MorphoSys AG's business unit, AbD Serotec, has won a contract as sole source on a biodefense-related project by the USAMRIID, an organization of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and lead medical research laboratory for the U.S. Biological Defense Program. The USAMRIID has ordered fully human recombinant research antibodies against five bacterial-derived toxins. AbD Serotec will generate these antibodies using the HuCAL GOLD antibody library developed by MorphoSys. Financial details were not disclosed.

HuCAL GOLD technology utilizes a unique concept for the in vitro generation of highly specific and fully human antibodies. It's suited for a broad range of purposes from target validation to drug development, according to the company. It differs from traditional methods of antibody generation using animals in that recombinant HuCAL GOLD technology can deliver antibodies against toxic molecules.

"Securing this contract with the USAMRIID underscores the enormous potential of our proprietary HuCAL GOLD technology in the increasingly important biodefense field," commented Dr. Simon Moroney, chief executive officer of MorphoSys. "The project clearly speaks to one of several advantages of our recombinant antibody technology, in this case the generation of antibodies against toxins, which would not be possible with animal-based technologies."