Evotec and BIOASTER Partner to Build a Technology and Innovation HUB in Lyon

• ACCELERATE AND STRENGTHEN THEIR RESEARCH CAPABILITIES DEDICATED TO FIGHT INFECTIOUS DISEASES

HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / September, 14, 2020 / Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) and the French-based BIOASTER Technological Research Institute (“BIOASTER”) today announced that they have entered into a partnership to advance research for infectious diseases. BIOASTER is a technology and innovation hub located in Lyon, France that has created a new model to address the latest challenges in the microbiology field, including antimicrobial resistance and vaccine safety and efficacy.

The organisations have been working together since the beginning of 2020 and Evotec represents the first global research and development company to locate staff in BIOASTER’s premises in Lyon.

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, the two organisations aim to put forward new research projects against infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, potentially creating new therapies and technologies. This collaboration had already started through the European research projects and development consortium ERA4TB (European Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis) and GNA NOW (Novel Gram-negative antibiotic now) within the AMR accelerator supported by the Innovative Medicines Initiative IMI2, aimed at reducing resistance to antibiotics and developing new therapeutic solutions.

“BIOASTER is proud to have support from the French and European leaders in diagnostics, vaccines, and animal health, and is pleased to formalise such a partnership with Evotec at the Lyon site. This allows BIOASTER to strengthen its agility and its capacity for technological innovation, in particular on antimicrobial resistance. BIOASTER now has a high-value network of close partners, which covers our four fields of application: antimicrobials, diagnostics, vaccines and microbiota understanding are key for manufacturers and patients alike,” said Dr Philippe Archinard, President of IRT BIOASTER.

“The agreement will nurture the research ecosystem of Lyon Metropole and its Biodistrict, and impact on both national and European levels. The fact that Evotec, a company headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, chose to locate its unit dedicated to infectious diseases together with BIOASTER in the Biodistrict Lyon, reinforces the reputation of this French health ecosystem, while offering a more complete and more powerful technological toolbox to speed up industrialisation of innovations,” said Emeline Baume, first vice president of Lyon Metropole.

“We are very glad to be partnering with BIOASTER, bringing Evotec’s proven global resources for anti-infective research and drug development to Lyon,” said Dr Werner Lanthaler, Chief Executive Officer of Evotec. “Both Evotec and BIOASTER have made a long-term commitment to tackle the challenge of antimicrobial resistance and we are confident that together we will be able to efficiently drive forward the progress in this field with high and rising unmet medical need.”

The two entities gather more than 120 researchers in total, share the same advanced infrastructures, including five BSL3 laboratories, with easy access to diverse equipments: this co-location creates a new pole of attraction, particularly suited to the expectations of industrials to accelerate and de-risk their product developments in infectious diseases.

ABOUT BIOASTER TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Created in 2012, following the French initiative of Technological Research Institutes, BIOASTER is a non-for-profit foundation developing a unique technological and innovative model to support the latest challenges in microbiology. In particular, BIOASTER uses and develops high value technological innovations that accelerate development of medical solutions for populations and personalized medicine.

The aim of BIOASTER is to bring together academic, industry and its capacities and specific knowledge to develop and execute high impact collaborative projects requiring industry compatible innovative technologies.

Key figures:

* 4 fields of expertise: antimicrobials, diagnostics, microbiota, vaccines
* BSL2 & BSL3 laboratories in Lyon and Paris
* 100+ employees, including 80% of scientific experts, 17 nationalities
* 66+ collaborative projects, involving 27 private partners, 29 public partners.

www.bioaster.org

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 3,300 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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