RE: Hopefully….16 May 2026 15:40
Why do you say that? A disposal of the main business would constitute a fundamental change of business under AIM Rule 15 and requires shareholder approval last I checked.
Am trying to understand the prospects here, though admit it’s a futile exercise for the most part. Well helps to settle my mind over it.
My feeling is if administration was nefariously planned, it would have happened much sooner. Involving Alumni was IMO a last ditch attempt to maintains solvency, with a plan to perhaps get an upfront payment for a new contract or waiting for more funding from Mt Sinai which didn’t materialise for whatever reason. I simply cannot see Marla deliberately pulling the rug under Mt Sinai who supported her through the seed funding and whom she likely has close academic and clinical links with.
On the other hand, I don’t think Mt Sinai were happy to provide further funding considering the high negative cash flow. They will likely need a few more years and about £5 million before the business turns a profit.
I get the skepticism if she was another shady AIM ceo, but actually she’s a career clinician with a strong desire to build services for patients and the academic community, and probably has close relationships with the team she has assembled. So I am doubtful she wants the business to fall under the control of a private equity firm who will be focussed on a rapid return of capital and assume executive decisions and likely mismanage the business.
Personally I’m sure she wants the business to go to J&J, as it’s clear the employees and services the company provides are well regarded and high standard, and the US based team with their links and rep may help expand the JJs footprint in the IBD market which is an enormous growth sector for them. It seems like the partnership with JJ has validated Trellus platform, and actually they already have their own digital patient platform in Europe called Care4Today so they potentially could integrate the team for a US audience.
If they were interested, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are happy to pay a decent amount to ensure they maintain good relations with Mt Sinai and the Trellus team, rather than swoop in after administration. Mt Sinai was willing to accept shares at 0.525p so that sets the floor for any kind of return of capital to shareholders. It would work out to about £4 million with the current share issue.
Only question is why didn’t JJ support Trellus earlier knowing they needed funding. Perhaps Marla up until now has been trying to maintain control over the business.