MorphoSys AG announced today that its collaborator Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen) has initiated a phase 2 clinical trial in psoriatic arthritis with the HuCAL antibody guselkumab (CNTO1959). The event triggered a clinical milestone payment to MorphoSys. Further financial details were not disclosed.
Dr. Marlies Sproll, Chief Scientific Officer of MorphoSys AG commented:
We are delighted to see Janssen moving guselkumab into a new clinical program for psoriatic arthritis, Today's news marks the first of up to six clinical milestone events we expect to see with partners this year
MorphoSys's collaboration with Janssen has resulted in three clinical programs to date, two of which are in phase 2 development and one, guselkumab, in phase 3 in psoriasis (most advanced trial). In total, MorphoSys's partnered and proprietary clinical pipeline currently comprises 23 unique antibody molecules which are being evaluated in more than 60 clinical trials.
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.
Together with its pharmaceutical partners, MorphoSys has built a therapeutic pipeline of more than 90 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
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