Evotec and Yale University to collaborate on cancer therapy

First collaboration within open innovation alliance with Yale University

19-Dec-2013 - Germany

Evotec AG announced a research collaboration, TargetDBR (DNA Break Repair), with the laboratories of Prof. Peter Glazer and Prof. Ranjit Bindra at Yale School of Medicine. The objective of this collaboration is to identify novel mechanisms, targets and compounds that have the potential to interfere with DNA repair. DNA repair mechanisms allow cancer cells to cope with extensive genome rearrangements as well as to escape conventional radio- and chemotherapy and thus have potential applications in many cancer indications. This is the first collaboration to be announced as part of Evotec's open innovation alliance with Yale University.

TargetDBR is based on systematic cell screens designed to identify DNA repair inhibitors and their mechanisms of action. The application of Evotec's high-content cellular screening platforms allied to chemoproteomics-based target deconvolution will enable the identification not only of novel DNA repair inhibitors but also of novel tractable targets in DNA repair pathways. The initial focus will be on increasing the effectiveness of glioblastoma brain tumour treatments but it is expected that the DNA repair inhibitors will also find application in many other cancer types. Yale and Evotec will collaborate in a highly integrated fashion and share potential commercial rewards.

Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: '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.

Financial details were not disclosed.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/146242/evotec-and-yale-university-to-collaborate-on-cancer-therapy.html