On the hunt for new first-in-class therapeutics, Evotec and Pfizer linked up on Wednesday to conduct early R&D activities geared towards metabolic and infectious diseases. The team-up could give the German drugmaker a much needed boost as it works to return to profitability under the leadership of a new CEO.
Under the multi-year master research collaboration and option and licence agreement, the partners will work together at Evotec’s Campus Curie site in France, which houses technologies for high throughput screenings, in vitro and in vivo biology assays, as well as proteomics and metabolomics.
The collaboration’s goal is to “unlock new approaches to treating pervasive metabolic and infectious diseases that impact millions of patients worldwide,” said Luca Mollo, vice president and medical lead of Pfizer’s France division.
Evotec will receive research support funding from Pfizer and be eligible for milestones and royalties.
Strategic reset
The tie-up comes after Evotec shared an outlook for 2024 that was well below consensus estimates, disappointing investors. During its first quarter earnings report, the company also announced a strategic reset to focus on small molecules and biologics, prompting an exit from gene therapy in May.
The firm is also adjusting to new leadership. Christian Wojczewski took the helm as CEO at the start of the month, following the resignation of long-term chief executive Werner Lanthaler amid allegations of undisclosed stock trades.
Wednesday’s deal is Evotec’s latest partnership inked with a large drugmaker. The company also has agreements with Bayer for precision cardiovascular disease treatments; with Bristol Myers Squibb for neuroscience candidates; and with Sandoz to supply biosimilars, among others.
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