Synairgen plc - Directorate appointment

28 Jun 2010

Synairgen plc (LSE: SNG), the respiratory drug discovery and development company with a particular focus on viral defence in asthma, COPD and flu, is pleased to announce the appointment of Iain Peter Murray Buchanan to the Board.

Iain Buchanan, aged 57, has joined the Board as a non-executive director with immediate effect. Iain is currently Chief Executive Officer of Novexel SA ('Novexel'), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on novel anti-infectives. Iain joined Novexel at its formation in 2004 and oversaw its recent sale to Astrazeneca in March 2010. He has some 35 years' commercial experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. He joined Novexel from Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Limited, where he was Managing Director. Prior to Vertex, Iain was the Regional Licensing Director of Cilag A.G. International, a division of Johnson & Johnson based in Switzerland, where he managed Cilag's international licensee business from 1987 to 1994. Prior to joining Cilag, Iain was Marketing Director at Biogen in Switzerland, with responsibility for business development activities in Europe.
He is also a non-executive director of NOXXON Pharma AG. Simon Shaw, Chairman of Synairgen, commented, "I am delighted to welcome Iain to the Board. Synairgen will benefit significantly from his extensive business development and licensing experience as we move towards realising the value of our interferon beta programmes in the coming periods."

In accordance with the AIM Rules for Companies, the Company confirms that there is no further disclosure obligation required, pursuant to Schedule Two, Paragraph (g).

For further information, please contact:
Synairgen plc                                            Tel: + 44 (0) 23 8051 2800
Simon Shaw, Chairman
Richard Marsden, Chief Executive Officer
Matrix Corporate Capital                          Tel: + 44 (0) 20 3206 7000
Alastair Stratton
Anu Tayal
Threadneedle Communications                 Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7653 9850
Graham Herring
Josh Royston