Silence Therapeutics PLC (LON:SLN) has appointed Iain Ross as executive chairman with immediate effect while a replacement is found for chief executive David Horn Solomon.
Ross joined the AIM-listed RNA therapeutics specialist as non-executive chairman in April and has worked with Horn Solomon since then to strengthen the management team.
The company recently signed a “transformational development and licensing deal” with US drugs company Mallinckrodt and said it is in discussions with other potential partners over additional business development deals.
Earlier, in a separate announcement, Silence said that a bankruptcy motion had been filed in Denmark against Horn Solomon arising from his time as managing partner of Sund Capital from 2016 to 2018.
Silence said it was a “personal matter, entirely unrelated to Silence” and that it was confident that Horn Solomon could in time meet his financial obligations.
The matter is due to be heard by a court in Denmark in the next few days.
The search to find a suitable successor has begun, the company said in a statement.
Ross said: “The company is in its most robust health both financially and operationally and we look forward to further BD discussions and scientific advancements with our pipeline."