Evotec: vision of a one-stop-partner 'closer than ever before'
Dr. Werner Lanthaler, CEO of Evotec told Outsourcing-Pharma.com the company wants to offer “an even better and more complete translational process from the discovery stage to the clinical manufacturing for its partners.”
“The vision of a one-stop-partner for innovation is closer than ever before,” he added.
Following the completed transaction, Evotec will have offices in the US, UK, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, with approximately 2,000 employees, nearly 750 of whom will be joining from Aptuit.
As for how the companies will be integrated, Lanthaler explained the global centers of excellence will stay as they are – “In Oxford the two companies are next door to each other,” he explained.
“The cultures are very similar so we expect a smooth integration,” he added. “The market presence and offering for the services will stay as it is.”
The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017.
CRO consolidation
In response to continued industry consolidation, Lanthaler commented that external innovation is good for all industry players, “as it brings highly innovative products forward at higher speed and lower cost,” he said. “So this should just be the start of a long term megatrend of how the value chain is re-organized.”
The acquisition follows in a series of M&A activity, including Evotec's purchase of Cyprotex in December 2016. As Outsourcing-Pharma.com reported at the time, the preclinical CRO specializes in ADME-Tox and DMPK.
Aptuit has also made several acquisitions, joining Evotec after purchasing Exquiron and Kuecept in 2016.
The addition of Swiss CRO Exquiron Biotech enhanced Aptuit’s drug identification and validation services. Kuecept’s acquisition helped meet a demand for specialist drug pre-formulation, formulation prototyping, and formulation development services.
