UCB and Evotec agree new sample management agreement

UCB has formed a new sample management agreement with the drug discovery alliance and development partnership company Evotec.

The EVT Execute collaboration is intended to provide a complete solution for UCB's global sample management requirements, with Evotec to manage UCB's compound collection from its state-of-the-art sample management facility in Toulouse.

Covering an initial period of five years, the deal represents an expansion of a longer-standing collaborative relationship between the two companies. Evotec's sample management infrastructure, logistics and expertise will help support UCB's drug discovery efforts.

UCB said Evotec was selected for the project based on its proven track record in compound management, as well as its global operations and its outstanding team and facility in Toulouse.

Dr Neil Weir, senior vice-president of discovery at UCB, said: "We are confident of the quality and scalability of the services our internal and external discovery teams will receive."

Evotec also has long-term discovery alliances with partners such as Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Roche.