Board Change
Ardana PLC
08 October 2007
Ardana announces Board Change
Edinburgh, UK: 8 October 2007: Ardana plc (LSE:ARA) today announces that the
Company's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Maureen Lindsay, has informed the Board
that, after nearly 7 years of service, she wishes to step down from her position
as CEO and a Director of the Company. Dr. Huw Jones, a non-executive Director of
the Company since June 2006, has been appointed as Ardana's new CEO with
immediate effect. Dr. Lindsay will remain with the Company until the end of 2007
to assist with the transition.
Huw Jones, 47, has a strong background in senior management in the
pharmaceutical industry, most recently at CV Therapeutics Inc., a NASDAQ listed
pharmaceutical company where he was President, Europe. He also fulfilled a
number of senior roles at Elan Pharmaceuticals and SmithKlineBeecham between
1986 and 2002. In 2002 he co-founded Daffodil Consulting LLP, providing
strategic advice to biopharmaceutical companies. He became non-executive
Chairman of Ashbourne Pharmaceuticals Ltd in 2002, a position he retained until
its sale to Sinclair Pharma plc in 2006. He holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the
University of Birmingham.
Dr. Maureen Lindsay joined Ardana in January 2001 as Chief Operating Officer and
has been CEO since March 2004, leading the Company's successful flotation on the
main market of the London Stock Exchange in March 2005. During the period of her
leadership the Company has built a strong product pipeline focused on
reproductive health which now includes three marketed products, two products in
Phase III, two products in Phase II for three indications and several follow-on
products in Phase I.
Dr. Simon Best, non-executive Chairman of Ardana, said:
'The Board wishes to place on record its gratitude to Maureen Lindsay for her
achievements as CEO of Ardana. She has created one of the strongest product
pipelines in the UK biotech industry, with good progress being made across the
portfolio. We wish her every success with her future plans.
'We are delighted that Huw Jones has agreed to become the Company's new CEO. We
are approaching the time when we need to consider the commercialisation of a
number of products in our portfolio, in addition to our lead product Teverelix
LA, a process in which his wealth of experience in the pharmaceutical industry
and business development skills will be of great value.
'Our licensing activities on Teverelix LA are progressing well with several
potential partners at different stages of discussion. In addition, following
the recent publication of the positive Phase II data on prostate cancer the
discussions have broadened with approaches from other new parties interested in
the opportunity.'
Dr. Maureen Lindsay added:
'I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Ardana and wish the Company and all of its
employees every success in the future. We have worked hard to build a broad and
valuable pipeline at Ardana and I am confident that its global commercial
potential, particularly of Teverelix LA, will be realised.'
As previously announced, Ardana will be releasing its interim results for the
six months ended 30 September 2007 on Tuesday 9 October 2007.
For more information contact:
Ardana Financial Dynamics
Dr. Simon Best Julia Phillips / John Gilbert
Tel: +44 (0) 7884 230380 Tel: +44 (0)20 7831 3113
Graham Lee
Tel: +44 (0) 7799 148831
About Ardana
Ardana plc is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and
marketing of innovative products to improve human reproductive health, a $25.5
billion market.
Since its foundation, Ardana has built a broad and balanced portfolio to manage
risk and actively pursue product and technology in-licensing and out-licensing
to maintain a robust pipeline.
Ardana's lead products are summarised below:
• Emselex(R), a once a day treatment for the symptoms of overactive bladder
syndrome, for which Ardana has exclusive UK marketing and promotion rights
and is being distributed in collaboration with Novartis UK Limited;
• Striant(TM) SR, a testosterone replacement therapy that has been launched by
Ardana through its own sales force in the UK and through marketing partners
in certain European countries, as a treatment for men with confirmed
hypogonadism;
• Teverelix LA, in development for three initial indications (prostate
cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia and endometriosis);
• Testosterone Cream, a trans dermal testosterone delivery system in
development for the treatment of male hypogonadism, in Phase II trials;
• Invicorp(TM), an injectable combination drug treatment for erectile
dysfunction, for which Ardana has marketing and manufacturing rights in
Europe and has been launched in Denmark.
• ARD-07 a growth hormone secretagogue in late stage development for the
diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency
In addition, Ardana has a strong portfolio of follow-on products in development.
Ardana is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.
For further information please see www.ardana.co.uk
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange