Last checked at 5 Jan 2010 07:00
| For immediate release | 5 January 2010 |
OXFORD BIOMEDICA PLC
MANAGEMENT AND BOARD CHANGES
Oxford, UK - 5 January 2010: Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB), a leading gene therapy company, today announces the appointments of Dr Paul Blake and Dr Andrew Heath as independent Non-Executive Directors, and the retirement from the Board of Mark Berninger. These changes became effective on 1 January 2010. In addition, the management team was strengthened by the appointment in November 2009 of Dr Adam Love as Senior Director, Commercial Activities and Strategic Planning.
Paul Blake FCRP
Paul Blake has over 30 years international pharmaceutical/biotech experience, and is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Æterna Zentaris Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and endrocrine therapy. From 2001 to 2006, he held senior management positions at Cephalon Inc, including Executive Vice President, Worldwide Medical & Regulatory Operations from 2005. Dr Blake's previous positions include Senior Vice President and Medical Director, Clinical Research and Development at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. He gained his medical degree from the London University, Royal Free Hospital.
Andrew Heath MD, PhD
Andrew Heath is a healthcare and biopharmaceutical executive with in-depth knowledge of US and UK capital markets and international experience in marketing and sales, R & D and business development. He was Chief Executive Officer of Protherics plc from 1997 to 2008, taking the company from 30 to 350 staff and managing its eventual acquisition by BTG for £220 million. Prior to this, Dr Heath was President and Chief Executive Officer of Aerogen Inc, and previously held senior positions at Astra AB and Astra USA, including Vice President Marketing & Sales, and at Glaxo Sweden as Associate Medical Director. He is currently a non-executive director of XL TechGroup Inc, Anew Inc, Pioneer Technology Inc, and is a director of the BioIndustry Association.
Paul Blake has joined Oxford BioMedica's Remuneration Committee and Andrew Heath has joined the Audit Committee. There is no further information in respect of these two appointments which is required to be disclosed pursuant to LR 9.6.13R.
Mark Berninger
Mark Berninger is stepping down from the Board of Oxford BioMedica, having served as an independent Non-Executive Director since February 1999. Over this period, he has made a significant contribution to the Company, based on his extensive experience of the US biotechnology industry, including Genetic Therapy Inc, where he served as Vice President of Business Development. The Board of Oxford BioMedica would like to thank Mark for his dedication and commitment to the Company.
Adam Love MBBCh MBA
Adam Love has experience in clinical development, medical affairs and business development from various roles within the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, he has held the position of medical director at Cephalon and Archimedes Pharma; and as business development director at Norgine and Cephalon, where he worked on the acquisition of Zeneus Pharma. He gained his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and his MBA with distinction from the University of Durham.
Oxford BioMedica's Chairman, Professor Alan Kingsman, commented: "I am delighted to welcome two such distinguished and experienced new directors to the Board of Oxford BioMedica, and to have further strengthened the management team with the appointment of Adam Love. These appointments have strengthened the Board and management of the Company at a critical and exciting time. I would also like to record my sincere thanks to Mark Berninger for his dedicated service to the company over the last ten years."
-Ends-
| For further information, please contact: | |
| Oxford BioMedica plc: John Dawson, Chief Executive Officer | Tel: +44 (0)1865 783 000 |
| JPMorgan Cazenove Limited: James Mitford/ Gina Gibson | Tel: +44 (0)20 7588 2828 |
| Media/Financial Enquiries: Lisa Baderoon/ Mark Court Buchanan Communications | Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5000 |
| US Enquiries: Thomas Fechtner The Trout Group LLC | Tel: (646) 378 2900 |
Notes to editors
1. Oxford BioMedica
Oxford BioMedica (LSE: OXB) is a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative gene-based medicines and therapeutic vaccines that aim to improve the lives of patients with high unmet medical needs. The Company's technology platform includes a highly efficient gene delivery system (LentiVector®), which has specific advantages for targeting diseases of the central nervous system and the eye; and a unique tumour antigen (5T4), which is an ideal target for anti-cancer therapy. Through in-house and collaborative research, Oxford BioMedica has a broad pipeline and its partners include sanofi-aventis, Sigma-Aldrich and Pfizer (formerly Wyeth). Technology licensees include Biogen Idec, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co and Pfizer. Further information is available at www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk