The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Bivictrix Therapeutics PLC - Macclesfield, England-based biotechnology company is focused on cancer therapies - Japanese Patent Office grants patent which provides ‘broad protection’ for BiVictriX’s lead asset BVX001. It follows similar news from the US Patent & Trademark Office in August. ‘The approval of this patent in Japan, which follows swiftly after the granting of our patent in the US, puts BiVictriX in a strong IP position in two key global markets. With plans to prosecute in a further six global jurisdictions, we are building strong protection for our lead therapeutic asset, at the broadest level, enhancing the value of BVX001 as we prepare for first in human studies and refine the optimal drug development and commercialisation strategy,’ Chief Executive Tiffany Thorn says.
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4Global PLC - Chiswick, London-based data, services and software company focused on sporting events and promoting physical activity - Reports ‘extension’ to Sport England ’Moving Communities’ contract. Sport England’s Moving Communities offering ‘measures public leisure’s contribution to active communities’, the non-departmental UK public body says. 4Global says there is a ‘one year variation to year three of its four-year’ pact with Sport England. ‘A significant proportion of 4Global revenue associated with the variation will be delivered and recognised in the current financial year,’ it says.
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Blue Star Capital PLC - investor in E-sports, gaming and blockchain sector - Investee SatoshiPay Ltd is scoping out potential investor interest. Benchmark International, an M&A advisory, is to produce an accurate valuation for the company and potential expressions of interest for an acquisition. Blue Star has a 28% stake in SatoshiPay, first backing it in 2017. ‘Based off of the last external funding round that took place between February and May 2019, SatoshiPay was valued at €19.2 million. The board wishes to stress that the process may or may not lead to an acceptable offer for the sale of part or all of its shareholding in SatoshiPay and Blue Star is under no obligation to accept any offers received. It’s the board’s belief that while SatoshiPay has made significant progress in recent years, it would benefit from an investor better equipped both financially and strategically to support SatoshiPay’s aggressive growth plans,’ Blue Star says.
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Schroders Capital Global Innovation Trust PLC - London-based investment trust with a diversified portfolio of global private and public equity companies - Makes $2.0 million investment in ‘an emerging segment of artificial intelligence software’. Backing made through co-investment partner, MMC Ventures.
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Malvern International PLC - London-based learning and skills development company - Reports extension to contract with University of East London for the teaching and recruitment of students into UEL’s International Study Centre. Contract renewed to end of 2024/25 academic year. Malvern adds: ‘UEL’s International Study Centre has welcomed its biggest intake of [around] 450 students in September 2023, and is set for further year-on-year growth in the January 2024 intake and over the coming years as we build on our sales and marketing efforts and continue to provide high-quality foundation and pre-university education to international students.’ In addition, Malvern announces non-board appointment of Stephen Harvey as chief development officer. Harvey will be responsible for ‘growing its global network of university and higher education partnerships’.
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Audioboom Group PLC - publisher of podcasts - Launches new offering to help automation of booking of advertising for creators. ‘AdVet has been rolled out to the top 200 podcasts in the Audioboom Creator Network, following a successful test phase during which transaction times for bookings were reduced by more than 60%. Creators utilizing AdVet are presented with premium advertising opportunities in real time. The tool enables them to accept ad campaigns with one-click, and receive bookings immediately,’ Audioboom says. ‘AdVet will be used to process more than 500 advertising campaigns each month. It will significantly reduce transaction times, improve audience targeting, increase return on investment for brands, and will optimize Audioboom’s win-rate of brand budgets.’
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Cellular Goods PLC - London-based cannabinoid skincare manufacturer and carbon sequestration service developer - Announces partnership with Colorado, US-based CBD products company Chill Brands Group PLC, also a London listing. Cellular Goods will launch products on the Chill.com wellness and relaxation products marketplace in the UK and US. Cellular Goods adds: ‘The full Cellular Goods ’Look Better’ skincare range will be listed for purchase on Chill.com including the best-selling Rejuvenating Face Serum, Rejuvenating Night Cream and Nourishing Face Oil which are all powered by the company’s breakthrough anti-inflammatory, CBG. CBG has been shown to prevent inflammation in the skin, known to accelerate skin ageing, without the side effects associated with industry-standard ingredients retinol and vitamin C.’
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Vinanz Ltd - bitcoin mining company - Acquires additional 171 bitcoin miners. ‘These 171 new ASIC miners will add about 17 petahash per second of processing power to Vinanz’s fleet and will soon be joined by another 80 new miners which the company expects to acquire later in the year and which will take our overall processing power to about 38 PH/s,’ it says.
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Gem Diamonds Ltd - diamond miner in Lesotho and Botswana - Says 70%-owned subsidiary Letseng Diamonds reaches deal with Matekane Mining Investment Co Pty Ltd for load and haul contract. Gem Diamonds was considering its options for the contract after Sam Matekane, the owner of MMIC, became Lesotho’s prime minister in October of last year, making Matekane a ‘politically exposed person’. Gem Diamonds added: ‘Having carefully considered all options, Letseng has reached agreement with MMIC to terminate the Load and Haul Contract with effect from 1 December 2023, eleven months ahead of its scheduled contractual end date, and will instead insource the load and haul activities. To this end, Letseng will acquire the mining equipment at Letseng from MMIC that is currently used exclusively for Letseng, and will offer employment to MMIC employees who are currently working exclusively for Letseng, in line with operational requirements. This will enable Letseng to continue seamlessly with its mining activities.
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Arkle Resources PLC - exploration company, with principal assets in Irish gold and zinc exploration licences - Starts reconnaissance prospecting programme at Aughrim block of licences in Ireland. ’The main target is lithium bearing pegmatites which have been located in contiguous ground to the west of ground held by International Lithium Corp - Ganfeng Lithium Co Ltd,‘ Arkle adds.
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Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas Ltd - Oil and gas exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margins in South Africa, Namibia, and Guyana - Reports government approval of transfer of an additional 60% working interest and operatorship of offshore Orinduik block in Guyana. The deal, announced in August, will mean Eco holds a 75% interest, while TOQAP Guyana BV, a joint venture between TotalEnergies SA and QatarEnergy will own the remainder. Eco Atlantic had held a 15% direct working interest in Orinduik since 2018. It is acquiring the new holding from a Tullow Oil PLC subsidiary.
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Rockfire Resources PLC - Australia and Greece-focused base metal, gold, and critical mineral exploration company - Notified by Sunshine Metals Ltd that drilling has commenced at Rockfire’s Lighthouse tenement in Queensland, Australia. Sunshine is farming into asset and has option to earn 75% stake by forking A$2.2 million, around £1.4 million, worth of expenditure over a three-year period.
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