The story
The company was founded in 1992. In 1999, MorphoSys listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "MOR".
In 2004, MorphoSys and Novartis entered into a strategic partnership for the research and development of biopharmaceuticals, which was expanded in 2007. Additional discovery partnerships included: Bayer (1999), Roche (2000), Centocor (now Janssen Biotech, 2000), Schering AG (2001) and Pfizer (2003).
In 2008, the company's first proprietary antibody, MOR103 (now otilimab), entered clinical development. Following the publication of promising results in rheumatoid arthritis, MorphoSys signed a license agreement with GlaxoSmithKline for otilimab. In 2019, GlaxoSmithKline initiated a phase 3 clinical development program with otilimab (now GSK3196165).
In 2010, MorphoSys signed a license agreement with Xencor Inc. for MOR208 (now tafasitamab).
In July 2017, the first of MorphoSys’ platform drugs received US marketing approval. Guselkumab (brand name Tremfya), which was developed and is being commercialized by Janssen Biotech, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, was first approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in the United States, the European Union and Canada.
In April 2018, following a US initial public offering in which the company raised $239 million, American depositary shares of MorphoSys began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the symbol "MOR."
In 2018, the company established a wholly owned US subsidiary, MorphoSys US Inc.
In December 2019, based on positive clinical trial results, the company submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the FDA for tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The submission was accepted for filing in February 2020, and a decision on the filing is expected in August 2020.
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In January 2020, MorphoSys and Incyte Corporation signed a collaboration and license agreement for the global development and commercialization of tafasitamab. On March 3, 2020, the agreement received antitrust clearance and thus became effective.
In March 2020, MorphoSys announced that the FDA had accepted the Biologics License Application (BLA) for filing and granted priority review for tafasitamab, setting a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of August 30, 2020.
On July 31, 2020, Monjuvi (tafasitamab-cxix) was approved by the U.S. FDA in combination with lenalidomide for the medical treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).
In June 2021, MorphoSys announced its acquisition of clinical stage biotechnology company Constellation Pharma for US$1.7 billion.
In February 2024, Novartis agreed to acquire MorphoSys for €2.7 billion. In June 2024, MorphoSys announced its intention to delist from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and merge into Novartis. The merger was approved in August 2024.
From Wikipedia’s article on MorphoSys, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.8