OXFORD, UK and BERLIN CHEMIE/MENARINI, GERMANY – 9th December 2013 – Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT) and Berlin-Chemie (Menarini Group) announce today that they have designated a novel enhanced antibody targeting acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as the first clinical development candidate under the companies' strategic oncology collaboration. The companies have initiated formal regulatory enabling studies to support an application for a clinical phase I trial in AML patients in H2 2014.

Together with Lucia and Alberto Giovanni Aleotti, confirmed as President and Vice President, and members Juerg Witmer and Domenico Simone, Eric Cornut joins the Board as its new independent member.  Three members out of five are now external to corporate ownership.

Eric Cornut, an experienced figure in the global pharmaceutical industry, followed a brilliant career in Novartis, one of the world's leading research companies with an important focus on oncology – an area where Menarini strongly dedicates its research - in addition to the cardiology and respiratory sectors.

At Novartis Eric Cornut was worldwide Chief Commercial Officer and Global Chief Ethics, Compliance and Policy Officer.  He also served at Interpharma, the Swiss association of pharmaceutical research companies, and on the Executive Committee of EFPIA, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, where he was also Director General.

Lucia Aleotti, President of Menarini: "We are certain that the addition of Eric Cornut as Member of the Board will strengthen our company's know-how and further enable us to face the challenges of international competition.  Eric has a vast experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including the oncology sector, and holds recognized independence, in line with our goal of a qualitatively high-level and diverse composition of our Board." "Furthermore," continues Aleotti, "his professional experience in global pharmaceutical compliance, along with his legal background, is in line with Menarini's philosophy based on respect for regulations and ethical codes of conduct worldwide."

Menarini's governance is therefore reinforced with five Members of the Board.  Eric Cornut is the third member to be external to company ownership, together with Juerg Witmer, appointed in 2013, well-known and highly knowledgeable of the Asian pharmaceutical sector, and Domenico Simone, who joined the Board in 2014 after a long career at Menarini at top-level positions with great knowledge of the company's competitive characteristics at the international level.

About the Menarini Group

Menarini Group is an Italian pharmaceutical company, 12th in Europe out of 5,255 companies, and 36th company in the world out of 20,862 companies, with a turnover of more than 3.5 billion Euro and more than 16,700 employees. The Menarini Group has always pursued two strategic objectives: research and internationalization. It is present in the most important therapeutic areas with products for cardiology, gastroenterology, pneumology, infectious diseases, diabetology, inflammation, and analgesia. With 15 production sites and 6 Research and Development centers, the Menarini Group has a strong presence throughout Europe and Asia, Africa, Central and South America. Menarini's products are available in more than 130 countries worldwide. For further information please visit www.menarini.com

If you'd like to know more about Menarini, feel free to download our PDF files here.