PharmaVentures Capital Limited is pleased to announce that it acted as adviser to Biosceptre International Limited (“Biosceptre”) for the successful Series A private placement from the Chinese conglomerate Tuspark Science & Technology Service Group (Tuspark) through its investment vehicle, Bluesky Partnership II L.P. As Tuspark’s first major overseas investment into biotech, this represents a strong belief in the Biosceptre team and the potential transformative effects their therapies may bring to cancer patients. <!–break–>

Biosceptre’s therapies are focused upon a novel cancer target, nfP2X7, that is completely absent in healthy tissue, but present on tumour tissue in the majority of cancers, including lung, breast, colorectal and prostate. For more information on Biosceptre’s therapies see http://www.biosceptre.com/pipeline/.

This first institutional raise will allow Biosceptre to advance its three oncology clinical assets which are BIL010t, a polyclonal antibody ointment for the topical treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers, BIL06v, a peptide protein conjugate and BIL03s, fully human domain monoclonal, both for systemic uses targeting solid and blood cancers. Clinical trials are being planned in Australia, UK and EU.

Fintan Walton, Chairman and Chief Executive of PharmaVentures, said: “This investment by the Chinese company Tuspark S&T in Biosceptre represents a significant landmark for both the UK Biotechnology sector and PharmaVentures Capital Limited.”

Adrian Dawkes, Managing Director at PharmaVentures, added; “As a long-standing client, PharmaVentures is pleased to have advised Biosceptre on this transaction. We are delighted to have been able to leverage our relationships in China to secure this investment for the company.”

For the past 25 years, PharmaVentures has acted as an advisor to over 700 global pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients in transactions; many covering licensing, mergers, acquisitions, divestments and joint venture activities for companies.

About Biosceptre International

Biosceptre is a Cambridge, UK headquartered biotechnology company focused on developing next generation cancer treatments targeting nfP2X7, an oncology target with exquisite specificity.

Sir Gregory Winter, Founder of Domantis and Cambridge Antibody Technologies, is the Acting Chairman of the Biosceptre Board of Directors and he also chairs the company’s Science Advisory Board.

Biosceptre’s clinical programs include systemic antibody-based therapeutics and vaccines, intended to treat a significant range of cancer types. With one successful Phase I trial completed, Biosceptre will be progressing a number of clinical trials across a range of cancer indications. These trials will seek to further advance the establishment of nfP2X7 as a new and important target for the successful treatment of a range of human cancers.

About Tus-Holdings

Tus-Holdings is a large integrated enterprise established in reliance on Tsinghua University. It takes full responsibility for developing, constructing, operating and managing the Tsinghua University Science Park, and is one of the first National Demonstration Enterprises in modern service industry. It is the controlling shareholder of over 500 listed & non-listed enterprises, and the total assets under its management have exceeded GBP 15 billion. Tus-S&T Service Group is the equity investment platform of Tus-Holdings, who directly lead this cooperation.

This Press release is issued by PharmaVentures Capital Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is for information purposes only. This communication does not constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or engage in any investment products, securities or services and should not be deemed as such.

OXFORD, UK, October 28th, 2016

PharmaVentures is pleased to announce that it acted as adviser to IDT Australia Limited for the successful divestment of CMAX, a dedicated clinical trials business, to the Japanese healthcare company I’rom Group Co. Ltd. for a minimum AUD 14,000,000. 

The acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, and as part of the agreed upon structure of the deal, IDT will establish and integrate the CMAX business within a new company (henceforth referred to as NewCo).  I’rom Group will initially acquire 61% of the shares of NewCo; and I’rom Group and IDT will jointly manage NewCo through their 61% and 39% respective share holdings.  This will allow I’rom Group to integrate the CMAX business and to learn from IDT’s experience in managing CMAX, paving the way for I’rom Group to acquire the remaining shares of NewCo over the next twelve months.

IDT will receive an initial cash payment of AUD 10,000,000 in consideration for 61% of the CMAX business.  A second payment for the remaining 31% of the CMAX business will be a minimum of AUD 4,000,000 (payable at I’rom Group’s election in cash or a combination of cash and forgiveness of IDT shares). The second consideration payment may increase subject to an earn-out provision and a third payment on achieving a specific business milestone.

Stephen Waterman, Managing Director, PharmaVentures said; “We are delighted to have used our expertise in the CRO sector to assist IDT in its strategic move into the specialty generics space.”

Fintan Walton, Chairman and Chief Executive of PharmaVentures said: “This deal both establishes PharmaVentures as a player in the CRO M&A space as well as continuing to demonstrate its expertise in cross-border transactions in the Asia-Pacific region.”

For the past 24 years, PharmaVentures has acted as an advisor to over 700 global pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients in transactions; covering licensing, mergers, acquisitions, divestments and joint venture activities for companies.

