CTA Filing Takes Company Beyond Original Guidance of 6 Clinical Milestones in 2010
MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today that it has received a clinical milestone payment from Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. in connection with the regulatory filing of a clinical trial application for a phase 1 clinical trial of a HuCAL-derived antibody in the therapeutic area of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Today's news marks the seventh clinical milestone for MorphoSys in 2010.
'The seventh clinical milestone with partners in 2010 surpasses our original expectations for the year of up to six such events,' commented Dr. Marlies Sproll, Chief Scientific Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'Today's news marks another milestone for the HuCAL platform, clearly illustrating the success of this technology.'
MorphoSys's clinical pipeline now comprises nine partnered programs in Phase 1 and five in Phase 2 development as well as the Company's proprietary programs MOR103, which is in a Phase 1b/2a trial for rheumatoid arthritis, and MOR208, which is in a Phase 1 trial for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys is an independent biotechnology company that develops novel antibodies for therapeutic, diagnostic and research applications. The Company's HuCAL technology is one of the most powerful methods available for generating fully human antibodies. By successfully applying this and other proprietary technologies, MorphoSys has become a leader in the field of therapeutic antibodies, one of the fastest-growing drug classes in human health-care. Through its alliances with some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, MorphoSys has created a pipeline of more than 60 drug candidates. The Company is expanding its drug pipeline by adding new partnered programs, and by building a portfolio of fully-owned therapeutic antibodies. For its proprietary portfolio, the Company is focused on the areas of oncology and inflammation. Its most advanced program MOR103, a first-in-class, fully human antibody against GM-CSF, is currently being tested in a Phase Ib/IIa trial in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Via its business unit AbD Serotec, MorphoSys is expanding the reach of its technologies in the diagnostics and research markets. MorphoSys is headquartered in Munich, Germany and listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'MOR'. For further information, visit http://www.morphosys.com/