MorphoSys AG — M&A Activity 2004

Jul 14, 2004

News Details

Corporate | 14 July 2004 07:44

MorphoSys and Novoplant Sign Veterinary Medicine Collaboration

Corporate-news announcement sent by DGAP. The sender is solely responsible for the contents of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– MorphoSys and Novoplant Sign Veterinary Medicine Collaboration MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MOR; Prime Standard Segment) and Novoplant GmbH (Gatersleben, Germany) today announced the signing of a collaboration for the development of therapeutic antibodies in animal health applications. Under the three-year agreement Novoplant received a license from MorphoSys for the development and commercialization of therapeutic antibodies as feed components for use in veterinary medicine. Novoplant will pay a technology access fee to MorphoSys for the utilization of the HuCAL GOLD(R) technology in addition to annual licensing fees. Additionally, MorphoSys receives milestone fees and royalties for the subsequent development and marketing of any resulting products. In the context of the cooperation, Novoplant will use MorphoSys’ HuCAL GOLD(R) technology to generate antibodies against viruses, parasites and pathogenic microorganisms such as E. coli or Salmonella. The addition of such MorphoSys antibodies to animal feed stock intended for poultry, pigs or cattle, may offer protection against infectious diseases in the respective animal’s gastro- intestinal tract. MorphoSys retains all rights in any human therapeutics or diagnostics emerging from the collaboration. “Novoplant is pursuing a fascinating technology from the initial approach to its actual use,” comments Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. “The use of the HuCAL(R) technology in veterinary medicine is proof of the power of the technology and demonstrates the continually widening range of possible applications.” “MorphoSys’ HuCAL(R) technology has been widely used and thus validated in the biopharmaceutical industry and is therefore an important technology asset for our company,” says Dr. Dieter Falkenburg, coCEO and Chief Business Officer of Novoplant. “This technology will allow the rapid expansion of our innovative product pipeline for the feed and veterinary industry. ” About MorphoSys: MorphoSys develops and applies innovative technologies for the production of synthetic antibodies, which accelerate drug discovery and target characterization. Founded in 1992, the Company’s proprietary Human Combinatorial Antibody Library (HuCALâ) technology is used by researchers worldwide for human antibody generation. The Company currently has licensing and research collaborations with Bayer (Berkeley, California/USA), Biogen Idec Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts/USA), Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Wilmington, Delaware/USA), Centocor Inc. (Malvern, Pennsylvania/USA), GPC Biotech AG (Munich/Germany), Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Basel/Switzerland), ImmunoGen Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts/USA), Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland), Oridis Biomed GmbH (Graz/Austria), Pfizer Inc. (Delaware/USA), ProChon Biotech Ltd. (Rehovot/Israel), Schering AG (Berlin/Germany) and Xoma Ltd. (Berkeley, California/USA). For further information please visit the corporate website at: http://www.morphosys.com About Novoplant: Novoplant is a developer and producer of new antibody products for the veterinary and feed additives market. Oral application of recombinant antibodies via the feed protects livestock and poultry from pathogens of the gastro- intestinal tract, such as viruses, bacteria and eukaryotic parasites. Feed conversion and productivity are thus enhanced without side effects. Powerful production systems (microbial fermentation, plants and microalgae) are used to make the benefits of recombinant antibodies available at a competitive price. The company is located in Gatersleben, Germany. For more information, please visit the company’s website at http://www.novoplant.com Statements included in this press release which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the safe harbour provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “expects” and similar expressions. The company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the company’s future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect future operations and business prospects include, but are not limited to, clinical and scientific results and developments concerning corporate collaborations and the company’s proprietary rights and other factors described in the prospectus relating to the company’s recent public offering. For more information, please contact MorphoSys: Dave Lemus Chief Financial Officer Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-439 Fax: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-5439 investors@morphosys.com Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser Mario Brkulj Director Corporate Communications PR Specialist Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-122 Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-454 Fax: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-5122 Fax: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-5454 gutjahr-loeser@morphosys.com brkulj@morphosys.com end of message, (c)DGAP 14.07.2004 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 663200; ISIN: DE0006632003; Index: Nemax 50 Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin- Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart 140744 Jul 04