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Innate Pharma announces the start of a new clinical trial with IPH 2101 (NN 1975), the first under U.S. IND

25/06/2007

Marseilles, France, June 25, 2007

Innate Pharma S.A. (the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company developing new drug classes targeting innate immunity, announces that IPH 2101 (NN 1975), a fully human monoclonal antibody developed by Novo Nordisk A/S in collaboration with Innate Pharma, was administered for the first time in patients suffering from multiple myeloma (“MMy”), as part of the second Phase I clinical trial started by Novo Nordisk A/S with this compound. The trial is being conducted in the USA, following an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application reviewed and accepted by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). The first Phase I clinical trial with IPH 2101 (NN 1975) is currently being conducted in France in elderly patients suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukemia (“AML”).

About IPH 2101 (NN 1975)
The therapeutic principle of IPH 2101 (NN 1975) is based on the activation of Natural Killer (NK) cells by a monoclonal antibody which blocks the NK’s KIR inhibitory receptors, thereby potentiating NK cells anti-cancer action. Previous observations in a human clinical situation (HLA-mismatched allogenic bone marrow transplantation) provide a model in which the NK inhibitory receptors are not functional. A therapeutic benefit has been observed in this setting for AML patients having received alloreactive NK cells from unrelated donors, supporting the therapeutic concept. IPH 2101 (NN 1975) aims to reproduce this effect with a pharmacological agent.

About multiple myeloma (“MMy”)
Multiple myeloma (also known as myeloma or plasma cell myeloma) is a progressive hematologic (blood) disease. It is a cancer of the plasma cell, an important part of the immune system that produces immunoglobulins (antibodies) to help fight infection and disease. MMy is characterized by excessive numbers of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow and overproduction of intact monoclonal immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgD, or IgE) or Bence-Jones protein (free monoclonal ? and ? light chains).

As many as 19,900 new cases of MMy were diagnosed in the United States in 2006, accounting for around 15% of all hematological tumours (source: American Cancer Society, 2007). “The milestone is important for our Company since this is the first trial conducted under U.S. IND for one of our compounds” said François Romagné, CSO of Innate Pharma. He added:
“Together with the AML trial, this trial should help our partner Novo Nordisk A/S gather interesting clinical data during the next two years in order to better position the product for its late stage clinical development”.

"This new trial with NN 1975 (IPH 2101) is in line with our strategy to explore clinical routes in parallel to confirm safety and look for early signs of clinical efficacy" said Niklas Ohrner, Project Director in Global Development at Novo Nordisk A/S.

About Innate Pharma:
Founded in 1999 and funded by reference venture capitalists up to its IPO on Euronext in Paris in 2006, Innate Pharma S.A. (Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 – IPH) is a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class* drugs targeting innate immunity. The pioneering work of Innate Pharma’s scientific founders and research groups has led to the development of three product platforms (gamma delta T cells, NK cells and TLR), each directly or indirectly validated in clinical oncology settings. Besides cancer, Innate Pharma’s drug candidates have development potential in the treatment of infectious disease and chronic inflammation. The company's most advanced molecule is in Phase II clinical trials in cancer. With its strong scientific position in innate immunity pharmacology, its robust intellectual property portfolio and its R&D expertise, Innate Pharma intends to become a leading player in the rapidly growing immunotherapeutics market. Based in Marseilles, France, Innate Pharma had 74 employees as at March 31, 2007.

 
Practical Information about Innate Pharma shares:
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Ticker code
FR0010331421
IPH

Disclaimer:
This press release, and the information contained herein, does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for shares in Innate Pharma in any country.

For any additional information, please contact: Innate Pharma Alize Public Relations Stéphane Boissel, EVP and CFO Caroline Carmagnol
Tel. : +33 (0)4 96 19 05 58 Tel. : +33 (0)6 64 18 99 59
stephane.boissel@innate-pharma.fr caroline.carmagnol@wanadoo.fr
* with new mechanisms of action.