The Board of Directors of Australian firm Antisense Therapeutics has announced the appointment of Dr James Garner as Managing Director (MD). Dr Garner will assume the roles as of 07 August 2023. In the interim, Dr Garner will join the Board as a non-executive director, effective immediately.

This appointment follows the previously announced retirement, on 15 November 2022, of Mark Diamond from the roles of MD and CEO, with his last working day 12 May 2023. To ensure continuity and leadership, Dr Charmaine Gittleson will assume the role of Executive Chairman, with immediate effect, until Dr Garner is settled in his CEO and MD duties. Dr Garner brings broad experience in drug development and commercialisation, acquired through regional and global roles in the biotech and pharmaceutical sector.

His previous responsibilities have included leading phase I-IV clinical trials, product registration, reimbursement, and business development. He possesses strong executive leadership and management skills that have seen him achieve outstanding results over a twenty-year career in the Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology industry including roles with Biogen, Progen Pharmaceuticals, Quintiles (an international clinical research organisation) and as Head of the Unit Development Office, AP R&D with Sanofi in Singapore. Most recently, Dr Garner has served as CEO of Kazia Therapeutics.