10 November 2021 - - France-based clinical stage biotechnology company Inotrem has appointed Dr. Gregory Meiffren as Project director for its Antibody-based R and D Program, the company said.

The creation of this position comes at a time of significant growth for Inotrem as it is accelerating the expansion of its drug portfolio.

The antibody-based R and D Program will seek to develop new and promising alternatives for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases by modulating the activity of the TREM-1 pathway over extended periods of time.

Dr. Meiffren will report to Dr. Margarita Salcedo Magguilli, Inotrem's Chief Development officer.

Dr. Meiffren will lead the development of Inotrem's first-in-class therapeutic antibody-based drug program.

He will coordinate the design, execution, and all development activities of the company's second asset, next to nangibotide, from a preclinical stage to a clinical stage product.

This second asset to target the TREM-1 pathway is meant to address chronic inflammatory conditions with high unmet needs.

Dr. Meiffren brings a solid experience in international project development from discovery to phase 3 ready asset, with a demonstrated talent for coordinating multidisciplinary teams.

Prior to joining Inotrem, he spent 12 years at Adocia, a clinical-stage biotechnology company specialized in the treatment of metabolic diseases, where he was director of Biology, Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Development, and the global project leader for the two most advanced projects of the company.

He successfully led several collaborations with major international pharmaceutical groups. He started his career at the French public scientific institute, Inserm.

Dr. Meiffren obtained a PhD in immunology and cell biology from Ecole Normale Supérieure of Lyon in 2007. He is the inventor of 5 patent families and published a dozen of articles in major scientific publications.

Inotrem S.A. has developed a new concept of immunomodulation that targets the TREM-1 pathway to control unbalanced inflammatory responses.

Through its proprietary technology platform, Inotrem has developed the first-in-class TREM-1 inhibitor, LR12 (nangibotide), with potential applications in a number of therapeutic indications such as septic shock and myocardial infarction.

In parallel, Inotrem has also launched another program which targets the TREM-1 pathway to develop a new therapeutic modality targeting chronic inflammatory diseases.

The company was founded in 2013 by Dr. Jean-Jacques Garaud, a former head of research and early development at the Roche Group, Prof. Sébastien Gibot and Dr. Marc Derive. Inotrem is supported by leading European and North American investors. 

TREM-1 pathway is central to innate immune reaction. In the critical care setting, TREM-1 is responsible for an amplification loop of the immune response that triggers an exuberant and hyperactivated immune state which is known to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of septic shock, severe forms of COVID-19 and acute myocardial infarction.

The TREM-1 pathway is also engaged in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory processes, fibrotic diseases and immuno-oncology.