MorphoSys Signs Agreement With University of Melbourne

MorphoSys and the University of Melbourne have entered into an agreement to cooperate on investigating new therapeutic applications for MorphoSys’s MOR103 program.

MOR103, a HuCAL antibody against human GM-CSF, is currently in development for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

The collaboration would focus on new therapeutic areas in which GM-CSF has recently been implicated in as-yet unpublished work of researchers at the University of Melbourne.

As part of the expanded relationship, new patent applications have been filed, which are intended to broaden the patent position of the anti-GM-CSF approach.

Under the terms of the agreement, MorphoSys will fund research activities at the University of Melbourne in new indications. The University of Melbourne will receive an upfront payment and will be entitled to research funding, clinical milestone and royalty payments.

Arndt Schottelius, Chief Development Officer of MorphoSys, said: Researchers at the University of Melbourne have now generated evidence for the involvement of GM-CSF in indications beyond those that were already known. We look forward to working closely with them to explore the potential of targeting GM-CSF in these additional indications, and expand still further the patent position around inhibitors of GM-CSF. Meanwhile, development of our anti-GM-CSF antibody MOR103 in RA continues according to plan.