Oncimmune Holdings PLC (AIM:ONC) has appointed Alistair Macdonald as non-executive chair to succeed Meinhard Schmidt, who has retired.
Adam Hill, Oncimmune’s chief executive, said: "Having re-directed our proprietary technology platform towards best-in-class autoantibody profiling services for the pharmaceutical sector, it is gratifying to welcome Alistair with his track record of successfully growing services companies in this sector.
“Autoantibodies are increasingly recognised as an important part of the toolkit for understanding the effect of and predicted response to immune-modulating therapies.
“Together with Alistair, I look forward to evaluating acquisition opportunities with the potential to add capabilities and accelerate growth."
Macdonald was CEO of Syneos Health, a Nasdaq-listed clinical research organisation for six years.
In a trading update, Oncimmune said the current global economic and geopolitical conditions are causing a slowdown in new contracts at its ImmunoINSIGHTS arm, though the pipeline and level of engagement with biotech groups is growing.
Elsewhere, it said that Biodesix, the US distributor of its EarlyCDT Lung product, has received a Medicare determination in Kansas for NodifyCDT, the marketing name for EarlyCDT Lung in the US.
This determination was set at an in-market selling price of 10 times the current price, it added.
“This is a significant milestone and will assist access and availability to the NodifyCDT lung nodule test for US patients with lung nodules,” said the statement.
“Medicare coverage will also ensure physicians have access to the NodifyCDT lung nodule test which is expected in turn to drive faster and wider adoption.”
Oncimmune receives royalties on every in-market sale of a NodifyCDT lung nodule test as well as revenue from the supply of the test to Biodesix.
Biodesix recently announced that Philips is also to incorporate the results from tests performed on the NodifyCDT lung nodule into its lung cancer patient management system.
Oncimmune said it had recently restructured the cost base of the EarlyCDT Lung business to support its commercialisation.