About IDT

IDT Australia Ltd recently acquired a portfolio of 23 generic drugs to manufacture and sell via US distribution partners. With IDT’s 2013 Temozolomide ANDA filing this signifies IDT’s move to rapidly become a specialty generics business with near term revenue build up.

IDT (ASX:IDT) is a public Australian pharmaceutical manufacturing company based in Boronia, Victoria, Australia. It has extensive experience in the development and production of high potency and high containment pharmaceutical products for local and international clients. IDT’s facilities are fully cGMP compliant and are regularly audited by the US FDA and Australian TGA. With an experienced team of specialists within world-class facilities, IDT provides a full-scale service for new drug development and scale-up, commercial active drug manufacture as well as a variety of oral and injectable finished drug dose forms.

Through CMAX, its clinical research services business based adjacent to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia, IDT also provides full Phase I clinical trials management and delivery, recruitment in specific disease states for Phase II and Phase III trials as well as offering trial packaging, distribution and pharmacy services from the cGMP Boronia facilities.

Click here to see IDT’s Press Release

About I’rom

I’rom Group Co. Ltd is an integrated Japanese healthcare company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. I’rom Group’s primary business is the provision of clinical trial site management services as a Site Management Organisation (“SMO”). I’rom Group have been an IDT shareholder since 2013.  I’rom Group believes that the acquisition of the CMAX business will help grow profits and help the company and its shareholders through an increased corporate value. Furthermore, I’rom Group will be able to acquire knowledge that will assist in growing the company’s existing clinical trial and advanced therapeutics business domains.

OXFORD, UK, July 27st, 2016

PharmaVentures is pleased to announce that it acted as an adviser to the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute in connection with the creation of Denceptor Therapeutics Limited.

Denceptor Therapeutics will develop immunotherapeutic products to treat cancer and auto immune diseases using Baylor Scott & White Reasearch Institutes’s dendritic cell receptor-targeting antibodies. These antibodies will be humanized using Abzena’s Composite Human Antibody™ technology to reduce unwanted drug immunogenicity. Denceptor Therapeutics will operate as a virtual business and outsource its development and manufacturing activities. Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and Abzena will be amoung the outsourced service providers. 

Denceptor Therapeutics has an option to exclusively license antibodies from Baylor Scott & White Research Institute with a sub-license to the humanized versions of the antibodies created by Abzena. The antibodies will deliver antigens to specific receptor on dendritic cells to induce or suppress an immune response in order to treat a variety of cancers and autoimmune diseases.

Nigel Borshell, Vice President, PharmaVentures said: “Collaborations like this are a valuable way of bringing together key technologies and skills so that the whole is greater than sum of the parts. Understanding the value of the contributing parts is key to a successful relationship.“

Fintan Walton, Chief Executive, PharmaVentures said: “We were delighted to be able to provide Baylor with our extensice commercial sector expertise and help them in the establishment of this exciting new venture with Abzena plc.“

The Baylor Scott & White Research Institute is an affiliate of the Baylor Scott & White Health, which conducts over 5 million patient encounters annually, and have 6000 medical staff members and 48 hospitals that are owned, operated, joint-ventured or affiliated.

Abzena (AIM: ABZA) provides proprietary technologies and complementary services to enable the development and manufacture of biopharmaceutical products. The Group has a global customer base which includes the majority of the top 20 biopharmaceutical companies as well as large and small biotech companies and academic groups.

For the past 24 years, PharmaVentures has acted as an advisor to over 700 global pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients in transactions; covering licensing, mergers, acquisitions, divestments and joint venture activities for companies.

OXFORD, UK, July 21st, 2016

PharmaVentures is pleased to announce that today it has launched a new FCA regulated firm, Pharmaventures Capital Ltd which will carry out all future FCA regulated corporate finance related mandates.

The new firm, which is 100% owned by PharmaVentures, will be able to expand our client offering to include: publice transactions; certain transactions involving listed companies; and fund raising. 

Fintan Walton, Chief Executive of PharmaVentures said: “We are delighted to expand our offering to clients through this new FCA regulated firm as it is quite common for our clients to require a broader range of corporate finance advice”.

Those authorised to conduct regulated work include Fintan Walton, Chairman and Chief Executive, Stephen Waterman and Ping Shek, all of whom are Board Directors of PharmaVentures Capital Ltd. and Issac Jacob, Senior Director at PharmaVentures Ltd.

The Financial Conduct Authority is the major financial regulatory body in the UK which regulates the financial services industry in the UK. Its role includes protecting consumers, keeping the industry stable, and promoting healthy competition between financial service providers. The UK is one of the leading centres for financial services in the world.

For the past 24 years, PharmaVentures has acted as an advisor to over 700 global pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients in transactions; covering licensing, mergers, acquisitions, divestments and joint venture activites for companies.