Evotec-partner Bayer starts Phase 2 study for treatment of patients with Alport syndrome
December 4, 2025 – Biotechnology, Clinical Trials, Drug Discovery, Other, Pharmaceutical – Alport Syndrome, Bayer, Evotec, clinical trials, nephrology
Phase 2 clinical trial initiated to evaluate SEMA3A mAb as potential treatment for Alport syndrome Milestone payment to Evotec expected upon first dosing of first study participant in early 2026
4 December 2025 — Hamburg, Germany — Evotec SE today announced that its partner Bayer AG has initiated a Phase 2 clinical study of a kidney disease program originating from the multi-target research collaboration between Evotec and Bayer in kidney diseases. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Evotec is eligible to receive a milestone payment upon first patient dosing, which is expected in early 2026. The study drug, BAY 3401016, a monoclonal antibody (“mAb”) targeting the protein Semaphorin-3A (“Sema3A”) is being developed as a potential treatment for Alport syndrome, a rare genetic kidney disease.
Bayer’s ASSESS study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group Phase 2a study with an extension phase to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BAY 3401016 in participants aged 18 to 45 with Alport syndrome. The program originates from a strategic collaboration, which Evotec and Bayer entered in August 2016. Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec is eligible to receive further development and sales milestones as well as tiered royalties of net sales contingent upon the future progress during clinical development and potential commercialization of a drug in the future.
Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: “We are very pleased that our jointly developed antibody, BAY 3401016, for the treatment of Alport syndrome has advanced into Phase 2 of clinical development. Alport syndrome primarily damages the kidney, often starting at childhood and worsening through life. This debilitating disease significantly impacts patient’s quality of life through both the symptoms and disease management, especially in later stages of kidney disease. New therapeutic options that enable better quality of life are urgently needed for individuals and families affected by this disease. The initiation of this study represents an important and hopeful step forward. We congratulate Bayer on the Phase 2 launch and are proud to support the advancement of this program.”
About Evotec SE
Evotec is a life science company that is pioneering the future of drug discovery and development. By integrating breakthrough science with AI-driven innovation and advanced technologies, we accelerate the journey from concept to cure — faster, smarter, and with greater precision. Our expertise spans small molecules, biologics, cell therapies and associated modalities, supported by proprietary platforms such as Molecular Patient Databases, PanOmics and iPSC-based disease modeling. With flexible partnering models tailored to our customers’ needs, we work with all Top 20 Pharma companies, over 800 biotechs, academic institutions, and healthcare stakeholders. Our offerings range from standalone services to fully integrated R&D programs and long-term strategic partnerships, combining scientific excellence with operational agility. Through Just – Evotec Biologics, we redefine biologics development and manufacturing to improve accessibility and affordability. With a strong portfolio of over 100 proprietary R&D assets, most of them being co-owned, we focus on key therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurology, and immunology.Evotec’s global team of more than 4,800 experts operates from sites in Europe and the U.S., offering complementary technologies and services as synergistic centers of excellence. Learn more at www.evotec.com.
About Bayer
At Bayer, we believe it’s possible to create a better world. One where health and nutrition can be made available to all. One where science and innovation can help people and the planet thrive. Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of healthcare and agriculture. We design our products and services to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, and to serve the most essential human needs of health and nutrition. At Bayer, we’re committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with our businesses. Through the power of science, we’re pioneering new possibilities that advance life. That means reimagining how we care for ourselves and one another by empowering everyday health, improving approaches to patient care, and finding better ways to nourish communities around the world. Visit: www.bayer.com.
