DGAP-News
EVOTEC AND FORGE THERAPEUTICS FORM STRATEGIC 'SUPERBUG' ALLIANCE
DGAP-News: Evotec AG / Key word(s): Alliance
EVOTEC AND FORGE THERAPEUTICS FORM STRATEGIC 'SUPERBUG' ALLIANCE
09.12.2016 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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EVOTEC AND FORGE THERAPEUTICS FORM STRATEGIC 'SUPERBUG' ALLIANCE
09.12.2016 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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* Combination of leading innovative chemistry efforts with cutting-edge
anti-infective drug discovery platform
Hamburg, Germany, 09 December 2016:
Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today
announced a strategic alliance with Forge Therapeutics, Inc. ("Forge") to
advance its novel Gram-negative antibiotic programme targeting 'LpxC' for
the treatment of bacterial infections including those caused by drug
resistant 'superbugs'. LpxC has been recognised as an attractive
antibacterial target for more than the past 15 years; however, a lack of
suitable chemical starting points has hampered its progress. Forge has been
applying its proprietary metal-binding pharmacophores ("MBP") library and
processes and has been able to identify potent drugable inhibitors of LpxC.
The alliance will be focused on lead optimisation of these inhibitors with
the goal of identifying a development candidate in the next couple of years
Evotec will, through a team of more than 10 scientists, contribute
cutting-edge biochemistry, microbiology, medicinal chemistry, structural
biology, computational chemistry, ADME/PK/analytical, and programme
management.
"Antibacterials that act via novel mechanisms of action are desperately
needed to address untreatable infections that arise from drug-resistant
Gram-negative bacteria", said Zachary A. Zimmerman, Ph.D., CEO of Forge
Therapeutics. "Our LpxC inhibitors have proven to be stable, potent in
vitro, and have shown preliminary efficacy in vivo. We are thrilled to
partner with Evotec during lead optimisation as they provide significant
pre-clinical expertise and added horsepower to rapidly advance our novel
antibiotic to address this growing unmet global issue."
"The antibiotic field has been suffering from an innovation void over the
last 30 years and requires significant intellectual and financial stimulus
to address the issues of resistance", said Dr Mario Polywka, Chief
Operating Officer of Evotec. "Importantly, Forge's novel LpxC programme
coupled with Evotec's unrivalled drug discovery platform and expertise
offers significant promise in addressing this issue. We look forward to
working with our new partners at Forge."
ABOUT LPXC
LpxC is conserved across Gram-negative bacteria and not found in
Gram-positive bacteria or human cells. Other LpxC inhibitors have been
evaluated by biopharma in the past but chemistry limitations (e.g.
anti-infective drug discovery platform
Hamburg, Germany, 09 December 2016:
Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today
announced a strategic alliance with Forge Therapeutics, Inc. ("Forge") to
advance its novel Gram-negative antibiotic programme targeting 'LpxC' for
the treatment of bacterial infections including those caused by drug
resistant 'superbugs'. LpxC has been recognised as an attractive
antibacterial target for more than the past 15 years; however, a lack of
suitable chemical starting points has hampered its progress. Forge has been
applying its proprietary metal-binding pharmacophores ("MBP") library and
processes and has been able to identify potent drugable inhibitors of LpxC.
The alliance will be focused on lead optimisation of these inhibitors with
the goal of identifying a development candidate in the next couple of years
Evotec will, through a team of more than 10 scientists, contribute
cutting-edge biochemistry, microbiology, medicinal chemistry, structural
biology, computational chemistry, ADME/PK/analytical, and programme
management.
"Antibacterials that act via novel mechanisms of action are desperately
needed to address untreatable infections that arise from drug-resistant
Gram-negative bacteria", said Zachary A. Zimmerman, Ph.D., CEO of Forge
Therapeutics. "Our LpxC inhibitors have proven to be stable, potent in
vitro, and have shown preliminary efficacy in vivo. We are thrilled to
partner with Evotec during lead optimisation as they provide significant
pre-clinical expertise and added horsepower to rapidly advance our novel
antibiotic to address this growing unmet global issue."
"The antibiotic field has been suffering from an innovation void over the
last 30 years and requires significant intellectual and financial stimulus
to address the issues of resistance", said Dr Mario Polywka, Chief
Operating Officer of Evotec. "Importantly, Forge's novel LpxC programme
coupled with Evotec's unrivalled drug discovery platform and expertise
offers significant promise in addressing this issue. We look forward to
working with our new partners at Forge."
ABOUT LPXC
LpxC is conserved across Gram-negative bacteria and not found in
Gram-positive bacteria or human cells. Other LpxC inhibitors have been
evaluated by biopharma in the past but chemistry limitations (e.g.
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