MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment; TecDAX) announced today the decision to repurchase its own shares on the stock market. Following approval by the Company's Supervisory Board, the Board of Management of MorphoSys AG has resolved to acquire up to 100,000 MorphoSys shares over the stock market during the time period from June 1, 2011 to June 30, 2011. The shares will be used to implement the Company's long-term incentive program for management.
The relevant conditions of the shareholders' resolutions passed in the ordinary shareholders' meeting 2011 of MorphoSys AG on the authorization to acquire and to use its own shares shall apply. The purchase price paid per share may not be more than 10 % higher or 20 % lower than the Company's share price determined by the opening auction in the Xetra trading system on the day of trading. On the basis of the current share price (status: May 31, 2011), this would amount to around EUR 1.7 million or up to 0.5 % of the share capital.
The buy-back is to be handled independently of and uninfluenced by the Company through an appointed bank in compliance with the safe-harbor provisions.
MorphoSys will provide regular information on the progress of the share buy-back program on the Company's website www.morphosys.com.
About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys is an independent biotechnology company that develops novel antibodies for therapeutic, diagnostic and research applications. The Company's HuCAL technology is one of the most powerful methods available for generating fully human antibodies. By successfully applying this and other proprietary technologies, MorphoSys has become a leader in the field of therapeutic antibodies, one of the fastest-growing drug classes in human health-care. Through its alliances with some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, MorphoSys has created a pipeline of more than 60 drug candidates. The Company is expanding its drug pipeline by adding new partnered programs, and by building a portfolio of fully-owned therapeutic antibodies. For its proprietary portfolio, the Company is focused on the areas of oncology and inflammation. Its most advanced program MOR103, a first-in-class, fully human antibody against GM-CSF, is currently being tested in a Phase Ib/IIa trial in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Via its business unit AbD Serotec, MorphoSys is expanding the reach of its technologies in the diagnostics and research markets. MorphoSys is headquartered in Munich, Germany and listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'MOR'. For further information, visit http://www.morphosys.com/
HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM®, CysDisplay® and RapMAT® are registered trademarks of MorphoSys; arYlaTM is a trademark of MorphoSys.