THE chief executive of one of Queensland’s rising biotech stars is leaving the company amid industry speculation of tension with a state-government backed investment fund. The departure of chief executive officer and director Tony Evans from Xenome, which is developing a painkiller based on the venom of a Great Barrier Reef shellfish, comes only weeks after its head of drug development also left. Bioshares analyst David Blake said it was believed there were differences over the direction of the company with the Queensland BioCapital Fund, which has so far invested $6 million in Xenome. But QBF chief executive officer Dr Kathryn Radford, who retains a director’s spot at Xenome, said there was no dispute with Dr Evans or board-level conflict.
