacture monoclonal antibodies (“mAbs”) for treatment and/or prevention of COVID-19. The goal of this programme is to rapidly and efficiently deliver the mAbs to the DOD.

The DOD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (“JPEO-CBRND”) is executing this effort in coordination with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (“OASD(HA)”) and the Defense Health Agency (“DHA”).

Under the contract, Just – Evotec Biologics will design a highly efficient manufacturing process for the production of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (“cGMP”) clinical supplies of two monoclonal antibodies directed against SARS-CoV-2 antigens. The mAbs will be tested in early-stage clinical trials and ultimately, used for intervention and/or prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Just – Evotec Biologics will use its extensive experience in process development and clinical manufacturing to enable the rapid realisation of these potentially critical protein therapeutic treatments against SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Dr James Thomas, Executive Vice President Global Head Biotherapeutics at Just – Evotec Biologics commented: “It is an honour to be working with the Department of Defense on this important and time-critical programme. The response to COVID-19 requires the application of rapid, flexible, scalable and robust development and manufacturing technologies. Our company and our platform were designed for the type of rapid response required to develop safe and efficacious products needed for the fight against COVID-19 and future pandemics.”

Dr Craig Johnstone, Chief Operating Officer of Evotec, added: “Evotec is committed to the global fight against COVID-19 and future pandemic preparedness. We are very pleased to be one of the service providers to the U.S. Department of Defense and to apply our expertise and advanced technologies to respond rapidly to this significant global health crisis.”

ABOUT THE JPEO-CBRND, US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (“DOD”)
The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (“JPEO-CBRND”) protects the Joint Force by providing medical countermeasures and defense equipment against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. As an effective DoD acquisition program, the JPEO-CBRND’s vision is a resilient Joint Force enabled to fight and win unencumbered by a CBRN environment; championed by innovative, agile, results-oriented acquisition professionals. The Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical (“JPM CBRN Medical”) facilitates the advanced development and acquisition of medical solutions to combat CBRN and emerging threats. JPM CBRN Medical works with JPEO-CBRND’s Joint Project Lead for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense – Enabling Biotechnologies to provide new and improved medical countermeasures to enable a single treatment for many threats, rapid medical countermeasure responses, genomic sequencing and the capability to diagnose CBRN threats before the onset of symptoms. To learn more about JPEO-CBRND’s COVID-19 response, visit https://www.jpeocbrnd.osd.mil/coronavirus.

ABOUT JUST – EVOTEC BIOLOGICS
Just – Evotec Biologics wholly owned by Evotec SE is a unique platform company that integrates the design, engineering, development, and manufacture of biologics. With deep experience in the fields of protein, process and manufacturing sciences, the Just team came together to solve the scientific and technical hurdles that block access to life-changing protein therapeutics; from the design of therapeutic molecules to the design of the manufacturing plants used to produce them. Our focus is to create access and value for a global market through scientific and technological innovation. Learn more at www.just.bio.

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 3,000 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 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, 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.

SOURCE: Evotec AG via EQS Newswire

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