AstriVax, an innovative vaccine platform company, establishes scientific advisory board with world renowned leaders in vaccine development

• Emmanuel Hanon, PhD, will chair the company’s scientific advisory board.
• Professor Peter Piot (MD, PhD) and Professor Patrick Soentjens (MD, PhD) have been appointed as advisors.
• Together, they bring complementary expertise in infectious diseases, vaccines, and global health management as well as over 80 years of combined experience.

Leuven, Belgium, 24 March 2023 – AstriVax has announced that Dr Emmanuel Hanon will chair the company’s scientific advisory board. Renowned infectious disease experts Dr Peter Piot and Dr Patrick Soentjens have been appointed as the first scientific advisors to the AstriVax scientific advisory board that is being composed. With the support of its scientific advisory board, AstriVax will continue to build its innovative plug-and-play vaccine platform to address important unmet needs in global health.

Hanne Callewaert, CEO of AstriVax, said: “I am truly grateful that Peter Piot and Patrick Soentjens have agreed to join the company’s scientific advisory board and that my AstriVax colleague Emmanuel Hanon will become its chair. Their combined experience covers the full spectrum of infectious diseases, prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine development and global health management. It makes me proud that three world renowned experts appreciate the potential of our vaccine technology, and I look forward to working with them to drive our ambitious mission forward.”

Emmanuel Hanon, PhD, has a background in veterinary medicine and brings over twenty years of experience in vaccine research and development. At GSK, he ran global vaccines R&D for seven years, driving discovery, development, and life-cycle management of one of the largest vaccine portfolios in the industry. He oversaw the discovery and development of vaccines against quadrivalent influenza (Fluarix and Flulaval Quadrivalent), shingles (Shingrix), malaria (Mosquirix), and RSV in older adults. He has been an internal advisor for therapeutic vaccines at AstriVax since the start and will continue to combine his new role as scientific advisory board chair at the company with his role as scientific advisor to CEPI and his CEO role at Vicebio.

Microbiologist Peter Piot, MD, PhD, is the former Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. After co-discovering the Ebola virus in 1976, he led pioneering research in HIV, women’s health, and infectious diseases. He was the founding Executive Director of UNAIDS, under the Secretary-General of the UN. Professor Peter Piot has held positions at leading universities around the world. He is Special Advisor on COVID-19 to the President of the European Commission. He serves on numerous committees, funds, and boards dedicated to global health. His long list of accolades includes the Robert Koch Medal, the Gairdner Award in Global Health, the 2014 Time Person of the Year, and the Belgian title of Baron. He has published over 600 scientific articles and 16 books.

Patrick Soentjens, MD, PhD, is an infectious disease specialist with clinical expertise in travel medicine, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, tropical diseases, and severe multi-resistant infections. He is the Chief Physician at the Polyclinic of the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) and chair of the Belgian Study Group of Travel Medicine. He also consults for the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group and serves on several advisory boards. His team’s work on alternative vaccination schedules for rabies led to a revision of existing WHO recommendations. Professor Patrick Soentjens’ current research focuses on improving vaccination regimens for travellers and military staff who need protection against yellow fever, tick-borne encephalitis, rabies, and other travel-related diseases. Under his leadership, the ITM launched a new clinical trial centre for vaccines in 2021.

Dr. Hanon, Professor Piot and Professor Soentjens will join the AstriVax scientific co-founders Professor Johan Neyts (PhD) and Professor Kai Dallmeier (PhD), both affiliated with the KU Leuven Rega Institute, on the company’s scientific advisory board.

Media contact                                                

Hanne Callewaert (PhD), CEO of AstriVax, info@astrivax.com.

About AstriVax

Founded in 2022, AstriVax NV aims to address global challenges in vaccinology with its innovative plug-and-play vaccine platform. The Belgium-based company develops novel prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines that are easy to produce, have reduced cold chain requirements, and offer broad and long-lasting protection against various infectious diseases. AstriVax is supported by V-Bio Ventures, Fund+, Flanders Future TechFund managed by PMV, Thuja Capital, Ackermans & van Haaren, OMX Europe Venture Fund (Mérieux Equity Partners and Korys), BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, and the KU Leuven Gemma Frisius Fund. AstriVax is located in the BioHub in Leuven. For more information, please visit www.astrivax.com.