Boehringer Ingelheim and MorphoSys AG have expanded their existing cooperation involving both research and therapeutic applications. Under the new contract, Boehringer Ingelheim has acquired an option to receive several exclusive licenses on new therapeutic antibody programmes. The two companies presently have two therapeutic antibody programmes in joint collaboration.

Additionally, Boehringer Ingelheim will obtain access to MorphoSys' HuCAL GOLD library for research purposes at a number of the firm's research facilities. The first installation site is intended to be Boehringer Ingelheim's site in Vienna, Austria. MorphoSys will receive a technology access fee, annual license fees and optional R&D funding over the five-year collaboration term. For therapeutic antibodies emerging from the collaboration, Boehringer Ingelheim will pay milestone fees and royalties to MorphoSys. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, release from Boehringer Ingelheim said here.

Since February 2003, Boehringer Ingelheim and MorphoSys have been working jointly on the development of therapeutic antibodies using MorphoSys' HuCAL technology.

"The extended collaboration with MorphoSys will strengthen our capability to generate innovative human monoclonal antibodies and to discover new therapeutic entities," said Dr Mikael Dolsten, Head of Corporate Research at Boehringer Ingelheim. "We are very pleased to continue this collaboration with the aim of providing novel future biological treatment options for patients suffering from cancer, immune, inflammatory and other severe human diseases," he added.

Dr. Simon Moroney, CEO of MorphoSys AG said, "Alongside the two antibody programs already being actively pursued as part of our partnership, this new agreement significantly expands the research applications of our technology, and promises to lead to additional therapeutic projects in the future."