Evotec has entered into a multi-RNA target alliance with Takeda Pharmaceutical with the goal to discover and develop RNA targeting small molecule therapeutics for highly attractive targets that are difficult to address via more conventional approaches.
Evotec and Takeda will jointly identify and develop small molecules targeting a range of RNA targets aligned with Takeda’s research and development areas. The collaboration will leverage Evotec’s extensive RNA targeting platform to optimally identify promising RNA sequences to target with small molecule ligands that can be developed into potentially first-in-class therapeutics.
Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, said: “Many highly validated targets have proven to be intractable via conventional protein targeting approaches. For this reason, Evotec has been pioneering RNA targeting strategies and approaches for quite some time. We are very excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Takeda in this field as both companies share the vision to jointly develop small molecule therapeutics against high value RNA targets that will deliver long awaited therapeutics.”
Dr Larry Hamann, Head, Drug Discovery Sciences, Takeda, said: “Takeda recognises targeting RNA with small molecules as a promising new modality that has tremendous potential for much needed medicines for patients through modulating historically undruggable targets”.
