Market Prospects

Therapeutic Antibody Market

The therapeutic antibody market remains one of the fastest growing segments of the pharmaceutical industry. In 2007, total sales for the 20 antibody drugs currently on the market amounted to approximately US$ 25 billion. Eight of these antibodies achieved blockbuster status, with annual sales for each in excess of US$ 1 billion. Other antibodies are fast approaching this target. In the past, therapeutic antibodies were derived from mice or adapted to the human system by chimerization or humanization. Only recently, technological advances have introduced fully human antibodies. Fully human antibodies are recognized as the next generation and the majority of therapeutic antibodies currently in development is fully human.

Research Antibody Market

The research antibodies market overall has posted growth rates of about 10-15% per year over the last years. Scientists around the world are currently spending some US$ 1 billion annually on such tools. The market is currently undergoing a period of technological and structural upheaval. MorphoSys views these developments as strong incentives to remain active in the market and as an excellent opportunity for future growth. Until recently, all research antibodies were developed using outdated, animal-based technologies — a method which has proven less than ideal. For today’s customers, speed and diversity of the product range are becoming increasingly important, and these are both areas of particular advantage for MorphoSys’s proprietary technology. MorphoSys is confident that the market as a whole is ready for a technological shift and that in the mid to long term, animal-based methods will be replaced by in vitro approaches such as the Company’s HuCAL technology. MorphoSys is at the forefront of this change.