HAMBURG, Germany - MorphoSys AG said it delivered to Genome Pharmaceuticals Corp. AG (GPC) a series of human antibodies directed against specific cells, which GPC confirmed effectively destroy the cells.

Both Martinsried, Germany-based companies expressed confidence that this milestone was an important step toward the development of a potentially powerful drug against lymphoma and leukemia.

The collaboration was started last April to identify antibodies against major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules, which enable the immune system to distinguish between own and foreign cells. The molecules are located at the cell surface, where they bind antigen fragments and present them to the T-cell receptor. Irregularities in the action of these MHC molecules are involved in the onset of a variety of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis (MS), graft-vs.-host host disease and transplant rejection as well as certain MHC class II-positive lymphoid malignancies.

"These molecules are an interesting therapeutic target," Elmar Maier, vice president business development of GPC, told BioWorld International. "MorphoSys has now delivered a set of several antibodies against MHC class II-positive lymphoid tumors that are highly specific and effective in destroying lymphoma and leukemia cells in tissue cultures. Clearly, this represents a new mode of action in tumor therapy and signals our entry into the highly lucrative oncology market using innovative, mechanism-based approaches."

He said the antibodies were selected according to affinity. "We are very pleased with the quality of the antibodies and the speed of their development. This accomplishment proves that our concept of forging biotech-biotech alliances is sound and that this strategy leads to very productive and fast results."

The collaborators will continue to select MHC class II antibodies influencing the rejection response following organ transplantation. "Besides, we are already thinking about extending the collaboration to further targets," Maier said.

Thomas von Ruden, chief scientific officer of MorphoSys, told BioWorld International: The achievement of this milestone will have a significant influence for forging additional alliances and strengthening our position in the area of therapeutic antibodies. It proves [the human combinatorial antibody library] HuCAL is not only a powerful research instrument, but a rich and promising source of antibodies for the development of new medications against diseases such as cancer."

He said MorphoSys would put more strength into product development and was looking for additional partners to speed up the program. "With the settlement of our patent dispute with CAT [Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc, of Melbourn, UK] in Europe and our recent collaborations, the ice is broken now. And in our U.S. patent dispute, where we took CAT to court, a trial date has been set so that we are confident that the lawsuit will be settled this year."

In the GPC collaboration, research costs are funded by GPC. MorphoSys receives license fees, milestone and royalty payments, while GPC holds the rights for the antibodies. Financial details were not disclosed.