REG - Avacta Group PLC - Board appointments

AvactaAnnouncement

28/05/2025 07:00

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RNS Number : 3082K  Avacta Group PLC  28 May 2025

 

Avacta Group plc

 

("Avacta" or the "Group" or the "Company")

 

Board appointments

 

LONDON and PHILADELPHIA - May 28, 2025 - Avacta Therapeutics (AIM: AVCT), a
life sciences company developing next generation peptide drug conjugates (PDC)
targeting powerful anti-tumor payloads directly to the tumor, today announces
the appointments of David Bryant and Richard Hughes as Non-Executive Directors
with immediate effect.

 

David Bryant is a highly experienced international pharmaceutical executive
with over 35 years in the industry. He has a strong track record in commercial
leadership roles at GSK and Pfizer and was one of the original management team
at Clinigen Group, from its 2012 IPO on AIM to its sale for $1.6bn in 2022.
David is currently an Advisor to Healthcare Royalty (HCRx), a US-based
healthcare focused private investment business.

 

Richard Hughes has had a long and successful career in UK capital markets with
over 30 years' corporate finance experience, including IPOs, equity capital
raising and M&A for both public and private companies. He was previously a
founder shareholder and a director of boohoo.com and a majority shareholder of
Crawford Healthcare, a UK-based advanced wound care and dermatology company,
which was acquired by Acelity in June 2018. He is a shareholder and director
of numerous private companies operating across a range of sectors. Richard
founded Zeus Capital, an independent financial services group, in 2003 and is
a director of Zeus Group.

 

Shaun Chilton, Non-Executive Chairman, commented:

 

"As Avacta completes its transformation into a dedicated pure play
therapeutics company, focused on advancing our unique preCISION(®) platform
for the benefit of patients, it needs seasoned and expert guidance. David and
Richard have many years' experience and proven track records in pharmaceutical
development and commercialization and capital markets respectively. Their
collective expertise will significantly enhance the Board's capabilities as we
focus on the strategic opportunities within our innovative pipeline to build
long-term shareholder value."

 

David Bryant commented:

 

"I am looking forward to working closely with the executive management team on
Avacta's exciting technology and leveraging my commercial expertise. With the
recent advances from the pre|CISION platform just published and the second
program entering the clinic soon, the timing is ideal for me to join the
Board."

 

Richard Hughes added:

 

"I am delighted to be appointed as a Director. The business has a proprietary
delivery platform in pre|CISION(®) that I believe will have a significant
impact on the standard of care across a range of therapeutics, whilst limiting
the harmful side effects that so many patients experience. I look forward to
utilizing my experience in both fundraising and the scaling of businesses to
assist the executive management team in delivering value for all
shareholders."

 

-Ends -

 

For further information from Avacta Group plc, please contact:

 

 Avacta Group plc                                           https://avacta.com/ (https://avacta.com/)

 Michael Vinegrad, Group Communications

 Director

 Peel Hunt (Nomad and Joint Broker)

 James Steel / Chris Golden                                 www.peelhunt.com (http://www.peelhunt.com/)

 Panmure Liberum (Joint Broker)

 Emma Earl / Will Goode / Mark Rogers                       https://panmureliberum.com/ (https://panmureliberum.com/)

 ICR Healthcare                                             avacta@icrhealthcare.com (mailto:avacta@icrhealthcare.com)

 Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson / Stephanie Cuthbert

 Investor Contact

 Renee Leck                                                 renee@thrustsc.com (mailto:renee@thrustsc.com)

 THRUST Strategic Communications

 Media Contact

 Carly Scaduto                                              Carly@carlyscadutoconsulting.com

                                                          (https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=YG-jwixFWaHByFwlhEr4NbVmhGc9YbrV0ozbiHY-33jDG-KDtaZDvqBLS4-5RgIi5zejtwvrLPO1U6xSYlV9BnK-dIegbuZft6wwj-ugstEWYrPDSrd9NwgKYBdm1l9Ty6VSa1gsRJqxeLaMfUN-easXzPVocBafm0xbzTKFahId-T7w4WgPYGYfKdFh6MGXNNniX0b0LrpQwjqHYj_mTmjerN3nRW6pwlbWejQ6wZCns0oke-U-WA7CB-Z2CD1ObedcWrqwKYgQwTY1NxAOLXtmHTL3VJ7HZ4Z3K9ZhB_2_vgbo4aKKTppE6l1bjU2w)
 Carly Scaduto Consulting

 

 

About Avacta - https://avacta.com/ (https://avacta.com/)

Avacta Therapeutics is a clinical-stage life sciences company expanding the
reach of highly potent cancer therapies with the pre|CISION(®) platform.
pre|CISION(®) is a proprietary warhead delivery system based on a
tumor-specific protease (fibroblast activation protein or FAP) that is
designed to concentrate highly potent warheads in the tumor microenvironment
while sparing normal tissues. Our innovative pipeline consists of
pre|CISION(®) peptide drug conjugates (PDC) or Affimer(®) drug conjugates
(AffDC) that leverage the tumor-specific release mechanism, providing unique
benefits over traditional antibody drug conjugates.

