LONDON, 4 September 2017:

Arix Bioscience plc (LSE: ARIX) (“Arix Bioscience” or the “Company”), a global healthcare and life science company supporting medical innovation, is pleased to note the announcement by Artios Pharma Ltd, an Arix Bioscience Group Business, that it has appointed Dr Graeme Smith as Chief Scientific Officer.

Dr Smith has an extensive track record in early stage cancer drug discovery and development and was co-inventor of Lynparza™ (olaparib), an approved treatment for advanced ovarian cancer and the first targeted DNA Damage Response (DDR) inhibitor to reach the market. He joins Artios from AstraZeneca, where he held the position of Senior Director of Bioscience within the Oncology Innovative Medicines and Early Development division and where he was responsible for leading target validation and the discovery and development of novel anti-cancer agents.

“Graeme brings to Artios Pharma a wealth of highly relevant experience in DDR drug discovery and development. As a key figure in the successful development of the first DDR drug, for ovarian cancer, we are sure he will make a significant contribution within Artios’s highly talented team, as they seek to transform cancer therapy with an exciting DDR platform. We very much welcome this appointment.”

Joe Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Arix Bioscience

About DNA Damage Response (DDR)

DNA Damage occurs in cells throughout the body every day. To counteract the harmful effects that DNA damage can cause, the human body possesses a network of DNA repair pathways, which act to correct the damage. This process is known as the DNA Damage Response (DDR). Defects in the body’s DDR can lead to an increased risk of cancer. Human cells have multiple DNA repair pathways, but in cancer cells, some of these pathways are lost, which result in genetic instability. Changes to DNA repair pathways can also drive the growth of tumours. By inhibiting DDR in cancer cells that have impaired repair pathways, scientists can selectively kill cancerous cells. DDR inhibitors, therefore, have the potential to act as: single agents that selectively kill tumour cells through synthetic lethality; adjunctive therapy to overcome resistance to current cytotoxics, and potentiating agents to radiotherapy and novel therapies including immune-oncology treatments.