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HEPHAISTOS-Pharma appoints Stephan Braun as Chief Medical Officer to lead clinical development strategy
HEPHAISTOS-Pharma appoints Stephan Braun as Chief Medical Officer to lead clinical development strategy
Former ImCheck Therapeutics clinical leader joins HEPHAISTOS-Pharma as the company prepares to advance its lead innate immunotherapy candidate into first-in-human studies
Paris, France – May 19, 2026 – HEPHAISTOS-Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation innate immunotherapies for cancer, today announced the appointment of Stephan Braun as Chief Medical Officer.
A seasoned oncology drug development leader, Stephan Braun brings extensive experience in translational and clinical development, with a strong track record in advancing innovative immuno-oncology programs from early development into clinical execution. He joins HEPHAISTOS-Pharma at a pivotal stage, as the company prepares the clinical development of its lead candidate, HEPHA440, a 3rd generation TLR4 agonist small molecule designed for effective & safe cancer therapy.
The appointment reflects growing recognition of HEPHAISTOS-Pharma’s scientific and therapeutic approach targeting Myeloid cells against solid tumors by a senior industry leader who recently contributed to the development success of ImCheck Therapeutics, one of Europe’s most visible immuno-oncology biotech companies.
“I am very pleased to join HEPHAISTOS-Pharma at such an important moment in its development,” said Stephan Braun, Chief Medical Officer of HEPHAISTOS-Pharma. “The company’s science is highly compelling, and its approach to innate immune activation has the potential to address a major unmet need in oncology. I look forward to working with the team to build a strong clinical development strategy and bring HEPHA440 closer to patients.”
Stephan Braun’s appointment further strengthens a development organization recently reinforced with the addition of Frédérique Brune as Chief Development Officer and Delphine Brégeon as Head of CMC Operations. Together, the team brings complementary expertise across medical strategy, development execution, CMC, regulatory preparation and clinical readiness, positioning HEPHAISTOS-Pharma to advance HEPHA440 toward first-in-human studies.
“We are very pleased to welcome Stephan in our team. Stephan’s appointment is a major milestone for HEPHAISTOS-Pharma,” said Frédéric Caroff, Chief Executive Officer of HEPHAISTOS-Pharma. “As we move closer to clinical development, we are strengthening the company with the expertise required to translate our science into a rigorous, patient-focused clinical strategy. Stephan brings exactly the combination of oncology experience, translational insight and clinical execution that we need at this stage.”
As illustrated by the recent progress of companies such as ImCheck Therapeutics, immunomodulation is emerging as a key lever unlock the full potential of cancer immunotherapies. HEPHAISTOS-Pharma is pursuing this ambition by targeting Myeloid cells within the tumor microenvironment. HEPHA440 is specifically designed to activate the innate immune system while maintaining a high therapeutic index.
As Chief Medical Officer, Stephan Braun will lead HEPHAISTOS-Pharma’s clinical development strategy, including the preparation of first-in-human studies, clinical trial design, translational development and medical strategy as the company advances toward clinical-stage execution.
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About HEPHAISTOS-Pharma
HEPHAISTOS is a biopharmaceutical company developing 3rd generation innate immune boosters designed to convert myeloid-rich tumors into immunotherapy responsive tumors.
The lead drug-candidate HEPHA440 has demonstrated compelling anti-tumor activity in a broad spectrum of preclinical models of cancers, both as single agent and in combination with other immunotherapies. The drug also demonstrated favorable tolerability and a broad therapeutic window predicting safe and efficacious systemic administration in humans. HEPHA440 is scheduled to enter clinical trials in 2027.
About Stephan Braun, MD
Dr. Stephan Braun is Chief Medical Officer of HEPHAISTOS Pharma, bringing extensive international experience in oncology drug development, clinical strategy and medical affairs. He previously served as Chief Medical Officer of ImCheck Therapeutics, where he contributed to the clinical development of ICT01 and to the momentum that ultimately led to the company’s acquisition by Ipsen. Earlier in his career, he held executive and leadership positions at CureTeq AG, Basilea, Ipsen, Parexel and Symphogen. At Amgen, he served as Medical Director of Clinical Development and Senior Medical Scientist, contributing to the development, approval and medical affairs activities of several drugs, including Aranesp, Xgeva and Vectibix.
Dr. Braun also brings a strong academic background in oncology. From 1994 to 2008, he was a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the medical universities of Munich and Innsbruck, where he built and led Breast Cancer Center and Gynecologic Oncology Center teams. He has authored 35 peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters in translational research and oncology, served on the editorial boards of several scientific journals, and is an active member of ASCO, AACR, ASH and ESMO.
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