Avacta Group plc announced the appointment of Christina Coughlin, M.D., Ph.D., as Non-executive Director to the Board with immediate effect. Dr. Coughlin is the Chief Executive Officer of CytoImmune Therapeutics Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company, focused on the development and commercialisation of novel cancer immunotherapy products utilising engineered allogeneic natural killer cells to stimulate the patient's immune system and eliminate cancer cells. Dr. Coughlin previously served as Chief Medical Officer to Rubius Therapeutics Inc., where she led the clinical development, translational medicine and regulatory efforts for the company's programmes emerging from its allogeneic red cell therapy platform.

Dr. Coughlin has held other leadership roles in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields in her career, including Chief Medical Officer at Immunocore, heading the development of the soluble TCR platform, and Oncology Asset Team Leader at Pfizer.