York Pharma appoints new Chairman

Hitchin, UK, 23 September 2005 - York Pharma, the AIM-listed (AIM:YRK) strategic acquirer, developer and marketer of pharmaceutical products in the field of dermatology, announces the appointment of a new Non-Executive Chairman, Max Dyer Bartlett, who joined the Company on 22 September 2005. He succeeds Geoffrey Simmonds, who was Chairman of York Pharma during its start up and IPO. 

Mr Dyer Bartlett, 48, qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in 1981. He then worked in investment banking in the City of London at Hoare Govett, Arbuthnot Latham and Guinness Mahon, before establishing his own financial consultancy.  Mr Bartlett is a director of a number of listed and unlisted companies specialising in healthcare, instrumentation and insurance, including Cytomyx Holdings Plc, Hartest Holdings PLC, and Freeclaim IDC PLC.

Terry Sadler, CEO of York Pharma, said  “I am delighted Max has agreed to join York Pharma as we move into the next development phase of our business, as illustrated by the recent application with the UK regulator (MHRA) for our lead product, Abasol.  Max will provide valuable assistance to the Company, particularly in view of his extensive knowledge of the financial, investment and healthcare industries.  I would also like to thank Geoffrey for his guidance during the formative stages of York Pharma, during which it completed a number of transactions aimed at securing its ambition of becoming a leading global provider of prescription dermatology products.”

Geoffrey Simmonds, said “Over the last 12 months York Pharma has developed its pipeline significantly and is now moving on to the next stage of its growth and development. I feel confident in handing over to Max Dyer Bartlett, an extremely respected figure in the City, to guide the Company going forward.”

Max Dyer Bartlett commented “York Pharma is developing rapidly, with first approvals of its lead product Abasol expected from the second half of next year, and having an expanded pipeline that covers skin diseases representing more than 70% of the global dermatology market. I am delighted to be joining the Company at this exciting time.”

The following information regarding Dudley Richard Max Dyer Bartlett falls to be disclosed under paragraph f of Schedule Two of the AIM Rules for Companies.

Current Directorships:

Trafalgar Limited
Plassey Limited
Ramillies Limited
Waterloo Limited
Imphal Limited
Ketton House Limited
Leadenhall Properties Limited
Dreadnought Limited
Freeclaim IDC PLC
Industrial Diseases Compensation Limited
Mount Grace Insurance Company Limited
Hartest Holdings PLC
Sheen Instruments Limited
Amhurst Engineering Limited
Agar Scientific Limited
Automatic Systems Laboratories Limited
Smethurst High-Light Limited
H Tinsley & Co Limited
Cross Medical Limited
Cross Technologies PLC
Qados Limited
Qados Medical Services Limited
Wallace Instruments Limited
Wallace Inc
Cytomyx Holdings PLC
Cytomyx Limited
Cambridge BioScience Limited
Cytomyx LLC
Salzburg 10 Limited
Team Consulting Limited
Team (Holdings) Limited
Team Consulting Trustee Limited
Team Consulting (UK) Limited
Surtest Marine Limited
Cygnus Instruments Limited
Molecular Resources Limited

Past Directorships (held in the last five years):

Blackfriar Limited
Corporate Synergy PLC
Labspace Limited
Sintacel Systems Limited
Labspace International Limited
Lab Furnishings (UK) Limited
Safelab Systems Limited
Ophthalmos Limited
The Gallery of European Heritage Limited

There are no details that require to be disclosed under paragraph (f) (iii) to (viii) of Schedule Two of the AIM Rules for Companies.

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Notes to editors:

About York Pharma plc

York Pharma is an AIM-listed strategic acquirer, developer and marketer of pharmaceutical products in the field of dermatology. Its portfolio now embraces skin diseases that make up more than 70% of the global $10bn dermatology market, and its lead product, Abasol for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin, has been filed for European marketing approval. For further information, please go to www.yorkpharma.com