Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- Momentum Building

OptiBiotix has opened an online store on Tmall, a cross-border online marketplace through which OptiBiotix has launched a range of GoFigure shakes direct to Chinese consumers. OptiBiotix has partnered with a Tmall agency, InReady, to promote and operate its Tmall store. Momentum has been building at OptiBiotix in recent months, with the company launching GoFigure products in the sizeable Indian and Chinese markets, as well as receiving approval for a third: Saudi Arabia. We believe these new pro

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- Interim Results

OptiBiotix has issued its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2022. In line with the company's August trading update, revenues have fallen to £0.12m as delays to customer restocking and new product launches impacted the top-line. Whilst the operating loss grew to £1.11m, as the company invested in key management personnel, OptiBiotix delivered over £10.2m in value to shareholders through a dividend in specie following the listing of ProBiotix Health (PBX) in March 2022. Post-period,

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- GoFigure Launch with Apollo

OptiBiotix has launched its GoFigure weight management range in India through its commercial partner Apollo Hospitals (Apollo). Apollo owns and operates the largest pharmacy network across India and will initially stock the GoFigure range in key stores in major Indian cities, as well as online. Apollo is one of three large partners which entered commercial agreements with OptiBiotix in late-2021. The launch demonstrates OptiBiotix' strategic shift towards selling a greater proportion of finished

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc - Trading update

OptiBiotix has issued a trading update ahead of the group's half year results for the six months ended 30 June 2022. Results will be affected by the new accounting treatment of recently spun-out ProBiotix Health (PBX), as well as the timing of several larger customer orders. As such, OptiBiotix expects total revenues of c£120k for the period, resulting in revenues being materially behind market expectations. OptiBiotix expects to return to growth by 2023; however, given the ongoing uncertainty a

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- Commercial and Scientific Update

OptiBiotix has issued a commercial and scientific update, highlighting the significant progress made across its range of prebiotic ingredients and products. The update further demonstrates OptiBiotix' ability to grow its product range, expand applications for existing products and extend its reach into new territories. OptiBiotix, is also conducting further clinical work to increase the body of evidence supporting its products to help drive future growth. We maintain our Buy rating.

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- Final results

OptiBiotix has reported final results for the year to December 2021, with revenues growing 45% to £2.2m and the EBITDA loss increasing to £1.0m, reflecting the increased investment in the business. Post-period end, OptiBiotix has continued to return value to shareholders through the successful spin-out and listing of its ProBiotix Health division. Future growth of the company is supported by commercial agreements with large partners and a substantial pipeline of opportunities through its 2nd gen

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- ProBiotix probiotic yoghurt launch

ProBiotix, OptiBiotix' former subsidiary in which it holds a 44% shareholding, has announced the launch of a probiotic functional yoghurt brand containing the proprietary cholesterol reducing functional ingredient LPLDL. We see this as a significant milestone for ProBiotix, having overcome several technical hurdles during the 2.5-year development process, extending the use of LPLDL into functional dairy foods and offering the potential to replicate the development in other geographies and functi

Cenkos: Healthcare Sector - Ward Round

Weekly round-up of AIM-listed healthcare news. Venture Life Group, GENinCode, Kromek, Alliance Pharma, Polarean Imaging, Benchmark Holdings, Ondine Biomedical, Verici Dx, Faron Pharmaceuticals, Avacta Group, Abingdon Health, Open Orphan, Belluscura, Hutchmed (China), Oxford Biodynamics

Cenkos: Healthcare Sector -- Ward Round

Weekly round-up of AIM-listed healthcare news. Agronomics, Eden Research, IXICO, HeiQ, Trellus Health, NetScientific, Circassia, 4basebio, Fusion Antibodies, Surgical Innovations Group, Yourgene Health, Abingdon Health, Verici Dx, Poolbeg Pharma, Omega Diagnostics

Cenkos: Healthcare Sector -- Ward Round

Weekly round-up of AIM-listed healthcare news. Intelligent Ultrasound, Inspiration Healthcare, Agronomics, CareTech Holdings, e-therapeutics, ABCAM, EKF Diagnostics, HUTCHMED (China), Benchmark Holdings, Totally, ImmuPharma, Open Orphan, Destiny Pharma, Polarean Imaging, Induction Healthcare.

Cenkos: Healthcare Sector -- Ward Round

IXICO, HeiQ, Creo Medical, GlaxoSmithKline, Totally, Advanced Oncotherapy, Arecor Therapeutics, Midatech Pharma, Futura Medical, Yourgene Health, Renalytix, Polarean Imaging, Diurnal, Novacyt, Faron Pharmaceuticals, Poolbeg Pharma, ANGLE

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- Trading update and listing

OptiBiotix recently announced a trading update for the 12-months to Dec-21 and its intention to list its ProBiotix Health division. The company expects revenues of £2.2m, in-line with our forecast, while operational investment suggests a group level EBITDA loss of c£0.9m, driven by one off recruitment and consultancy costs, versus our previous £0.3m loss forecast. Both divisions saw revenue and EBITDA (pre-central costs) growth during the year, building on the 2020 progress. Supporting future gr