 

About the pre|CISION(®) Platform

The pre|CISION(®) platform comprises an anticancer payload conjugated to a
proprietary peptide that is a highly specific substrate for fibroblast
activation protein (FAP) which is upregulated in most solid tumors compared
with healthy tissues. The pre|CISION(®) platform harnesses this tumor
specific protease to cleave pre|CISION(®) peptide drug conjugates and
pre|CISION(®) antibody/Affimer(®) drug conjugates in the tumor
microenvironment, thus releasing active payload in the tumor and reducing
systemic exposure and toxicity, allowing dosing to be optimized to deliver the
best outcomes for patients.

 

Appendix 1: Further disclosures regarding David Bryant

 

Avacta also discloses the following information in accordance with Schedule
2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

 

Full name: David John Bryant

 

Age: 58 years

 

Current directorships/partnerships:

·    60 Niton Street (Freehold) Limited

·    60 Niton Street RTM Ltd

·    Mulberry Capital Management Ltd

 

Previous directorships/partnerships held in the past 5 years:

·    Clinigen Limited

·    Nupharm Group Limited

·    Pern Consumer Products Limited

·    Protomed Limited

·    Quantum Pharma 2014 Limited

·    Quantum Pharmaceutical Limited

·    Quantum Pharma Group Limited

·    Quantum Pharma Holdings Limited

·    Quantum Specials Trustee Limited

·    Triley Bidco Limited

·    Triley Midco Limited

·    Triley Midco 2 Limited

·    U L Medicines Limited

 

Protomed Limited entered into a creditors' voluntary winding up process in
February 2019.  There were no secured or preferential creditors and as at
April 2025 claims of c. £4.1m from unsecured creditors had been received
which were in the process of being agreed and distributed.

 

David Bryant does not hold any ordinary shares in Avacta.

 

There are no other disclosures required in connection with the appointment
David John Bryant under Schedule Two(g) of the Aim Rules for Companies.

 

 

Appendix 2: Further disclosures regarding Richard Hughes

 

Avacta also discloses the following information in accordance with Schedule
2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

 

Full name: Richard Ian Hughes

 

Age: 57 years

 

Current directorships/partnerships:

·    Andratx Property Limited

·    Bidco 2 Limited

·    Bidco 3 Limited

·    Bidco 4 Limited

·    Dakarts Limited

·    Elpis Holdings Limited

·    Eternal Time Limited

·    Irwell Investments Limited

·    Medusa 19 Limited

·    Medusa 19 Group Limited

·    Medusa 19 Healthcare Limited

·    Medusa Asset Management Limited

·    Medusa Management Services Limited

·    Medusa Partners LLP

·    Oakdate Limited

·    Palatine Private Equity LLP

·    RHDL Limited

·    Saturn Asset Management Limited

·    Saturn Group Holdings Limited

·    Saturn Pass Limited

·    Saturn Passport Limited

·    Stratford Place Property Investments Ltd

·    Zeus Group Limited

 

 

Previous directorships/partnerships held in the past 5 years:

·    Newco (Huntingdon Street Nottingham) Limited

 

The following disclosure are made in accordance with paragraphs (g) (v) and
(vi) of Schedule Two of the AIM Rules:

Richard Hughes was:

appointed a director of Catalyst Securities Limited on 3 February 2006, a
company incorporated in England. The company was placed into administration on
21 April 2011 and was subsequently dissolved on 14 November 2018, with
approximately £9.3 million owing to creditors;

appointed a director of Catalyst Securities No.2 Fund Limited on 3 February
2006, a company incorporated in England. The company was placed into
administration on 13 September 2010 and was subsequently dissolved on 15 June
2013, with approximately £1.5 million owing to creditors;

appointed a director of Catalyst Investments Limited on 18 January 2006, a
company incorporated in England. The company entered a creditors' voluntary
liquidation on 17 June 2011 and was subsequently dissolved on 23 April 2014,
with approximately £9.5 million owing to creditors;

appointed a director of Procurasell Holdings Limited on 30 October 2007, a
company incorporated in England. The company entered a compulsory liquidation
on 17 June 2009 and was subsequently dissolved on 24 August 2010;

appointed a director of The Debt Advisor Group plc on 9 April 2003, a company
incorporated in England. The company was placed into administration on 29 June
2007 and was subsequently dissolved on 10 April 2011, with approximately £2.3
million owing to unsecured creditors;

appointed an LLP designated member of My SPA Liverpool LLP, a limited
liability partnership incorporated in England, on 5 November 2008. The
partnership entered a creditors' voluntary liquidation on 20 October 2009 and
was subsequently dissolved on 25 May 2011, with an estimated £64,633 owing to
unsecured creditors; and

appointed an LLP designated member of My SPA Chesire LLP, a limited liability
partnership incorporated in England, on 1 December 2008. The partnership
entered a creditors' voluntary liquidation on 22 April 2010 and was
subsequently dissolved on 16 July 2012, with approximately £31,000 owing to
unsecured creditors.

 

Richard Hughes does not hold any ordinary shares in Avacta.

 

There are no other disclosures required in connection with the appointment
Richard Ian Hughes under Schedule Two(g) of the Aim Rules for Companies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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