EVOTEC'S PARTNER, SECOND GENOME, BEGINS A PHASE II CLINICAL TRIAL FOR NASH WITH LICENSED MOLECULE, SGM-1019
HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / January 24, 2019 / Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) announced today that it has earned a $ 2 m milestone payment from Second Genome, Inc., a leading microbiome science-based discovery & development company, for the initiation of a Phase II clinical study of SGM-1019, a first-in-class oral therapeutic for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The Phase II trial of SGM-1019 has been initiated following the completion of two successful Phase I trials.
Since 2015, Evotec and Second Genome have been collaborating under a discovery and development agreement focused on the identification of novel microbiome assets. As part of the collaboration, Second Genome and Evotec worked together to screen microbiome-mediated targets of interest identified by the Second Genome microbiome discovery platform with Evotec's technology platform, chemical libraries and other pre-clinical capabilities. The agreement between Evotec and Second Genome triggered an undisclosed upfront payment and Evotec is eligible for clinical and regulatory milestones as well as royalty payments related to commercialisation.
Dr Werner Lanthaler, CEO of Evotec, commented: "We are proud to see the progression of SGM-1019 into Phase II safety and efficacy studies at Second Genome. This advancement highlights Evotec's ability to discover novel clinical candidates for which we receive milestones and royalties, and further demonstrates the success of Evotec's partnered drug discovery strategy."
Dr Karim Dabbagh, President & CEO of Second Genome, added: "The partnership with Evotec (Aptuit), that encompasses pre-clinical and manufacturing activities, allowed us to efficiently translate output from our microbiome discovery platform into tangible drug molecules for clinical development."
About SGM-1019
SGM-1019 is an oral small molecule inhibitor of the P2X7 receptor, which plays a key role in activating the inflammasome and has been implicated in causing inflammatory diseases such as NASH and inflammatory bowel disease. In numerous pre-clinical NASH models, inhibition of P2X7 has been shown to be protective in animals. In clinical studies in healthy volunteers, up to twice daily dosing for 2 weeks with SGM-1019 was found to be safe and fully inhibited the P2X7 receptor in whole blood.
ABOUT SECOND GENOME
Second Genome is a clinical-stage company focused on discovering and developing therapeutics identified using microbiome science. The company is advancing its lead program, SGM-1019, into a Phase II clinical trial in NASH, plans to file an IND for a second clinical candidate involved in mucosal healing, and has a pipeline of discovery candidates in the area of immuno-oncology. The deep pipeline results from Second Genome's robust drug discovery platform, which elucidates and interrogates important microbial (microbiome) functions that strongly influence human health and disease as the basis for therapeutic discovery. Central to this platform is the world's largest, dynamic, curated database and a suite of software, hardware and data science capabilities that allows Second Genome to accurately identify microbial biology in health and disease. For more information, please visit www.secondgenome.com.
ABOUT EVOTEC AG
Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academics, patient advocacy groups and venture capitalists. We operate worldwide and our more than 2,500 employees provide the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery and development solutions. We cover all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry's need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery and development (EVT Execute). The Company has established a unique position by assembling top-class scientific experts and integrating state-of-the-art technologies as well as substantial experience and expertise in key therapeutic areas including neuronal diseases, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and inflammation, oncology, infectious diseases, respiratory diseases and fibrosis. On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of approx. 100 co-owned product opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term alliances with partners including Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, CHDI, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, UCB and others. For additional information please go towww.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter @EvotecAG.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of Evotec as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Contact Evotec AG:
Gabriele Hansen, VP Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Phone: +49.(0)40.56081-255,
briele.hansen@evotec.com
SOURCE: Evotec AG
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