Board
Harren Jhoti, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Harren Jhoti previously led the Structural Biology and Bioinformatics groups at GlaxoWellcome (1991-1999), applying protein structure analysis to drug discovery and was involved in structure-based drug design projects aimed at a variety of therapeutic targets. He received his PhD in Protein Crystallography from Birkbeck College, University of London, UK.
John Aston, MA ACA
John Aston joined Astex in January 2007 as Chief Financial Officer. John was formerly chief financial officer and a member of the board of directors of Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) having joined CAT in September 1996, 6 months before the company’s Initial Public Offering. As CFO and a senior member of its executive management, he played a central role over a period of more than 10 years in the development of CAT into one of Europe's most important biotechnology companies, including the successful listing of CAT on the London Stock Exchange and subsequently on NASDAQ, and its sale to AstraZeneca in June 2006. John has a degree in Mathematics from Cambridge University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse subsequently joining British Technology Group (BTG) before gaining extensive experience in corporate finance during 14 years at Schroders, where he was appointed a director in 1989.
Prof Sir Tom Blundell, FRS
Founder
Tom Blundell is Head of the Biochemistry Department at Cambridge University and a world-leader in research on protein structure and function. He has pioneered many aspects of the protein structure field and is an authority on structure-based drug design and protein bioinformatics. He has also played an active role in UK national science policy in appointments as Director General of the AFRC (1991-1994) and Chief Executive of the BBSRC (1994-1996).
Stephen Bunting, PhD
Stephen Bunting is the Managing Director of Abingworth Management Ltd and has been in the venture capital business for over 20 years. During this time he has assisted in over 70 investments in the biotechnology and medical sectors. He has served on the boards of a number of life sciences companies including Ablynx, Astex, Aurora Biosciences, Cantab Pharmaceuticals, Devgen, Genetic Therapy,Hexagen and 3-D Pharmaceuticals.
Mark Carthy, MS MBA
Mark Carthy is General Partner of Oxford Bioscience with more than 17 years experience of operating or investing in high technology companies. Prior to joining Oxford, he was Biotechnology Portfolio Manager at Morningside Ventures and served as a director of Variagenics and Dendreon. Mr Carthy has also been Chief Business Officer of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Senior Director of Business Development at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. He received an MS in chemical engineering from University of Missouri and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Peter Fellner, PhD
Non-Executive Chairman
Peter Fellner was appointed as Chairman of Astex Technology Ltd in 2002. He is also Chairman of two other biotechnology companies, Vernalis plc and Ionix Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and is also a Director of two European biotechnology companies, UCB SA and Evotec AG. In addition, he is a Director of QinetiQ Holdings plc, one of Europe's largest technology-based companies and a Director of Isis Innovation Ltd. He is a member of the Medical Research Council.
He was previously Chairman of Celltech Group plc, one of Europe's largest biotechnology companies until its acquisition in 2004, having served as its CEO from 1990 to 2003. Before joining Celltech, Dr. Fellner served as CEO of Roche UK, from 1986 to 1990. From 1984 to 1986 he was Director of the Roche UK Research Centre.
Amos Goren, MSc MBA
Amos Goren is Head of the European Healthcare Team at Apax focusing on healthcare investments particularly within the biotechnology and medical devices industries. Before joining Apax Partners in 1997, he was president and CEO of AquaPharm Technologies in Maryland and Vice President of Business Development at Carmel Containers in Israel. Amos holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MSc in organic chemistry and hormone research from the Weizmann Institute, and a BSc cum laude in biology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Peter Ringrose, MA PhD
Peter Ringrose recently retired as Chief Scientific Officer of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and President of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute where he was responsible for the discovery, preclinical and clinical development of pharmaceutical products worldwide. Previously he was Senior Vice President and Head of Pfizer Central Research Europe. Prior to this he held positions at Sandoz Research Institute and Roche. He is Chair of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and a member of the Board of Governors of the New York Academy of Sciences. He is currently a non-executive director of Cambridge Antibody Technology and Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc. and a Pitt Fellow of Pembroke College Cambridge.
Jon S Saxe, BSChE JD LLM
Jon S Saxe was President of Protein Design Labs Inc until May 1999, prior to which he served as President and CEO of Synergen Inc. Mr Saxe worked for nearly 30 years at Hoffman-La Roche in a number of senior roles including VP, Licensing and Corporate Development, and Head, Patent Law. Mr Saxe currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on a number of Boards of leading US and Canadian biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies including Protein Design Labs Inc, First Horizon Pharmaceuticals Inc, Durect Corporation, SciClone Pharmaceuticals, Inc., InSite Vision Inc., Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and ID Biomedical Corporation.
Patrick Van Beneden, MSci
Patrick Van Beneden is Executive Vice-President Life Sciences at GIMV. Mr Van Beneden has 20 years experience with GIMV, and is responsible for GIMV's investment portfolio in life sciences and for managing the Biotech Fund Flanders. Current board positions include Devgen, Crop Design, Astex Technology, Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Pamgene, Xantos Biomedicine and TorreyPines Therapeutics. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Oxford Biosciences Partners and Sofinnova SA. Mr Van Beneden obtained his degree in Financial Sciences from Vlekho, Brussels.