IDH.L Regulatory News (IDH)

2 Oct 2007 07:01

Immunodiagnostic Systems Hldgs PLC02 October 2007 Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings PLC ("IDS" or the "Company") Senior Management Appointment Appointment of Country Manager to new Scandinavian subsidiary IDS, a leading producer of diagnostic testing kits, announces that following thecreation of IDS Nordic in the wake of acquiring Nordic Bioscience Diagnostics(NBD), the company has appointed Dr Dagmar Kasper, aged 41, as BusinessDevelopment Manager and Country Manager. Dr Kasper attended Philipps University, Marburg, Germany, where she studiedhuman biology and medicine, before undertaking her doctoral studies inBiochemistry at the Georg-August University, Gottingen, Germany. After 4 yearsof post-Doctoral research at the Centre for Neurobiology at the University ofHamburg, she entered the world of commerce, joining Nordic BioscienceDiagnostics in 2002. Dagmar joined NBD as International Product Manager, later adding a BusinessDevelopment role to her remit. In 2004, she became Head of Sales & Marketing,with global responsibility for the full range of NBD biomarkers. Her academicresearch career, with numerous publications in bone biology, gave her a valuableinsight into possible applications and marketing initiatives. With increasingdemand from major pharmaceutical and biotech companies (Pharma) in the UnitedStates, she moved to the USA where she successfully established NordicBioscience Diagnostics Inc in Virginia. She then went on to spearhead thedirect sales of NDB products within the North American market and to developbusiness and strategic alliances, creating a presence for NBD in validationstudies and clinical trials with big Pharma. NBD sales grew by ca 200% from2006 to 2007. In 2007, she returned to Europe to take a senior position in businessdevelopment in the German biotech company, Epidauros, but happily for IDS, shehas been enticed back to the 'new' NBD, now IDS Nordic, where she takes the topjob and joins the IDS Management team as Business Develop Manager. Dagmar will preside over the establishment of this latest IDS internationalsubsidiary, and be responsible for directing the sales and marketing activities,overseeing the orderly transfer of NBD production to IDS's Boldon facilities,and forging a new 'R&D interface' with the Discovery team at Nordic Biosciences. Her experience in the US market, especially in relation to Pharma, willcontinue to be used in a special role interacting with colleagues at IDS Inc(Fountain Hills, Phoenix, AZ). As a Business Development Manager, Dagmar willuse her experience to assess future marketing and business opportunities withthe team of IDS Ltd. NBD developed a unique range of immunoassays for bone and collagen biomarkerssuch as CTX-I, a marker of bone resorption, and CTX-II, a marker of collagendegradation that may be of particular importance in understanding thedevelopment, diagnosis and treatment of arthritis. IDS completed theacquisition of NBD and its IP portfolio in July (2007). The NBD products arehighly complementary to those of IDS, and gives IDS a comprehensive range of 'Bone & Skeletal' biomarkers unequalled by its competitors. Dr Kasper said: "The enhanced product offering of highly complementary bone & skeletalbiomarkers, together with automation on the 3x3, is an ideal position from whichto lead bone and cartilage diagnosis and monitoring. This is an excellentopportunity to drive this important and expanding niche market. The combinationof products and capabilities, and the scientific expertise within IDS, willfurther establish the Company as the global leader in this specialist sector,and as the preferred partner of a number of prominent pharmaceutical giantsactive in upcoming osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritistherapies." Tony Wilks, Sales & Marketing Director at IDS, commented: "Dagmar's business strengths and detailed academic knowledge are immenselyvaluable to IDS's future strategy, especially in the fast growing markets ofosteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Her reputation with key researchersworldwide, especially within the pharmaceutical Industry, will further enhanceour international profile and positively impact sales." Enquiries:Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings plc Parkgreen Communications LtdDr. Roger Duggan, Managing Director Paul McManusTel: 0191 519 0660 Tel: 020 7479 7933www.idsltd.com Mob: 07980 541 893 paul.mcmanus@parkgreenmedia.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange