Evotec OAI AG, a partner for integrated high-value-added drug discovery to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and F. Hoffmann-La Roche announced the expansion of their partnership through a medicinal chemistry collaboration to identify and develop a clinical lead candidate for one of Roche's cancer targets.

Roche and Evotec OAI have worked together on the production of chemical libraries since 2001, with Evotec OAI supplying chemical compound libraries to Roche for use in drug discovery screening programmes. This agreement expands Evotec OAI and Roche's partnership into a cooperative lead optimization programme.

Joern Aldag, President and Chief Executive Officer of Evotec OAI, said, "Our partnership with Roche in discovery chemistry has been highly successful, and was extended for a further two years in 2002. We are delighted that Roche has now also chosen us as their partner in the area of lead optimisation, which is a significant endorsement of our strategy of moving up the drug development value chain by integrating leading edge technologies to accelerate effective compound optimisation."