MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today that DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED has triggered its pre-existing option to extend the current collaboration between the two companies. The collaboration, originally signed in March 2006, was to end in March 2008. Under the agreement, which is now extended for up to three more years until March 2011, DAIICHI SANKYO will continue to have access to MorphoSys's proprietary antibody library HuCAL GOLD at its research site in Tokyo. Furthermore, the extension includes an option for DAIICHI SANKYO to develop and commercialize up to 6 HuCAL-derived therapeutic antibodies, in which case MorphoSys would receive exclusive license fees, milestone payments, as well as royalties. Today, the collaboration encompasses one active therapeutic antibody program. The extension triggers an additional payment from DAIICHI SANKYO and results in increased research funding for MorphoSys. Furthermore, under the extended agreement MorphoSys continues to receive annual user fees for access to its HuCAL platform. Further financial details were not disclosed.
'We are very pleased by the successful progress in our collaboration with DAIICHI SANKYO and their decision to continue using our HuCAL GOLD technology for their in-house research,' commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys. 'We expect this alliance will add to our burgeoning pipeline of HuCAL-based therapeutic agents.'
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, Manager Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-454, brkulj@morphosys.com