Hookipa Biotech, a vaccine biotech start up pioneering a new class of vaccines, today announced the appointment of two new members to its management team: Thomas P. Monath as Chief Medical Officer and Farshad Guirakhoo as Chief Scientific Officer.

Dr. Thomas P. Monath, serving as consulting Chief Medical Officer will play a key role in setting up Hookipa´s R&D strategies and product development processes. Dr. Monath is a former partner in the Pandemic and Biodefense Fund, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and also Adjunct Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. Between 1992 and 2006, Dr. Monath was Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Director of Acambis where he pioneered the development of numerous vaccines against various infectious diseases. Acambis was acquired by the vaccine giant Sanofi Pausteur in 2008 for £285 million.

Dr. Guirakhoo serving as Chief Scientific Officer will be responsible for all aspects of research and development activities at Hookipa. Prior to joining Hookipa, Dr. Guirakhoo held the position of Senior Director of External Research and Development at Sanofi Pasteur. Before his appointment at Sanofi in 2007, he spent 15 years with vaccine biotech Acambis, where he headed research and co-invented the ChimeriVax-technology platform.