World renowned immunologist, professor Eric Vivier, joins innate pharma as chief scientific officer

Marseille, January 08, 2018: Innate Pharma SA (the “Company” – Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 – IPH) today announces that Professor Eric Vivier has joined the Company as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Senior Vice President.

Eric Vivier is currently Professor of Immunology at Aix-Marseille University and the Marseille Public Hospitals. He is an international leading authority in the field of immunology. In particular, his research was instrumental in identifying the mechanisms underlying the development and function of Natural Killer (NK) cells as well as in the discovery of innate lymphocyte cells (ILCs). He is the author of more than 300 publications in immunology and ranks among the world’s most cited researchers^[*]. He is also one of the founders of Marseille Immunopole, an immunology cluster that integrates fundamental research, therapeutic innovation and industrial development to accelerate the rise of immunotherapy and to make these innovative therapies more easily accessible for patients according to euroinvestor.com.

In his new role, Professor Vivier will lead Innate Pharma Research Laboratories,  which gathers four departments and focuses on target discovery, exploration of mechanism of action, translational research and drug-candidate development. Innate Pharma Research Laboratories relies on the expertise of the Company’s highly experienced researchers and engineers, and its cutting-edge technology platforms. It will also lead the development of collaborations between fundamental, translational and clinical research, particularly working with the Marseille Immunopole ecosystem.

Mondher Mahjoubi, Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented:

“We are very pleased to welcome Professor Vivier, who brings to Innate Pharma world-renowned expertise in immunology with a focus on effector cell function in cancer, a strategic focus for our company. His appointment as Chief Scientific Officer will allow us to step up innovation in our R&D operation and will support us as we take our proprietary first-in-class antibodies closer towards commercialization.”

Professor Vivier said:

“Innate’s R&D organization has always been driven by high quality research, which has contributed significantly to recent developments in our understanding of the role played by the innate immune system in fighting cancer. I believe that the Company’s pipeline is at a pivotal point in its development, and I am excited by the prospect of working with the team to accelerate this.” He added:

“Joining Innate Pharma is a natural step for me as being both part of academia and industry is now becoming a standard to deliver biomedical innovation. It is also consistent with the translational approach which is becoming increasingly central in the fight against cancer.”