Life sciences firm Avacta Group has appointed Dr Mike Owen to its board as non-executive director.

Owen was senior vice president and global head of research of the biopharmaceuticals research & development unit at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

He left GSK in 2010 to found Kymab, a biotherapeutics firm which uses transgenic mice in its research.

Owen is also non-executive director at biotherapeutic companies Blink Therapeutics and Ossianix.

Avacta chairman Dr Trevor Nicholls said: "I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to attract someone with Mike's credentials to our board.

"His extensive experience in the field of novel biotherapeutic platforms will be invaluable as we progress development and commercialisation of Affimers as therapeutics. Additionally he brings with him considerable clinical and market knowledge as well as a broad network throughout the biopharmaceutical sector."