MorphoSys and Shionogi Agree Three-Year Extension of Research Partnership

MorphoSys AG has announced that it has expanded its current license agreement with Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan. The expanded agreement covers the use of MorphoSys's HuCAL antibody technology and additional proprietary technology modules for research in drug discovery for three additional years and will be run by the company's AbD Serotec unit.

Under the terms of the agreement, Shionogi will continue to have the right to use MorphoSys's patented antibody library HuCAL PLATINUM for research purposes at one of its research sites.

MorphoSys will receive annual user fees from Shionogi for access to the technologies. Further financial details were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased with Shionogi's decision to continue using our HuCAL antibody technology in drug discovery. Their long-term commitment to HuCAL as a research tool proves the clear scientific and commercial potential the HuCAL technology has beyond acting as a source of therapeutic antibodies," commented Dieter Feger, Senior Vice President and Head of AbD Serotec.

MorphoSys and Shionogi signed a first license agreement on the use of MorphoSys's HuCAL technology in September 2005.