HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. announced the appointment of Mark Winderlich, PhD, as Chief Development Officer, effective April 1, 2024. Dr. Winderlich has rich experience leading multiple candidates through the drug development process to product approval in the United States and in Europe. Dr. Winderlich joins HOOKIPA from Evotec SE, where he has served as Executive Vice President, Head of Global Scientific Operations.

In his role, he led Evotec?s partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb in oncology. Prior to Evotec, Dr. Winderlich spent more than 12 years in drug development at MorphoSys AG across various roles of increasing responsibility. Key roles included: leading the company?s U.S.-based development activities for Pelabresib, an ongoing Phase III pivotal trial in first-line myelofibrosis; and leading various development activities of multiple drug candidates including MONJUVI® (tafasitamab-cxix)?an approved therapy for the treatment of recurrent/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma in the U.S. and Europe.

Dr. Winderlich received his PhD in Biomedicine from Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Muenster and MSc in Medical Biometry from University Heidelberg. Dr. Malte Peters will continue to serve as ad interim Senior Clinical Advisor until the effective date. At such time, Dr. Peters will remain on the Company?s board of directors as an independent director.