OptiBiotix appoints Martin Hunt chairman of subsidiary SkinBiotix

AIM-listed life science company OptiBiotix Health appointed industry veteran Martin Hunt chairman and director of its majority-owned subsidiary SkinBiotix.

Hunt has experience in the life sciences sector from large multi-nationals to AIM-listed companies at MDY Healthcare, Videregen, Oxford Medical Diagnostics.

He is also a director at the National Institute for Health Research, which the company said gives him an understanding of the commercial and therapeutic area which SkinBiotix works in.

He was previously chief executive of biomaterials company Tissue Science Laboratories which he took from a startup to float on AIM which was sold to Covidien in 2008.

Chief executive Stephen O'Hara, said: "OptiBiotix believes the scale of the opportunities offered by SkinBiotix's intellectual property in the skin biotherapeutic space means that this can best be achieved by a separate leadership and listing.

“This will provide the domain specific expertise and resources to ensure the opportunities provided by this exciting technology can be fully realised."

SkinBiotix, which develops skin biotherapeutics using natural components of the skin microbiome to manage and protect against skin problems, uses patented technology to treat health issues in the cosmetic skin care, acquired skin infections, dermatology and wound care markets.

Shares in OptiBiotix were down 1.23% to 64.20p at 1210 BST.