Newly-listed Cryptome hires new CEO

Melbourne company Cryptome Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CRP) has appointed Dr Jeffrey Travis to take over from Dr Warren Kinston as CEO.

Travis, most recently head of corporate development and strategic planning for early-stage privately-held biopharma NewBiotics Pharmaceuticals in San Diego, will bring more than two decades of diverse US and global experience in the biotech and pharma industry to the recently floated Cryptome.

His achievements include founding immunodiagnostics company Microanalytic Research, which he later sold to ICN Pharmaceuticals, where he headed up the diagnostics division. Other companies he has been involved with at a senior level include Eureka Pharmaceuticals, where he was interim CEO, Arcturus Engineering and NeoGen Screening.

Cryptome chairman Graham Kelly said the appointment delivered on the company's pre-listing commitment to appoint a relevant and dynamic CEO.

"Cryptome's business success is based on the quality of its people and its IP. We have identified a leader with the drive, experience and qualities that extends this promise. Jeff's attraction to our company confirms these strengths and validates cryptomic technology as a new and far more direct route to finding safe effective drugs," Kelly said.

Kinston will remain on the company's board as a non-executive director, and will serve as a consultant to the company during the transition. Travis will join the company in the coming weeks.