Appointment

Oxford Biomedica PLC
29 May 2001




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                     2001/OB/12
                                                                    29 May 2001
For further information, please contact:
Oxford BioMedica plc
Professor Alan Kingsman, Chief Executive              Tel: [phone]
City/Financial Enquiries:

Melanie Toyne Sewell / Fiona Noblet
                                                      Tel: [phone]
Financial Dynamics
Scientific/Trade Press Enquiries:
                                                      Tel: [phone]
Chris Gardner, HCC*De Facto Group




                                 APPOINTMENT

                   OF CEO TO OXFORD BIOMEDICA US SUBSIDIARY


Oxford, UK - 29 May 2001 Oxford BioMedica plc, the gene-based therapeutics
company, announced today the appointment of Dr. Doug Jolly as CEO of the
Company's US operation, BioMedica Inc. Dr. Jolly has been appointed to the
Board of Oxford BioMedica plc and will have overall responsibility for Gene
Therapy within the Company. Professor Susan Kingsman remains responsible for
Gene-based Immunotherapy and Gene Discovery.


Dr. Jolly is a leading figure in gene technology in the USA. Most recently, he
held the position of Vice President for Scientific Affairs at Chiron
Corporation's Center for Gene Therapy where he was directly involved in a
number of gene-based product development programmes, intellectual property
management and clinical and regulatory strategies. Prior to that he was
founder and Vice-President of Research of Viagene Inc. He is named inventor on
more than 20 issued US and European patents and he has advised the US National
Institutes of Health and the FDA on scientific strategy and regulatory issues.
At both Chiron and Viagene Dr. Jolly contributed to business development and
corporate strategy and is well connected with major financial institutions in
the US.


Commenting on Dr. Jolly's appointment, BioMedica's Chief Executive, Professor
Alan Kingsman said


'In my opinion, Doug's appointment is a major coup for BioMedica. Attracting
someone of his ability and reputation is a strong endorsement of the growing
credibility of the Company on both sides of the Atlantic. He will undoubtedly
make a substantial contribution to BioMedica by leading our clinical and
business development in the USA, the biggest pharmaceutical market in the
world. We will also use his world-class technical ability and experience to
drive forward the Company's product pipeline'.

                                     ENDS


Notes to Editors


1.     Oxford BioMedica plc

Established in 1995, the Company specialises in the application of gene-based
technology to the development of novel therapeutics. Its three principal
activities are in the fields of gene therapy, immunotherapy and genomics, and
its principal therapeutic areas are in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Oxford BioMedica plc was floated on the Alternative Investment Market of the
London Stock Exchange in December 1996, and upgraded to the United Kingdom
Listing Authority Official List in April 2001 following a successful £35.5
million fund-raising.


Currently Oxford BioMedica has corporate collaborations with Aventis,
AstraZeneca, IDM, Modex Therapeutics, Nycomed Amersham, Valentis, Virbac and
Wyeth. BioMedica has two products in Phase I/II clinical trials. MetXia(R) is
in clinical trials for late-stage breast cancer (BC1) and ovarian cancer (OC1)
and TroVaxTM is in clinical trials for late-stage colorectal cancer.


2.     BioMedica Inc.

A key part of Oxford BioMedica's strategy for growth following its recent
upgrade to the UKLA Official List and the successful £35.5 million
fund-raising is to establish a significant business unit in the USA. BioMedica
Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oxford BioMedica plc, and it plans to
establish offices and laboratories on the US west coast. The appointment of Dr
Doug Jolly and CEO of BioMedica Inc. is an important first step in
implementing this strategy.


3.     World Wide Web

This release is also available on the World Wide Web at http://
www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk


 4. Director's disclosure


The following additional information is provided in accordance with the LSE
rules:


Current Directorships

None


Past Directorships

None




Doug Jolly:


(i)     does not have any unspent convictions in relation to indictable
offences;

(ii)     has not been declared bankrupt or entered into any individual
voluntary arrangements

     with his creditors;


iii. has not been a director of any company which has been placed in
    receivership, liquidation, administration, been subject to a voluntary
    arrangement or any composition or arrangement with its creditors generally
    or any class of its creditors whilst he was a director of that company or
    within the twelve months after he ceased to be a director of that company;

iv. has not been a partner of any partnership at the time of or within 12
    months preceeding any compulsory liquidation, administration or
    partnership voluntary arrangements of such partnership;

 v. has not been a partner of any partnership at the time of or within 12
    months preceding a receivership of any assets of such partnership

vi. has not had any of his assets subject to any receivership; and


        (vii)     has not been the subject of any public criticism by
        statutory or regulatory authorities or has ever been disqualified by a
        court from acting as a director of a company or from acting in the
        management or conduct of the affairs of any company.