Ghent, BELGIUM, April 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biotalys Appoints Simon Moroney as Chairman of the Board
Internationally respected corporate executive brings over 30 years of leadership
in life sciences to Biotalys
Ghent, BELGIUM – 20 April 2021 – Biotalys, an AgTech company focused on addressing food protection challenges to enable a more sustainable and safer food supply, is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Moroney as Chairman of the Board, following the Company’s Annual General Meeting end of last week.
Simon brings over 30 years of industry leadership and research experience to the Biotalys Board. From 1992 to 2019, he was co-founder and CEO of MorphoSys, a leading biotechnology company focused on the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. At MorphoSys, Simon played a central role in establishing the company as a driving force in the field of therapeutic antibodies and led the company to a $239m initial public offering on the Nasdaq stock exchange in 2018. He currently sits on the board of Novartis as a non-executive Director. Simon has been recognized and awarded with the German Cross of the Order of Merit for his work and contribution to the biotechnology industry.
“Simon is an eminent figure in the global life sciences community, and his appointment as Chairman of the Board demonstrates our ambition to establish Biotalys at the forefront of innovation in agricultural technology. Simon’s extensive experience and proven track record will be invaluable to our team as we continue to develop our pipeline of antibody-derived biocontrol solutions. On behalf of Biotalys and the Board of Directors, I warmly welcome Simon and look forward to drawing upon his strategic and operational judgment,” said Patrice Sellès, CEO of Biotalys. “I would also like to deeply thank Lieven De Smedt for his professional contribution as a consensus-building Chairman over the past six years and, in particular, for his active role in the capital rounds and his mentorship in building the company’s management team.”
“I strongly believe that Biotalys has great potential to become an important force of innovation in the global AgTech sector, addressing the urgent need for more sustainable food production and offering effective alternatives to conventional crop protection products that are safer for the environment, grower and consumer,” added Simon Moroney, newly appointed Chairman of the Board at Biotalys.
“I am excited to join as Chairman, where I believe my experience in both antibody technology and in building innovative companies from early stage through to commercialization leaves me well placed to guide the Company at this key phase in its development. I look forward to working closely with Patrice and the Biotalys leadership team as we continue to build and develop our pipeline of transformative biocontrol solutions.”
Simon holds a D. Phil in Chemistry from the University of Oxford and has held positions in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, as Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department, University of British Columbia and as Associate and Lecturer in the Chemistry Department of the ETH Zurich.
Today’s announcement follows the recent submissions to the EU and US regulatory authorities of the registration dossier for the Company’s first protein-based biocontrol product, Evoca™ *, Biotalys’ first biofungicide which aims to provide fruit and vegetable growers with a novel mode of action to control key pathogens in selected crops.
* Evoca™: Pending Registration. This product is not currently registered for sale or use in the European Union, the United States or elsewhere and is not being offered for sale.
About Biotalys
Biotalys is an Agricultural Technology (AgTech) company focused on addressing food protection challenges with proprietary protein-based biocontrol solutions and aiming to provide alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides for a more sustainable and safer food supply. Based on its novel AGROBODY™ technology platform, Biotalys has developed a strong and diverse pipeline of effective products with a favorable safety profile that aim to address key crop pests and diseases across the whole value chain, from soil to plate. Biotalys was founded in 2013 as a spin-off from the VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and has raised €62.8 million (US$74,9 million) to date from Belgian and international specialised investors. The Company is based in the biotech cluster in Ghent, Belgium. More information can be found on www.biotalys.com.
For further information, please contact
Toon Musschoot, Strategic Communications Manager
T: +32 (0)9 274 54 00
E: Toon.Musschoot@biotalys.com
Consilium Strategic Communications
Amber Fennell, Chris Gardner, Chris Welsh
T: +44 (0)203 709 5700
E: Biotalys@consilium-comms.com