Verona Pharma plc
("Verona Pharma" or the "Company")
Verona Pharma appoints new CEO
Appointment of experienced biotechnology CEO as part of succession planning
1 May 2012 - London, UK - Verona Pharma plc (AIM: VRP.L), the Company focused on
discovering and developing first-in-class drugs for respiratory disease, today
announced the appointment of Dr Sven Jan-Anders Karlsson (aged 57)as Chief
Executive Officer with effect from 1 June 2012.
Dr Karlsson has broad pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D and corporate
experience. He was formerly the CEO at S*BIO, a Singapore and US based
biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel small
molecule anti-cancer drugs. Before S*BIO, Dr Karlsson was Executive Vice
President of Pharma Global Research at Bayer Healthcare after holding senior
leadership positions at Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (now Sanofi) and Astra (now
AstraZeneca).
The current CEO, Michael Walker, was one of the co-founders of Verona Pharma.
Under his leadership the Company acquired and rapidly progressed two novel drug
candidates through five successful Phase II clinical trials. Michael will work
closely with Jan-Anders to ensure a successful handover of the CEO position and
will continue to serve the Company as a Senior Scientific Advisor to the Board.
Professor Clive Page, Chairman of Verona Pharma, said:"Michael and I have
worked together on various projects for many years including the founding of
Verona Pharma. Michael has brought considerable scientific and commercial
experience to the Company and we are delighted that he will continue to
contribute as a scientific advisor following the appointment of Dr Karlsson."
"We have taken time to identify and recruit the right person to take over from
Michael after he had notified the Board of his intention to step down. We
believe Jan-Anders' experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector
will be invaluable to Verona Pharma as we move our clinical programs forward,
and continue to grow and expand the Company. We very much look forward to
working with him."
Dr Karlsson said: "Verona Pharma is developing drugs for patients with
respiratory diseases where the medicines are either inadequate or failing to
meet patients' needs.