Takeda and Evotec initiate drug discovery collaboration

German drug discovery company Evotec has announced it has signed a multi-year drug discovery collaboration with Japanese pharma company Takeda. Evotec will leverage its technology platform to establish at least five drug discovery programmes, which Takeda will advance into clinical development. The focus of these programmes will be in Takeda’s core therapeutic areas – oncology, gastroenterology, neuroscience and rare diseases. The German company’s discovery platform is based upon patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells; it was initially formulated following a partnership with Harvard University and has been expanded upon by acquiring assets from small specialist companies, such as Ncardia in July this year. For its discovery contribution to the partnership, Takeda will pay Evotec an undisclosed upfront free for access to the platforms. Evotec will also be eligible for pre-clinical, clinical and commercial milestones in excess of $170 per programme, in addition to tiered royalties on future sales.