New Board Appointment

RNS Number : 2930Z

Avacta Group PLC

05 February 2014

 



05 February 2014

Avacta Group plc

("Avacta" or the "Group")

Board Appointment

Leading US life sciences technologist appointed to the Board

Avacta Group plc (AIM: AVCT), the global provider of proprietary diagnostic tools, consumables and reagents for human and animal healthcare, announces that Michael Albin, Ph.D., has today joined the Board of Avacta as a Non-Executive Director.

Following a Ph.D. in chemistry at Pennsylvania State University and postdoctoral research in biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology, Michael worked at SYVA diagnostics followed by fifteen years at Applied Biosystems Inc rising to the role of VP of Science and Technology, and then VP of Strategic Technologies of the parent company Applera Corp, an S&P 500 company.

As VP of Science and Technology at Applied Biosystems Inc (now Life Technologies Inc.), Michael was responsible for R&D programmes with a budget in excess of US$100 million overseeing the development of the company's product pipeline via internal development, investment and acquisition. 

In recent years Michael has worked as a private consultant focusing on technical and strategic assessments and the positioning of a wide range of companies in the life sciences, molecular diagnostics, and personalised medicine sectors - areas of direct relevance to Avacta. In addition he has been appointed to carry out due diligence for venture capital and other investment organisations in the US, Canada and the UK and has a broad market understanding of the life sciences sector and strong connections in the important US market.

Alastair Smith, Chief Executive of Avacta, said: "I am absolutely delighted that Michael is joining the board of Avacta. With his extensive network of contacts in the life sciences industry in the US he provides a skillset which will considerably strengthen the board of Avacta and he will have important input to the strategic positioning of the Group's businesses in the future, particularly with respect to the all-important US market."

Michael Scott Albin, aged 56, is currently not a director or partner of any other companies or partnerships; however he has been a director of the following company during the previous five years:

GenomeDx Biosciences Inc.

Mr Albin does not hold any ordinary shares, or options over ordinary shares, in the Company.

Save for the information disclosed above there is no other information to be disclosed on Mr Albin under Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules.

Enquiries:

Avacta Group plc		Tel:  [phone]
Alastair Smith, Chief Executive Officer		www.avacta.com
Tim Sykes, Chief Financial Officer
Numis Securities Limited		Tel:  [phone]
Michael Meade / Freddie Barnfield - Nominated Adviser		www.numiscorp.com
James Black - Corporate Broking
Walbrook PR Ltd	Tel: [phone] or [e-mail]
Anna Dunphy	Mob: [phone]
Lianne Cawthorne	Mob: [phone]

About Avacta Group plc - www.avacta.com

Avacta Group plc is a global provider of innovative technologies, consumables and reagents for the life science markets, from drug discovery to diagnostics. Avacta operates through three divisions:

Avacta Analytical www.avactaanalytical.com	High throughput analysis instrument, Optim, to help reduce the cost and risk of drug development.
Avacta Animal Health www.avactaanimalhealth.com	Veterinary diagnostics reference laboratory, diagnostic kits and newly launched in-clinic blood analyser, Sensipod.
Avacta Life Sciences www.avactalifesciences.com	Novel non-antibody affinity reagents called Affimers, with a wide range of Life Science applications in diagnostics, drug and biomarker discover and biotech research and development.

Avacta joined AIM in August 2006 and is based in Wetherby, England.

 

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