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- and EMA-approved therapeutic antibodies (incorporated in eleven registered medicines), including four therapeutics from the DuoBody bispecific antibody platform. His scientific publications have >42,000 citations (h-factor 107) and he holds >360 issued patents in US, EU and JP. He is a tenured Professor of Molecular Immunology at the LUMC in Leiden, chairs the Board of Directors of the non-profit trade organization The Antibody Society, and provides independent drug development advice through Sparring Bioconsult BV. He is co-founder and CSO of Gyes BV (2022), Moirea BV and Olethros BV (2024), an ecosystem of start-up companies pioneering the development of highly selective multifunctional antibody therapeutics.