May 4th, 2021: Onward Therapeutics SA headquartered in Biopôle campus, Epalinges, Switzerland, is proud to announce the opening of its first affiliate in Paris, France: Onward Therapeutics France SAS. Dr. Alain Herrera (create link to mini bio) has been appointed President of the affiliate, while our first few employees will be joining him as of this month.  

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During February this year, Onward signed two deals with two French biotech companies, Biomunex Pharmaceuticals SAS, a bispecific antibody platform company in Paris, and EMERCell SAS, a NK cell therapy company in Montpellier. We adopt “buy and build” business model of investing in companies with platform technologies, and we collaborate with them to advance their preclinical candidates into clinical trials.

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“The opening of a French affiliate confirms our ambition to operate from within the heart of Europe,” said Dr. C. Grace Yeh. “France is one of Europe’s leading countries in the biotech industry. Biotechnology has been designated as one of France’s national research priorities by the government, so French public institutions mobilize resources to encourage research and innovation in biotechnology”. 

Our local team will support R&D activities with our existing partners and potentially with other companies and/or with public health institutions. The affiliate will also coordinate CMC and pre-clinical activities with contract manufacturing and clinical research organizations in France or in other European countries. 

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