Appointment of New Head of Business Development

ARK THERAPEUTICS GROUP PLC

Ark Therapeutics Appoints a New Head of Business Development

London - 11 June 2012, London, UK: Ark Therapeutics Group plc ("Ark" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Kassim Kolia, BSc (Hons), has been appointed as Head of Business Development. In this role, Kassim will report directly to Dr David Venables, Executive Director - Manufacturing Services, with responsibility for building Ark's manufacturing services business at its unique viral process development and manufacturing facility based in Kuopio, Finland.

Kassim joins Ark from Eden Biodesign Limited, part of Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where, since 2006, he has been responsible for the business development of Eden Biodesign's contract development and manufacturing services. Before joining Eden Biodesign, Kassim was Key Account Manager at Bachem (UK) Ltd where he was responsible for business development of cGMP business opportunities for the company in the UK and Ireland. Prior to that, Kassim held the role of cGMP Line Manager at Lonza Biologics where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the manufacturing plant.

Kassim has an outstanding track record in business development in the global biotech manufacturing services sector and is well positioned to promote the growth of Ark's manufacturing business.

Dr David Venables, Executive Director - Manufacturing Services of Ark commented: "Kassim's extensive experience in winning manufacturing service contracts will enable us to accelerate the development of our world-leading contract viral product development and manufacturing services capability into a major, self-sustaining business. I look forward to working with him at what is a very exciting time for Ark."

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Ark Therapeutics Group plc

Ark Therapeutics Group plc is an innovative gene-based medicine company with operations in the UK and Finland that seeks to capitalise through partnerships on its pipeline of programmes in high value areas of unmet medical need within vascular disease and cancer, and to exploit its unrivalled viral manufacturing capability based in Kuopio, Finland. Ark Therapeutics' biological manufacturing operations provide process development and manufacturing for a growing number of third party clients for a variety of stages of therapeutic development, as well as for its own internal programmes.

Ark's research is focused on discovering new approaches to gene delivery using viral vectors with particular emphasis on genes that control tissue vascularisation, especially VEGF, and is based on the work of its two world-leading research centres in Kuopio and London. The Finnish group is led by Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala and is expert in the exploitation of viral technology to address serious medical problems, while Professor John Martin leads a team in London who have complementary skills in the understanding of biological structures and the development of small molecule agonists and antagonists. This combination of skills has resulted in Ark identifying and bringing forward a number of attractive programmes in gene therapeutics and small molecules.

Ark's shares were first listed on the London Stock Exchange in March 2004 (AKT.L).

This announcement includes "forward-looking statements" which include all statements other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding the Group's financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives relating to the Group's products and services), and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include forward-looking terminology such as the words "targets", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "can", "may", "anticipates", "would", "should", "could" or similar expressions or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Group's control that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Group's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Group will operate in the future. Among the important factors that could cause the Group's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include those relating to Ark's funding requirements, regulatory approvals, clinical trials, reliance on third parties, intellectual property, key personnel and other factors. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. As a result of these factors, readers are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statement.