YGEN.L Regulatory News (YGEN)

Yourgene Health plc

("Yourgene" or the "Group" or the "Company")

Directorate change

Chief Scientific Officer appointment to drive new product development roadmap

Manchester, UK - 5 November 2020: Yourgene (AIM: YGEN), the international molecular diagnostics group, announces the appointment of Dr. Joanne Mason as Chief Scientific Officer as a director of the Company with immediate effect.

Dr Mason has been director of Research & Development (non-board position) at Yourgene since joining the Company in December 2019, leading the development of next generation molecular diagnostics, particularly in the area of reproductive health.

Dr Mason has been a champion of modernising diagnostics with the use of genomic technologies, having previously held positions as Vice President Biodiscovery with Cambridge Epigenetix, where she led the development of clinical epigenomic technologies and Director of Sequencing and Sample Acquisition for Genomics England, where she managed the delivery of samples and whole genome sequencing for the 100,000 Genomes Project.

She has previously acted as an advisor on the Department of Health (DOH) Rare Disease Policy Board and Forum the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Genomics for Diagnosis Forum and the UK National External Quality Assessment (NEQAS) - Genomics England Steering Committee, Genomics England Sequencing Advisory Board and Bioindustry Association (BIA) Genomics Advisory Committee.

Dr Mason also worked for Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where she set up and managed a NGS Core facility leading translational research, offering disease-specific diagnostic panels and introducing whole genome sequencing into the diagnostic setting. Prior to this role, Dr Mason managed an NGS Core facility in Malaysia and led the Comparative Genomics group at Public Health England studying novel and dangerous pathogens. Dr Mason holds a PhD from Cambridge in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Dr Bill Chang, continues on the Board as a director, in a new role as Chief Entrepreneur focusing on new scientific collaborations and business ventures for the Group, and remains a significant shareholder.

Lyn Rees, CEO of Yourgene, commented: "I am delighted to welcome Dr Mason to the Board of Yourgene Health. Having worked together for the past year, we have witnessed the tremendous job she has done enabling the launch and commercialisation of key products such as the IONA Nx NIPT Workflow and the Clarigene SARS-CoV-2 test. Adding Dr Mason's extensive experience within molecular diagnostics to the Board will help us deliver our new product development roadmap and further commercial successes."

Other than as set out below, there are no other matters required to be disclosed pursuant to paragraph (g) of Schedule Two to the AIM Rules for Companies as regards Dr Joanne Mason's appointment. Dr Joanne Mason (aged 46) holds 20,700 Ordinary Shares with 750,000 Options.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.

About Yourgene Health plc

Yourgene is an international molecular diagnostics group which develops and commercialises genetic products and services. The group works in partnership with global leaders in DNA technology to advance diagnostic science. 

Yourgene develops and commercialises simple and accurate molecular diagnostic solutions, for reproductive health and molecular genetics. The Group's products include non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPT) for Down's Syndrome and other genetic disorders, Cystic Fibrosis screening tests, invasive rapid aneuploidy tests, male infertility tests and genetic disease tests. Yourgene's commercial footprint is already established in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Our product development, research service and commercial capabilities extend across the lifecycle of genetic test development including regulatory submissions. Through our technical expertise and partnerships, Yourgene is also extending its genetic testing offering into oncology.

Yourgene is headquartered in Manchester, UK with offices in Taipei and Singapore, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market under the ticker "YGEN". For more information, visit www.yourgene-health.com and follow us on twitter @Yourgene_Health.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, and projections about its industry; its beliefs; and assumptions. Words such as 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control, are difficult to predict, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions security holders and prospective security holders not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of the Company only as of the date of this announcement. The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. The Company will not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances, or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority.