Chairman's AddressIt has been a truly momentous year for our company, a year that has seen the creation of a major Australian player in the international antibody therapeutics sector.The very profitable sale of our shareholding in Domantis, followed by the merger of Peptech with EvoGenix to form Arana Therapeutics has resulted in the creation of a major Australian participant in the international antibody therapeutics sector. The transformed company has a combination of proprietary antibody technologies, financial resources and management talent that are possibly unique in a biotechnology company. We have a strong pipeline of therapeutic drug candidates and the technologies to ensure a continued flow of new drug candidates. Your board and management team will be highly focused on ensuring that the company’s resources are channelled into timely and effective development of the pipeline to achieve value creation for shareholders. The former Chairman, Mel Bridges, retired at the end of October following the announcement of a successful Phase I clinical trial for ART621 (formerly PN0621). On behalf of the company, I would like to thank Mel for his contribution. He played a key role in the company’s growth and development through the difficult licensing negotiations with Abbott and Centocor, the very successful investment in Domantis and the recent merger with EvoGenix. He leaves the company in a very sound position. I would also like to give recognition to directors Martin Kriewaldt and Till Medinger for their many contributions to the company, following their retirement from the board during the year. Your Board has been restructured to support the accelerated development of the company, with a diverse skill base and highly credentialed individuals. In April, Dr Lincoln Chee joined the board as a non-executive director. Chris Harris and I joined the board in August at the time of the EvoGenix merger. Chris brings many years of management experience in the pharmaceutical sector as a former Group Managing Director of F.H. Faulding & Co. Limited, and holds Chairman or non-executive director roles with a number of strong Australian companies. Our newest member, George Jessup, joined the board in November. George is active in investing in and providing strategic direction to biotechnology companies. In 1997 he became co-founder and Managing Director of Start-up Australia. Your board believes Arana is well placed to take advantage of the strong and growing global interest in the antibody therapeutics sector. We have recently signed off on a new strategic plan for the company, and we enter the year with confidence in John Chiplin and the management team, to execute this plan and support the rapid development of Arana Therapeutics. It is the board’s strong belief that with our new company we have created a much stronger future for shareholders and ultimately for the patients who will benefit from our treatments.  Robin Beaumont Non-executive Chairman |
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