Evotec AG has entered a research collaboration with the laboratories of Prof. Peter Glazer and Prof. Ranjit Bindra at Yale School of Medicine to identify novel mechanisms, targets, and compounds that have the potential to interfere with DNA repair, TargetDBR (DNA Break Repair). DNA repair mechanisms allow cancer cells to cope with extensive genome rearrangements as well as escape conventional radio- and chemotherapy. This is the first collaboration as part of Evotec’s open innovation alliance with Yale.
 
The initial focus will be on increasing the effectiveness of glioblastoma brain tumor treatments but it is expected that the DNA repair inhibitors will be applicable to many other cancer types. Yale and Evotec will collaborate and share in any potential commercial success. Financial terms were not disclosed.
 
Dr. Cord Dohrmann, chief scientific officer of Evotec, said, “Deficiencies in DNA repair mechanisms constitute not only initiating events leading to cancer but also provide potential therapeutic targets on the basis of the concept of synthetic lethality. We are very excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Peter and Ranjit to identify and develop novel classes of DNA repair inhibitors that have the potential to become highly effective therapeutics against difficult to treat cancers such as glioblastoma.”
 
“Through this collaboration with Evotec, novel biological discoveries and medical insights made at Yale are being effectively translated into a state-of-the-art drug discovery project. The collaboration is already demonstrating the benefit of the Yale Evotec open innovation alliance in accelerating drug discovery projects,” said Dr. Jon Soderstrom, managing director of Yale’s Office of Cooperative Research.