Evotec and Novo Nordisk launch LAB eN² to accelerate translation in cardiometabolic diseases
- LAB eN² WILL INVOLVE INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING HARVARD UNIVERSITY, MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM, AND BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER
- FOCUS OF THE COLLABORATION IS TO ACCELERATE THE TRANSLATION OF ACADEMIC IDEAS TO THERAPEUTIC PRODUCT CANDIDATES IN THE CARDIOMETABOLIC SPACE
Hamburg, Germany, and Cambridge, Mass., USA, 26 September 2023:
Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809; NASDAQ: EVO) and Novo Nordisk today announced LAB eN² (pronounced Lab ee – en – squared), a translational drug discovery accelerator that aims to nurture early research from academic institutions into novel therapeutics. The focus is on addressing unmet need in cardiometabolic diseases as well as rare blood and rare endocrine disorders. LAB eN² is a unique engagement model that combines Evotec’s multimodality drug discovery and pre-clinical development capabilities with Novo Nordisk’s therapeutic, clinical, and commercial expertise. LAB eN² has already signed on four academic institutions to participate: Harvard University, Mass General Brigham, Yale University, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
“We are enthusiastic about the launch of LAB eN² with our partner Novo Nordisk,” said Thomas Hanke, EVP & Head of Academic Partnerships at Evotec. “Based on leading-edge research and with access to Evotec’s end-to-end integrated platform, we are confident that LAB eN² will accelerate promising and innovative therapeutic concepts from bench to bedside in disease areas with significant unmet need.”
“At Novo Nordisk, we are always looking for what is next in disruptive science. Many great ideas are started in academia, but translational research and moving the idea to the next stage remains a challenge,” said Uli Stilz, Head of Novo Nordisk’s Bio Innovation Hub in Boston. “With the launch of LAB eN² and our collaboration with these institutions, there is a tremendous opportunity to address this longstanding gap and help move innovative science forward and seek to make a significant impact on people living with chronic conditions.”
The prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases is drastically increasing, with about 537 million adults worldwide living with diabetes[1] and cardiovascular diseases being a leading cause of death globally[2]. While the need for new therapeutics is significant, the journey from academic idea to treatments for people living with chronic conditions is a long process that requires drug discovery and development capabilities and expertise as well as large investments of time, resources, and funding that can be difficult to acquire. LAB eN² was created to provide a solution-focused pathway for academic researchers, with a mission to accelerate the translation of their academic discoveries into investigational new drug (“IND”) candidates for cardiometabolic diseases as well as rare blood and rare endocrine disorders. LAB eN² will provide funding, scientific expertise, and technology to help advance product concepts through pre-clinical proof of concept, at which point successful therapeutic product candidates may be selected by Novo Nordisk for further investment and development.
Participating academic institutions will work under a common governance framework which was established in discussions with the institutions Harvard University, Mass General Brigham, and Yale University with the goal of accelerating ideas easily. Research concepts will be selected for LAB eN² support based on proposals from investigators at the participating academic institutions and will be jointly developed and executed by the academic investigators, Evotec, and Novo Nordisk’s Bio Innovation Hub in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an R&D unit designed to work with academia, emerging biotechs, and established companies to uncover medical answers. For more details on LAB eN², please visit: https://laben2.com/
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning future events, including the proposed offering and listing of Evotec’s securities. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “should,” “target,” “would” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements include comments regarding Evotec’s expectations for revenues, Group EBITDA and unpartnered R&D expenses. These forward-looking statements are based on the information available to, and the expectations and assumptions deemed reasonable by Evotec at the time these statements were made. No assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of Evotec. Evotec expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Evotec’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.
