Evotec AG has entered collaboration with Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) aimed at discovering and developing new treatments for juvenile Batten disease, a rare, fatal autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder.

Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec will develop and use in vivo mechanistic and efficacy assays to assess the translational potential of fundamental and early drug discovery findings emerging from academic institutions in the United States and Europe. The goal of this programme is to leverage Evotec's broad discovery expertise and experience to validate findings and to initiate their translation from bench to bedside. Evotec joins a dynamic, multidisciplinary pipeline of foundation-led activity designed to prioritise therapeutically promising findings while de-emphasising programmes that under-perform in the translational space. The collaboration includes substantial research funding to Evotec and runs to the end of 2017, with an option to extend beyond this period.

Further financial details were not disclosed.

Dr Mario Polywka, chief operating officer of Evotec, commented, "We are pleased to welcome Beyond Batten Disease Foundation as a new partner and join in the effort to develop therapies against this rare disease. We are confident that with our world-leading drug discovery platform and expertise significant progress can be made in this programme and collaboration."


Craig Benson, BBDF founder and chairman of the Board added, "BBDF is delighted to be partnering with a global industry leader like Evotec to further our mission to eradicate juvenile Batten disease. Our goal is to leverage their expertise to advance our research into clinical trials, and ultimately a treatment, as quickly as possible."

Juvenile Batten (CLN3) disease is a rare, fatal, inherited disorder of the nervous system that usually begins in childhood. The first symptom is usually progressive vision loss in previously healthy children followed by personality changes, behavioural problems and slowed learning. Seizures and psychosis can begin at any time during the course of disease. Progressive loss of motor functions (movement and speech) start with clumsiness, stumbling and Parkinson-like symptoms. Eventually, those affected become wheelchair-bound are bedridden and die prematurely.