Medgenics, Inc. announced the appointment of a new executive leadership team with the goal of accelerating the development of the company's gene therapy platform and maximizing the value of the company's technology assets. The new executives are Michael Cola, President and Chief Executive Officer, John Leaman, M.D., Chief Financial Officer, and Garry Neil, M.D., Global Head of Research and Development. In addition, on September 13, 2013, Mr. Cola joined the company's Board of Directors.

Andrew L. Pearlman, Ph.D., the company's Founder and previously the company's President and Chief Executive Officer, has retired as of September 13, 2013 and is continuing to serve on the Board of Directors and as a senior advisor to the company. This executive team will be based in the U.S. R&D and manufacturing will continue to operate in Misgav, Israel and U.S. manufacturing will continue to operate in San Francisco. Mr. Cola was most recently President of Shire plc's Specialty Pharmaceuticals business, where he oversaw all aspects of this $2.5 billion enterprise.

He joined Shire in 2005 as Executive Vice President of Global Therapeutic Business Units and Portfolio Management. Dr. Leaman brings to the company more than a decade of corporate strategy, finance, venture capital and M&A experience in the life sciences industry. Most recently he was Vice President of Commercial Assessment at Shire plc.

Dr. Neil has more than 30 years of clinical development experience in the life sciences industry. Most recently he was a Partner at Apple Tree Partners. In addition, as of the election of Dr. Leaman as the company's new Chief Financial Officer on September 13, 2013, Phyllis K. Bellin will no longer serve as the company's principal financial officer.

Ms. Bellin will continue in her role as the company's principal accounting officer and as Vice President - Administration, Corporate Secretary and Treasurer.