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- CholBiome consumer study

OptiBiotix has carried out a consumer study in users of the company's probiotic, Lactobacillus plantarum (LPLDL) containing formulation, CholBiome. The findings of this consumer study support the human clinical study of LPLDL, published 18 January 2022, which demonstrated the statistically significant effect of LPLDL on reducing total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and APO-B. The survey found 96% of consumers reported reductions in total cholesterol (17% reported a >30% reduction) and 88% reported

Cenkos: OptiBiotix Health Plc -- Cholesterol lowering study

OptiBiotix has published a third human volunteer study on the cholesterol lowering effects of the company's proprietary probiotic Lactobacilus plantarum, branded as LPLDL. We believe the study clearly demonstrates the cholesterol lowering effect of LPLDL which we expect to support the on-going commercialisation of the probiotic. Key results were the statistically significant reduction in total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol of 34.2% and 28.4%, respectively over a six-week treatment period

Initial Equity Trading Comments - 15 May 2023

LIBERUM: Aptamer* - Prelims supports growth projections

Kromek - Placing raises £7m with Open Offer of up to £1m

Kromek raised £7m (with up to £1m via an Open Offer) to strengthen the balance sheet and provide the working capital for the CT programme to bridge the gap before supply agreements with recently announced Tier 1 and Tier 2 OEMs commence in earnest. As the only independent commercial scale manufacturer of the next-generation detector (CZT) for use in CT and SPECT imaging systems, Kromek is actively engaged with 9 OEMs (both Tier 1 and Tier 2), with 3 agreements having now been signed (FC estimate

LIBERUM: Aptamer* - Initiation - Build better binders

Hybridan Small Cap Feast - 19 May 23

19th May 2023 @HybridanLLP Status of this Note and Disclaimer This document has been issued to you by Hybridan LLP for information purposes only and should not be construed in any circumstances as an offer to sell or solicitation of any offer to buy any security or other financial instrument, nor shall it, or the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract relating to such action. This document has no regard for the specific investment objectiv

Oxford BioDynamics+ (OBD, House Stock, 17p) - Expanding applications

Funding the opportunity in medical imaging

On 18 April Kromek announced a major seven-year agreement with a Tier 1 OEM to develop and incorporate its CZT-based detectors in the OEM’s advanced medical imaging scanners, and further deals have since followed. In order to fund these opportunities, on 5 May the Group announced a fund-raise of £8m (gross). It is our assumption that the Tier 1 OEM segment targeted is the CT scanner market. This was worth an estimated US$6.7bn in 2022 and, at a 5.6% CAGR, is expected to reach US$9.92bn by 2029.

NetScientific - FY 2022 results, portfolio value increases 35%

NetScientific, an investment and commercialisation group with an international portfolio of innovative life science, sustainability, and technology companies announces its FY 2022 results demonstrating a 35% increase in portfolio value to £41.8m across an expanding portfolio of 24 companies. NSCI reports that its portfolio has raised c. £70m. In line with its capital light investment strategy, NSCI/EMV have supported these fund-raises selectively through £3.2m of direct investments and loans, an

Destiny Pharma plc (DEST) - House Stock at 35p - Stars aligning

Initial Equity Trading Comments - 10 May 2023

Avon Protection - Termination of coverage

Edison Investment Research is terminating coverage on Avon Protection (AVON), Osirium Technologies (OSI), IQE (IQE), Kopy Goldfields (KOBY) and RhoVac (ROHVAC). Please note you should no longer rely on any previous research or estimates for this company. All forecasts should now be considered redundant.

ReNeuron Group - Full steam ahead with CustomEx

ReNeuron’s FY23 results provide a recap of financial and operational highlights from the period. Following the restructuring announcement in January 2023, the company’s focus rests on its proprietary stem cell-derived exosome platform, CustomEx. In vivo animal studies to validate the platform’s capabilities are ongoing, and ReNeuron plans to release readout data in H2 CY23, which we anticipate could be a key catalyst and generate traction for partnerships. Due to the macroeconomic environment, m

Morning Note – 19 April 2023

FY22 results disappointing – outlook offers promise

FY22 was something of an annus horribilis for Abingdon due to factors largely outside of its control. As the pandemic has subsided, legacy issues have been resolved and management has cleared the decks for a reset of activities, focussing on a range of Contract Development and Manufacturing opportunities. The settlement with the DHSC has been resolved and £6.4m in cash received post-period end. Management therefore expects there to be no current funding requirement as it moves towards cashflow b

Positive preclinical data, interims and funding

Nuformix focusses on the development of NXP002, a patented novel form of tranilast. In a key step forward, completed preclinical studies support its future development. Most importantly, these studies indicate that tranilast, as prepared by Nuformix, can be dissolved and delivered to the lung by a nebuliser. Tranilast may be able to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF, lung scarring) but needs to be in the lung in a higher dose than can be achieved orally - so direct lung delivery is crucia