Initial agreement was inked in 2006 and allows for annual extensions until 2011.
Schering-Plough extended its existing HuCAL GOLD antibody collaboration with MorphoSys for another year. The extension furthers the use of this antibody library at the Schering-Plough Biopharma (Palo Alto, CA) research site.
The company also has options for therapeutic licenses which, if exercised, will trigger license fees, milestone payments, and potential royalties. The original collaboration between Schering-Plough and MorphoSys was set up in 2006 and may be extended by Schering -Plough on a yearly basis until 2011.
MorphoSys has ongoing antibody collaborations with major companies worldwide, including Bayer Schering Pharma, Merck & Co., Centocor, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, OncoMed, Galapagos, Pfizer, Roche, and Daiichi Sankyo. During May 2009 MorphoSys confirmed the start of a two more oncology-focused therapeutic antibody programs within its ongoing partnership with Daiichi Sankyo. Also in May, MorphoSys received its latest milestone payment from Novartis, which was triggered by Novartis filing documentation to initiate a Phase I trial with a second fully human HuCAL-derived antibody.
MorphoSys reported operating profits of €16.4 million ($22.7 million) in 2008, up 134% on 2007 figures. Total group revenues for 2008 were €71.6 million, up 16% from 2007; the company currently operates through two business segments. The firm’s therapeutic antibodies unit develops drug candidates both for in-house development and through collaborations. The research antibodies unit provides antibodies to the research market, under the brand AbD Serotec.
♦♦♦
Related News from MorphoSys
MorphoSys and Daiichi Sankyo Add Two Targets to Therapeutic Antibody Collaboration (May 18, 2009)
MorphoSys and Galapagos to Co-develop Therapeutic Antibodies in Bone and Joint Disease (Nov. 26, 2008)
Sigma-Aldrich and MorphoSys Ally to Supply Research Recombinant Antibodies (Feb. 27, 2008)
MorphoSys Inks Deal Potentially Worth over $1B with Novartis (Dec. 3, 2007)
MorphoSys and Pfizer Three-Year Deal Extension Doubles Worth (Dec. 20, 2006)
