REG - OptiBiotix Health - Strategy update <Origin Href="QuoteRef">OPTIO.L</Origin>

OptiBiotix HealthAnnouncement

03/10/2016 12:06

RNS Number : 1949D
OptiBiotix Health PLC
05 July 2016
OptiBiotix Health plc
("OptiBiotix" or the "Company")
Strategy Update
OptiBiotixHealthplc(AIM: OPTI),alifesciencesbusinessdevelopingcompoundstotackleobesity,high cholesterol,diabetes and skin care, announces a strategy update.

In late 2015, OptiBiotix identified that the potential opportunities presented by the microbiome were greater than it first anticipated. To capitalise on these opportunities, OptiBiotix raised 1.5m in November 2015 and a further 1m in February 2016. These funds are being used to accelerate development and identify new opportunities leading to the company: -
 Acquiring the exclusive rights to intellectual property developed by The University of Manchester in skin health, creating a majority owned joint venture called SkinBiotix Limited 
 Broadening its intellectual property portfolio which now covers 45 patents across 14 families, 8 strain registrations, and 7 trademarks. This is a substantive increase from the 5 patents at listing
 Developing its OptiBiotix sugar technology platform into multiple platforms creating new application areas and product opportunities including: -
i. Microbiome modulators: general microbiome modulators which alter the short chain fatty acids in the gut to prevent, manage, and treat diseases
ii. OptiBiotics: sugars which enhance the growth rate of specific microbiome species allowing a targeted approach to microbiome modulation 
iii. SweetBiotix: non-digestible (no calories), sweet, healthy sugars
 Forming six commercial partnerships across all its platforms. These help fund product development and create a route to global markets with royalty streams on product sales
OptiBiotix believes its Optiscreen, OptiBiotix, SlimBiome and SkinBiotix technology platforms are now reaching a stage of development where it is advantageous to form separate divisions, each containing its own technology platform, IP portfolio and partner agreements. These divisions could in due course become separate legal entities with the potential for a separate public listing. The directors believe that shareholder value could be maximised by adopting such a strategy whereby existing shareholders could, in the event of a successful flotation, ultimately hold shares directly in OptiBiotix and one or more of its underlying divisions.
StephenO'Hara,CEOofOptiBiotix,commented:"The rapid developments in the understanding of the microbiome have been matched by Optibiotix's own progress in a number of key but diverse areas. I believe that OptiBiotix's diversity of both IP and Commercial relationships offers shareholders multiple opportunities where future value to shareholders may be best realised by spinning out domain specific opportunities where we as a Board believe the individual parts may be properly resourced and valued. In its own right it is not a new idea but one that has previously worked well for a number of companies."
OptiBiotix Health plc
www.optibiotix.com
Stephen O'Hara, Chief Executive
Contact via Walbrook below


Cairn Financial Advisers LLP
Tel: 020 7148 7900
Liam Murray



Hybridan LLP (Joint Broker)
Claire Louise Noyce
Tel: 020 3713 4581
Peterhouse Corporate Finance Ltd (Joint Broker)
Tel: 020 7469 0936
Lucy Williams / Duncan Vasey



Walbrook PR Ltd
Tel: 020 7933 8780 or optibiotix@walbrookpr.com
Anna Dunphy
Mob: 07876 741 001
Mike Wort
Mob: 07900 608 002
About OptiBiotix Health plc - www.optibiotix.com 
OptiBiotix was formed in March 2012 to develop compounds which modify the human microbiome - the collective genome of the microbes in the body - to prevent and manage human disease. 
The aim of OptiBiotix is to discover and develop microbial strains, compounds and formulations, which modulate the human microbiome and can be used as food ingredients and supplements or active compounds for the prevention and management of human metabolic diseases, examples of which include obesity, cholesterol and lipid distribution and diabetes.
OptiBiotix has established a pipeline of microbiome modulators that can impact on lipid and cholesterol management, energy harvest and appetite suppression. The development pipeline is fuelled by its proprietary OptiScreen, OptiBiotic, and SkinBiotix platform technologies designed to identify metabolic pathways and compounds that impact on human physiology and bring potential health benefits. These platforms are applicable across a wider range of other human diseases. 

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
  END
MSCAKQDNPBKDPOK