MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MOR; Prime Standard Segment) announced today the formation of one of the most comprehensive strategic alliances with Novartis in the discovery and development of biopharmaceuticals. The deal is aimed at establishing a pipeline of innovative drugs, and combines MorphoSys's and Novartis's research and development capabilities. Novartis becomes MorphoSys's preferred collaborator for HuCAL-based drug discovery, allowing MorphoSys to progress to the next stage of its corporate development, which involves a greater focus on drug discovery and development within the Novartis alliance, and proprietary drug development, thereby substantially reducing MorphoSys's reliance on new or extended fee-for-service discovery deals. The expanded alliance also includes rights to co-detail co-developed products in specific territories through creation of MorphoSys's own sales force. In addition to programs pursued jointly, Novartis has accelerated its plan to internalize MorphoSys's leading human antibody technology, HuCAL, at its research sites under the option agreed in the original contract. The structure and the financial terms of the collaboration further create a solid financial footing allowing MorphoSys to accelerate and broaden its proprietary drug development efforts and participate in development activities with Novartis.
Under the agreement, Novartis will make a major long-term commitment to MorphoSys's HuCAL technology. The collaboration has a term of 10 years. Novartis has the option to prolong the collaboration for a further two years or to conclude the alliance after 7 years in certain limited circumstances. Over the lifetime of the agreement, the parties will engage in approximately double the annual number of therapeutic antibody discovery programs as compared to the previous alliance, encompassing a wide range of diseases. MorphoSys also has options to participate in certain development activities in various programs, with part of the early stage costs being funded by Novartis. Under the co-development options, MorphoSys may elect to participate in these projects through cost and profit sharing with financial participation reflecting its level of investment in the respective programs.
Based on a 10-year term, committed total annual payments sum to more than US $600 million in technology access, internalization fees and R&D funding, excluding reimbursement of R&D costs related to early stage development activities.
Total payments under the agreement, including committed payments and probability-weighted success-based milestones, contingent upon successful clinical development and market approval of multiple products, could potentially exceed US$1 billion, assuming the collaboration successfully runs its maximum term. In addition to these payments, MorphoSys would also be entitled to royalty payments and/or profit sharing on any future product sales.
'This is a transforming deal for MorphoSys. This alliance heralds a new chapter in our corporate development as it offers us the perfect construct to increase significantly the value of our proprietary drug development pipeline while simultaneously maximizing our financial interest in partnered programs,' commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'The first antibody from our collaboration with Novartis entered the clinic three years after signature. The proven success of our relationship and demonstrated commitment of the collaborator was a key factor in our decision to enter this substantially expanded new deal. This deal maximizes the value of our partnered antibody pipeline and the additional cash-flows within the strategic partnership with Novartis will become a major value driver for MorphoSys.'
'Over the past three years MorphoSys has been an instrumental collaborator in the build up of Novartis internal biologics discovery and development efforts,' said Abbie Celniker, Global Head, Novartis Biologics. 'We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the MorphoSys team under this expanded alliance.'
The substantial committed and contingent funding that the new alliance brings will transform MorphoSys's ability to build value by expanding and accelerating its own drug development activities. In addition, MorphoSys will further build its drug pipeline via the co-development rights provided by the new agreement. MorphoSys remains committed to its ongoing proprietary drug development programs - MOR103 and MOR202 - and to the active therapeutic antibody pipeline built with its other partners.
Therapeutic antibodies currently represent the most successful class of biopharmaceutical drugs in the healthcare industry. MorphoSys and Novartis started working together in 2004 in a collaboration that has resulted to date in multiple active therapeutic antibody programs across various diseases and the first IND-filing just three years after initiation. The new agreement is built on the strong existing relationship between the partners.
MorphoSys will hold a public conference call and live audio webcast on December 3, 2007 at 10:00 CET to provide detailed information on its new strategic alliance with Novartis.
Dial-in number for the Conference Call: +49 (0)69 9897 2623 (listen-only)
UK residents: +44 (0)20 7138 0844
Confirmation code: 8460477
Please dial in 10 minutes before the beginning of the conference.
MorphoSys AG offers participants the opportunity to follow the presentation through a simultaneous slide presentation online at http://www.morphosys.com
An audio replay and manuscripts of the conference will be available following the live event on http://www.morphosys.com/conferencecalls
For further information please contact: Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser, Head of Corporate Communications, Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-122, gutjahr-loeser@morphosys.com or Mario Brkulj, Manager Public Relations, Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-454, brkulj@morphosys.com