MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MOR; Prime Standard Segment), today announced the achievement of a fourth milestone in its cooperation with Centocor Inc. In meeting the milestone, MorphoSys developed several highly optimized fully human IgG antibodies against a disease-associated target provided by Centocor. As part of the collaboration milestone, MorphoSys applied its proprietary HuCAL GOLD(R) antibody library in order to generate antibodies which passed nine different pre-defined criteria. Achievement of the milestone triggered a payment from Centocor to MorphoSys. Further financial details 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' technologies. In March 2002, the existing partnership was expanded when Centocor ordered AutoCALTM, the MorphoSys-developed system for automated screening of the HuCAL(R) antibody library. Recently, both companies entered a new antibody program in which MorphoSys would generate therapeutic antibodies against a target molecule involved in auto-immune diseases.
'The achievement of this fourth milestone demonstrates our ability to apply the HuCAL(R) technology successfully within our alliances,' comments Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'Our collaboration with Centocor is an important component of our strategy to generate a broad pipeline of therapeutic antibodies based on our proprietary technology.'
About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys develops and applies innovative technologies for the production of synthetic antibodies, which accelerate drug discovery and target characterization. Founded in 1992, the Company's proprietary Human Combinatorial Antibody Library (HuCALâ) technology is used by researchers worldwide for human antibody generation. The Company currently has licensing and research collaborations with Bayer (Berkeley, California/USA), Biogen Idec Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts/USA), Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Wilmington, Delaware/USA), Centocor Inc. (Malvern, Pennsylvania/USA), GPC Biotech AG (Munich/Germany), Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Basel/Switzerland), ImmunoGen Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts/USA), Oridis Biomed GmbH (Graz/Austria), Pfizer Inc. (Delaware/USA), ProChon Biotech Ltd. (Rehovot/Israel), Schering AG (Berlin/Germany) and Xoma Ltd. (Berkeley, California/USA). For further information please visit the corporate website at: http://www.morphosys.com/ .
Statements included in this press release which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, 'forward-looking statements' for purposes of the safe harbour provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including 'anticipates', 'believes', 'intends', 'estimates', 'expects' and similar expressions. The company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect future operations and business prospects include, but are not limited to, clinical and scientific results and developments concerning corporate collaborations and the company's proprietary rights and other factors described in the prospectus relating to the company's recent public offering.
For more information, please contact MorphoSys: Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser, Manager Corporate Communications, Tel. +49 (0)89 89927 122, gutjahr@morphosys.com / Mario Brkulj, PR Specialist, Tel. +49 (0)89 89927 454, brkulj@morphosys.com
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' technologies. In March 2002, the existing partnership was expanded when Centocor ordered AutoCALTM, the MorphoSys-developed system for automated screening of the HuCAL(R) antibody library. Recently, both companies entered a new antibody program in which MorphoSys would generate therapeutic antibodies against a target molecule involved in auto-immune diseases.
'The achievement of this fourth milestone demonstrates our ability to apply the HuCAL(R) technology successfully within our alliances,' comments Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'Our collaboration with Centocor is an important component of our strategy to generate a broad pipeline of therapeutic antibodies based on our proprietary technology.'
About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys develops and applies innovative technologies for the production of synthetic antibodies, which accelerate drug discovery and target characterization. Founded in 1992, the Company's proprietary Human Combinatorial Antibody Library (HuCALâ) technology is used by researchers worldwide for human antibody generation. The Company currently has licensing and research collaborations with Bayer (Berkeley, California/USA), Biogen Idec Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts/USA), Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Wilmington, Delaware/USA), Centocor Inc. (Malvern, Pennsylvania/USA), GPC Biotech AG (Munich/Germany), Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Basel/Switzerland), ImmunoGen Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts/USA), Oridis Biomed GmbH (Graz/Austria), Pfizer Inc. (Delaware/USA), ProChon Biotech Ltd. (Rehovot/Israel), Schering AG (Berlin/Germany) and Xoma Ltd. (Berkeley, California/USA). For further information please visit the corporate website at: http://www.morphosys.com/ .
Statements included in this press release which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, 'forward-looking statements' for purposes of the safe harbour provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including 'anticipates', 'believes', 'intends', 'estimates', 'expects' and similar expressions. The company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect future operations and business prospects include, but are not limited to, clinical and scientific results and developments concerning corporate collaborations and the company's proprietary rights and other factors described in the prospectus relating to the company's recent public offering.
For more information, please contact MorphoSys: Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser, Manager Corporate Communications, Tel. +49 (0)89 89927 122, gutjahr@morphosys.com / Mario Brkulj, PR Specialist, Tel. +49 (0)89 89927 454, brkulj@morphosys.com