Biotica
appoints Dr Mike Hayes as Non-Executive Chairman
Cambridge, U.K. - 19 May, 2003 -Biotica
Technology Limited announced today the appointment of Dr Mike Hayes,
Senior Vice President of Strategic Technologies for Amersham Biosciences,
as Non-Executive Chairman. Dr Hayes succeeds Professor James Staunton FRS,
co-founder, who will continue to serve the company as a consultant and
Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board. Dr Hayes was appointed a
Non-Executive Director of Biotica in 2000. At Amersham Biosciences
he has held positions as Chief Technology Officer and Global Head of
Research and Development. Previously he was Divisional Director of
Discovery Technology at GlaxoWellcome with responsibility for new lead
discovery, and Chairman of the Centre for Natural Products Research in
Singapore
Dr
Mike Hayes commented "I am pleased to take the Chairman role at a
very exciting time in the development of Biotica. The Company has
developed a strong technology base and is ready to fully exploit this
capability to discover and optimise potential new drug candidates that
will become important new medicines of the future"
Commenting
on the appointment, Dr Simon Turner, Chief Executive, said "I have
greatly valued Mike's contribution to the Board over the past three years,
and am delighted he is increasing his involvement in the company as
Chairman. I look forward to working with him more closely".
Florian
Schönharting added on behalf of the company's investors "The appointment
of Mike Hayes brings to the company some very strong competencies in
drug discovery and development. We are very enthusiastic that Biotica can
attract this level of executive experience"
About
Biotica Technology Limited:
Biotica
Technology Limited is a privately held biotechnology company focused on
the discovery of novel pharmaceuticals through the targeted alteration of
biosynthetic pathways producing natural products. Its platform
technologies enable both the specific and combinatorial biosynthesis of
bioactive polyketides. Polyketides are a particularly diverse class
of natural products that have proven to be a rich source of commercially
significant pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals. The company
has already applied this technology to the pathways for a number of
valuable and clinically useful natural products.
Ends.
For
further information, please contact:
Simon
Turner, Chief Executive
Tel./Fax.
+44 1223 276904
E-mail to simon.turner@biotica.co.uk
