What we do
EXTEND brings highly specialised skills, capital, and technological platforms to support research teams within the Universities and Research Centres partners of the Hub (Academic Partners), in achieving a scientifically valid and commercially viable pre-clinical proof of concept. In particular, EXTEND focuses on the therapeutic areas with a strong unmet medical need like Oncology, Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Rare diseases and the Central Nervous System; but we still remain interested in highly innovative initiatives in other areas.
A team composed by professionals with diversified experiences can guarantee support to the Academic Partners on the entire business and technological development path. Specifically, EXTEND operates through an Expert in Residence (EIR) from Evotec, who is going to work closely with the research teams in developing their ideas, also by drafting with them a Project plan which details the use of resources and the scientific direction to follow in parallel to a commercialisation strategy. Projects’ financing is delivered in tranches based on the achieved milestones, detailed ex-ante in the Project plan, and can sum up to €1.6 million to complete the necessary discovery phases to begin the preclinical trials.
Once the scientific potential has been validated, EXTEND will bring a team of experts in, to develop the research teams’ entrepreneurial component, validate the business model so that it meets market standards, support the start-up’s creation and raise further funds.