ALAN Kingsman, the co-founder of gene therapy company Oxford BioMedica, is to quit as chairman at the annual meeting in May.

The news follows the death of his wife Susan, the company’s co-founder, on January 29 at the age of 58. Prof Kingsman, 60, headed a research group in Oxford University's biochemistry department before leaving to set up BioMedica, which employs about 60 people at Oxford Science Park. He will be replaced by deputy chairman Nick Rodgers and will continue as a consultant.

The company also announced that one of its eye disease treatments, StarGen, has been approved by US regulators for tests on patients with Stargardt disease, a common cause of childhood vision loss. Chief executive John Dawson said: “With no currently approved treatment, this product brings significant hope for the future to Stargardt patients.”