U.K. names Brown chairman of cell therapy innovation center

The U.K.'s Technology Strategy Board appointed John Brown as chairman of the Cell Therapy Catapult, a new government-sponsored center that aims to help move early stage cell therapy research to commercialization. Brown was previously chairman of BTG plc (LSE:BTG) and formerly CEO and finance director at Acambis plc, now part of Sanofi (Euronext:SAN; NYSE:SNY).

The London-based center will receive L10 million ($16 million) a year from the board over five years, and will be responsible for attracting L10-L15 million ($16-$24 million) per year from sources such as R&D contracts. ...