Singapore, April 21, 2008: Melbourne based Avexa, a biotechnology company focused on research and development of drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases has appointed Mr Nathan Drona a Non-Executive Director of the company.

 

Mr Nathan Drona is an experienced international investment banker in the life sciences industry and has successfully advised numerous companies in the US, Europe, and Australia in mergers and acquisitions strategy. Most recently, he was a managing director for Challiss, an independent M&A advisory firm based in New York.

 

Mr Stephen Cooper, chairman, Avexa said, “Based in the US, Nathan’s strong capital markets background, expertise in licensing and M&A, and key existing relationships in the institutional investment community will be of significant benefit to the Board of Avexa.”

 

Mr Drona said, “With Avexa’s Phase III trial for apricitabine underway and as international interest in the company continues to grow, I think the company has tremendous potential for success.”

 

Avexa has dedicated resources and funding for key projects including its HIV integrase program and an antibiotic program for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Its lead program is apricitabine (ATC), an anti-HIV drug which has successfully completed the 24 week dosing of its Phase 2b trial and has recently initiated Phase 3 trials. Avexa has entered into collaboration with TargetDrug in China to identify new CCR5 inhibitors for the treatment of HIV.