Board Changes

Horizon Discovery Group plc

 Board Changes 

Cambridge, UK, 1 May 2020: Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE: HZD) ("Horizon" or "the Group"), a cell engineering company focused on commercialising the application of gene editing and gene modulation to accelerate scientific innovation and biopharmaceutical drug development, today announces the appointment of Dr. Siddhartha Kadia as Non-Executive Director, with effect from 30 April 2020. The Group also announces that Dr. Susan Galbraith stood down from her position as a Non-Executive Director of the Board, with effect from 30 April 2020.

Dr. Kadia has a deep background in executive management and public company governance across a range of global businesses, predominantly in the Life Sciences Tools, Diagnostics and Medical Technologies, High Tech and TIC (Testing, Inspection and Certification) industries. Dr. Kadia was formerly President and CEO of EAG Laboratories until its acquisition by Eurofins Scientific in 2017. He continued to serve as the CEO of EAG laboratories until December 2018. Prior to EAG, he served in a number of senior roles including as President of Life Sciences Division at Life Technologies Corporation at the time of its acquisition by ThermoFisher Scientific in February 2014.

Dr. Kadia has extensive Board experience and has previously served as a Director of two US listed companies, Newport Corporation (NSDQ: NEWP), Volcano Corporation (NSDQ: VOLC) and of privately owned EAG Laboratories. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of ALS Limited, an ASX listed public global TIC company headquartered in Australia, and was appointed in February 2020 to the Board of Bioskryb, a private company that is developing genomic amplification technologies that deliver higher coverage and fidelity for gene sequencing. He previously served as a management consultant at McKinsey and Company. Dr. Kadia has executive experience leading businesses in the US, Europe, Japan and China and has an extensive global network in scientific enterprise.

Dr. Kadia obtained his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore. He also holds a M.S. in biomedical engineering from Rutgers University, New Jersey, and a B.E in electronics and telecommunications from Gujarat University in India.

Dr. Susan Galbraith has served on the Board of Horizon Discovery since 2014, bringing extensive insight into therapeutic research and development. Dr. Galbraith is currently Senior Vice President and Head of Early Oncology at AstraZeneca. Her departure from the Group's Board reflects her increased responsibilities at AstraZeneca.

Dr. Ian Gilham, Non-Executive Chairman of Horizon, commented:

"We are delighted to welcome Siddhartha to the Board. He brings a wealth of US public company experience and international expertise in the life sciences tools arena across global markets with a particular emphasis on North America, Asia and Europe.

"At the same time, on behalf of my colleagues, I would like to thank Susan for her outstanding contributions and commitment to the Group since her appointment in 2014. We wish her every success in the future."

Dr. Kadia commented:

"It is an exciting time for Horizon Discovery Group, with its global leadership in gene modulation and gene editing technologies. I am thrilled to be part of the Horizon team and join the Group in its mission to drive the next wave of precision medicine."

Dr. Galbraith added:

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my six years on the Board at Horizon. Horizon's technology portfolio is unparalleled, and I wish all of the staff and my former colleagues around the Board table well."

The following information regarding the appointment of Dr. Siddhartha Chandrakant Kadia, aged 50, is disclosed in accordance with Rule 17 and paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM rules.

Current directorships/partnerships:

Non-Executive Independent Director, ALS Limited

Director, Bioskryb

Previous directorships/ partnerships held in the past five years:

President/CEO and Director, EAG Laboratories

Director, EAG Inc

Director, Evans Analytical Group LLC

Director, EAG Holdings LLC

Director, Newport Corporation

Director, Volcano Corporation

Ends

For further information from Horizon Discovery Group plc, please contact:

Horizon Discovery Group plc

Terry Pizzie, Chief Executive Officer

Jayesh Pankhania, Chief Financial Officer

Jon Davies, Head of Investor Relations

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 655 580

Numis Securities Limited (Broker and NOMAD)

Freddie Barnfield / Duncan Monteith

Tel: +44 (0) 207 260 1000

Consilium Strategic Communications (Financial Media and UK Investor Relations)

Mary-Jane Elliott / Matthew Neal / Melissa Gardiner

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700

Email: [email protected]

Zyme Communications (Trade and Regional Media)

Katie Odgaard

Tel: +44 (0)7787 502 947

Email: [email protected] 

Westwicke, an ICR Company (US Investor Relations)

Stephanie Carrington

Tel. +1 646-277-1282

Email: [email protected]

About Horizon Discovery Group plc www.horizondiscovery.com

Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE: HZD) ("Horizon") is a cell engineering company focused on commercializing the application of gene editing and gene modulation to accelerate scientific innovation and biopharmaceutical drug development. Horizon's portfolio of tools and services is built on decades of experience in altering the expression of genes across mammalian and human cell types to provide cell engineering tools and services to customers in three key areas of the therapeutic ecosystem: basic research, drug discovery and development and therapeutic applications. Horizon's offerings support and enable critical elements of the drug development and therapeutic value chain, particularly in the area of precision medicine. Horizon's customers include biopharmaceutical and diagnostics companies, contract research and manufacturing organizations and academic researchers across the globe.

Horizon is headquartered in Cambridge, UK with offices in USA and Japan. The Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market under the ticker HZD.