Empresas y finanzas

Aptuit to acquire CPD business of Evotec AG, and enter into long-term collaborative supply agreement for Evotec's growing portfolio of proprietary pharmaceuticals



    Aptuit, Inc. and Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT), today
    announced that Aptuit has agreed to acquire the Chemical and
    Pharmaceutical Development (CPD) business of Evotec, which is
    comprised of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) facility in
    Oxford, England and a well-established and recently-expanded
    parenteral (injectable vials) fill/finish facility in Glasgow,
    Scotland. The acquisition provides Aptuit with an established European
    presence in API development services with more than 80 clients that
    Aptuit expects to generate revenue in excess of $40 million for the
    year ended December 31, 2007.

    "This acquisition continues Aptuit's momentum as we assemble a
    complete suite of drug development services in all three major
    geographies in Europe, North America and Asia," said Michael A.
    Griffith, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Aptuit. "We will
    integrate the highly-regarded scientific staff and two pilot plants in
    Oxford and state-of-the-art parenteral fill/finish capabilities in
    Glasgow into our existing global network. We will then leverage those
    capabilities to drive our commercial-scale capabilities in India,
    providing our clients with world-class drug development services from
    discovery to commercialization. That we can consummate a cross-border
    transaction of this magnitude in the current market downturn is due to
    the strength of our equity partners at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe
    and Temasek."

    As part of the acquisition, Aptuit has also entered into a
    long-term supply agreement with Evotec pursuant to which it will
    provide both API and the full range of Aptuit's development services
    in support of Evotec's proprietary pharmaceutical pipeline. "The deal
    we announced today will position our Chemical and Pharmaceutical
    Development business within an environment where it can thrive, and
    with a global company focused on streamlining and supporting the drug
    development process for biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovators,"
    said Jorn Aldag, President & Chief Executive Officer of Evotec.

    The CPD business provides small molecule API development labs,
    kilo labs and pilot plants in Europe. This European operation becomes
    a natural component of Aptuit's global API network with existing
    operations in Harrisonville (Missouri), Kansas City (Missouri) and
    Hyderabad (India) and positions Aptuit to provide drug substance
    development, scale-up and manufacturing capabilities in all three
    major pharmaceutical geographies. Because the drug development process
    requires a dependable supply of bioavailable and stable API that can
    withstand the rigors of scale up during synthesis and manufacture, a
    supply of robust API is the first important component of a
    comprehensive drug development strategy. To supplement its existing
    capabilities, Aptuit is well advanced in its previously announced $15
    million capital investment to upgrade the Harrisonville facility and
    build process development and kilo labs in Kansas City.

    The CPD business provides clinical scale parenteral fill/finish
    including two lyophilization suites. When added to Aptuit's existing
    fill/finish and lyophilization suite in Kansas City, Aptuit will have
    substantial capacity in one of the fastest growing and most lively
    sectors of drug development. Aptuit's existing parenteral business
    continues to enjoy demand in excess of capacity and a significant
    backlog of business. "The addition of the CPD capabilities will allow
    Aptuit to better satisfy existing customer needs and also to pursue
    substantial new opportunities in the European market," stated Frank J.
    Wright, Vice Chairman and Founder of Aptuit. "Indeed, our current
    marketing efforts have already identified several Aptuit clients who
    are interested in placing work within the Glasgow facility."

    The production of clinical trial parenteral vials in Glasgow will
    flow naturally into Aptuit's six global Clinical Packaging & Logistics
    (CP&L) facilities. This continues the promise of an integrated
    offering and enhances Aptuit's suite of drug development services,
    particularly with respect to Aptuit's Bathgate facility located just a
    short distance from the CPD business' Glasgow facility, and Aptuit's
    Deeside facility in Wales.

    Aptuit will integrate the CPD business with its existing
    solid-state chemistry, formulation and drug product manufacturing
    business, with emphasis on Aptuit's solid-state chemistry center of
    excellence in West Lafayette (Indiana). Understanding and managing the
    solid state of a small molecule drug substance during formulated
    product manufacture is critical to ensure that patients receive
    medicine that is bioavailable and safe. Following the selection of
    well-characterized API, Aptuit can then formulate and manufacture in
    either of Aptuit's existing manufacturing facilities in Edinburgh
    (Scotland) or Kansas City (Missouri).

    The acquisition is also expected to accelerate growth of Aptuit
    Laurus, Aptuit's recently announced joint venture in India. Aptuit
    Laurus has world-class facilities in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Vizag in
    India. "We view this as an excellent strategic fit for Aptuit and for
    Aptuit Laurus," commented Dr. Satyanarayana Chava, CEO of Aptuit
    Laurus and a member of Aptuit's Board of Managers. "Aptuit's
    newly-expanded API presence and client base will provide a natural
    stream of opportunities for Aptuit Laurus to offer a seamless and
    cost-effective transfer to commercial scale manufacturing."

    Aptuit intends to retain all of the employees of the CPD business
    and will continue to honor their compensation and benefit packages. In
    addition, Paul McGee (currently Evotec's Senior Vice President of
    Chemical Development in Oxford, England) and Dr. Sandy Allan
    (currently Evotec's Senior Vice President of Formulation Sciences in
    Glasgow, Scotland) will continue in their existing roles within
    Aptuit. "Throughout this process, we have been impressed with the
    depth of talent and expertise resident within the CPD business,"
    continued Mr. Wright, "We are pleased that we have been able to
    preserve this key value driver for the CPD franchise."

    The acquisition is expected to close within 75 days and is not
    subject to financing or other contingencies.

    About Evotec

    Evotec is a leader in the discovery and development of novel small
    molecule drugs. Both through its own discovery programs and through
    research collaborations, the Company is generating the highest quality
    research results to its partners in the pharmaceutical and
    biotechnology industries. In proprietary projects, Evotec specializes
    in finding new treatments for diseases of the Central Nervous System.
    Evotec has three programs in clinical development: EVT 201, a partial
    positive allosteric modulator (pPAM) of the GABA(A) receptor complex
    for the treatment of insomnia, EVT 101, a subtype selective NMDA
    receptor antagonist for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and/or
    pain, and EVT 302, a MAO-B inhibitor in development for smoking
    cessation.

    www.evotec.com

    About Aptuit

    Aptuit is a global company focused on streamlining and supporting
    the drug development process for biotechnology and pharmaceutical
    innovators. The company was founded by a group of industry experts
    with extensive market experience who have a track record of building a
    similar, highly successful company through acquisitions and
    investment. Aptuit provides a comprehensive suite of product
    development services and competencies to more than 600 biotechnology
    and large, fully integrated pharmaceutical innovators worldwide.
    Following the acquisition of the CPD business, Aptuit will have 2,680
    employees across 18 global facilities, including the
    recently-announced formation of Aptuit Laurus (India). Aptuit's
    mission is to engineer a better drug development process, and is
    partnered with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, one of the world's
    largest private equity investors. For more information about Aptuit,
    please visit www.aptuit.com.