AbD Serotec Secures Exclusive Worldwide Manufacturing License to Key Research Antibodies from VU University Medical Center
Deal Strengthens AbD Serotec’s Position as Primary Source of Reagents for Studying the Innate Immune System
MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced today that its research and diagnostic antibodies unit AbD Serotec has signed a license agreement with VU University Medical Center (VUmc), which provides AbD Serotec with worldwide exclusive rights to commercialize a number of antibody clones for research applications. These include the world’s most widely used reagents for studying macrophage subsets in rats, the “ED series” of antibodies.
The antibodies are key reagents for studying various cell types and processes which play a central role in the innate immune system. The innate immune system forms an initial line of defense against diverse invading foreign pathogens and damaged or infected host cells. It acts through a variety of primitive and more advanced mechanisms, including the complement cascade, pattern recognition receptors, and macrophages to identify and target foreign intruders. In addition, it initiates the host’s adaptive immune response via antigen presentation by dendritic cells. The original paper on the ED antibodies is a key publication in the field being cited over 1,600 times.
“In line with our strategy to achieve a market-leading position in key focus areas, we have decided to further expand our offering in innate immunity research and take an exclusive manufacturing license for a range of ED antibody clones from the VU University Medical Center,” commented Dieter Feger, Head of AbD Serotec. “AbD Serotec already provides an extensive collection of antibodies for use in studying the activities and actions of the innate immune system, all manufactured to highest quality standards and guaranteed for use in important applications such as flow cytometry and western blotting.”
AbD Serotec has launched a new website area summarizing its offering of performance-guaranteed antibodies and reagents focused on macrophages and dendritic cells, toll-like receptors, pattern recognition receptors, natural killer cell markers, and the complement cascade. For further information, visit www.abdserotec.com
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 www.morphosys.com
HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM®, CysDisplay® and RapMAT® are registered trademarks of MorphoSys AG.
About VU University Medical Center:
VU University Medical Center’s core business consists of patient care, scientific research, and education. Its focal areas in care and research are: cancer and the immune system, the brain, movement, vital functions and extramural care. Every year, 38,000 patients are admitted (some for day therapy), over 300,000 patients visit the outpatient clinic and 40,000 visit the Emergency Department. About 2,000 medical students receive an education. The results of scientific research are presented in about 2,000 scientific publications and reports each year, including about 100 PhD theses.
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