Martinsried/Munich, August 25, 2004
MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt: MOR; Prime Standard Segment) announced today that Centocor Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, exercised an option to retain a commercial license for HuCAL® antibodies directed against an undisclosed Centocor target molecule involved in inflammatory diseases. In exchange, MorphoSys received a license payment from Centocor. Further financial terms were not disclosed.The cooperation between MorphoSys and Centocor, initiated in December 2000, is aimed at the development of human therapeutic antibodies in a range of indications. It includes an option for Centocor on the development of antibodies against up to 30 different target molecules using MorphoSys’ proprietary technologies. In March 2002, the existing partnership was expanded when Centocor ordered AutoCAL™, the MorphoSys-developed system for automated screening of the HuCAL® antibody library. In March 2004 both companies commenced a new antibody program in which MorphoSys would generate therapeutic antibodies against a Centocor target molecule involved in autoimmune diseases. In the collaboration with Centocor, MorphoSys has achieved four performance-related milestones to date.
“This news signals further progress in our collaboration with Centocor,” commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. “We are pleased to see that our HuCAL® technology continues to support drug development activities by our partners.”