Evotec Launches ‘PRROTECT’, A Pre-Competitive Initiative to Be Better Prepared for Future Pandemics

• INTEGRATED PLATFORM APPROACH TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES OF PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS, RAPID RESPONSE AND DELIVERABILITY
• PRROTECT COMBINES FIRST-IN-CLASS PROGRAMMES ACROSS THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES, ACCELERATED R&D TIMELINES FOR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NEUTRALISING ANTIBODIES WITH AI/ML PREDICTION TOOLS (J.HAL ^℠ ) AND MANUFACTURING PLATFORM (J.POD ^(R) )

HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / June 15, 2021 / Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) announced today that the Company has launched an initiative for pandemic preparedness (“PRROTECT”). PRROTECT leverages a comprehensive set of novel projects and technologies to be better prepared for and respond faster to viral pandemics of the future.

Virus outbreaks that can develop into dynamic pandemics are a permanent global threat. Besides preventive measures and vaccines, highly effective therapeutics are the backbone of any pandemic response. Evotec’s PRROTECT initiative includes the development and delivery of superior novel therapeutics to curb the next viral pandemic. Based on the Company’s distinctive set of global capabilities, Evotec is uniquely positioned to develop next-generation therapeutics across all modalities including small molecules, protein degraders, antibodies and immuno-modulators, but excluding vaccines.

PRROTECT will be an open pre-competitive network initiative designed to offer the best protection against future pandemics by including three lines of preparation:

• Preparedness against viral threats, i.e. the pre-development of a multimodality pipeline of therapeutic candidates against the most threatening viruses as defined by the World Health Organisation (“WHO”)
• Rapid response technologies to accelerate de novo R&D timelines of highly effective neutralising antibodies using AI & ML platforms (e.g. J.HAL ^℠ )
• Flexible manufacturing network with highly intensified production facilities (J.POD ^(R) ) to provide therapeutic antibodies quickly wherever needed

Dr Werner Lanthaler, Chief Executive Officer of Evotec SE, commented: “COVID-19 has taught us that any pandemic response is incomplete without effective therapeutics. Preparing for the next pandemic rather than reacting to an outbreak can accelerate the response time until effective therapeutics are available dramatically. We want to see the launch of PRROTECT as an open invitation to all interested network partners globally to join forces now, so that no generation has to experience the level of unpreparedness that we all suffered from in the last 2 years ever again.”

Dr Thomas Hanke, EVP and Head of Academic Partnerships, added: “A post-COVID-19 viral pandemic is likely. To substantially curb its impact on human health, a collaborative approach between academic researchers and drug developers in the biotech and Pharma industries around the globe to discover and pre-develop novel broad and quick-acting anti-viral therapies will be key.”

Evotec has already established relationships with academic, Pharma, and public stakeholders in the field of anti-infectives and is currently in discussions with a number of partners on potential opportunities to collaborate on the PRROTECT platform. Furthermore, through its leading expertise in the area, Evotec already has a portfolio of anti-viral therapeutics that is ready to be advanced to other viruses, and the Company expects first clinical data of PRROTECT projects to become available already in 2022.

About PRROTECT 
To prepare against future pandemics, Evotec has initiated the global networking initiative PRROTECT (pandemic P reparedness and R apid R esp O nse TEC hnology Pla T form). PRROTECT builds on Evotec’s existing anti-viral therapeutics portfolio and leverages the Company’s platform to further broaden its existing modality-agnostic pipeline against viral threats, while at the same time accelerating R&D timelines for neutralising antibodies, and creating a flexible manufacturing network to deliver such therapeutics in the event of a future pandemic.

ABOUT EVOTEC SE 
Evotec is a life science company with a unique business model that delivers on its mission to discover and develop highly effective therapeutics and make them available to the patients. The Company’s multimodality platform comprises a unique combination of innovative technologies, data and science for the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Evotec leverages this “Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures” for proprietary projects and within a network of partners including all Top 20 Pharma and over 800 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, as well as other healthcare stakeholders. Evotec has strategic activities in a broad range of currently underserved therapeutic areas, including e.g. neurology, oncology, as well as metabolic and infectious diseases. Within these areas of expertise, Evotec aims to create the world-leading co-owned pipeline for innovative therapeutics and has to-date established a portfolio of more than 200 proprietary and co-owned R&D projects from early discovery to clinical development. Evotec operates globally with more than 3,700 highly qualified people. The Company’s 14 sites offer highly synergistic technologies and services and operate as complementary clusters of excellence. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter @Evotec and LinkedIn . 

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: +49.(0)40.56081-255, gabriele.hansen@evotec.com 

IR Contact Evotec SE: 
Volker Braun, SVP Head of Global Investor Relations & ESG, Phone: +49.(0)40.56081-775, volker.braun@evotec.com

SOURCE: Evotec AG

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