PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- THERAVECTYS, a Paris-based, fully-integrated discovery & clinical development company specialized in lentiviral vector-based therapeutic vaccines and T-cell therapies, is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Jean-Pierre BIZZARI, M.D., to its Board of Directors. The appointment is effective immediately. Dr. BIZZARI will replace John PIETERS who is resigning for personal reasons but will continue to serve as an advisor to the Chairman.
"The members of our Board of Directors are delighted that Jean-Pierre Bizzari will join their team and help advance the THERAVECTYS strategic development plans. With his broad expertise in oncology, his appointment comes timely for the launch of our first vaccine candidate in the immuno-oncology clinical trial," said Jean-Pierre Kinet, M.D., THERAVECTYS Chairman of the Board.
This appointment accelerates the positive development taken by the company during the last months in the conduct of its different oncology programs and completes a team directed by Jean-Pierre KINET, co-founder of AB Science, and composed by five other members: Tom McKillop, former CEO of Astra Zeneca, Jean Stephenne, former CEO of GSK Bio, Judith Greciet, Onxeo CEO, Albert HSIA, who represents iXLife, and Pierre Lepienne, former EVP Sanofi-Synthelabo.
Prior to joining THERAVECTYS Board of Directors, Jean-Pierre Bizzari served as Executive Vice-President, Group Head, and Clinical Oncology Development (U.S., Europe and Asia/Japan) at Celgene for 7 years. His career at Celgene includes several major accomplishments including the development and approval of oncology products including REVLIMID® (lenalidomide), VIDAZA® (azacitidine), ISTODAX® (romidepsin) and ABRAXANE® (nab-paclitaxel). During his prestigious career, Dr. Bizzari has been involved in the development of several anti-cancer treatments such as TAXOTERE (docetaxel), CPT-11 (irinotecan) or ELOXATIN (Oxaliplatin) and actively involved in the vaccination and gene therapy research. He also wrote more than 70 articles in peer review journals and about 170 abstracts for scientific congresses. Claude Jaquillat Prize winner in 2013, he is undoubtedly a world-renowned expert in oncology.
Dr. Bizzari is active member on various biotech boards, notably Transgene in France, Halozyme Therapeutics and Celator Pharmaceuticals in the US. He also is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of France's National Cancer Institute, and France's Foreign Trade.
