Bayer and Evotec have signed a five-year multi-research pact to develop multiple clinical candidates to treat chronic kidney diseases. Both of the German companies will contribute novel drug targets and technology platforms, sharing responsibilities during preclinical development.

Andreas Busch, Bayer’s head of drug discovery, said the alliance will complement its current research activities in an area of high unmet medical need. Evotec’s chief scientific officer, Cord Dohrmann, added that there are currently no effective treatments to significantly slow or reverse the disease’s progression, with the only options for patients being dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Under the terms of the deal, Bayer will gain exclusive access to selected candidates and Evotec’s CureNephron target pipeline, as well as being responsible for clinical development and commercialization. CureNephron is a joint kidney-disease initiative formed in 2012 between Evotec, Harvard University, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the University of Southern California.

Evotec will receive a minimum of €14 million over the contract period, including research payments and an undisclosed license fee. The company also stands to receive milestone payments of potentially more than €300 million as well as tiered royalties up to a “low double-digit percentage” of net sales. Bayer formed a five-year partnership with the Hamburg-based drug discovery and development company in 2012. Currently in its fourth year, this alliance has delivered four preclinical candidates and initiated one first-in-class clinical program.