In the first agreement Evotec has been chosen as Solvay’s partner for fragment-based drug discovery. Solvay will access Evotec’s proprietary fragment-based screening platform and fragment library to identify fragment hits against a high priority target.
Evotec will produce 3-dimensional co-crystals of the fragment hits bound to the protein and then will use their track record in fragment-to-lead activities to further optimize the fragments. Key financial terms include an access fee payable by Solvay for accessing Evotec’s fragment-based screening technology.
The second agreement extends an existing library synthesis contract for a further twelve months from 1 January 2007. Evotec has been synthesizing and supplying chemical libraries to Solvay, for screening against targets in its drug discovery programs, since January 2001. Solvay has extended the original contract for the third time in six years.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with them on the new fragment-based drug discovery program. We are confident that both these agreements will enable us to continue making significant contributions to Solvay’s drug discovery programs,” said Dr Mark Ashton, executive vice president of business development services at Evotec.