MRI & Roslin Institute Vet Alliance with AbD
AbD Serotec, Moredun Research Institute and Roslin Institute Announce Grant Funding to Establish Veterinary Research Reagents
MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today that its AbD Serotec business unit entered into an agreement with the Moredun Research Institute and the Roslin Institute at The University of Edinburgh to establish a broad range of research reagents in the veterinary research arena. The project is funded through an Industrial Partnership Award from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) under a joint initiative with the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS). Over the three-year term of the grant, the Moredun Research Institute and Roslin Institute combined will receive funding of nearly GBP 1 million.
The primary goal of the collaboration is to develop research reagents to study immunity in ruminant farm animals. Basic research in this area is significantly inhibited by the lack of species-specific reagents, such as antibodies and recombinant cytokines. AbD Serotec has preferred access to commercialization rights for products generated during the collaboration.
“We consider ourselves to be the leading supplier of reagents for veterinary research purposes, and this alliance will help us expand our veterinary range, thereby maintaining that position,” commented Dieter Feger, Head of AbD Serotec. “Today’s news also shows our commitment to develop cutting edge reagents via collaboration with renowned research organizations.”
The Moredun Research Institute in Scotland is committed to promoting animal health and welfare through research and education and is recognized worldwide for its contribution to research into infectious diseases of farmed livestock. Moredun’s research has led to the development of many vaccines, diagnostic tests and improved treatment strategies for farm animals across the globe.
Professor Gary Entrican from the Moredun Research Institute (and Honorary Professor at the Roslin Institute) commented: “This project will allow us to enhance the current knowledge about how immune systems are activated and regulated in sheep and cattle. This work will help identify the immunological correlates of protection to many different diseases of cattle and sheep, vital for the development of new and improved vaccines. We are excited to be working in partnership with AbD Serotec to advance this area of research and accelerate the distribution of veterinary immunological reagents to the wider research community.”
About MorphoSys: MorphoSys developed HuCAL, the most successful antibody library technology in the pharmaceutical industry. By successfully applying this and other patented technologies, MorphoSys has become a leader in the field of therapeutic antibodies, one of the fastest-growing drug classes in human healthcare. The Company’s AbD Serotec unit uses HuCAL and other technologies to generate superior monoclonal antibodies for research and diagnostic applications.
Through its own development efforts and successful partnerships in the pharmaceutical industry, MorphoSys has built a therapeutic pipeline of more than 70 human antibody drug candidates for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease, to name just a few. With its ongoing commitment to new antibody technology and drug development, MorphoSys is focused on engineering the medicines of tomorrow. MorphoSys is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol MOR. For regular updates about MorphoSys, visit www.morphosys.com
HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM®, CysDisplay®, RapMAT® and arYla® are registered trademarks of MorphoSys.
About Roslin Institute: The Roslin Institute (www.roslin.ed.ac.uk) is incorporated with the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, the world leading Veterinary School in the UK in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, at the University of Edinburgh. The Institute undertakes research within the framework of BBSRC Institute Strategic Programmes focussed on the health and welfare of animals, and applications of basic animal sciences in human and veterinary medicine, the livestock industry and food security. The Roslin Institute received a total of £8.5M investment from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council in 2010-11.
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