MARTINSRIED, GERMANY and MUNICH, GERMANY--(Marketwire - November 12, 2012) - MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) today announced that
subcutaneous administration of its HuCAL-based monoclonal antibody MOR103
was
safe and well tolerated and demonstrated a favorable and competitive
pharmacokinetic profile in a clinical Phase I study in healthy volunteers.
This
competitive pharmacokinetic profile is demonstrated by a half-life of 17
days
and good bioavailability supporting subcutaneous administration of MOR103
in
future clinical trials. Furthermore, the high neutralizing potency was
shown to
be comparable to the intravenous administration.
Subcutaneous injection represents a more convenient route of administration
for
patients and the data will help guide dosing regimens for future clinical
trials
with MOR103. The phase 1 pharmacokinetic study was conducted in 32 healthy
volunteers and sequentially assessed single doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2 mg/kg
MOR103
administered subcutaneously compared to 2 mg/kg MOR103 after single
intravenous
dosing in cohorts of 8 volunteers.
"We are very pleased with these data showing that a subcutaneous
administration
of our MOR103 antibody is a feasible and attractive option for the future
treatment of various inflammatory diseases with this compound," commented
Dr.
Arndt Schottelius, Chief Development Officer of MorphoSys AG. "In addition
to
the excellent safety and efficacy data we have presented seven weeks ago,
today's news adds another valuable component to the broad commercial and
scientific package we are building around our anti GM-CSF program."
MOR103 has concluded a phase 1b/2a clinical trial evaluating the compound
in
rheumatoid arthritis. The efficacy and safety data observed underline
MOR103's
potential to become a first-in-class treatment modality for RA patients,
with a
novel and differentiated mechanism of action. Additionally, MOR103 is
currently
being evaluated in a phase 1b dose-escalation study in multiple sclerosis.
About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys developed HuCAL, the most successful antibody library technology
in
the pharmaceutical industry. By successfully applying this and other
patented
technologies, MorphoSys has become a leader in the field of therapeutic
antibodies, one of the fastest-growing drug classes in human healthcare.
The
Company's AbD Serotec unit uses HuCAL and other antibody technologies to
generate superior monoclonal antibodies for research and diagnostic
applications.
Together with its pharmaceutical partners, MorphoSys has built a
therapeutic
pipeline of more than 70 human antibody drug candidates for the treatment
of
cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease, to name just a few.
With
its ongoing commitment to new antibody technology and drug development,
MorphoSys is focused on making the healthcare products of tomorrow.
MorphoSys is
listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol MOR. For regular
updates
about MorphoSys, visit http://www.morphosys.com
HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM®, CysDisplay®,
RapMAT®, arYla® and Ylanthia®
and 100 billion high potentials® are registered trademarks of
MorphoSys AG
Slonomics® is a registered trademark of Sloning BioTechnology GmbH, a
subsidiary
of MorphoSys AG.
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.
Media Release (PDF):
http://hugin.info/130295/R/1656760/535717.pdf
This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of
Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and
other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and
originality of the information contained therein.
Source: MorphoSys AG via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1656760]
