PRESS RELEASE : EVOTEC AND RAPPTA THERAPEUTICS ENTER DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP FOCUSED ON ONCOLOGY TARGET

 
 DGAP-News: Evotec SE / Key word(s): Miscellaneous 
EVOTEC AND RAPPTA THERAPEUTICS ENTER DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP 
FOCUSED ON ONCOLOGY TARGET 
 
2020-11-24 / 07:30 
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. 
 
? _EVOTEC TO SUPPORT RAPPTA IN DEVELOPING SMALL MOLECULES THAT REACTIVATE 
PP2A, A KEY TUMOR SUPPRESSOR_ 
 
? _THE COLLABORATION LEVERAGES EVOTEC'S ONCOLOGY EXPERTISE AND INTEGRATED 
DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM_ 
 
*Hamburg, Germany, 24 November 2020:* Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: 
EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced a new multi-year drug 
development partnership with Rappta Therapeutics, a Finland-based 
biopharmaceutical company, focused on an innovative oncology target. 
 
Under the partnership, Evotec will support Rappta's programme of developing 
small molecule activators of the enzyme Protein Phosphatase 2A ("PP2A"), 
which downregulates multiple oncogenic signalling pathways responsible for 
driving cancer progression. Although PP2A is a key tumour suppressor and has 
a critical function regulating protein de-phosphorylation and tumour growth, 
it has to-date been very difficult to target pharmaceutically. 
 
Through its deep understanding of PP2A biology and the use of proprietary 
technology, Rappta has uniquely defined the PP2A target which has allowed 
them to come up with a series of first-in-class compounds which glue the 
three subunits of PP2A together, thus driving PP2A complex reformation and 
restoring its tumour suppressive function. Evotec and Rappta intend to 
develop the programme which is currently in the late lead optimisation stage 
towards IND-enabling studies over the course of their partnership. 
 
The collaboration leverages Evotec's industry-leading integrated platform 
for drug discovery and development including Evotec's oncology expertise 
coupled with state-of-the-art technologies to maximise probability of 
success even in fields of cutting-edge and difficult science. Evotec 
receives undisclosed research funding and is eligible for success-based 
milestone payments. 
 
*Dr Craig Johnstone, Chief Operating Officer of Evotec, commented:* "Evotec 
is pleased to initiate this first collaboration with Rappta Therapeutics 
supporting their novel and next generation platform targeting PP2A against 
cancer. Evotec has a long and successful track record in the oncology field, 
having achieved numerous milestones including multiple pre-clinical 
candidates and clinical-stage assets together with our partners. We have 
been thoroughly impressed with the progress that Rappta has made in mapping 
out the PP2A target and look forward to working with them to continue their 
success by delivering solutions for patients with unmet medical needs." 
 
*Mikko Mannerkoski, the CEO of Rappta Therapeutics, added:* "We are excited 
to be working on building a new platform and a novel class of 
pharmaceuticals to treat cancer. Rappta has a unique team whose deep 
understanding of PP2A biochemistry, structural biology, biogenesis, 
medicinal chemistry, and drug development is further supported by Evotec's 
capabilities. This is the perfect combination of expertise to translate 
these discoveries to the clinic." 
 
ABOUT PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE 2A 
Reversible phosphorylation is a fundamental mechanism controlling all cell 
signaling and communication and this process is regulated through the 
opposing actions of phosphatases (which remove phosphate groups from 
proteins) and kinases (which add phosphate groups to proteins). Altered 
cellular signaling as a result of protein hyperphosphorylation, results in 
the sustained growth of malignant cells and is a hallmark of human cancer 
development and progression. Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a 
serine/threonine phosphatase that functions as a tumor suppressor by 
negatively regulating multiple oncogenic signaling pathways responsible for 
driving cancer progression. PP2A is made up of three subunits, that form a 
complete and active enzyme when bound together. The active enzyme is 
comprised of a scaffolding subunit (A), serving as the structural platform 
for the assembly of the catalytic (C) subunit and one substrate directing 
regulatory (B) subunit. In cancer, the tumor-suppressive activity of PP2A is 
often disrupted as a result of the inability of the three subunits to bind 
together correctly, rendering the PP2A enzyme inactive. This inactivation of 
PP2A, leads to increased oncogenic signaling, driving cancer progression and 
growth. Therefore, the reactivation of PP2A affords a unique therapeutic 
strategy to restore PP2A activity and cellular homeostasis, that can be used 
for the treatment of cancer and a broad range of other diseases. 
 
ABOUT RAPPTA THERAPEUTICS 
Rappta Therapeutics, a private biotech with operations in Finland and the 
US, is developing first-in-class anti-cancer drugs activating protein 
phosphatase 2A (PP2A). It has developed proprietary tools and a unique 
understanding of PP2A which allows it to therapeutically reactivate PP2A, a 
critical enzyme regulating protein de-phosphorylation and tumor growth, with 
the potential to create a new class of anti-cancer drugs. Rappta has a 
strong scientific, management and commercial team. Its scientific team 
represents world-leading expertise in PP2A. Rappta Therapeutics is backed by 
blue-chip investors Advent Life Sciences, Novartis Venture Fund, Novo 
Holdings and a family office. For more information, go to 
www.rappta-therapeutics.com [1]. 
 
ABOUT EVOTEC SE 
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 3,400 
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, fibrosis, rare diseases and women's health. 
On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of more than 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, Bristol Myers Squibb, 
CHDI, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, UCB and others. For 
additional information please go to www.evotec.com [2] _and follow us on 
Twitter_ @Evotec [3]. 
 
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. 
 
Media Contact Evotec SE: 
Gabriele Hansen, SVP Head of Global Corporate Communications & Marketing, 
Phone: [phone], [e-mail] 
 
IR Contact Evotec SE: 
Volker Braun, SVP Head of Global Investor Relations & ESG, Phone: 
+49.(0)40.56081-775, [e-mail] 
 
2020-11-24 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a 
service of EQS Group AG. 
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. 
 
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Archive at www.dgap.de 
Language:    English 
Company:     Evotec SE 
             Manfred Eigen Campus / Essener Bogen 7 
             22419 Hamburg 
             Germany 
Phone:       [phone] 
Fax:         [phone] 
E-mail:      [e-mail] 
Internet:    www.evotec.com 
ISIN:        DE0005664809 
WKN:         566480 
Indices:     MDAX, TecDAX 
Listed:      Regulated Market in Berlin, Frankfurt (Prime Standard); 
             Regulated Unofficial Market in Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, 
             Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange 
EQS News ID: 1150118 
 
End of News DGAP News Service 
 
1150118 2020-11-24 
 
 
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 24, 2020 01:30 ET (06:30 GMT)