immatics biotechnologies GmbH Appoints Paul G. Higham as Chief Executive Officer
Previously, Paul Higham served as Director Commercial Development at Ark Therapeutics Group plc (LSE: AKT.L) where he was responsible for commercial strategy and all business development activities. In addition, he was in charge of establishing the operations and gene-based medicine production facilities of Ark Therapeutics in Finland.
Prior to joining Ark Therapeutics in 2001, Paul Higham worked as International Commercial Vice President for GI, Metabolic and Pain at GlaxoWellcome plc from 1996 to 2001, where he covered all aspects of business development, strategic marketing and sales. From 1985 to 1996, after completing his studies in Applied Biology, he held various sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility with Bayer AG and eventually became General Manager of Bayer Pharmaceuticals for Sweden and Denmark.
“The Management Team and the Board are very much looking forward to Paul Higham joining and leading immatics as CEO,” commented Thomas Widmann, Chairman of the Board of immatics. “Paul has extensive experience in commercializing therapeutic products, covering both operational and strategic activities. In addition, Paul combines significant know-how with large pharmaceutical and smaller biotech companies thus completing the management and leadership competence at immatics.”
“I am very excited to join the immatics team. With their therapeutic vaccines based on a unique TUMAP technology, immatics has developed one of the most innovative approaches in cancer immune therapy world-wide,” said Paul Higham. “I am particularly impressed that the company was able to successfully bring its first compound into Phase II clinical trials only three years after the start of preclinical development.”
immatics’ existing Managing Directors Juergen Frisch, Harpreet Singh and Niels Emmerich – in their respective positions as CMO, CSO and COO – will together with Paul Higham constitute the new Management Board.
About immatics
immatics biotechnologies is an independent biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of active immunotherapies against cancer. immatics' therapeutic vaccines are based on multiple tumor-associated peptides (TUMAPs) which specifically stimulate the immune system against cancer cells. The lead product – IMA901 for therapy of renal cell cancer – is currently investigated in an international phase II clinical study. Since its foundation in 2000, immatics has raised more than €54 million (US$ 72million) in private equity in two financing rounds. The company has a headcount of more than 60 people and is based in Tuebingen and Munich, Germany.
For additional information please visit www.immatics.com or contact:
Dr. Harpreet Singh immatics biotechnologies GmbH Phone: +49-7071-565125-10 E-mail: media@immatics.com