Hamburg, Germany - 26 April 2012: Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX) today announced that it has extended and expanded its medicinal chemistry collaboration with Active Biotech AB (NASDAQ OMX: ACTI), to further advance an existing programme, which has entered the lead optimisation phase. The programme aims to find novel small molecule modulators of a priority biological target, selected by Active Biotech, involved in immune disorders and cancer.

The programme was initiated in 2010 with a high throughput screen followed by extensive hit validation and hit-to-lead activities, leveraging Evotec's hit identification and integrated medicinal chemistry platforms.

Dr Mario Polywka, Chief Operating Officer at Evotec stated: "We are delighted that our already successful collaboration with Active Biotech has been extended and expanded with the aim of taking this exciting programme through lead optimisation towards candidate nomination. This is an area where Evotec has a significant track record of success and we look forward to leveraging our expertise to assist Active Biotech in finding novel treatments addressing cancer and autoimmune disorders."

Dorthe da Graça Thrige, Director of Development of Active Biotech, commented: "Active Biotech strives to develop, efficiently and cost-effectively, new remedies for illnesses where today's treatment options are inadequate, especially in the area of cancer and autoimmune diseases. It is key for us to collaborate with first class companies and we have been very impressed with Evotec's hit identification and subsequent hit to lead activities on this important target and now look forward to progressing the leads through to candidate drug selection."

No financial details are disclosed. 

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 report. 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.