Diagnostics executive and ex- Novartis man Gene Walther has been appointed the head of NetScientific's (LON:NSCI) portfolio firm Vortex BioSciences - as the biomedical firm continues to restructure towards a sector franchise model.
Walther also becomes head of the group's diagnostic franchise.
Vortex BioSciences is developing a bench top instrument, which runs a simplified, high-speed blood test for a wide range of metastatic cancers.
The firm is currently run by interim chief executive Dr Michael Boyce-Jacino who is leaving the group and board at the end of December this year.
NetScientific's group chief executive Francois Martelet said on Monday: "Gene's experience and calibre will further strengthen our team to help drive our commercialisation programme for Vortex and our entire diagnostics franchise, as part of our planned management restructure."
Walther will join on January 4 to accelerate the development and delivery of Vortex's laboratory systems and spearhead the co-ordination and delivery of its diagnostics portfolio.
Among his previous roles, he served as the executive chairman of GenturaDx where he led this start-up diagnostics firm through product and company development leading to a strategic acquisition by Luminex.
He also spent 11 years at Novartis as president and global Head of diagnostics.
Walther said today: "Vortex has the potential to revolutionise the way cancer is diagnosed, monitored and treated. I'm excited to be able to play a role in the commercialisation of this technology."