Evotec Biologics Awarded Up to $49.9M Contract from the U.S. Department of Defense Under Accelerated Antibodies Program

Author: Charles Gross | September 20, 2022 04:56am
Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange:EVT)(MDAX/TecDAX)(OTC:EVOTF)(NASDAQ:EVO) today announced that the U.S. Department of Defense ("DOD") has awarded Evotec's Seattle-based subsidiary, Just - Evotec Biologics, Inc. a contract valued up to $ 49.9 m for the rapid development of monoclonal antibody ("mAb")-based drug product prototypes targeting plague. Plague, an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis (" Y . pestis "), is one of the designated targets of interest under the DOD's Accelerated Antibodies Program. Under the contract, Just - Evotec Biologics will develop mAb-based drug product prototype(s) from sequence discovery or evaluation of existing mAbs to completion of Phase I first-in-human ("FIH") clinical trials. To enable rapid development, Just - Evotec Biologics will leverage its data-driven, highly automated end-to-end biologics technology platform, J.DESIGN, that includes; antibody discovery (J.HAL ® ), molecular optimisation, cell line and process development, and continuous manufacturing at its J.POD ® Redmond, Washington (US) facility. In addition, Evotec will provide pre-clinical and clinical capabilities for mAb prophylactic approvals. The rapid, cost-efficient development of mAb product protypes will yield an accelerated supply of safe and efficacious mAb medical counter measures ("MCMs") for use against plague. The contract was awarded by the Joint Project Lead for CBRND Enabling Biotechnologies (JPL CBRND-EB) within the DOD's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Contract number MCDC2203-001.

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