Atelerix Appoints Industry Heavyweights to Board as It Gears Up for Global Expansion

Atelerix, the UK biotech company behind a breakthrough hydrogel-based cell preservation technology, has announced the appointment of two life sciences leaders to its Board. Sunil Shah, CEO of o2h Ventures, joins as Chair, while Dr Catherine Elton, Chief Business Officer at Axol Bioscience, takes on the role of Non-Executive Director.

The appointments come at a pivotal moment for Atelerix as it accelerates its commercial and operational expansion globally, building on growing demand for its non-cryogenic preservation solutions, a technology poised to transform how cells and tissues are stored and transported across research, clinical and biopharma settings.

Backed by Industry Expertise

Sunil Shah brings more than two decades of entrepreneurial and investment experience in biotech. As co-founder of o2h Group and CEO of o2h Ventures, Shah has supported over 35 biotech startups across therapeutics, platforms, and AI-driven life sciences innovation. He currently holds board positions in several high-growth companies and serves as a Non-Executive Director of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA). His experience commercialising early-stage technologies and fostering international partnerships aligns directly with Atelerix’s next phase of growth.

Joining alongside Shah is Dr Catherine Elton, a seasoned leader in cell and protein-based technologies. Currently CBO at Axol Bioscience, Elton previously founded Qkine, a University of Cambridge spin-out focused on manufacturing complex proteins for cell models, and led it through global commercial scale-up. She has also held key positions at Abcam, where she helped scale manufacturing operations during the company’s growth surge.

Poised for Global Scale-Up

Together, Shah and Elton bring deep commercial, operational, and scientific insight to Atelerix’s leadership team. Their guidance is expected to help the company capitalise on rising demand for scalable, cost-effective alternatives to cryopreservation, particularly in areas like clinical trial logistics, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy.

“Atelerix’s hypothermic gel technology is redefining how biological materials are preserved and transported, a challenge that is only growing as life sciences become more global,” said Shah. “Having worked with many companies that would benefit from this innovation, I’m excited to help guide Atelerix through its next stage of growth.”

Dr Elton added: “Atelerix’s innovative platform addresses a major unmet need across fast-growing markets. I’m very much looking forward to supporting the team’s commercial execution and global strategy.”

A Defining Moment

Alastair Carrington, CEO of Atelerix, welcomed the new appointments: “Catherine and Sunil are widely respected across the biotech sector for their scientific expertise and track records in building successful companies. Their support at this key moment in our journey will be invaluable as we take Atelerix’s technology to a truly global audience.”

With recent distributor partnerships in place and an expanded Board now guiding strategy, Atelerix is positioning itself as a leader in next-generation biological transport, offering a stable, non-frozen solution for one of biotech’s most persistent logistical challenges.