REG - OptiBiotix Health - Placing and Related Party Transaction
RNS Number : 0447KOptiBiotix Health PLC17 April 202017 April 2020
OptiBiotix Health plc
("OptiBiotix" or the "Company")
Placing and Related Party Transaction
OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), a life sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, announces that the Company has raised £1.0 million through the issue of 2,500,000 new ordinary shares of 2 pence each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") (the "New Ordinary Shares") at a price of 40 pence per share (the "Placing").
Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange to admit the 2,500,000 New Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM. Admission of the New Ordinary Shares is expected to occur on or around 23 April 2020 ("Admission"). The New Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu with the existing Ordinary Shares.
Certain directors, listed below, have subscribed for in aggregate 128,750 of the New Ordinary Shares as part of the Placing.
Directors' participation in the Placing
Director
Number of ordinary shares prior to the Placing
Number of New Ordinary Shares pursuant subscribed for pursuant to the Placing
Interest in Ordinary Shares post-Admission
% of enlarged issued share capital
Stephen O'Hara
10,103,029
62,500
10,165,529
11.6%
Neil Davidson CBE
478,000
25,000
503,000
0.6%
Dr Frederic Narbel
54,700
16,250
70,950
0.1%
Sean Christie
125,000
25,000
150,000
0.2%
Total
10,760,729
128,750
Related Party Transaction
The participation of the directors in the Placing (the "Transaction") is a related party transaction pursuant to AIM Rule 13. The directors independent of the Transaction, having consulted with the Company's nominated adviser believe that the terms of the Transaction are fair and reasonable insofar as shareholders are concerned.
Use of Proceeds
In the last few months, the Company has launched products and signed commercial deals with a number of large corporate partners. This has extended the presence of its products to over seventy countries and led to growing revenues.
The Company has ongoing discussions with a number of corporate and large retail partners on its products and a high level of corporate interest in its SweetBiotix® products across multiple applications. The net proceeds of the Fundraising will allow OptiBiotix to pursue these and other commercial opportunities to help grow the business with the aim of achieving profitability. The Company believes that it has a window of opportunity to fully exploit this interest to enhance shareholder value and intends to use the funds raised to:-
- Launch its award-winning products in China, the USA, and India with partners who have an international reputation and significant retail network. Large retail partners deliver large volume sales but require a reliable and highly flexible supply chain and often have long payment terms. This requires OptiBiotix to build higher than anticipated stock levels to support upfront manufacturing and stocking costs;
- Support the launch of product lines extensions with existing partners (Alfasigma, Holland and Barrett, and Agropur) and new product launches planned for Australia with Optipharm;
- Scale up additional SweetBiotix products®. OptiBiotix has developed a number of natural sweet fibres (SweetBiotix®) with a clean flavour profile which increase the diversity of microbial species associated with good gut health. One of these products has undergone manufacturing scale up with a US corporate partner. Discussions are ongoing with a number of corporate partners who want to use different SweetBiotix® products in a range of dairy, cereal, and beverage applications. To enable OptiBiotix to meet multiple partner needs and to fully exploit the wide range of applications opportunities OptiBiotix wishes to scale up additional SweetBiotix products,
- Expand the presence and awareness of its products in the USA. As previously announced, the Company continues to explore the potential for a dual listing in those markets where there is potential for greater liquidity and valuation. To support this opportunity, create market interest, and improve international research coverage it intends to increase the presence and awareness of its brands and products in the USA.
Total Voting Rights
For the purpose of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules, following the issue of shares detailed above the enlarged issued share capital of the Company will comprise 87,940,551 Ordinary Shares. The above figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company, under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
Stephen O'Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, said: "The Company has received a high level of partner interest in its technology and products across new application areas and new territories (e.g. China), that have the potential for significant value uplift. It has become clear that there is a window of opportunity to exploit interest in SweetBiotix® across multiple applications and the potential for listing existing products with major retailers in large international markets. This may not be achievable in the short term with the current resources. Rather than delay these opportunities until OptiBiotix has sufficient revenues to cover costs, the Board has decided to take additional funds to capitalise on these growth opportunities and build shareholder value. The Company has limited the funds received to ensure it remains focused on value creation and is delighted to have added a number of new institutional investors to the share register."
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.
For further information, please contact:
OptiBiotix Health plc
Stephen O'Hara, Chief Executive
Contact via Walbrook below
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP
Tel: 020 7213 0880
Liam Murray / Jo Turner / Ludovico Lazzaretti
finnCap Broker
Tel: 020 7220 0500
Geoff Nash / Kate Bannatyne (Corporate Finance)
Camille Gochez (ECM)
Walbrook PR Ltd
Anna Dunphy
Mob: 07876 741 001
About OptiBiotix - www.optibiotix.com
OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), which was formed in March 2012, brings science to the development of compounds which modify the human microbiome - the collective genome of the microbes in the body - in order to prevent and manage human disease and promote wellness.
OptiBiotix has an extensive R&D program working with leading academics in the development of microbial strains, compounds, and formulations which are used as active ingredients and supplements. More than twenty international food and healthcare supplement companies have signed agreements with OptiBiotix to incorporate their human microbiome modulators into a wide range of food products and drinks.
OptiBiotix is also developing its own range of consumer supplements and health products. The Company's current areas of focus include obesity, cardiovascular health, and diabetes.
Notification of a Transaction pursuant to Article 19(1) of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014
1
Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated
a.
Name
a) Stephen O'Hara
b) Neil Davidson CBE
c) Dr Frederick Narbel
d) Sean Christie
2
Reason for notification
a.
Position/Status
a) Director of the Company
b) Director of the Company
c) Director of the Company
d) Director of the Company
b.
Initial notification/
Amendment
Initial Notification
3
Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a.
Name
OptiBiotix Health Plc
b.
LEI
213800UKYQFT941QHS14
4
Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted
a.
Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument
Identification CodeOrdinary shares of 2p each
ISIN: GB00BP0RTP38
b.
Nature of the transaction
Subscription of ordinary shares in the Company
c.
Price(s) and volume(s)
Price(s) per share
Volume(s)
a) 40p
b) 40p
c) 40p
d) 40p
a) 62,500
b) 25,000
c) 16,250
d) 25,000
d.
Aggregated information
- Volume
- Price
128,750
40p
e.
Date of the transaction
17 April 2020
f.
Place of the transaction
London Stock Exchange, AIM
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