Dr Keegan succeeds Robert Aubrey as Chief Financial Officer. Mr Aubrey will continue as an Executive Director of the Company, initially to ensure the smooth transition of the finance function.
Dr Keegan, aged 42 years, joins Minster from the investment bank CanaccordAdams, where he has worked for six years most recently as Managing Director and UK Head of Equity Research and Global Head of Life Sciences Research. During more than 11 years in the City, he worked at investment banks including Banc of America, UBS and DresdnerKleinwort Benson, achieving the top ranking in investor surveys of biotechnology analysts.
Prior to joining the City, Dr Keegan worked in the pharmaceutical industry in research and in commercial strategy at companies including SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, which later became GlaxoSmithKline.
Dr Keegan graduated in Pharmacology at University College Dublin, Ireland, and gained a PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, UK. He also holds an MSc in Finance from the London Business School.
Karl David Keegan holds or has held directorships in the five years preceding his appointment to Minster Pharmaceuticals as follows:
Dr Keegan does not currently hold Minster shares. There are no other matters to be disclosed in relation to Schedule 2 paragraph (g) and (i) of the AIM Rules.
John Russell, Minster Pharmaceuticals’ Chairman, said: “I am delighted to welcome Karl Keegan to Minster Pharmaceuticals as our Chief Financial Officer. His wealth of experience of the healthcare industry, of finance and of the City will be of great value in the future development of the Company.”
About Minster Pharmaceuticals plc
Minster Pharmaceuticals is a drug development company focussed on neurological and psychiatric disorders. Its principal pipeline assets are tonabersat and sabcomeline. Worldwide rights to both compounds were acquired from GlaxoSmithKline and the compounds benefit from comprehensive safety tolerance data as a result of investment by GSK.
Tonabersat is the leading compound in an exciting new class of selective drugs designated as neuronal gap junction blockers. Sabcomeline, a muscarinic partial agonist, has potential in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia and the strategy for its further clinical development is currently under consideration.
Minster joined the AIM market in February 2005 and trades under the symbol MPM. For further information please visit www.minsterpharma.com.
