BRIEF — Ferring in Evotec deal as it targets fertility leadership

Privately-held Swiss drugmaker Ferring Pharmaceuticals has become the latest pharma company to announce a collaboration with German biotech firm Evotec (EVT: Xetra).

The companies have signed a strategic alliance to discover and develop new small molecule therapies to treat patients living with fertility and gynaecological conditions.

The multi-target, multi-year collaboration aims to deliver small molecule pre-clinical development and investigational new drug ready candidates. As part of the alliance, Evotec is eligible for undisclosed research funding and milestones.

Per Falk, chief science officer, Ferring, said: "To achieve leadership in reproductive medicine and women's health, we are expanding beyond our historical expertise in peptides and tackling molecular targets that are best addressed using small molecule therapeutics.”