MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) today announced that Astellas Pharma Inc. ('Astellas' Tokyo, Japan), Japan's second largest ethical pharmaceutical company, and MorphoSys AG have entered into a license agreement for the use of MorphoSys's HuCAL technology. Under the terms of the agreement, MorphoSys grants Astellas access to its HuCAL GOLD antibody library for use in its internal pharmaceutical drug discovery programs. In return, MorphoSys stands to receive an up-front payment and annual user fees during the life span of the agreement.
During the term of the agreement, Astellas will have access to the MorphoSys HuCAL GOLD library at its research site in Tsukuba, Japan. Additionally, Astellas has the option to start antibody projects during the life time of the agreement. Under the optional collaboration component of the alliance, MorphoSys will utilize its HuCAL GOLD antibody library to generate novel HuCAL antibodies against targets provided by Astellas. Subsequently, Astellas will be responsible for preclinical and clinical development of these compounds, as well as the ensuing marketing of resulting products. For projects initiated under the collaboration, MorphoSys stands to receive research funding, plus licensing and milestone payments, as well as royalties on end-product sales. The agreement may have a duration of up to five years.
'Today's deal adds another representative of Japan's leading pharmaceutical companies to MorphoSys's roster of partners and increases at the same time our market share among the 20 largest drug makers worldwide,' commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys. 'This new therapeutic partnership with Astellas once again shows the potential for innovative technology such as our HuCAL GOLD antibody library in Japan - a market we set out to explore just some 24 months ago.'
For further information please contact: Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser, Head of Corporate Communications, Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-122, gutjahr-loeser@morphosys.com or Mario Brkulj, Manager Public Relations, Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-454, brkulj@morphosys.com