Avacta Appoints Darlene Deptula-Hicks as Non-Executive Director

Avacta Group plc has announced the addition of Darlene Deptula-Hicks, MBA, to its Board of Directors as a Non-Executive Director, effective from June 26, 2024. This appointment is significant for the company as it aims to enhance its clinical development and market strategies.

Darlene Deptula-Hicks brings a wealth of financial expertise and experience from the life sciences sector, having served in executive roles in both private and public companies. Her most recent role was as interim CFO at Normunity. Before that, she was the CFO at F-star Therapeutics, a company she helped take public in 2020 and successfully sold in 2023. Additionally, her previous positions include CFO roles at Northern Biologics and T2 Biosystems. She also served as Senior Vice President and CFO at Pieris Pharmaceuticals, another company she guided through its public offering. Currently, she sits on the Boards of Abcuro and Aerami Therapeutics.

Shaun Chilton, Chairman of Avacta’s Board, emphasized the importance of this appointment, stating that Avacta is at a critical juncture, particularly in advancing its pre|CISION™ technology through clinical trials. He highlighted the necessity of having a board equipped with the right commercial, financial, and operational experience to support these advancements. Chilton expressed enthusiasm about working with Deptula-Hicks to develop Avacta’s capital market strategy and explore potential partnerships.

Avacta’s CEO, Christina Coughlin, echoed these sentiments, noting that the company is evolving its Board to better align with its clinical and market objectives. She believes Deptula-Hicks’ extensive experience will be invaluable as Avacta continues to advance its therapeutic platforms.

Ms. Deptula-Hicks holds an MBA from Rivier University and a BS in Accounting from Southern New Hampshire University. She expressed her excitement about joining Avacta, acknowledging the company’s significant progress in the clinical development of its therapeutic business and its innovative pipeline. She looks forward to contributing to the company’s strategy and success, leveraging her global market experience.

Avacta Group plc is a UK-based life sciences company dedicated to enhancing healthcare outcomes through targeted cancer treatments and diagnostics. The company operates two primary divisions: Avacta Therapeutics, which focuses on developing cutting-edge oncology drugs using proprietary platforms, and Avacta Diagnostics, which aims to support healthcare professionals and broaden access to diagnostic tools.

Avacta’s proprietary platforms, pre|CISION™ and Affimer®, are central to its innovative approach to cancer treatment. The pre|CISION™ platform utilizes a specific substrate for fibroblast activation protein (FAP), which is upregulated in most solid tumors compared to healthy tissues. This platform allows for the activation of drug conjugates within the tumor microenvironment, minimizing systemic exposure and toxicity. The lead program, AVA6000, a peptide drug conjugate form of doxorubicin, is currently in Phase 1 studies and has demonstrated improved safety and tolerability over standard doxorubicin, along with preliminary signs of clinical activity.

The appointment of Darlene Deptula-Hicks is a strategic move for Avacta as it seeks to capitalize on its technological advancements and clinical progress. Her extensive background in financial management and strategic direction in the life sciences field is expected to provide substantial support to Avacta’s ongoing and future initiatives.