WHISTLEBLOWER Andy Millar, who was sacked by British Biotech, is to be chief executive of a start-up company, Oxford Gene Technology.

Dr Millar, 45, was director of clinical research at Oxford-based British Biotech from 1992 to 1998.

He was fired after he went to one of British Biotech's main shareholders, Perpetual, to raise his concern that the company was misleading the market about the prospects of its drugs research.

The company was rapped by US and London stock market regulators.

Now he has become chief executive of Oxford Gene Technology, jointly owned by Prof Ed Southern and Oxford University.

Prof Southern's lab has reproduced genetic sequences on glass surfaces, in a "DNA chip". The patents have generated £1m in licence fees, which has been used to start the new company. Oxford Gene Technology has been involved in a long legal battle with US rival Assymetrix about the validity of patents.

Dr Millar said: "The main lessons I will bring from my experience are to tell the truth; to concentrate on the technology and the operations; and to keep salaries below six figures."

In line with Dr Millar's beliefs, the company is starting in a portable building at the Oxford BioBusiness Centre at Littlemore.

Story date: Thursday 28 October

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