Ablynx to appoint three new directors and elect a new chairman of its board

Belgian drug developer Ablynx (Euronext Brussels: ABLX) has announced that Peter Fellner, Bo Jesper Hansen and William Jenkins will be proposed for nomination as Independent Non-Executive Directors at the company's forthcoming extraordinary meeting of its shareholders to be held on November 7.

The company also indicated that the board intends to separate the roles of chairman and chief executive. The board intends to elect Dr Fellner as chairman to succeed Edwin Moses who will remain chief executive officer. The company also announced that it is the intention of Stephen Bunting and Denis Lucquin to resign from the Ablynx board.

Dr Moses, chairman and CEO of Ablynx, said: “The strengthening and evolution of our board and the splitting of the roles of Chairman and CEO represent important steps in Ablynx's continuing transformation into one of Europe's leading biotech companies.  We are delighted to have attracted someone of Peter Fellner's reputation and track record in the pharmaceutical sector to serve as the new Chairman of our Company. He will be supported in his new role by the appointments of Bo Jesper Hansen and William Jenkins. William's strong medical and clinical expertise together with Bo Jesper's background in business development, medical marketing, orphan diseases and mergers and acquisitions, will be extremely valuable for Ablynx as we continue to develop our product pipeline and seek further partnerships with pharmaceutical partners."