Oxford Gene Technology announces leadership changes

Oxford Gene Technology (OGT), The Molecular Genetics Company, has announced that on 1^st April 2018 Dr John Anson who has been with the company since 2006 as EVP of R&D took over as CEO from Dr Mike Evans, who has become a non-executive director of OGT’s board. In addition, as part of the company’s increasing focus on diagnostics following its acquisition by Sysmex Corporation (Sysmex), OGT has appointed Paul Kenny in a new regulatory position—EVP of Regulatory and Medical Affairs. This new appointment will equip the company to successfully navigate the ever-evolving IVD regulatory landscape.

Dr Mike Evans has been with the company since 2005 during which time he spearheaded OGT’s transformation from a microarray licensing-led business model to a highly successful molecular genetics products business. During his tenure, Dr Evans oversaw the successful acquisition and incorporation of OGT’s Cytocell^® fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes business in 2014—beginning the transformation into a diagnostics company. In 2017, Dr Evans led the company through the smooth acquisition by Sysmex, a leading provider of hematology and in vitro diagnostics products.

Dr Anson, has been responsible for OGT’s successful alignment with market growth in molecular genetics and the move towards molecular diagnostics. Dr Anson led R&D teams that are now collaborating with Sysmex to develop an automated system for FISH testing that combines Sysmex’s instrumentation technology with OGT’s high-quality FISH reagent development expertise. As CEO, Dr Anson will lead the company in its next chapter and help realize the opportunities of bringing together OGT’s innovation and expertise in genetic assays with Sysmex’s instrument development and in vitro diagnostic capabilities.

Dr Anson CEO, commented:

I am looking forward to picking up the mantle from Mike to steer OGT in its next growth phase as part of Sysmex, and the successful integration of our portfolios. We have already identified many great opportunities for product development combining our reagents expertise with Sysmex’s instruments. There are also excellent commercial synergies, further expanding our market access into molecular diagnostics— which is exactly where we want to grow.

With the increasing focus on diagnostics, the appointment of Paul Kenny as EVP of Regulatory and Medical Affairs ensures the company is well positioned to handle all Regulatory Affairs matters as the regulatory landscape evolves, including clearance and post market surveillance in global markets. Paul comes to OGT from immunodiagnostic company, The Binding Site, where he was Head of Regulatory Affairs for five years, and has wide-ranging Regulatory Affairs expertise gained at The Binding Site, Olympus and Ortho Clinical Diagnostics.