The CEO of Roquefort Therapeutics plc has resigned but will remain as a consultant to oversee the trade sale of two subsidiaries.
Ajan Reginald has advised his intention to resign as CEO and director of the company, while Prof. Sir Martin Evans has also tendered his resignation as non-executive director, both of which are with effect from close of business on 17th March 2025.
Dr Darrin M Disley OBE, currently a non-executive director, will be appointed interim managing director.
London-based Roquefort, a BioTech focused on immunology and oncology, is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. It floated in 2021 with a share price of 8.7p. At close of trading on Friday, it had fallen to 1.5p. This morning’s notice to the LSE has seen it recover to 2.7p in the first hour of trading.
Disley is CEO of Mogrify, a cell reprogramming firm targeting degenerative diseases, and part-time executive chairman of Cardiogeni Plc, a cardiac regenerative medicine company founded by 2007 Nobel Prize winner Sir Martin Evans.
He led gene editing company Horizon Discovery from startup in 2007 to a £68m AIM IPO in 2014 and grew the business to generate significant revenues with a global presence before stepping down to pursue other interests in 2018.
Horizon was eventually acquired by PerkinElmer in 2021 for a total Enterprise value of £296m.
Disley has started, grown, or invested in over 40 startup life science, technology and social enterprises, raising $600m in business financing and closing $700m in commercial deals.
He was appointed OBE in 2018 for his services to business and enterprise in the healthcare sector.
Roquefort Therapeutics says Reginald’s resignation “is part of a planned transition as the company completes the execution of the first phase of its business strategy”.
This involves the trade sales of Lyramid Pty Ltd and Oncogeni Limited. Lyramid is set to be snapped up by Pleiades Pharma for $10.8m, while Oncogeni, acquired by Roquefort in 2022 for £5m, is expected to be sold to UAE-based conglomerate The Nations Trust Holding LLC for up to $12m.
Reginald will remain a consultant to Roquefort and chairman of Oncogeni in order to oversee the proposed sale.
Stephen West, Roquefort Therapeutics chairman, commented: “I would like to thank Ajan for his contribution during his time as CEO of Roquefort Therapeutics and am pleased that he is remaining as a consultant to the business to oversee the Lyramid and Oncogeni transactions.
“I would like to wish Ajan and Sir Martin well with their future endeavours. At the same time I would like to welcome Darrin as interim managing director and look forward to working with him on communicating the forward strategy of the company, which will build upon the change in leadership and the successful completion of the Lyramid and Oncogeni transactions.”