Bayer and Evotec have updated the focus of their strategic collaboration to develop precision treatments for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Financial terms were not disclosed.


 
The collaboration aims to identify and validate novel targets, with the goal of building a portfolio of precision cardiology therapeutics by leveraging Evotec’s disease modelling capabilities using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). iPSCs provide unique opportunities to identify new disease mechanisms and pathways for novel treatments.

Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will contribute drug targets and a comprehensive set of high-quality technology platforms.


 
Bayer and Evotec will share responsibilities during the preclinical development of potential clinical candidates. Bayer will be responsible for any subsequent clinical development and commercialization.


 
“This development takes our long-standing collaboration with Evotec to a new level, and has the added benefit of lessons learned from working together the past 12 years,” said Juergen Eckhardt, M.D., Head of Business Development & Licensing at Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “We remain committed to develop innovative therapies for patients in need and to tackle the high burden of cardiovascular disease.”

 
“In order to move the treatment paradigm beyond disease management, it is important to advance our understanding of the disease-relevant molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases,” said Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec. “Our approach is based on highly validated disease models to identify novel targets and profile drug candidates more comprehensively for their efficacy and safety. Intervening with these disease-associated mechanisms more comprehensively will enable the development of more effective, disease modifying therapies with higher relevance for CVD to respond to the substantial unmet need associated with cardiovascular diseases.”