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Ark Therapeutics Group PLC

10 April 2012

ARK THERAPEUTICS GROUP PLC

New Board Appointment

David Venables appointed as Executive Director - Manufacturing Services

London - 10 April 2012, London, UK: Ark Therapeutics Group plc ("Ark" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Dr David Venables has been appointed to the Board of Ark as Executive Director - Manufacturing Services. David will report directly to Martyn Williams, CEO, with responsibility for building Ark's manufacturing services business, which is now core to the Company's future development.

David Venables BSc (Hons) PhD joins Ark from Intercell, the international vaccines company, where he has been responsible since 2007 for building Intercell's manufacturing capabilities in Europe and the USA, most recently, as Chief Operating Officer of Intercell USA Inc. based in Maryland, USA. He has an outstanding track record in the global biotech manufacturing services sector, and has extensive operational and international business development experience and is well positioned to lead Ark's manufacturing initiatives.

In 1993 David was awarded his PhD in Mammalian Cell Fermentation from Surrey University, after which he joined Medeva PLC in 1995 where he spent 5 years as Group Leader - Process Development. In 1998 David was appointed Head of Biotechnology at Covance and then in 2002 he moved to Q1 Biotech Ltd as Director of Operations - Biomanufacturing. Following the acquisition of Q1 Biotech by BioReliance (which was subsequently acquired by Invitrogen in 2003), David was appointed Director of Market Development and Global Manufacturing at Invitrogen. In 2004 he was appointed Director of Operations at BioReliance Europe before joining Intercell in 2007. David is relocating back to the UK and will join Ark on 16 April 2012.

Ark's world class science base has allowed it to develop a unique gene mediated development and manufacturing capability based in Kuopio, Finland. Over the last 18 months, as part of the Company's overall transformation, there has been an increasing emphasis placed on the revenue generating capability of the manufacturing assets, with a number of third party collaborations already signed and several more now in discussion. As a result, and coupled with the increasing market demand, the Ark Board view this activity as central to the Company's future. David Venables' appointment is a key step towards realising the significant potential of this opportunity.

Martyn Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Ark commented: "David's extensive experience in building commercially focused manufacturing service businesses will enable us to accelerate the development of our world-leading viral manufacturing capability into a major, self-sustaining business. I look forward to working with him to execute the next stage of the Company's strategy."

Iain Ross, Executive Chairman of Ark commented:"I am delighted that David has agreed to join us. We are committed to building an international manufacturing services business and David's appointment to Ark's Board emphasises the importance we place upon this role and he is uniquely qualified to lead this initiative."

The Company confirms that there are no disclosures to be made under UKLA Listing Rule 9.6.13R in respect of Dr Venables.

For further information please contact:

 
   Ark Therapeutics Group plc     Tel: + 44 (0)20 7388 7722 
   Martyn Williams, CEO 
   Iain Ross, Chairman 
 
   FTI Consulting                 Tel: +44 (0)20 7831 3113 
   Ben Atwell 
   Susan Quigley 
 

Ark Therapeutics Group plc

Ark Therapeutics Group plc is an innovative gene-based medicine company with operations in the UK and Finland that seeks to capitalise through partnerships on its pipeline of programmes in high value areas of unmet medical need within vascular disease and cancer, and to exploit its unrivalled viral manufacturing capability based in Kuopio, Finland. Ark Therapeutics' biological manufacturing operations provide process development and manufacturing for a growing number of third party clients for a variety of stages of therapeutic development, as well as for its own internal programmes.

Ark's research is focused on discovering new approaches to gene delivery using viral vectors with particular emphasis on genes that control tissue vascularisation, especially VEGF, and is based on the work of its two world-leading research centres in Kuopio and London. The Finnish group is led by Professor Seppo Yla-Herttuala and is expert in the exploitation of viral technology to address serious medical problems, while Professor John Martin leads a team in London who have complementary skills in the understanding of biological structures and the development of small molecule agonists and antagonists. This combination of skills has resulted in Ark identifying and bringing forward a number of attractive programmes in gene therapeutics and small molecules.

Ark's shares were first listed on the London Stock Exchange in March 2004 (AKT.L).

This announcement includes "forward-looking statements" which include all statements other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding the Group's financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives relating to the Group's products and services), and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include forward-looking terminology such as the words "targets", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "can", "may", "anticipates", "would", "should", "could" or similar expressions or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Group's control that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Group's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Group will operate in the future. Among the important factors that could cause the Group's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include those relating to Ark's funding requirements, regulatory approvals, clinical trials, reliance on third parties, intellectual property, key personnel and other factors. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. As a result of these factors, readers are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statement.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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