Novo Nordisk and Evotec collaborate to launch LAB eN², a translational drug discovery accelerator, to address innovation gap in cardiometabolic diseases

• LAB eN² will involve institutions including Harvard University, Mass General Brigham, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Focus of the collaboration is to accelerate the translation of academic ideas to therapeutic product candidates in the cardiometabolic space

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and HAMBURG, Germany, Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk and Evotec SE, today announced LAB eN² (pronounced Lab ee – en – squared), a translational drug discovery accelerator that aims to nurture early research from academic institutions into novel therapeutics. The focus is on addressing unmet need in cardiometabolic diseases as well as rare blood and rare endocrine disorders. LAB eN² is a unique engagement model that combines Evotec's multimodality drug discovery and preclinical development capabilities with Novo Nordisk's therapeutic, clinical, and commercial expertise. LAB eN² has already signed on four academic institutions to participate: Harvard University, Mass General Brigham, Yale University, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

"At Novo Nordisk, we are always looking for what is next in disruptive science. Many great ideas are started in academia, but translational research and moving the idea to the next stage remains a challenge," said Uli Stilz, Head of Novo Nordisk's Bio Innovation Hub in Boston. "With the launch of LAB eN² and our collaboration with these institutions, there is a tremendous opportunity to address this longstanding gap and help move innovative science forward and seek to make a significant impact on people living with chronic conditions."

The prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases is drastically increasing, with about 537 million adults worldwide living with diabetes¹ and cardiovascular diseases being a leading cause of death globally². While the need for new therapeutics is significant, the journey from academic idea to treatments for people living with chronic conditions is a long process that requires drug discovery and development capabilities and expertise as well as large investments of time, resources, and funding that can be difficult to acquire. LAB eN² was created to provide a solution-focused pathway for academic researchers, with a mission to accelerate the translation of their academic discoveries into investigational new drug (IND) candidates for cardiometabolic diseases as well as rare blood and rare endocrine disorders. LAB eN² will provide funding, scientific expertise, and technology to help advance product concepts through preclinical proof of concept, at which point successful therapeutic product candidates may be selected by Novo Nordisk for further investment and development.

"We are enthusiastic about the launch of LAB eN² with our partner Novo Nordisk," said Thomas Hanke, EVP & Head of Academic Partnerships at Evotec. "Based on leading-edge research and with access to Evotec's end-to-end integrated platform, we are confident that LAB eN² will accelerate promising and innovative therapeutic concepts from bench to bedside in disease areas with significant unmet need."

Participating academic institutions will work under a common governance framework which was established in discussions with the institutions Harvard University, Mass General Brigham, and Yale University with the goal of accelerating ideas easily. Research concepts will be selected for LAB eN² support based on proposals from investigators at the participating academic institutions and will be jointly developed and executed by the academic investigators, Evotec, and Novo Nordisk's Bio Innovation Hub in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an R&D unit designed to work with academia, emerging biotechs, and established companies to uncover medical answers. For more details on LAB eN², please visit: https://laben2.com 

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases, built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 59,000 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Evotec SE

Evotec is a life science company with a unique business model that delivers on its mission to discover and develop highly effective therapeutics and make them available to the patients. The Company's multimodality platform comprises a unique combination of innovative technologies, data and science for the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Evotec leverages this "Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures" for proprietary projects and within a network of partners including all Top 20 Pharma and over 800 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, as well as other healthcare stakeholders. Evotec has strategic activities in a broad range of currently underserved therapeutic areas, including e.g. neurology, oncology, as well as metabolic and infectious diseases. Within these areas of expertise, Evotec aims to create the world-leading co-owned pipeline for innovative therapeutics and has to-date established a portfolio of more than 200 proprietary and co-owned R&D projects from early discovery to clinical development. Evotec operates globally with more than 5,000 highly qualified people. The Company's 17 sites offer highly synergistic technologies and services and operate as complementary clusters of excellence. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on X/Twitter @Evotec and LinkedIn.

¹ IDF Diabetes Atlas | Tenth Edition

² Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) (who.int)

SOURCE Novo Nordisk