3 Nov 2014 07:00
Horizon Discovery Group plc Appoints Dr David Smoller as an Executive Director
Cambridge, UK, 3rd November 2014: Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE:HZD) ("Horizon" or "the Company"),a leading provider of research tools to support translational genomics and the development of personalized medicines, today announces the appointment of Dr David Smoller, Chief Business Officer of Horizon, as an Executive Director of the Board, with immediate effect.
David recently joined Horizon as Chief Business Officer as part of the Company's recent acquisition of Sage Labs for $48 million (£29 million). David, a successful serial entrepreneur, was previously Chief Executive Officer of Sage Labs, Chief Scientific Officer of Sigma-Aldrich and President of its Research Biotechnology business unit.
Before joining Sigma-Aldrich, David served as President of ProteoPlex, a seed stage spinout focusing on proteomics (acquired by Merck KGaA in 2003), and founded Genome Systems Inc. (acquired by Incyte Genomics in 1996), a company focused on providing the scientific community access to genome project-related technologies.
David has a doctorate degree in Molecular Biology and a bachelor's degree in Biology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He also completed postdoctoral fellowships at Washington University in St. Louis Missouri, and at Monsanto Corporation.
Dr. Ian Gilham, Chairman of Horizon Discovery Group's Board of Directors, commented: "I would like to welcome David to Horizon's Board and I am confident that David's deep experience in identifying and nurturing high value technologies and in building successful life sciences businesses will prove a tremendous asset as Horizon continues to grow."
Dr David Smoller, Chief Business Officer of Horizon Discovery Group said: "The integration of Sage Labs and Horizon is progressing well and I am delighted to be joining the Horizon Board at this exciting time for the Company."
David Adam Smoller, age 51
Previous Directorships (held in the past five years)
SAGE Labs Inc.
Current Directorships
Adarza Biosystems Inc.
APSE LLC
Kypha Inc.
Immunophotonics Inc.
River Pine LLC
Cultivation Capital Life Science Fund
Non Profit Advisory Boards
Academy of Science of St. Louis
National Advisory Research Council for Washington University
Center for Emerging Technologies
Board member for Washington University Biomedical Engineering Department
David Smoller holds 922,238 ordinary shares in the Company.
There are no other disclosures required in relation to Rule 17 or paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules for Companies.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Contacts:
Horizon Discovery Group plc
Dr Darrin M Disley, Chief Executive Officer
Richard Vellacott, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President, Operations
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 655 580
Consilium Strategic Communications (Financial Media and Investor Relations)
Amber Bielecka / Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson / Matthew Neal
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5701
Email: horizon@consilium-comms.com
Zyme Communications (Trade and Regional Media)
Katie Odgaard
Tel: +44 (0)7787 502 947
Email: katie.odgaard@zymecommunications.com
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited (NOMAD)
Corporate Finance: Freddy Crossley / Duncan Monteith / Fred Walsh
Broking: Tom Salvesen/ Adam Pollock
Tel: +44 20 7886 2500
About Horizon Discovery Group plc
Horizon is a revenue-generating life science company supplying research tools to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines. Horizon has a diverse and international customer base approaching 1,000 organizations across nearly 50 countries, including major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostic companies as well as leading academic research centers. The Company supplies its products and services into multiple markets, estimated to total in excess of £29 billion by 2015.
Horizon's core capabilities are built around its proprietary translational genomics platform, GENESIS™, a high-precision and flexible suite of gene editing tools able to alter almost any endogenous gene sequence of human or mammalian cell-lines. Horizon offers almost 2,200 products, almost all of which are based on the application of GENESIS™ to generate cell lines that accurately model the disease-causing mutations found in genetically based diseases. These 'patients-in-a-test-tube' are being used by customers to identify the effect of individual or compound genetic mutations on drug activity, patient responsiveness, and resistance, which may lead to the successful prediction of which patient sub-groups will respond to currently available and future drug treatments.
In addition, Horizon provides GENASSIST™ CRISPR and rAAV gene editing tools, custom cell line generation services for research and bioproduction applications, quantitative molecular reference standards, in vivo disease models, contract research and custom screening services, custom shRNA development services and off-the-shelf validated shRNA (through Horizon's partner Sirion), and haploid cell lines (through Horizon's partner Haplogen). These latter partnerships provide Horizon with almost 11,000 further products for our customers.
Horizon is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market under the ticker "HZD", for further information please visit: www.horizondiscovery.com.