Avacta Group, a life sciences company developing oncology drugs and diagnostics, has appointed Shaun Chilton as a non-executive director.

Chilton has held a number of senior and executive commercial positions over more than 30 years in companies in pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical services industries. He was most recently chief executive of the formerly London-listed Clinigen Group, a global pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical services platform business. The company was sold to Triton Partners for around £1.3 billion last year.

Chilton was also non-executive chairman of C7Health, a disruptive, venture capital-backed medical technology and services business which was acquired by a strategic buyer last year.

He has also worked at Pfizer, Sanofi, Wolters Kluwer Health and KnowledgePoint360 Group (now part of UDG Healthcare).

Dr Eliot Forster, chairman of Avacta Group said: “[Chilton] brings a wide range of highly relevant commercial experiences from successful healthcare businesses with similar ambitions for growth that we have in Avacta. I know Shaun will positively impact our shared thinking and I’m excited to have him join the company.”

Dr Alastair Smith, chief executive of Avacta Group commented: “[Chilton] brings deep and extensive commercial experience to further strengthen the senior leadership of the group as it executes its strategy across two divisions to build a major global healthcare business working to improve people’s health and well-being through innovative oncology drugs and powerful diagnostics.”

Chilton said: “Avacta Group is building a high-value, global business that is seeking to significantly improve people’s health and wellbeing. I am excited to leverage my own broad experience of growing healthcare businesses and working with the other members of the board to help guide Avacta to meet its very significant potential.”