Appointment of Dr Alastair Smith as Chair
Dr Alastair Smith appointed Non-executive Chair, succeeding Dr Sue Foden who passed away in November.
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Alderley Park, UK - 19 February 2025: TheraCryf plc (AIM: TCF), the clinical stage drug development company focussing on oncology and neuropsychiatry has appointed Dr Alastair Smith as Non-executive Chair.
| Alastair is an experienced life sciences executive, with over 20 years' experience in public company growth and strategy, having founded and led Avacta Group plc as CEO from inception until last year. During his tenure, Avacta evolved into a leading AIM-listed biotech firm with two key divisions: a clinical-stage oncology drug company advancing its proprietary pre | CISION tumor-targeting platform and a diagnostics business pursuing an M&A-driven growth strategy in Europe, focused on serving healthcare professionals. |
Alastair also brings valuable R&D and academic leadership, having also spent over 12 years as Professor of Molecular Biophysics at the University of Leeds. Alastair is also Non-executive Director of N4 Pharma plc and Non-executive Chairman of SPARTA Biodiscovery Ltd.
Alastair is stepping into the role of Chair following the passing of former Chair Dr Sue Foden in November last year. The appointment is effective immediately. Alastair's directorship fee for at least the next 12 months will be paid to him in Ordinary Shares.
Dr Huw Jones, CEO of TheraCryf, commented:
"Attracting a Chair of Alastair's calibre and experience is a real endorsement of the potential of TheraCryf's product portfolio and our approach. We have been struck by the high quality of our interactions so far and wish him a very warm welcome to the team. I look forward to working closely with Alastair."
Dr Alastair Smith, incoming Non-executive Chair of TheraCryf, added:
"TheraCryf's product portfolio includes assets addressing areas of high unmet need and, in particular, the Orexin-1 antagonist candidate has class leading characteristics and potential to treat patients with addictive disorders such as alcohol and opioid abuse, and binge eating disorder. This is a key time to be joining the business as it seeks to complete the final steps, over the next twelve months or so, to transition the Orexin-1 programme to clinical readiness - a huge value inflection point for the company.
"I look forward very much to supporting the team to deliver on the opportunities that clearly exist within the company and to communicate these opportunities effectively to the market so that progress is reflected by growth in shareholder value."
The following information is disclosed pursuant to Rule 17 and Schedule Two paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies in relation to Dr David Alastair Maclaughlin Smith, aged 58:
| Current Directorships/Partnerships | Past Directorships/Partnerships (within 5 years) |
| N4 Pharma plc Sparta BioDiscovery Limited | Avacta Group plc Nextmune Laboratories Ltd (formerly Avacta Animal Health Ltd) Avacta Animal Health Inc. Avacta Analytical Limited Affimer Limited Avacta Ltd Avacta Life Sciences Limited Avacta Life Sciences Inc. Avacta Group Trustee Limited Avacta Finance (Jersey) Limited AffyXell Therapeutics Crossco (1127) Limited Launch Diagnostics Holdings Limited Launch Diagnostics Ltd Coris BioConcept SrL Coris Holdings SrL |
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