About the Company
Technology
MorphoSys Share
What is your corporate strategy?
MorphoSys’s goal is to establish HuCAL as the technology of choice for antibody generation in all market sectors.
On the therapeutic side of the business, MorphoSys develops drug candidates for commercial partners as well as for its own proprietary product portfolio. The Company has been successful in establishing a number of partnerships with renowned biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and also generated several proprietary therapeutic antibody candidates for out-licensing to partners.
MorphoSys’s segment for research and diagnostic antibodies AbD Serotec is focused on commercializing the Company’s antibodies and technologies in the research and diagnostics markets. AbD Serotec’s growing penetration of the diagnostics market positions MorphoSys to benefit from the growing importance of diagnostics during the development of drugs and in conjunction with their use in the market.
The two segments fit well together: technological developments on the therapeutic side enable more efficient research, which in turn may provide new targets for therapeutic programs.
What are the strengths of MorphoSys?
With its HuCAL antibody library, MorphoSys has the best available technology today for generating fully human antibodies. With its unique technologies, MorphoSys is developing the next generation of antibodies, which can be used not only for research and diagnostics but also to treat diseases.
Today, a number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies work with MorphoSys’s technologies to discover and develop new antibody drugs. MorphoSys has thereby achieved one of the goals the Company set itself several years ago, namely to become the partner of choice for pharmaceutical companies developing antibody drugs.
MorphoSys’s Research Antibodies segment, launched under the brand “Antibodies by Design” in 2003, aimed at further developing the market for non-therapeutic applications. Today, MorphoSys’s AbD Serotec unit is a leading antibody supplier in Europe and among the top 20 companies worldwide in this field.
When do you think the first HuCAL-derived product will come to the market?
On average, the clinical development of an antibody drug takes 5–7 years. This compares favorably to the 8–10-year average that is required for small molecule drugs. The first HuCAL product candidate from one of our partner companies entered clinical trials in 2005; thus, market entry is still several years away.
How does MorphoSys’s partnering strategy look like?
MorphoSys offers different types of business models through which partners can access its technologies and services. Within these basic structures, MorphoSys is flexible in working with partners to their specific needs to arrive at the best partnership arrangement for both companies:
- Technology & Library Transfer
- Custom Therapeutic Antibodies
- Out-Licensing of proprietary antibodies
What are the offerings of MorphoSys’s research antibody unit AbD Serotec?
Although the MorphoSys HuCAL technology was originally designed for the development of therapeutic antibodies, it also brings tremendous advantages to the development of antibodies for use as reagents in research and diagnostics. To access the offerings of the AbD Serotec unit please visit their website.
What distinguishes HuCAL from other antibody generation technologies?
HuCAL is the only technology which produces fully human antibodies from 100% synthetically created genes. The synthetic and modular design allows us to tailor-make antibodies precisely for any intended target. This feature allows the creation of very specific antibodies medications, which can be made to perform different pre-defined functions; for example, for treatment of a particular type of cancer.
Does MorphoSys pay a cash dividend?
For the first time, MorphoSys’s German statutory accounts showed accumulated earnings available for distribution at the end of 2010. Nevertheless, in common with standard practice in the biotechnology industry, MorphoSys does not anticipate paying a dividend for the foreseeable future. Any profit generated by the business shall be substantially reinvested in the operation of its business, mainly in the area of proprietary drug development, in order to create further shareholder value and growth opportunities. Nonetheless, the Company does plan to purchase shares from the market to support a new long-term incentive program for management.
When does MorphoSys’s fiscal year end?
MorphoSys’s fiscal year ends December 31st.
Who is MorphoSys’s independent auditor?
MorphoSys’s independent auditor currently is PricewaterhouseCoopers AG.
