MARTINSRIED, GERMANY and MUNICH, GERMANY--(Marketwire - August 01, 2011) - MorphoSys AG /
AbD Serotec and Merck Sign License Agreement for Use of HuCAL GOLD in
Vaccine
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MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today
that its
research and diagnostic antibody unit AbD Serotec has amended its
existing
license agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. to include the use of MorphoSys's
HuCAL
GOLD technology in the field of vaccines. Under the terms of the
agreement,
Merck is granted access to HuCAL GOLD for research purposes, with the
option to
upgrade to MorphoSys's latest proprietary antibody library HuCAL
PLATINUM.
MorphoSys's research and diagnostic antibody segment AbD Serotec will
receive
annual user fees from Merck for access to the HuCAL technology and license
fees
for clinical monitoring reagents. Further financial details were not
disclosed.
"We welcome Merck's decision to continue using the HuCAL technology
on the
research side as a tool to support their vaccine development activities. It
is a
clear sign of the sustained interest of the pharmaceutical industry
in our
leading antibody technology," commented Dieter Feger, Senior Vice
President and
Head of AbD Serotec.
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,
visithttp://www.morphosys.com/
About AbD Serotec:
AbD Serotec is one of the most reliable, complete sources of research and
diagnostic antibodies in the world. Easy On-line Ordering, With or Without
Credit Card, ISO-certified 2,200 Square Meter Production Facility, Your
personal
AntibodyDetective, More Than 14,000 Catalog Antibodies, Custom Monoclonals
in
Just 8 Weeks, Antibody Conjugation and Production.
HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM®,
CysDisplay®, RapMAT® and
Slonimics® are registered trademarks of MorphoSys; arYla™ is a
trademark of
MorphoSys.
This communication contains certain forward-looking statements
concerning the
MorphoSys group of companies. The forward-looking statements contained
herein
represent the judgment of MorphoSys as of the date of this release and
involve
risks and uncertainties. Should actual conditions differ from the
Company's
assumptions, actual results and actions may differ from those
anticipated.
MorphoSys does not intend to update any of these forward-looking
statements as
far as the wording of the relevant press release is concerned.
Press Release (PDF):
http://hugin.info/130295/R/1535145/468071.pdf
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originality of the information contained therein.
[HUG#1535145]