Paul Parren, PhD

Founder and CSO at Gyes BV

Speaker

Prof. dr. Paul W.H.I. Parren is a pioneer in translating antibody knowledge into innovative biologic drugs for treating human diseases. He holds a PhD in molecular immunology from the University of Amsterdam (1992). Dr. Parren was an Associate Professor at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. From 2002-2017, he led research and preclinical development at Genmab, and from 2018-2023, he headed R&D at LAVA Therapeutics NV, bringing it to a clinical-stage, NASDAQ-listed, biotechnology company. His work contributed to nine FDA/EMA-approved therapeutic antibodies (incorporated in eleven antibody products), including four therapeutics from the DuoBody bispecific antibody platform. His scientific publications have >41,000 citations and he holds >220 issued patents in US, EU and JP. He is a tenured Professor of Molecular Immunology at the LUMC in Leiden. He recently cofounded Gyes BV (2022), Moirea BV and Olethros BV (2024), a family of start-up companies pioneering the development of highly selective multispecific therapeutic antibodies. He chairs the Board of Directors of the non-profit trade organization The Antibody Society, and he provides independent drug development advice as CEO and consultant at Sparring Bioconsult BV.