Avacta Appoints Head of Commercial Development

Philippe Cotrel has joined Avacta Group plc, the developer of Affimer^® biotherapeutics and research reagents, as Chief Commercial Officer. Formerly Commercial Operations Director with Abcam, Dr Cotrel will lead the Group’s commercial strategy and business development activities, driving the commercialisation of Affimer technology.

A protein chemist by training, he has over twenty years’ commercial experience in sales, marketing and customer support in the life sciences sector having held senior positions in Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Oxford Glycosciences, Affymetrix and Abcam. 

Dr Alastair Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Avacta, said: “I am delighted that Philippe has joined the team at Avacta to drive the commercial strategy and lead the commercial operations for the Affimer technology. During the past year we have made considerable progress demonstrating the power of the Affimer technology as both a research tool and as a therapeutic platform both in-house and with partners and customers. Philippe joins us having spent over twenty years in senior commercial positions in successful life sciences companies. I am very confident that his wealth of market knowledge and experience will allow Philippe to build on our early successes to help deliver the potential of this exciting technology.”

Dr Cotrel added: I am very pleased to be joining Avacta at this exciting point in the development of the Affimer technology. I see many opportunities to leverage the unique strengths of Affimer reagents to provide a new set of tools for life science researchers, and to complement antibodies. The additional potential of Affimers as a therapeutic platform is very significant and I relish the opportunity to work with the Senior Leadership Team to drive the commercial strategy forward and help Affimers reach their full potential.