Evotec and Indivumed join forces in CRC

Indivumed will contribute the CRC patient cohort of its standardised multi-omics cancer biobank (IndivuType), which retains unique patterns of biomolecules such as RNA, DNA, and proteins as they existed in the human body to the two-year partnership. Evotec will analyse the data with its bioinformatics analysis platform (PanHunter) and use its antibody and small molecule discovery platforms to screen for first-in-class targeted therapies along with companion diagnostic biomarkers for stratification.

Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec has made an undisclosed upfront payment to Indivumed for access to the CRC patient cohort. Both parties will jointly invest in data analysis, target identification, validation, and drug discovery. Evotec will be responsible for subsequent partnering of the programmes and/or the platform.

According to Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, Indivumed has generated "the most comprehensive multi-omics patient database in oncology that is differentiated from previous datasets due to the higher patient numbers and the application of rigorous quality standards". "The access to IndivuType will allow us to identify targets that are matched to CRC subpopulations which have been categorised due to molecular phenotypes and are thus expected to deliver more effective and durable drugs,“ he added.

While colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates have been stabilising or declining in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and several Western European countries, five-year overall survival for patients with metastatic CRC is poor (14%).