MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) today announced the signing of a protein engineering agreement with a large bio-pharmaceutical company. The non-exclusive license agreement covers the delivery of multiple Slonomics®-based DNA libraries. The libraries will encode a broad range of protein classes, excluding antibodies, and will be used by its partner for drug discovery. MorphoSys will receive committed annual funding for the delivery of libraries over the three-year lifetime of the agreement and stands to receive milestone and royalty payments on each product emerging from the collaboration.
'This fourth alliance around the Slonomics technology further illustrates the value of the platform,' commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. 'Slonomics is a powerful method for making libraries of all types, and this agreement exemplifies the commercial opportunity it creates for us beyond the antibody field.'
The Slonomics technology enables the precise construction of protein libraries comprising defined mixtures of amino acids at pre-determined positions with unprecedented speed. The technology provides a new and flexible approach to generating optimized proteins. MorphoSys acquired Slonomics through Sloning BioTechnology in October 2010.
About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys developed HuCAL, the most successful antibody library technology in the pharmaceutical industry. By successfully applying this and other patented technologies, MorphoSys has become a leader in the field of therapeutic antibodies, one of the fastest-growing drug classes in human healthcare. The company's AbD Serotec unit uses HuCAL and other antibody technologies to generate superior monoclonal antibodies for research and diagnostic applications.
Together with its pharmaceutical partners, MorphoSys has built a therapeutic pipeline of more than 70 human antibody drug candidates for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease, to name just a few. With its ongoing commitment to new antibody technology and drug development, MorphoSys is focused on making the healthcare products of tomorrow. MorphoSys is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol MOR. For regular updates about MorphoSys, visit http://www.morphosys.com
HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM®, CysDisplay®, RapMAT® and arYla® are registered trademarks of MorphoSys. Ylanthia® and 100 billion high potentialsTM are trademarks of MorphoSys AG.
Slonomics® is a registered trademark of Sloning BioTechnology GmbH, a subsidiary of MorphoSys AG.
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.
For more information, please contact:
MorphoSys AG
Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser
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