MorphoSys and Galapagos Expand Antibody Alliance
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MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) and Galapagos NV
(Euronext: GLPG) announce that they have expanded their antibody alliance in
bone and joint diseases. Based on the solid progress made so far, the partners
have agreed to add another antibody target to the alliance, thereby increasing
the total number of programs to four.
The alliance aims to discover and develop antibody therapeutics based on novel
modes of action in bone and joint diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis,
osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. As part of the initial agreement, three
targets were selected for the collaboration. Antibodies with high specificity
towards the first target have been generated and are now being tested in
disease-specific in vitro and in vivo experiments. In parallel, Galapagos has
applied its target discovery platform to identify additional targets for
antibody development. Based on this, Galapagos and MorphoSys have now added a
fourth antibody target to the alliance. The partners have prioritized the
targets in order to maximize the value and IP position of the respective
therapeutic antibody programs.
"This collaboration provides Galapagos with a platform to develop antibody drugs
for our proprietary targets," said Onno van de Stolpe, Chief Executive Officer
of Galapagos. "This, together with more than 40 R&D small molecule programs,
solidifies our leading position in discovering innovative approaches to address
diseases with unmet medical need."
"The expansion of our proprietary pipeline is a key value driver for our
company. In 2010, we plan to add up to four new proprietary programs including
both fully owned and co-development opportunities such as with Galapagos,"
commented Dr. Marlies Sproll, Chief Scientific Officer of MorphoSys. "Our
alliance with Galapagos gives us access to novel disease-related target
molecules which could build the basis for first-in-class antibody therapies in
the future."
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 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(®) and RapMAT(®) are registered
trademarks of MorphoSys AG
About Galapagos
Galapagos (Euronext: GLPG; OTC: GLPYY) is a mid-size biotechnology company
specialized in the discovery and development of small molecule and antibody
therapies with novel modes-of-action. The Company is progressing one of the
largest pipelines in biotech, with four clinical and over 40
discovery/pre-clinical programs. Through risk/reward-sharing alliances with
GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Merck & Co. and Roche,
Galapagos is eligible to receive up to ?3 billion ($4.5 billion) in downstream
milestones, plus royalties. Together with the service operations of BioFocus
and Argenta, Galapagos has more than 640 employees and operates facilities in
six countries, with global headquarters in Mechelen, Belgium. For further
information, visit www.glpg.com
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
investors(at)morphosys.com
Galapagos NV
Elizabeth Goodwin
Director Investor Relations
Tel: +31 6 2291 6240
ir(at)glpg.com
[HUG#1385493]
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MorphoSys AG
Lena-Christ-Str. 48 Martinsried / München Germany
WKN: 663200;ISIN: DE0006632003;Index:MIDCAP,Prime All Share,TecDAX,CDAX,TECH All Share,HDAX;
Listed: Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart,
Freiverkehr in Hanseatische Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg,
Freiverkehr in Börse Berlin,
Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf,
Freiverkehr in Bayerische Börse München,
Freiverkehr in Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover,
Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse,
Regulierter Markt in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse;
Press Release: http://hugin.info/130295/R/1385493/344207.pdf
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Datum: 18.02.2010 - 01:30 Uhr
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News-ID 1010543
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