INNATE PHARMA (EPA:IPH) Novel immune regulation mechanism involving Natural Killer Cells described and published in

Transparency directive : regulatory news

20/01/2012 06:45

PRESS RELEASE

NOVEL IMMUNE REGULATION MECHANISM INVOLVING NATURAL KILLER CELLS DESCRIBED AND
PUBLISHED IN SCIENCE MAGAZINE BY A KEY ACADEMIC PARTNER OF INNATE PHARMA

Innate Pharma co-owns intellectual property rights relating to the NKp46
   receptor with INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical
   Research
Endorses Innate Pharma's fruitful collaboration with leading academics on
   Natural Killer cell science

Marseilles, France, January 20, 2012

Innate Pharma SA (Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 - IPH), the innate immunity
company developing first-in-class drugs for cancer and inflammatory diseases, is
pleased to note today that an important discovery in the field of innate
immunity, made by a team led by Professor Eric Vivier, Innate Pharma's
scientific co-founder at the Center of Immunology of Marseille-Luminy (CIML),
has been published in the prestigious journal Science.(1)

The team, working on " Natural killer " (NK) cells, showed that, surprisingly,
mice that did not express the NK activating receptor NKp46 (one of the receptors
for NK cell natural cytotoxicity) had an enhanced resistance to some viral
infections. Moreover, in this model, the T cell response was calibrated by the
level of activity of NK cells. These data reveal a yet undescribed mechanism of
regulation for the immune response that might open new avenues for immune
therapeutic intervention.

Innate Pharma and INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical
Research, have filed patent applications and co-own the intellectual property
rights relating to the discovery. The collaboration between Innate Pharma and
the CIML will continue to evaluate the potential of NKp46 as a novel target for
the development of immune-modulating agents.

Hervé Brailly, Chief Executive Officer of Innate Pharma, said: "This exciting
news demonstrates the strength of our longstanding and fruitful partnership with
the CIML and Pro fessor Eric Vivier, and the Company's leadership in the disco
very and development of new targets for immunomodulating monoclonal antibodies.
It also provides further evidence that targeting innate immunity holds much
potential for the development of novel therapies in diseases where the immune
response is critical."

To know more about the CIML discovery:
http://www.innate-pharma.com/news-events/media

About natural killer (NK) cells:

NK cells are types of non-conventional lymphocytes, accounting for up to 10% of
circulating lymphocytes. NK cells are part of what is called the innate immune
system, a first-line of defence against pathogens. Their activation is
controlled by activating receptors, (such as NCRs - Natural Cytotoxicity
Receptors) and inhibitory receptors, (such as Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like
receptors -KIR). By integrating activating and inhibitory signals from these
receptors, NK cells can kill both malignant and virally-infected cells and spare
"normal" cells. They also play a key role in the control of inflammatory
reactions, and in the triggering and regulation of long-term adaptive immune
responses. NKp46 is a Natural Cytotoxicity Receptor expressed almost exclusively
by NK cells. It was identified and cloned by the team of Prof. Alessandro
Moretta (University of Genoa, Italy), scientific co-founder of Innate Pharma.

(1) "Tuning of Natural Killer Cell Reactivity by NKp46 and Helios Calibrates T
Cell Responses", Ugolini, Vivier et al., Science 20 January 2012: 344-348.

About CIML:

Founded in 1976, the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy is a research
institute internationally renowned in its discipline which has developed an
organization and practices designed to foster the creativity and risk-taking of
its researchers. From worm to man, from molecule to whole organism, the
physiological to the pathological, the CIML addresses all fields of contemporary
immunology: the genesis of different cell populations, their patterns of
differentiation and activation, their implications in cancer, infectious and
inflammatory diseases and the mechanisms of cell death. Based in Marseille, the
CIML is a joint research unit of CNRS, INSERM and the new Aix-Marseille
University. Headed by Professor Eric Vivier, it has 17 laboratories and employed
250 people as of 1 January 2012.

About Innate Pharma:

Innate Pharma S.A. is a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class
immunotherapy drugs for cancer and inflammatory diseases.

The Company specializes in the development of new monoclonal antibodies
targeting receptors and pathways controlling the activation of innate immunity
cells. Its innovative approach has been validated by licence agreements with two
major pharmaceutical companies, Novo Nordisk A/S and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Incorporated in 1999 and listed on NYSE-Euronext in Paris in 2006, Innate Pharma
is based in Marseilles, France, and had 81 employees as at September 30, 2011.

Learn more about Innate Pharma at www.innate-pharma.com.

Practical Information about Innate Pharma shares:

ISIN code        FR0010331421
Ticker code      IPH

Disclaimer:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Although the
company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, these
forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties,
which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated.
For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the company's
actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from
those contained in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk
Factors ("Facteurs de Risque") section of the Document de Reference prospectus
filed with the AMF, which is available on the AMF website
(http://www.amf-france.org) or on Innate Pharma's website.

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

For additional information, please contact:

Innate Pharma                  French enquiries
                               ATCG Press
Laure-Hélène Mercier           Marielle Bricman
Director, Investor Relations
Phone: +33 (0)4 30 30 30 87    Mob.: +33 (0)6 26 94 18 53
investors@innate-pharma.com    mb@atcg-partners.com

International enquiries
M :Communications
Mary-Jane Elliott
Amber Bielecka Hollie Vile
Phone: +44 (0)20 7920 2330
innatepharma@mcomgroup.com

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