New Board For Avecia

TEESSIDE, England, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Reflecting a new phase in its corporate development, biotechnology company Avecia has announced a new three-man Board for its parent, Avecia Holdings plc. Avecia is a major player in the contract manufacturing of healthcare biologics and the world's leading producer of DNA medicines.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060509/212175 )

Chief Executive Officer & Director Adrian Buckmaster joined Avecia in October 2005 having previously been CEO of the Automotive Products Group and Dobson Park Industries. Earlier in his career he was a director of the Dowty Group responsible for their mining machinery and polymers engineering businesses, before leading a buyout of their Mining Machinery business in 1989. Much of his experience has been in project-based businesses providing bespoke solutions to customers' requirements. An engineer by training, he studied at Cambridge University.

Chief Financial Officer Duncan McLellan worked on the creation of Avecia - including the original financing of the launch - and was appointed Group Controller on Avecia's formation in mid-1999. He was previously Financial Controller of Zeneca Specialties. Duncan joined the Pharmaceutical Division of ICI as a Management Accountant in 1983. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1981, after gaining an Economics BA at Sheffield University.

Executive Director Dr. Kevin Cox has been President of the Avecia Biologics business unit since October 2005. Formerly Avecia Vice President, Biotechnology, Dr. Cox held a series of senior positions in Avecia's predecessors Zeneca Specialties and ICI, including periods in Japan and the USA. He has over 10 years' experience in the biotechnology industry, leading Avecia's biotechnology-based businesses from their early stages of development through the subsequent period of high growth. Dr Cox chairs the advisory committee of BioNow, a healthcare cluster initiative in England's North West. He has a Chemistry degree from Sheffield University and a D.Phil from Oxford.

Notes to Editors:

- Avecia is a privately-owned biotechnology company with leading positions in biopharmaceutical process development and manufacturing; bio-defence vaccines and manufacture of DNA medicines.

- The company's Tees Valley, UK site has been developing processes and making protein-based biologics to cGMP since 1998. Products currently being worked on include medicines targeted at cancer, heart conditions, stroke, growth and blood disorders. See www.avecia.com

- The company employs over 450 people at its ABC 5000 and ABC 1000 biologics production facilities at Billingham's Belasis Avenue site.

CONTACT: For further information contact: Bridget Hall, CommunicationsManager, Avecia Biotechnology, Tel: +44-(0)-1642-367320, Mobile:+44(0)7796-938929, bridget.hall@avecia.com; Roger Johnstone, DebenEditorial Services, Tel: +44-(0)161-614-1450, Mobile: +44-(0)7841-433141,rdj@debened.com