Eighth HuCAL Antibody to Enter Clinical Trials
MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today that Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany has filed all necessary documentation to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial with a HuCAL-derived antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) in the therapeutic area of oncology. This achievement marks a significant milestone within the Bayer Schering Pharma alliance and triggers a payment to MorphoSys.
'Today's news underlines how important our core technology is to the pharmaceutical industry's drug pipeline,' commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'We now have clinical trials of HuCAL-based antibodies ongoing with four different pharmaceutical companies. The output of our partners' application of MorphoSys's proprietary HuCAL technology is becoming an increasingly visible and important value driver for our Company.'
The current program is directed against the target molecule MN, also known as Carbonic Anhydrase or CA IX for short, a tumor associated antigen expressed in many tumor types under hypoxic conditions. The antibody is the first fully human HuCAL-based ADC to enter clinical trials. ADCs comprise antibodies linked to cytotoxic drugs, and combine the targeting properties of the antibody with the cell-destroying effect of the conjugated drug. In the present program, the HuCAL-derived antibody-drug conjugate incorporates technology licensed to Bayer Schering Pharma from Seattle Genetics.
MorphoSys projected that in 2009 between two and four partnered programs could enter clinical trials. Today's news represents the third HuCAL-derived antibody to achieve this stage during the course of the year. By the end of this year, at least three antibodies from proprietary and partnered programs are expected to be in Phase 2 clinical trials. This program becomes the eighth HuCAL-derived compound in all to enter clinical trials.
For further information please contact: Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser, Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-122, gutjahr-loeser@morphosys.com or Mario Brkulj, Senior Manager Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-454, brkulj@morphosys.com
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, within which it plans to have eight active programs by the end of 2009. Its most advanced program is MOR103, a first-in-class, fully human antibody against GM-CSF. MorphoSys expects to commence a Phase Ib/IIa trial of this antibody in rheumatoid arthritis patients in the second half of 2009. 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/