VOX Vox Valor Capital Limited

RNS Number:9863B
VASTox plc
26 April 2006

                                   VASTox plc
                          ("VASTox" or "the Company")

       Dr Richard Storer joins VASTox's Board as Chief Scientific Officer


Oxford, UK, 26 April 2006 - VASTox (AIM: VOX), the leading chemical genomics
company, today announces that Richard Storer DPhil, FRSC will be joining
VASTox's board of directors as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr Storer has extensive
R&D experience within the pharmaceutical industry and will oversee the
development of VASTox's preclinical programmes with a key objective of advancing
the most promising candidates into clinical trials.  A major focus will be to
accelerate the Company's Duchenne muscular dystrophy programme.

Dr Storer brings to VASTox over 30 years' experience within the pharmaceutical
industry during which time he has established, managed and directed
multi-disciplinary teams and chemistry discovery programmes at several
international companies. Crucially, he has also taken a number of compounds from
discovery into clinical evaluation and which have subsequently been launched,
including the successful AIDS drug Epivir and influenza drug Relenza.

Prior to joining VASTox, Dr Storer (aged 58) was Senior Vice-President of
Chemistry at Idenix Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: IDIX) where he was responsible for
Idenix's in-house chemistry and a member of the company's Executive Committee.
He joined Idenix from BioChem Pharma Inc. (now part of Shire Pharmaceuticals
Group plc), where he was Senior Director of Chemistry. Prior to this, Dr Storer
spent over 20 years at GlaxoWellcome holding senior research positions. Dr
Storer is co-recipient of the prestigious 1996 Canadian Prix Galien for the
discovery of Epivir and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Steven Lee, PhD, CEO of VASTox commented: "Richard has an excellent track record
in identifying drug candidates and successfully developing them through
preclinical testing and into the clinic.  Richard's expertise has led to the
creation of tremendous value for the companies at which he has worked.  He
joined BioChem Pharma and Idenix when they were both worth less than $100
million.  BioChem Pharma was acquired by Shire for $4 billion in 2000 and Idenix
is today worth nearly $1 billion.  To be able to draw on Richard's experience to
develop the potential we see in our in-house drug discovery programmes
represents a great step forward for VASTox."

Richard Storer, DPhil said: "I am delighted to be joining VASTox at this
exciting stage in the Company's development.  VASTox has the people and
technology to create significant value in drug discovery and I am thrilled to be
part of the team."

VASTox confirms that, save for the above, there are no other matters under
paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM rules to be announced.

VASTox also announces that the Group's preliminary results for the year ended 31
January 2006 will be released on 9 May 2006.



                                    - ends -


For more information please contact:

VASTox
Steven Lee, PhD, CEO                                    Tel: +44(0) 1235 443910
Darren Millington, Head of Finance

Citigate Dewe Rogerson
David Dible / Mark Swallow / Valerie Auffray            Tel: +44 (0)207 638 9571



About VASTox plc

VASTox is a chemical genomics technology company that discovers and develops
proprietary novel drugs and provides services to the pharmaceutical industry.
The Company's most advanced drug development programme is focused on developing
a new treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy based on the up-regulation of
utrophin with a second drug development programme for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
VASTox has two additional programmes focused on osteoarthritis and tuberculosis
that are expected to be out-licensed prior to entering the clinic.

The company's technology platform, which uses using zebrafish and fruitflies,
has the potential to dramatically decrease the time and cost of drug discovery
and development. This is because using whole organisms allows it to carry out
high volume, high content screening that delivers data which is predictive of
the efficacy and toxicity of potential drug compounds in humans. VASTox is
growing revenues based on marketing its unique technology platform and its
chemistry expertise.

VASTox was formed in January 2003 from the University of Oxford, by some of the
UK's foremost scientists who have taken a creative approach to the problems
involved in drug discovery and who have a proven record in delivering
technological excellence. The company listed on the AIM market of the London
Stock Exchange in October 2004.

Further information about the company may be accessed at the VASTox website:

www.vastox.com



This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates", "intends", "plans",
"seeks", "believes", "estimates", "expects" and similar references to future
periods, or by the inclusion of forecasts or projections.

Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and
assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions.
Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, by their nature, they
are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that
are difficult to predict. The Company's actual results may differ materially
from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions
you therefore that you should not rely on any of these forward-looking
statements as statements of historical fact or as guarantees or assurances of
future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements include (factors
included in this presentation) and regional, national, global political,
economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END

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