Immune Design Corp. Appoints Pharma and Biotech Executive Carlos V. Paya, MD, PhD as Chief Executive Officer

SEATTLE, April 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Immune Design Corp. (IDC) announced today that Carlos V. Paya, MD, PhD, will join IDC as Chief Executive Officer and Board Director effective May 2, 2011, to lead IDC into its next stage of growth. Dr. Paya brings a successful track record and over 25 years of scientific, clinical and executive management experience to IDC.  

Current CEO and co-founder Steven Reed, PhD, will continue to serve on IDC's executive management team and Board of Directors and focus his efforts on scientific and strategic partnerships.  Dr. Reed remarked, "We are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Paya's caliber joining IDC.  We are confident that with his broad expertise, he will contribute to IDC's continued growth and success. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Paya has consistently demonstrated exceptional business and leadership acumen in a variety of management roles."

Bruce L.A. Carter, PhD, Chairman of IDC's Board of Directors stated, "Dr. Paya is an intelligent, independent thinker who's passionate about IDC's objective to discover and develop therapeutics that will protect and improve the quality of people's lives. I am excited to be working with him as IDC continues to progress."

"I am honored to join such an accomplished and recognized Board of Directors, executive team, and a first in class scientific organization," said Dr. Paya.  "Moreover, the maturing technologies and scientific platforms contributed by the founders of IDC have the potential to revolutionize how we treat and prevent the huge unmet medical need of chronic viral infections, cancer, and autoimmunity. Delivering these potential breakthrough therapies to patients worldwide is an exciting and unique opportunity."

Dr. Paya joins IDC from Elan Corporation, where he was President and led the Biotechnology commercial, marketing, clinical, research and development teams since 2008.  Dr. Paya joined Elan from Eli Lilly & Company, where he was Vice President, Lilly Research Laboratories, and Global Leader of the Diabetes and Endocrine Platform, responsible for the company's diabetes and endocrine franchise. Prior to his career at Lilly, Dr. Paya had a distinguished academic career at the Mayo Clinic where he was a tenured Professor of Medicine, Immunology and Pathology, and Vice Dean of the Clinical Investigation program.

About Immune Design Corp.

Immune Design Corp. is a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Seattle, Washington and formed in 2008 to bring together some of the world's leaders in the field of molecular immunology to develop vaccines for the treatment and prevention of infectious and malignant disease. The company employs advanced and leading edge methods to precisely control the activation and context of antigen presentation by dendritic cells in order to shape the desired adaptive immune response. This goal is accomplished through the application of two proprietary technology platforms that activate the immune system by distinct mechanisms.

Additional information can be found on the company's website at www.immunedesign.com.

Contact Media:

Cassie Ostrander 206-826-7901 or [email protected]

SOURCE Immune Design Corp.