Dr Robert Nolan, ex Director of NeuTec Pharma, joins the Phico Therapeutics Board
The Board of Phico Therapeutics Ltd has been further strengthened by the recent addition of Dr Robert Nolan as a non-executive Director. Bob had been a member of the Board of NeuTec Pharma plc for 4 years when it was acquired by Novartis AG in 2006 for £305 M.
Bob brings over 30 years experience in big pharma, from 1989 to end 2004 as Director of Global Licensing at AstraZeneca, managing major product licensing transactions aimed at acquiring world-wide rights to the products of other companies. Bob worked with a broad variety of partner companies ranging from virtual biotech start-ups to multi-billion global entities with the considerations involved in these projects ranging from the single $millions to in excess of $300 million. During his career, Bob has dealt with a broad range of therapeutic areas but of particular benefit to Phico is Bob’s experience in infection, having spent seventeen years in this field at ICI Pharmaceuticals and Sandoz (now Novartis) in Vienna.
Bob gained his Ph.D. in biochemistry from King’s College, London, and completed two post-doctoral fellowships in the US at Dartmouth Medical School and MIT. He speaks fluent German and reasonable French and Italian, is an active member of the Licensing Executives Society having been on their Healthcare Committee, and occasionally lectures on issues related to licensing.
Phico is an early stage biotechnology company developing a novel antibiotic platform technology called SASPjectTM. SASPjectTM is based on using a protein which has broad spectrum antibacterial activity coupled to a delivery system which targets selected bacteria. In this way Phico’s technology can target only harmful bacteria, including superbugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile, whilst leaving the natural skin and gut flora unharmed. Phico’s first product is aimed at eliminating MRSA from the nose to prevent the spread of MRSA and reduce infections. This product is currently undergoing testing prior to a human clinical trial late this year. Other products in development include SASPjectTM targeted to C. difficile and an anti-MRSA product for intravenous use.
Phico has been funded with over £3.5 M to date and the company has labs and offices at the Babraham Bio-Incubator where it employs a team of twelve.
Dr Heather Fairhead, CEO of Phico, said, "I am delighted to welcome Bob to the Phico Board and look forward to working with him. Bob brings extensive industry knowledge and commercial experience to the Board and in particular will provide valuable help in developing licensing partnerships for our pipeline of products. Bob also understands the needs of small biotech companies having experience as a non-executive director on the board of f2g Ltd and Epistem Ltd, and also as a founder and Chairman of Cardiff Protides Ltd and of Cardiff Biologicals Ltd".
Bob Nolan commented, "I am delighted to join the Board of Phico Therapeutics Ltd and am excited at the prospect of contributing to the development and evolution of this interesting technology".