MorphoSys Achieves Clinical Milestone and Payment in Antibody Alliance

MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) announced
today that it has received a milestone payment from its collaboration
with Novartis. The payment was triggered by Novartis filing of the
necessary documentation to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial with a
HuCAL-derived fully human antibody. This is the second HuCAL
antibody to enter clinical trials within MorphoSys's alliance with
Novartis.

"Our partnered pipeline is a core asset that is a key driver of the
Company's value," commented Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive
Officer of MorphoSys AG. "Our alliance with Novartis is developing
well and we are delighted to see this second program advance into
Phase 1 clinical trials. These two programs in the clinic illustrate
the progress we've made, but are only the tip of the iceberg in terms
of the value that the Novartis alliance brings to MorphoSys."

In December 2007, MorphoSys and Novartis forged one of the industry's
most comprehensive strategic alliances in the discovery and
development of biopharmaceuticals. Financial terms include committed
payments in excess of US$600 million over the lifetime of the
agreement.

This is the sixth HuCAL-based antibody to advance into clinical
development. MorphoSys anticipates that in 2009, between two and
four partnered programs will enter clinical trials. With regard to
its proprietary pipeline, the Company expects to commence a Phase
1b/2a trial of its proprietary program MOR103 in the second half of
this year. By the end of 2009 the Company expects its partnered and
proprietary pipeline to comprise up to eight compounds in clinical
trials, thereof at least three antibodies in phase 2 studies.

For further information please contact: Dr. Claudia Gutjahr-Löser,
Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Tel: +49 (0)
89 / 899 27-122, gutjahr-loeser@morphosys.com or Mario Brkulj, Senior
Manager Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Tel: +49 (0)
89 / 899 27-454, brkulj@morphosys.com

About MorphoSys:
MorphoSys is a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on the
generation of fully human antibodies as a means to discover and
develop innovative antibody-based drugs against life-threatening
diseases. MorphoSys's goal is to establish HuCAL as the technology of
choice for antibody generation in research, diagnostics and
therapeutic applications. The Company currently has therapeutic and
research alliances with the majority of the world's largest
pharmaceutical companies including Boehringer Ingelheim,
Centocor/Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Pfizer and Roche. Within these
partnerships, more than 50 therapeutic antibody programs are ongoing
in which MorphoSys participates through exclusive license and
milestones payments as well as royalties on any end products.
Additionally, MorphoSys is active in the antibody research market
through its AbD Serotec business unit. The business unit has
operations in Germany (Munich), the U.S. (Raleigh, NC) and U.K.
(Oxford). For further information please visit
http://www.morphosys.com/

HuCAL®, HuCAL GOLD®, HuCAL PLATINUM® and RapMAT® are registered
trademarks of MorphoSys AG

This communication contains certain forward-looking statements
concerning the MorphoSys group of companies. The forward-looking
statements contained herein represent the judgment of MorphoSys as of
the date of this release and involve risks and uncertainties. Should
actual conditions differ from the Company's assumptions, actual
results and actions may differ from those anticipated. MorphoSys does
not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements as far
as the wording of the relevant press release is concerned.

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