New appointments

OptiBiotix Health plc

("OptiBiotix" or "the Company")

New appointments

OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), a life sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes, announces the appointment of Dr Taru Jain as Business Development Director in Asia and Christopher Nother, as the pharmaceutical lead on LP_LDL®.

Christopher Nother is joining OptiBiotix on a part time consultancy basis to support the growth of LP_LDL® in pharma, either as an 'over the counter' (OTC) product used by itself or in combination with existing treatments (e.g. statins), or a drug biotherapeutic in markets outside the USA.  Chris joins OptiBiotix after leading global business development at Nypro Healthcare's (now Jabil Healthcare) Pharmaceutical Delivery Systems division.  Jabil Healthcare describes itself as the world's leading healthcare contract manufacturing organisation on its website, and its parent company, Jabil Inc., is a Fortune 200 world leading manufacturing solutions provider. Chris advises a number of other businesses in the healthcare and drug delivery systems sectors and is Interim CEO at Surgical Synergy Limited.

Dr Taru Jain will join OptiBiotix's management team in March 2021 to focus on business development and growing sales in the strategically important Indian and Asian markets.  Dr. Taru was previously the Executive Director at Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, (Akums website states it is India's single largest Contract Research and Manufacturing (CRAMS) organisation responsible for manufacturing approximately 11-12% of all drugs consumed in the country). Her responsibilities at Akums included in-licensing worldwide, marketing strategy and design, client and account relationship management, along with representation of the company on national and international forums.  She has over 10 years of experience across the Indian healthcare value chain as well as primary knowledge of the demand pattern of the prescription and OTC market.

Stephen OHara CEO of OptiBiotix Health plc commented: "OptiBiotix made strong progress last year in growing sales and reducing costs and enters 2021 with a strong balance sheet and lead pipeline.  The Company is now focused on the next stage of its development: growing sales and profitability in its divisions, and commercialising its next generation products (e.g. microbiome modulators, SweetBiotix, and drug biotherapeutics). 

"We now have more opportunities across a broader range of areas that can effectively be commercialised with the size of the current team. Chris and Taru bring additional capacity, expertise and a network of contacts in product areas and markets of strategic interest which will support future revenue growth. These appointments are consistent with our strategy of developing multiple revenue streams from both consumer and pharmaceutical products across all OptiBiotix technology platforms."

About OptiBiotix - www.optibiotix.com 

OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI) is  a biotechnology company formed in March 2012 which brings science and human studies to the development of compounds which modify the human microbiome - the collective genome of the microbes in the body - in order to prevent and manage human disease and promote wellness.

OptiBiotix has an extensive R&D programme working with leading academics in the development of microbial strains, compounds, and formulations which are used as active ingredients, supplements, and potentially drug biotherapeutic products. More than seventy international food and healthcare supplement companies have signed agreements with OptiBiotix to incorporate their human microbiome modulators into a wide range of supplements, food, dairy, and beverage products.

OptiBiotix is also developing its own range of consumer supplements and health products. The Company's current areas of focus include obesity, cardiovascular health, and diabetes.