Roche Plans Clinical Trial with MorphoSys-Generated Alzheimer Antibody

MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MOR; Prime Standard Segment; TecDAX) announced today that its partner Roche has filed all necessary applications to commence a European Phase 1 clinical trial with a HuCAL® - derived antibody to treat Alzheimer's disease.

The HuCAL® antibody targets abnormal build-ups of amyloid beta protein in cerebral tissue, which are typical of Alzheimer's patients, and is intended to help remove them. The applications filing to commence clinical trials triggers a clinical milestone payment from Roche to MorphoSys. Further financial details were not disclosed.

In pre-clinical tests the fully human antibody showed high affinity binding to amyloid beta plaques and was able to bind specifically to amyloid plaques in human brain tissue samples taken from Alzheimer's patients. Moreover, the binding of the antibody dissolved aggregations of amyloid beta molecules in an in vitro assay. The HuCAL® antibody was further tested in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. After systemic administration the antibody was shown to cross the blood-brain-barrier and to bind to amyloid beta plaques within the brain. International Alzheimer's research sees the breakdown of amyloid beta formations as a promising starting point towards treatment. Removal of the accumulations has been linked to an increase in correct cognitive functioning.

"We are very proud to take a fully human antibody identified with MorphoSys' HuCAL® technology into the clinic. This is an important and innovative step towards the treatment of Alzheimer's disease with a new class of medicines," said Andrew Sleight, Head of Central Nervous System (CNS) Research at Roche.

"Alzheimer's disease is a devastating illness both in terms of its effects on sufferers and on the financial burden it places on healthcare systems worldwide," said Dr. Marlies Sproll, Chief Scientific Office of MorphoSys AG. "The antibody developed in our collaboration with Roche has shown great promise in pre-clinical studies and we await with interest the outcome of trials in human patients."