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MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) today announced a broad alliance with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, California ('Burnham'), covering the use of fully human recombinant research antibodies and commercialization of resulting products. Under the terms of the agreement, the Burnham will receive access to novel HuCAL GOLD-based research antibodies from AbD Serotec to identify and validate target molecules with potential medical implications. MorphoSys retains commercialization rights for all antibodies emerging from the collaboration both as research antibody tools distributed via the AbD Serotec sales catalogue as well as in therapeutic or diagnostic applications. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Burnham, a non-profit organization, operates a robust drug discovery effort comprised of experts in biology, chemistry, engineering, physics and computer sciences. This effort is supported primarily with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that includes a center of excellence for cancer drug discovery and the San Diego Center for Chemical Genomics (SDCCG) established by NIH as one of 10 collaborating centres, known collectively as the 'Molecular Libraries Screening Centers Network'.

'We are excited by the prospect of working with MorphoSys to apply the HuCAL technology to a number of our ongoing research programs' commented Dr. Adrienne Day, Vice President, Business Development at Burnham Institute for Medical Research. 'This state-of-the-art technology has the potential to provide our researchers with new research tools and also holds promise for the development of novel therapeutics.'

'Collaborating with one of the most renowned research organizations in the world is a significant step towards our goal of establishing the HuCAL technology in the research community', commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'This contract offers significant new product potential for our AbD Serotec division, but also, due to the medically oriented nature of the research, a potential long-term benefit for our therapeutic business as well. Access to novel disease-related target molecules is a key asset for any biopharmaceutical company and this alliance could provide us with interesting antibody leads for therapeutic applications.'