AbD Serotec and FIND Sign Agreement to Develop Temperature Stable
Antibodies for In Vitro Diagnostic
(Thomson Reuters ONE) - Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin AS.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announcedtoday that its research and diagnostic antibody segment AbD Serotechas initiated a research collaboration with FIND (Foundation forInnovative New Diagnostics), a Swiss foundation that develops,evaluates and accelerates the implementation of new diagnostic toolsfor poverty-related diseases such as TB, malaria and sleepingsickness. The goal of the research alliance is to establish a seriesof heat-stable HuCAL-based antibodies as key components of noveldiagnostic tests that are robust in tropical climates. UsingMorphoSys's proprietary HuCAL technology, AbD Serotec will identifyheat-stable fully human antibodies specific for rapid diagnostic testapplications for parasite detection. Financial details of theagreement were not disclosed.Currently, rapid diagnostic test applications can allow detection ofparasite antigens in a finger prick blood sample. However, mostcommercial diagnostic tests are developed for storage and use at25-30ºC. High disease burden countries usually have higher ambienttemperatures, which can lead to test degradation especially whentaking into account the need for delivery to relatively remotelocations in the developing world. Thus, temperature stability andprolonged shelf-life of diagnostic kits are critical factors forimproving infectious disease control.Under the terms of the agreement, FIND receives the rights for thecommercial use of heat-stable HuCAL-derived antibodies for in vitrodiagnostics. AbD Serotec will participate in sales of diagnostictests using such antibodies in industrialized countries. Ifconcluded successfully, the collaboration could be expanded to coverother disease areas of relevance for FIND's objectives."Partnerships such as this, that bring together the private andpublic sectors, provide synergies which allow knowledge of diseasesin their endemic settings to directly influence the selection anddevelopment of appropriate technologies for poverty-relateddiseases," says Dr Giorgio Roscigno, FIND CEO. "We are very excitedby our collaboration with AbD Serotec and the potential ofintroducing cutting-edge technologies in high disease burdencountries. This can only lead to a more rapid impact on diseasemanagement in the field, where conditions are the most problematic. Although FIND is currently focused on diagnostic platforms for TB,malaria and sleeping sickness, numerous other infectious diseases maybe diagnosed in the future using the same technological platforms.""We are very pleased to be able to establish a co-operation with FINDfor the development of antibodies enabling the diagnostic industry tobring the much needed next generation diagnostic tools to themarket. With infectious diseases spreading into new regionsincluding many industrialized nations, an improved diagnostic testwill not only help to prevent further spread of the disease in thedeveloping world, it may represent also a significant commercialopportunity for AbD Serotec and MorphoSys in future," commentedDieter Feger, Senior Vice President and Head of MorphoSys's AbDSerotec unit. "We are looking forward to combining our expertise inthe antibody development space with FIND's disease knowledge andknow-how in high disease burden countries. Our unique and fully invitro based HuCAL technology allows us to actively direct the processof antibody generation to meet the needs of the project."About FINDFIND, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a not-for-profit Swissfoundation whose mission is to drive the development andimplementation of accurate and affordable diagnostic tests that canbe used as near as possible to where patients first seek care. FIND'sdisease portfolio currently includes tuberculosis, malaria and humanAfrican trypanosomiasis and donors are the Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation, the European Union, the Government of the Netherlands,UNITAID, Irish Aid and other institutions and private donors. FIND isISO 9001:2000 and ISO 13485:2003 certified. For further informationplease visit http://www.finddiagnostics.org/About MorphoSys:MorphoSys is an independent biotechnology company that develops novelantibodies for therapeutic, diagnostic and research applications. TheCompany's HuCAL technology is one of the most powerful methodsavailable for generating fully human antibodies. By successfullyapplying this and other proprietary technologies, MorphoSys hasbecome a leader in the field of therapeutic antibodies, one of thefastest-growing drug classes in human health-care. Through itsalliances with some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies,MorphoSys has created a pipeline of more than 60 drug candidates. TheCompany is expanding its drug pipeline by adding new partneredprograms, and by building a portfolio of fully-owned therapeuticantibodies. For its proprietary portfolio, the Company is focused onthe areas of oncology and inflammation, within which it plans to haveeight active programs by the end of 2009. Its most advanced programis MOR103, a first-in-class, fully human antibody against GM-CSF.MorphoSys expects to commence a Phase Ib/IIa trial of this antibodyin rheumatoid arthritis patients in the second half of 2009. Via itsbusiness unit AbD Serotec, MorphoSys is expanding the reach of itstechnologies in the diagnostics and research markets. MorphoSys isheadquartered in Munich, Germany and listed on the Frankfurt StockExchange under the symbol "MOR". For further information, visithttp://www.morphosys.com/HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM® and RapMAT® are registeredtrademarks of MorphoSys AGThis communication contains certain forward-looking statementsconcerning the MorphoSys group of companies. The forward-lookingstatements contained herein represent the judgment of MorphoSys as ofthe date of this release and involve risks and uncertainties. Shouldactual conditions differ from the Company's assumptions, actualresults and actions may differ from those anticipated. MorphoSys doesnot intend to update any of these forward-looking statements as faras the wording of the relevant press release is concerned.For more information, please contact MorphoSys AG:Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-LöserHead of Corporate Communications & IRPhone: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-122claudia.gutjahr-loeser(at)morphosys.comMario BrkuljSenior Manager Corporate Communications & IRPhone: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-454mario.brkulj(at)morphosys.comJessica KulpiSpecialist Corporate Communications & IRPhone: +49 (0) 89 899 27 332jessica.kulpi(at)morphosys.comhttp://hugin.info/130295/R/1341029/320632.pdf --- End of Message ---MorphoSys AGLena-Christ-Str. 48 Martinsried / München GermanyWKN: 663200; ISIN: DE0006632003; Index: CDAX, HDAX, Prime All Share, TECH All Share, TecDAX, MIDCAP;Listed: Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Freiverkehr in Börse Berlin, Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf, Freiverkehr in Hanseatische Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg, Freiverkehr in Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover, Freiverkehr in Bayerische Börse München, Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart, Regulierter Markt in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse;
Datum: 14.09.2009 - 07:30 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 5747
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