MorphoSys AG /
MorphoSys Unveils Next-Generation Antibody Technology Ylanthia®
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Novel Library Concept to Result in Drug Candidates with Superior Properties
against Unique Targets and Epitopes
MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment; TecDAX) today unveiled its next-
generation antibody technology Ylanthia(®). The technology was presented to an
audience of specialists at the 2011 Antibody Engineering and Antibody
Therapeutics Conference in San Diego. MorphoSys expects Ylanthia to set new
standards for therapeutic antibody generation in the pharmaceutical industry
over the next decade and beyond. Commercial application will commence in 2012.
"Ylanthia takes antibody technology beyond current methods, among which our
HuCAL platform is perhaps the most successful representative," commented Dr.
Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG. "We believe that the
success story of therapeutic antibodies can be substantially expanded if certain
current limitations can be overcome. Ylanthia addresses many issues currently
limiting the success of this class of drugs. This innovative platform will open
up attractive commercial opportunities for us as it delivers a stream of new
antibody drugs both for ourselves and our partners."
There are two major reasons why existing technologies limit the successful
development of therapeutic antibodies. First, many antibodies fail in
development due to poor biophysical properties, which render the molecule "not
developable". If the antibody cannot be manufactured, or its properties make it
difficult to handle, chances of successful commercialization are slim. Second,
failure to generate antibodies against all regions or "epitopes" of a target may
lead to highly promising disease targets being overlooked. Lack of diversity in
antibody generation means that putative targets often are not fully
"interrogated" with antibodies intended to probe their role in disease
processes. The Ylanthia technology was specifically conceived and designed to
overcome these limitations.
Ylanthia comprises a large collection or "library" of human antibodies. A
guiding principle underlying the design and construction of the library was to
ensure that the library is of the highest possible quality. Features which
distinguish Ylanthia from other technologies include:
* Size and heavy/light chain pairing: Ylanthia is the industry's largest known
antibody Fab library, comprising over 100 billion distinct, fully human
antibodies. Ylanthia uses 36 fixed, naturally-occurring heavy and light
chain framework combinations, which translates into unprecedented structural
diversity. Great care was invested into the antigen binding site design. The
library's diversity is expected to result in antibodies against previously
inaccessible target molecules and unique epitope coverage.
* Biophysical properties: Antibody frameworks were pre-selected for expression
levels, stability and aggregation behavior. A shift towards higher stability
and stress tolerance will increase shelf life and serum stability of
resulting antibody products, making them more cost-effective to produce and
administer. A higher solubility in turn opens up the path for more
convenient ways of administration, to the benefit of patients.
* Optimization: When needed, antibodies from the Ylanthia library are
optimized using MorphoSys's proprietary Slonomics(®) technology, which
MorphoSys obtained through its 2010 acquisition of Sloning BioTechnology.
Ylanthia thereby distinguishes itself in a central respect from HuCAL, which
relies on a modular gene design and pre-formed cassettes for antibody
optimization. Slonomics enables optimization of Ylanthia antibodies with
unprecedented speed and flexibility.
"In Ylanthia, even more than in previous technology generations, quality was
built into the antibody library itself," commented Dr. Marlies Sproll, Chief
Scientific Officer of MorphoSys AG. "By engineering out the very flaws that lead
to delays in antibody programs, we expect Ylanthia to result in higher overall
success rates and shorter timelines in antibody drug development. By offering
unprecedented functional diversity, Ylanthia will allow us to fully interrogate
disease targets, to deliver unique drug candidates, and potentially even to re-
visit "false negatives" - targets which were overlooked when worked on with
other technologies."
More information on MorphoSys's new antibody library: www.morphosys.com/ylanthia
Ylanthia(®) and 100 billion high potentials(TM) are trademarks of MorphoSys AG.
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 antibody technologies to
generate superior monoclonal antibodies for research and diagnostic
applications.
Together with its pharmaceutical partners, MorphoSys has built a
therapeuticpipeline 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 making the healthcare products of tomorrow.
MorphoSys is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol MOR. For
regular updates about MorphoSys, visit http://www.morphosys.com
HuCAL(®), HuCAL GOLD(®), HuCAL PLATINUM(®), CysDisplay(®), RapMAT(®) and
arYla(®) are registered trademarks of MorphoSys AG.
Slonomics(®) is a registered trademark of Sloning BioTechnology GmbH, a
subsidiary of MorphoSys AG.
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
investors@morphosys.com
Press Release (PDF):
http://hugin.info/130295/R/1569322/487782.pdf
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Source: MorphoSys AG via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1569322]
