Evotec Extends Research Collaboration With Ono

Evotec has extended its current research collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical (Ono) and initiated a new discovery collaboration. Under the contract extension Evotec will provide integrated drug discovery activities, including high throughput screening, medicinal chemistry and in-vitro pharmacology to discover novel, small molecular weight compounds active against an ion channel target selected by Ono.

However, Ono will access Evotec’s ion channel drug discovery platform and expertise and Evotec will receive research funding and milestone payments.

Reportedly, Evotec and Ono have collaborated since March 2008 identifying novel inhibitors for a protease target. Within this collaboration Evotec provides protein crystallography, medicinal chemistry, biology and ADMET services to Ono with the aim of progressing a compound towards clinical development.

Kazuhito Kawabata, managing director of research headquarters at Ono, said: “Since we have a high regard for Evotec’s wide range of drug discovery technologies, and the existing collaboration with Evotec targeting a protease has progressed as planned, we are now pleased to enter into a new drug discovery agreement on an ion channel with Evotec utilising their proprietary drug discovery platform. We anticipate the collaboration will result in identifying a novel drug candidate with a high potential.”

Mario Polywka, chief operating officer of Evotec, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our collaboration and initiating a new discovery collaboration with Ono, a partner with whom we enjoy a close relationship. This expansion clearly demonstrates the value we bring to our alliance partners in the area of drug discovery. We look forward to continuing working closely with our colleagues at Ono.”