Company Spotlight: Evotec
Published on 24 July 2024
This month, the Milton Park team caught up with Evotec, to find out how the company shaping drug discovery on a global scale started life as a university spinout in wartime buildings.
A global innovator in drug discovery
Driving innovation in drug discovery and development, Evotec partners with over 500 organisations worldwide to bring new medicines from concept to commercial production.
Supporting the entire lifecycle of drug development, Evotec guides projects from initial research through to clinical trials, then scales up to commercial manufacturing. Its on-site facilities produce medical products that are actively treating patients today.
Adam Stoten, Site Head for Evotec’s Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Campus, said: “We manufacture commercial medical products which are treating disease in patients. I find it mind-blowing that we are not only discovering the medicines of tomorrow here on site, but we are also producing the medicines of today.”
Space to grow at Milton Park
Evotec’s Milton Park journey began after it acquired the University of Oxford spinout, Oxford Asymmetry International in 1993. Over the years, the company has expanded significantly, now occupying ten buildings across Milton Park and employing 5,000 people globally.
Evotec’s buildings are designed to encourage interaction and provide breakout spaces that enhance productivity and innovation. Milton Park has helped to facilitate the occupier’s evolution from a small start-up to one of the UK’s largest life science companies, providing ideal spaces for Evotec to grow into.
Adam continues: “In terms of new buildings, our first and foremost need is for an environment that supports the highest quality of science. Beyond that, we increasingly look for spaces that provide our employees with a great place to work, which also encourages interaction and collaboration.
“Being based in the heart of Milton Park, our employees benefit from easy access to amenities like cafés, restaurants and green spaces, which contribute to a pleasant and inspiring work environment.”
In the pipeline
A key focus for Evotec moving forward is the advancement of biologics manufacturing.
The company is developing a modular continuous system to lower the production costs of biologics, particularly antibodies, which are currently among the most effective yet costly therapeutics available. By pioneering a modular continuous system, Evotec aims to significantly reduce these production costs to make vital medicines more accessible globally.
With a strong foundation at its Milton Park campus, Evotec is well-positioned to continue its pioneering work in drug discovery and development. The company looks forward to further collaborations with other innovative occupiers at Milton Park, leveraging shared expertise and resources to drive meaningful advances in the life sciences sector.
