New Board Appointment

7 Oct 2005 10:00

VASTox plc07 October 2005 For immediate release 7 October 2005 VASTox plc ("VASTox" or "the Company") Sir Brian Richards CBE joins VASTox Board Oxford, UK: 7 October 2005 - VASTox plc (AIM: VOX), the drug discovery andservices business specialising in chemical genomics, is pleased to announcetoday that Sir Brian Richards CBE has been appointed to the Board of VASTox as aNon-Executive Director. Sir Brian Richards, aged 73, has a wealth of experience in European biotech andpharmaceutical companies and, following 13 years in academia and work with theMedical Research Council, he became Vice President for Research and Developmentfor G.D. Searle at High Wycombe (1966-86). In 1986 he co-founded BritishBiotechnology Ltd and served as Executive Chairman until 1994. In 1990 he was awarded the CBE and in 1997 was Knighted. Both awards were inrecognition for services to the biotechnology industry. He is currently Chairman of Alizyme plc, Cozart plc, MAN Mail (Guernsey) Ltd andLipoxen Ltd. Previously he has held Non-Executive Chairmanships orDirectorships in several biopharmaceutical companies including PeptideTherapeutics (later Acambis plc), Oxford Biomedica plc and CeNeS Ltd. In accordance with paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules, there are noother matters be announced with respect to Sir Brian Richards. Sir Brian Richards commented: "I am pleased to accept a position on the Board ofVASTox. The Company has a unique business model and I believe is well placed toexploit the emerging market for chemical genomics technologies. I am excited tobe working with such an ambitious team." Professor Stephen Davies, Chairman of VASTox, said: "I am delighted that SirBrian Richards has agreed to join VASTox as an integral member of our Board.Aside from being a successful entrepreneur, Sir Brian has a formidable breadthof expertise in building value in the biotech industry, having been a pioneer inthe sector for many years. My fellow directors and I look forward to workingwith Sir Brian as we accelerate VASTox through the next stage of our corporatedevelopment." The Company also reports that it will announce interim results for the sixmonths to 31 July 2005 on 12 October 2005. For more information please contact: VASTox plcSteven Lee, Chief Executive Officer 01235 443 901 07766 913 898Buchanan CommunicationsTim Anderson / Mark Court / Mary-Jane Johnson 020 7466 5000 Notes for Editors: About VASTox plc VASTox is a chemical genomics technology company that provides services to thepharmaceutical industry and discovers and develops proprietary novel drugs. Thecompany's technology platform aims to use high volume, high content screeningusing zebrafish and fruitflies to provide a high level of predictability of theefficacy and toxicity of potential drug compounds in humans which has thepotential to dramatically decrease the time and cost of drug discovery anddevelopment. VASTox was formed in January 2003, from the University of Oxford,by some of the UK's foremost scientists who have taken a highly creativeapproach to the problems involved in drug discovery and who have a proven recordin delivering technological excellence. The company listed on the London StockExchange AIM in October 2004. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange