EMD Biosciences, Inc. and MorphoSys' Antibodies by Design Offer First Recombinant Antibody; For Detection of Cyclophilin A, a Component of Protein Folding.

MARTINSRIED/MUNICH, Germany & MADISON, Wis. -- EMD Biosciences, Inc. (EMD Biosciences; www.emdbiosciences.com), a major supplier of premium tools for proteomics and disease pathway analysis known through its global brands Calbiochem(R), Novabiochem(R), and Novagen(R), today announced a unique addition to its catalog of research reagents: the first in vitro-derived, recombinant antibody (www.preview.emdbiosciences.com/product/ST1071). This antibody is targeted against human Cyclophilin A and is produced by MorphoSys' Antibodies by Design (www.a-by-d.com) division, a provider of rapid, high-throughput custom antibody reagent services for the academic and industrial research markets. EMD Biosciences is part of the Life Science and Analytics (LSA) division of Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany; www.merck.de) and operates as EMD Biosciences, Inc. in North America and Merck Biosciences outside North America. Distribution of additional recombinant antibodies is planned under the collaboration. MorphoSys' Antibodies by Design division produces the antibodies using its HuCAL GOLD(R) library.

Non-animal-based and in vitro-generated recombinant antibodies are new to the research markets and combine several advantages over traditional antibodies. They can be generated within eight weeks from only a minimum amount of protein, DNA, or peptide. In addition, in vitro-generated antibodies allow for high-throughput production, thus facilitating the development of novel array platforms. Moreover, the now delivered recombinant HuCAL(R) antibody has been proven superior to traditional animal-based antibodies in biochemical analysis. These findings have encouraged both parties, EMD Biosciences and MorphoSys' Antibodies by Design, to introduce an entire line of recombinant HuCAL(R) antibodies in the near future complementing the vast range of more than 3,000 antibodies already offered by EMD Biosciences. The first antibody in this regard is targeted against Cyclophilin A, which is indicated to play an important role in the mechanism of protein folding. Recently a number of diseases have been linked to protein folding problems.

"Recombinant antibodies developed by MorphoSys' Antibodies by Design provide an ideal expansion of our existing antibody product line," stated Dr. Robert Mierendorf, Chief Technology Officer at EMD Biosciences. "We are pleased to work with a company possessing such a powerful technology for rapid development of novel antibodies for critical research needs."

"The market for research antibodies is currently served by monoclonal and polyclonal approaches in animals, but these may take too long for the challenges in proteomics ahead of us," commented Dieter Lingelbach, Head of Antibodies by Design and Vice President of MorphoSys AG. "We are pleased to have such a strong working relationship with a major life science reagents supplier such as EMD Biosciences."

For Further Information Contact:

EMD Biosciences, Inc.                 Antibodies by Design
Shou Wong, Ph.D.                      For Business Development:
Corporate Development Manager         Dieter Lingelbach
EMD Biosciences, Inc.                 Senior Vice President
441 Charmany Drive                    Antibodies by Design / MorphoSys
Madison, WI  53719                    Lena-Christ Str. 48
United States of America              82152 Martinsried / Planegg
Tel: [phone]                     Germany
Toll-free: 800 854-3417               Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]                     Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]  E-mail: [e-mail]
Web: www.emdbiosciences.com           Web: www.antibodyservices.com

                                      For Investors:
                                      Dave Lemus
                                      MorphoSys AG
                                      Chief Financial Officer
                                      Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-439
                                      Fax: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-5439
                                      [e-mail]

About EMD Biosciences, Inc.

EMD Biosciences, Inc. provides a broad range of innovative life science research products used world-wide in disease-related life science research at universities as well as in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. The company is part of Merck KGaA's Life Science and Analytics (LSA) division and operates as EMD Biosciences, Inc. in North America and Merck Biosciences outside North America. Globally, EMD Biosciences is known in the scientific community through its product brands Calbiochem(R), Novabiochem(R), and Novagen(R).

About Merck KGaA

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with sales of EUR 7.2 billion in 2003, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by 28,300 employees in 56 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck's operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds a 74% interest and free shareholders own the remaining 26%. The former U.S. subsidiary, Merck & Co., has been completely independent of the Merck Group since 1917.

About MorphoSys' Antibodies by Design

MorphoSys develops and applies innovative technologies for the production of synthetic antibodies, which accelerate drug discovery and target characterization. Founded in 1992, the Company's proprietary Human Combinatorial Antibody Library (HuCAL(R)) technology is used by researchers worldwide for human antibody generation. The Company currently has licensing and research collaborations with Bayer (Berkeley, California/USA), Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Wilmington, Delaware/USA), Centocor Inc. (Malvern, Pennsylvania/USA), GPC Biotech AG (Munich/Germany), Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Basel/Switzerland), ImmunoGen Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts/USA), Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland), Novoplant GmbH (Gatersleben/Germany), Oridis Biomed GmbH (Graz/Austria), Pfizer Inc. (Delaware/USA), ProChon Biotech Ltd. (Rehovot/Israel), Schering AG (Berlin/Germany) and Xoma Ltd. (Berkeley, California/USA). For further information, please visit the corporate website at: http://www.morphosys.com/; information on the Antibodies by Design Division of MorphoSys is available at www.A-by-D.com.

Safe harbor notice from Morphosys and Antibodies by Design

Statements included in this press release which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the safe harbour provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "expects" and similar expressions. The company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect future operations and business prospects include, but are not limited to, clinical and scientific results and developments concerning corporate collaborations and the company's proprietary rights and other factors described in the prospectus relating to the company's recent public offering.

Calbiochem, Novabiochem, and Novagen are registered trademarks of EMD Biosciences, Inc. HuCAL and HuCAL GOLD are registered trademarks of MorphoSys AG.