Regulatory Filings • Jul 6, 2015
Regulatory Filings
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Marseille, France, July 6, 2015
The Paoli Calmettes Institute (IPC), a private not-for-profit comprehensive cancer center in Marseille, France, has initiated a collaboration with Innate Pharma SA (Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 – IPH), a biopharmaceutical company based in Marseille, to conduct translational research aimed at identifying specific populations of patients with hematological cancers who may benefit most from treatment with Innate Pharma's novel proprietary antibodies, and to identify associated biomarkers.
Nicolai Wagtmann, Chief Science Officer of Innate Pharma, said: "This agreement strengthens our translational research capabilities, at the core of our drug development process. IPC is a leading center in hematology-oncology with deep understanding in immunology and capabilities in immune monitoring. Early-stage testing of Innate Pharma's promising antibodies on patient samples will greatly optimize subsequent clinical development by better identifying the most relevant indications, patient populations and biomarkers".
Pr. Patrice Viens, Chief Executive Officer of IPC, stated that "This new R&D collaboration with Innate Pharma further expands a long-lasting relationship which started with lirilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody blocking the interaction between Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) on NK cells with their ligands on tumor cells. IPC conducted the "first-in-man study" of lirilumab and continues to be involved in the development of this drug. IPC and Innate Pharma are also involved in other partnerships within the frame of the Marseille SIRIC\* and of Marseille Immunopole†".
The collaboration will operate under the direction of Pr. Daniel Olive, Head of the Immunity and Cancer research team and of the immune monitoring platform at IPC, and Pascale André, Senior Director, R&D, at Innate Pharma. It will also involve drug-discovery research teams and experts in translational research at IPC, including Pr. Norbert Vey and Pr. Anthony Gonçalvès, and other scientists with expertise in converting promising drug discoveries into clinical treatments for cancer patients.
Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, IPC will test Innate Pharma's new therapeutic antibodies in immuno-oncology using IPC's extensive biological resource collection. Innate Pharma's antibodies are designed to block immune checkpoints, one of the most promising classes of drugs in oncology. These immune checkpoints interfere with the natural defense mechanisms of our immune system against cancer and regulate immunosuppressive mechanisms. Their blockade can unleash the patient's immune system to recognize and
* The Marseille SIRIC is the site for integrated cancer research focused on breast cancer, leukemia and myelodystrophy, glioma and pancreatic cancer funded by the French National Cancer Institute, which brings together IPC, the Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM) and their associated research centers.
† Marseille Immunopole is a unique collaborative ecosystem for therapeutic innovation in immunology, integrating all the skills from academic to clinic. It aims to make Marseille the European capital of the R&D of immune-based therapy.
eliminate cancer cells. However, only a fraction of patients respond to current immune checkpoint inhibitors, and identifying the population of patients most likely to respond to various checkpoint blockers would be of great interest. This R&D collaboration will facilitate the development of novel therapeutic antibodies by identifying the best suited patient population and indications for a given drug.
The Paoli-Calmettes Institute, based in Marseille, is the leading comprehensive cancer center in region in terms of activities, providing global care for cancer. It is a member of the national federation UNICANCER. The Paoli-Calmettes Institute has been licensed by the HAS (the overall health authority in France) (V2010). It comprises 1,400 employees - researchers, medical doctors, health and administrative staff – engaged in a wide range of activities on site: prevention, research, treatment and training. IPC registered over 83,000 consultations and over 7,700 new patients in 2014.
Innate Pharma S.A. is a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing first-in-class therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Its innovative approach has translated into major alliances with leaders in the biopharmaceutical industry such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk A/S.
The Company has two clinical-stage programs in immuno-oncology, a new therapeutic field that is changing cancer treatment by enhancing the capability of the body's own immune cells to recognize and kill cancer cells. Innate Pharma's science also has potential in chronic inflammatory diseases.
Listed on Euronext-Paris, Innate Pharma is based in Marseille, France, and had 107 employees as at March 31, 2015.
Learn more about Innate Pharma at www.innate-pharma.com.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Although the company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the company's actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors ("Facteurs de Risque") section of the Document de Reference prospectus filed with the AMF, which is available on the AMF website or on Innate Pharma's website.
This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to shares in Innate Pharma in any country.
For additional information, please contact:
Elisabeth Belarbi Tel: +33 (0)4 91 22 37 48 Mob: +33 (0)6 46 14 30 7 [email protected]
Laure-Hélène Mercier Director, Investor Relations Tel.: +33 (0)4 30 30 30 87 [email protected]
Marie PUVIEUX (France) +33 (0)6 10 54 36 72 Jean Medhi GRANGEON (outside France) +33 (0)6 62 22 00 24 [email protected]
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