Proprietary Therapeutic Product Pipeline

MorphoSys has developed proprietary therapeutic antibody candidates in the area of inflammation and oncology. These candidates are available for future partnering. The Company’s proprietary antibody pipeline currently consists of the following programs:

MOR103

MOR103 is a fully human HuCAL antibody directed against GM-CSF (granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor), developed in the area of inflammatory diseases, i.e. rheumatoid arthritis, where current treatment options are inadequate. Due to its diverse functions in the immune system, GM-CSF can be considered a target for a broad spectrum of anti-inflammatory therapies.

In December 2007, MorphoSys submitted a clinical trial application in the Netherlands to initiate a phase 1 clinical trial using the HuCAL-derived antibody MOR103 for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The phase 1 trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-ascending dose trial and will be conducted in healthy volunteers. The study will evaluate the safety and tolerability as well as pharmacokinetics of escalating doses of MOR103.

RA is traditionally considered a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints and affects in particular a membrane, called synovium, which lines each movable joint. It is a disabling and painful inflammatory condition, which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease affects approximately 4-6 million people worldwide. In patients suffering from RA, white blood cells move from the bloodstream into the synovium. Here, these blood cells appear to play an important role in causing the synovial membrane to become inflamed.

The granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulates stem cells to produce granulocytes and other macrophages and subsequently activates these differentiated immune cells. GM-CSF is part of the natural immune and inflammatory cascade but has also been identified as an inflammatory mediator in autoimmune disorders like RA leading to an increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and proteases and thereby ultimately to articular destruction.

By neutralizing GM-CSF the HuCAL-based antibody MOR103 reduces undesired proliferation and activation of inflammatory macrophages and neutrophils and intervenes in several pathophysiological pathways.

Antibodies in the Fight Against Rheumatoid Arthritis (PDF, AR 2007, 2,3 MB)

MOR202

MOR202 is a fully human HuCAL antibody directed against CD38, a therapeutic target for the treatment of multiple myeloma and certain leukemias. CD38 is a membrane-bound glycoprotein which is highly expressed on multiple myeloma tumor cells and certain leukemias. In pre-clinical studies, MOR202 effectively killed cancer cells from primary patient tumor material and specific hematologic cancer cell lines. Furthermore, preclinical efficacy was shown by demonstrating strong inhibition of tumor growth in a SCID-mouse xenograft tumor model.

Additionally, MorphoSys showed that in an in vivo animal model, MOR202 demonstrated superior efficacy in comparison to Velcade, one of the better therapeutic options for Multiple Myeloma patients currently on the market. Tiis data was presented during the ASCO (American Society of Oncology) meeting in Chicago in June 2007.

Poster presentation of MOR202 at ASCO meeting 2007 (PDF, 1 MB)