PLANEGG/MUNICH, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2018 / MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR) (XETRA: MOR) (OTC PINK: MPSYY) announced today that its licensee Janssen Research & Development, LLC (Janssen) reported data from the Phase 3 VOYAGE 2 study of TREMFYA(R) (guselkumab), which demonstrated long-term skin clearance in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
TREMFYA(R) is a fully human anti-IL-23 monoclonal antibody developed by Janssen and was generated utilizing MorphoSys's proprietary HuCAL technology.
The data were presented at the 2018 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California on Saturday, February 17.
According to a press release published by Janssen on February 16, 2018, 86% of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis receiving TREMFYA(R) who achieved at least 90% improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90) at week 28, maintained a PASI 90 response with continuous treatment through week 72. Only 11.5 percent of patients who were withdrawn from treatment maintained PASI 90 response. Furthermore, according to Janssen, 87.6% of patients originally randomized to TREMFYA(R), but withdrawn from treatment at week 28, regained a PASI 90 response within six months of initiating TREMFYA(R) retreatment. Janssen reported further that no new safety signals were observed with continuous treatment or retreatment therapy with TREMFYA(R) through week 100.
Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of MorphoSys AG, commented: "We are very pleased about the data presented by Janssen at the AAD 2018. The long-term efficacy and durability data demonstrated by TREMFYA(R) in Janssen's VOYAGE 2 study are encouraging. We expect this drug will continue to provide an important treatment option for patients living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis."
Further information can be found in the press release issued by Janssen on February 16, 2018.
About Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune inflammatory disorder that results in the overproduction of skin cells, characterised by raised, inflamed, scaly, red lesions, or plaques, which can cause itching and physical pain. It is estimated that as many as 125 million people worldwide have psoriasis, including 14 million Europeans, and approximately 20% of people affected have cases that are considered moderate to severe.
About MorphoSys
MorphoSys a late-stage biopharmaceutical company devoted to the development of innovative and differentiated therapies for patients suffering from serious diseases. Based on the our proprietary technology platforms and leadership in the field of therapeutic antibodies, we, together with our partners, have participated in the development of more than 100 therapeutic product candidates currently in R&D, 28 of which in clinical development. Our broad pipeline spans two business segments: Proprietary Development, in which we invest in and develop product candidates, and Partnered Discovery, in which we generate product candidates for our partners in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries against targets identified by our partners. MorphoSys is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol MOR. For regular updates about MorphoSys, visit http://www.morphosys.com.
HuCAL(R), HuCAL GOLD(R), HuCAL PLATINUM(R), CysDisplay(R), RapMAT(R), arYla(R), Ylanthia(R), 100 billion high potentials(R), Slonomics(R), Lanthio Pharma(R) and LanthioPep(R) are registered trademarks of the MorphoSys Group.
TREMFYA(R) is a trademark of Janssen Biotech, Inc.
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.
For more information, please contact:
MorphoSys AG
Anke Linnartz
Head of Corporate Communications & IR
Jochen Orlowski
Associate Director Corporate Communications & IR
Alexandra Goller
Associate Director Corporate Communications & IR
Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-404
investors@morphosys.com
