MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today that it has received a milestone payment from Novartis in connection with the clinical trial application (CTA) and projected initiation of a phase 1 clinical trial of a HuCAL-derived, fully human antibody in the therapeutic area of inflammatory diseases.
'Our fifth clinical program within the Novartis alliance clearly underpins the success of this collaboration,' commented Dr. Marlies Sproll, Chief Scientific Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'This program is one of seven that have moved into the clinic in 2010, which was an outstanding year in this regard.'
MorphoSys's clinical pipeline now comprises nine partnered programs in Phase 1 and five in Phase 2 development as well as the Company's proprietary programs MOR103, which is in a Phase 1b/2a trial for rheumatoid arthritis, and MOR208, which is in a Phase 1 trial for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
Dr. Simon Moroney, CEO of MorphoSys AG AG will present today at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco at 07:30am PST (3:30pm GMT; 4:30pm CET)
About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys is an independent biotechnology company that develops novel antibodies for therapeutic, diagnostic and research applications. The Company's HuCAL technology is one of the most powerful methods available for generating fully human antibodies. By successfully applying this and other proprietary technologies, MorphoSys has become a leader in the field of therapeutic antibodies, one of the fastest-growing drug classes in human health-care. Through its alliances with some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, MorphoSys has created a pipeline of more than 60 drug candidates. The Company is expanding its drug pipeline by adding new partnered programs, and by building a portfolio of fully-owned therapeutic antibodies. For its proprietary portfolio, the Company is focused on the areas of oncology and inflammation. Its most advanced program MOR103, a first-in-class, fully human antibody against GM-CSF, is currently being tested in a Phase Ib/IIa trial in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Via its business unit AbD Serotec, MorphoSys is expanding the reach of its technologies in the diagnostics and research markets. MorphoSys is headquartered in Munich, Germany and listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'MOR'. For further information, visit http://www.morphosys.com/
HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM®, CysDisplay® and RapMAT® are registered trademarks of MorphoSys.