Innate Pharma Announces The Achievement Of A Milestone Payment In A New Monoclonal Antibody Project Developed In Collaboration With Novo Nordisk A/S

Marseilles, France, February 12, 2009 -- Innate Pharma SA (the “Company”; Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 – IPH), a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drug-candidates targeting the innate immune system, announces today the passage of a new, exploratory target into a full-fledged research project to identify a new monoclonal antibody targeting NK (Natural Killer) and T cells. This research project, named IPH 24, has been developed in collaboration with Novo Nordisk A/S for the treatment of major chronic inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases, according to the agreement signed in 2006 by the two companies.

Innate Pharma received an undisclosed milestone payment from Novo Nordisk A/S for this recent achievement. As per the agreement between the two companies, Novo Nordisk A/S has now the full responsibility for pre-clinical and clinical development, and, eventually, regulatory approval for drug candidates developed through this research program. Innate Pharma will be eligible to royalties on sales if the drug candidate later receives a marketing authorization.

“With IPH 2201 and IPH 2301, this is our third program being actively developed in inflammation with Novo Nordisk A/S. It is a further demonstration of the productivity of this partnership and of the relevance of our approach in the field of inflammation.” says François Romagné, Innate Pharma’s EVP and CSO.