Directorate Change

RNS Number : 4867T

OptiBiotix Health PLC

04 July 2018

 

4 July 2018

OptiBiotix Health plc

("OptiBiotix" or the "Company")

Directorate change

OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), a life sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes announces that Dr Sofia Kolyda has been appointed as Director of Research & Development to the Company. Dr Kolyda will take up her position on the Board of OptiBiotix with immediate effect.

Dr Kolyda's expertise has been important in the development of OptiBiotix's technology through laboratory studies, human studies and manufacturing scale up which has allowed the Company to create a rich pipeline of award winning products. Sofia's scientific leadership was key to OptiBiotix's winning best scientific publication at ProBiota 2017 and 2018. These awards raise OptiBiotix's profile and reputation, attract commercial interest in our technology and products and provide the scientific evidence base to demonstrate health benefits in support of product commercialisation. 

Under Dr Kolyda's leadership, OptiBiotix has established itself as a global leader in targeted microbiome modulation, natural high intensity sweeteners and sweet healthy fibres (SweetBiotix®). This work has led to agreements with a number of global corporates including Tata for microbiome modulation (LPGOS), and two SweetBiotix® agreements, the first with one of the world's largest suppliers of nutritional products and the second with one of the world's largest providers of dairy products.

Given the high level of interest in SweetBiotix® and the potential for further partnerships, Dr Kolyda will take on responsibility for leading development programmes with current and future corporate partners. 

Pursuant to Rule 17 and Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies, the following information is disclosed in respect of Dr Sofia Kolyda (aged 45):

Current Appointments	Appointments in the last 5 years
None	None

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.

Stephen O'Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, commented: "We are pleased to recognise the significant contribution Sofia has made in the development of OptiBiotix's science into award winning products by offering her a position on the Board. Given the high level of interest we are seeing in our microbiome modulating and SweetBiotix® technologies, this appointment provides Board leadership to enable OptiBiotix to meet multiple partner needs and to fully exploit all opportunitie in this area of growing industry and commercial interest."

For further information, please contact:

		www.optibiotix.com
		Contact via Walbrook below
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP		Tel: [phone]
Liam Murray / Jo Turner
finnCap Broker		Tel: [phone]
Adrian Hargrave / Scott Mathieson / Kate Bannatyne (Corporate Finance)
Abigail Wayne (Corporate Broking)
Walbrook PR Ltd	Tel: [phone] or [e-mail]
Anna Dunphy		Mob: [phone]

About OptiBiotix - www.optibiotix.com

OptiBiotix was formed in March 2012 to develop compounds which modify the human microbiome - the collective genome of the microbes in the body - to prevent and manage human disease. 

The aim of OptiBiotix is to discover and develop microbial strains, compounds and formulations, which modulate the human microbiome and can be used as food ingredients and supplements or active compounds for the prevention and management of human metabolic diseases, examples of which include obesity, cholesterol and lipid distribution and diabetes. 

OptiBiotix has established a pipeline of microbiome modulators that can impact on lipid and cholesterol management, energy harvest and appetite suppression. The development pipeline is fuelled by its proprietary OptiScreen® and OptiBiotic® platform technologies designed to identify metabolic pathways and compounds that impact on human physiology and bring potential health benefits.

 

END

 

 

BOAEXLFBVDFFBBV