MorphoSys and the University of Melbourne File New Patent Applications in MOR103 Program

MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX) and the
University of Melbourne announced today an agreement to cooperate on
investigating new therapeutic applications for MorphoSys's MOR103
program. MOR103, a HuCAL antibody against human GM-CSF (Granulocyte
macrophage-colony stimulating factor), is currently in development
for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The collaboration
announced today will 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has recently been implicated in as-yet unpublished work of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 multiple new
indications. The University of Melbourne will receive an upfront
payment and will be entitled to research funding, clinical milestone
and royalty payments. Further financial details were not disclosed.

"The University of Melbourne, and in particular the research group of
Professor John Hamilton, has long been at the cutting edge of
research on GM-CSF. We are excited to be able to deepen our
relationship with MorphoSys and help speed the transition of these
laboratory insights into clinical applications for the benefit of
patients", said Dr Charlie Day, CEO of Melbourne Ventures, the
technology commercialization company for the University of Melbourne.

"Researchers at the University of Melbourne have now generated
evidence for the involvement of GM-CSF in indications beyond those
that were already known", commented Dr. Arndt Schottelius, Chief
Development Officer of MorphoSys AG. "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."

In 2007, MorphoSys signed an agreement with the University of
Melbourne, providing the company with an exclusive license to a
patent family covering therapeutic uses of inhibitors of GM-CSF. The
claims of the patent are directed to methods of ameliorating the
effects of inflammation by administering to a patient an antibody
directed against GM-CSF. In November 2008, the U.S. Patent &
Trademark Office (USPTO) issued the patent U.S. Patent No. 7,455,836,
covering key uses of antibodies against GM-CSF. Human GM-CSF is
already implicated in a number of medical conditions.

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
Ortho Biotech Inc./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/

About the University of Melbourne / Melbourne Ventures:
Melbourne Ventures Pty Ltd is the technology commercialisation
company of the University of Melbourne, one of the top 40
Universities in the world (Times Higher Education 2008). The
University of Melbourne is renowned as Australia's leading
biomedical enterprise, training more health professionals and
attracting more nationally competitive grants for biomedical research
than any other Australian university. A wholly owned subsidiary of
the University, Melbourne Ventures provides commercialisation and IP
management expertise across the full breadth of faculties and
departments, and is responsible for negotiating licences and
investments for the transfer and commercialisation of University
developed technologies. For further information please visit our
website at www.melbourneventures.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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