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 Research. Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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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For more information, please contact:
MorphoSys AG
Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Loser
Head of Corporate Communications & IR
Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-122
Mario Brkulj
Senior Manager Corporate Communications & IR
Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-454
Jessica Kulpi
Specialist Corporate Communications & IR
Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-332