Evotec, Pfizer sign license and collaboration deal in tissue fibrosis

Under the research collaboration, scientists at both the companies will evaluate potential novel mechanisms as targeted anti-fibrotics in multi-organ fibrosis.

Evotec will deliver its drug discovery platform whereas Pfizer will offer important technologies and industrial scope apart from pharmaceutical development as well as marketing expertise.

Pfizer will make an upfront payment and potential milestone payments after achieving particular development and sales milestones.

Evotec chief scientific officer Cord Dohrmann said: "We are proud about Pfizer partnering with us in our growing initiative in the fibrosis field utilising one of our internal programmes."

Pfizer chief scientific officer for inflammation and immunology Charles MacKay said: "We believe that Evotec’s discovery platform is well-positioned to deliver potentially innovative approaches to several areas of tissue fibrosis. We are excited about the possibilities of this agreement."

Fibrosis is a non-physiological wound healing process that can occur in multiple tissues in response to injury, including physical, chemical and immunological insults.

Evotec said with the exception of pirfenidone and nintedanib, which were recently approved to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, there are no other effective therapies for the fibrosis treatment.