Dr Brian Kelly has been appointed CEO of NovaUCD-based Celtic Catalysts. He replaces current CEO Brian Elliott who has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. Celtic Catalysts is a leading supplier of chiral products and technology to the Fine Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Biotech industries.

Dr Brian Kelly, newly appointed CEO, Celtic Catalysts

Dr Brian Kelly and Professor Declan Gilheanny co-founded Celtic Catalysts in 2000 as a spin-out from UCD’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Brian graduated from University College Dublin in 2000 with a PhD in chiral chemistry. He has been Celtic Catalysts’ Director of Business Development since then. Celtic Catalysts currently employs 17 and is headquartered in NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at UCD.

Celtic Catalysts focuses on the area of chiral synthesis and has developed a comprehensive portfolio of intellectual property and has carved out a uniquely strong niche for itself in the specialised area of P-chiral technology. This technology can be used in the production of a range of phosphorus nucleotide drugs – which are particularly prevalent in anti-viral and anti-cancer therapeutic areas. Celtic Catalysts undertakes its own in house research and development programmes and works with several major pharma companies in developing new synthetic routes to manufacture existing drugs or drugs in development.

ENDS

29 January 2008

For further information contact Micéal Whelan, NovaUCD, e-mail: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie, tel: (01) 716 3712.

Editors Notes

Celtic Catalysts focuses on the area of chiral synthesis and currently employs 17 people. The company was co-founded in 2000 by Dr Brian Kelly and Professor Declan Gilheany as a spin-out from UCD’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

NovaUCD is University College Dublin’s €11 million Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre. NovaUCD is responsible for the commercialisation of intellectual property arising from UCD research and for the development of co-operation with industry and business. NovaUCD as a purpose-built centre also nurtures new technology and knowledge-intensive enterprises. NovaUCD has over 40 incubation units, including bio-incubation units, and provides innovators and entrepreneurs with the necessary support and knowledge to take their ideas from proof of principle to commercial success. Twenty-three knowledge-intensive companies are currently located in NovaUCD. NovaUCD has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.