Evotec's Registration Statement in Connection with its Proposed Acquisition of Renovis Declared Effective

Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin ASA. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Hamburg, Germany | Oxford, UK - Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Prime Standard, ISIN: DE 000 566480 9, WKN 566480) announced today that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has declared effective Evotec's Registration Statement on Form F-4, which is required for the completion of the merger transaction with Renovis, Inc., a South San Francisco based biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of drugs for major medical needs in the areas of neurological and inflammatory diseases. This is an important milestone in connection with the proposed acquisition by Evotec of all of the shares of Renovis as it is clearing the way for Renovis to call a stockholders' meeting to vote on the acquisition. Renovis has called a special stockholders' meeting for May 1, 2008 for that purpose. The board of directors of Renovis and Evotec have approved the transaction and the board of directors of Renovis has recommended that its stockholders approve the transaction. Contact: Anne Hennecke, SVP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Evotec AG, Phone: +49-40-56081-286, anne.hennecke@evotec.com Forward looking statements Information set forth in this report contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the anticipated benefits of Evotec's products, the timing of the completion of the transaction between Evotec and Renovis, the anticipated benefits of the business combination transaction involving Evotec and Renovis, including future financial and operating results, the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, the anticipated timing and results of the combined company's clinical and pre-clinical programs, and other statements that are not historical facts. Evotec cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information. These include risks and uncertainties relating to: the ability to obtain regulatory approvals of the transaction on the proposed terms and schedule; the parties' ability to complete the transaction because conditions to the closing of the transaction may not be satisfied; the failure to successfully integrate the businesses; unexpected costs or liabilities resulting from the transaction; the risk that synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; competition and its effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; the need to develop new products and adapt to significant technological change; implementation of strategies for improving internal growth; use and protection of intellectual property; general worldwide economic conditions and related uncertainties; future legislative, regulatory, or tax changes as well as other economic, business and/or competitive factors; and the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on international operations. The risks included above are not exhaustive. The most recent reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, Form 8-K and other periodic reports filed by Renovis with the Securities and Exchange Commission contain additional factors that could impact the combined company's businesses and financial performance. The parties expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the parties' expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Additional information Evotec has filed a Registration Statement on Form F-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the proposed merger. Evotec and Renovis expect to mail a joint proxy statement/prospectus, which will form part of the Registration Statement on Form F-4, to stockholders of Renovis in connection with the proposed merger. This document will contain important information about the merger and should be read before any decision is made with respect to the merger. Investors and stockholders will be able to obtain free copies of this document and any other documents filed or furnished by Evotec or Renovis through the website maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Free copies of these documents may also be obtained from Evotec, by directing a request to Evotec's Investor Relations department at Schnackenburgallee 114, 22525 Hamburg, Germany, or from Renovis, by directing a request to Renovis' Investor Relations department at Two Corporate Drive, South San Francisco, California 94080. In addition to the documents referenced above, Renovis files or furnishes annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You may read and copy any reports, statements or other information filed or furnished by Renovis at the SEC's Public Reference Room at Station Place, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for the copying cost. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. Renovis's SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov, or at their web site at www.renovis.com. --- End of Message --- Evotec AG Schnackenburgallee 114 Hamburg Germany WKN: 566480; ISIN: DE0005664809 ; Index: Prime All Share, CDAX, HDAX, MIDCAP, TECH All Share; Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Freiverkehr in Börse Berlin, Freiverkehr in Bayerische Börse München, Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf, Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart, Freiverkehr in Hanseatische Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg, Freiverkehr in Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover;