Member Info for AquaeSulis01

Mol, Laura Bey Head of Formulations, recently joined from Unilever, looks an interesting recruit.

So if all the stars align the following scenario may well play out:

Acquisition of a company with a number of established products dealing with skin inflammation albeit some have side effects that have to be carefully managed, just as a number of new anti-inflammatory ingredients arrive from the 2 year R&D programme with no nasty side effects.

Laura tasked with blending the new ingredients alongside or replacing current product ingredients to improve further the end product results.

Stuart's conversation with the Multi National Partners waiting in the wings goes along the lines "besides axisbiotix ps, and axisbiotix acne, we will be rolling out short term established but enhanced product x, y and z and to follow, new products a, b, c so go market them to a wider international Customer Base.

Should read "inflamation" and first programme

I thought the acquisition was more to do with providing a vehicle for the skin information products resulting from the second R&D programme? This from 2021 End Results RNS "Other Research Programmes

In April 2021 SkinBioTherapeutics extended its collaboration with the University of Manchester for two new research programmes. The first programme, which will run for two years, will focus on how the microbiome can influence and rebalance the body's response to inflammation in skin health and skin disease. The aim is for SkinBioTherapeutics to develop immune-supporting microbiome formulations to market through everyday products such as skin lotions and creams where there is an increasing consumer preference for natural ingredients.

The second programme addresses oral health and will explore the use of different bacteria, including SkinBioTherapeutics' proprietary lysate SkinBiotix, for oral health and wellbeing. The 12-month programme will develop, and test formulations designed to support the health of skin surfaces in the oral cavity targeting disease prevention, oral care and hygiene. These formulations could be positioned as standalone products or work alongside traditional oral health and wellbeing products."

Wonder if the absence of any questions regarding an acquisition is because TW believes it is now unlikely to happen

Yes all risks are in the future else they become certain events in the present. In other words, an Issue to be dealt with. The attachment inferred the troubles had spilt over with the incursions but that is not a new thing as was reported on in April so hopefully doesn't delay the final sign off.

It appears from the July 22 RNS to be a worldwide agreement for undisclosed royalties. It is a different agreement to the Unnamed US Partner deal where they have exclusive rights for the Monk Fruit derived sweetbiotix products, Firminech ate looking to scale up stevenol based sweetbiotix products and Optibiotix will be free to produce t heir own sweetbiotix products to sell alongside Firmenich by the look of it. Regarding SOH's low ball sweetbiotix forecast, don't forget he was talking about 60% chance of clearing the novel structure regulatory barriers so probably built in a protracted timeline before full launch occurs

Electriclion, the problem is by taking an authoritarian line rather than settling the Amhara dispute by dialogue it does risk escalating security issues in the Oromia region does it not?

"The proliferation of actors in the war, including Fano militias who are infiltrating the Oromia region, is exacerbating the vulnerability of the security and the economy, Negera said, adding that the only way out of this crisis is via negotiated settlement, between the warring parties. “Effective and long-lasting peace comes only through dialogue,” he said.

Asebe agrees with Negera’s reasoning on why the war must end through a negotiated settlement, and why lasting peace must be ensured by developing the culture of reconcile and compromise between the competing interests of the parties around the table. This, he said, will further open the political space and suppress the tendency of autocracy."

https://addisstandard.com/in-depth-analysis-why-resolving-war-in-oromia-through-peace-talks-is-long-overdue/

Dobbin, pretty pointless speculating, can remember getting very excited about Skin's axisbiotix product where telephone numbers were spoken about in short order which so far have failed to materialise. These things take longer to take-off than you realise and for now probably best to look at SOH's own forecast figures for sweetbiotix at slide 18 in mol's presentation attachment which shows by 2026 only likely to be just over £2 million per annum

It would be nice to get a clue over the nature of the additional properties that Croda hope to confirm in the clinical trials they're holding. The Lyma Skin serum featured in the Daily Mail back in May has got a new mention in today's hard copy Express with the new information that at circa £500 a time the demand for it has led to a 30,000 waiting list so just imagine the impact a natural product like skinbiotix will potentially have once launched next year

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12219245/The-new-LYMA-Skin-serum-cream-address-age-solely-reduce-symptoms.html

Porsh, you will know doubt be interested in the Wellbiome Clinical Trial being conducted by Hull University.

"I will be testing the effects of WellBiome on cardiac surgical outcomes following a pre-operative 6-week nutritional intervention. This project will be starting in Q3 of 2023"

https://www.hull.ac.uk/staff-directory/james-hobkirk

The more interesting RNS for me was the newly notified 3% holdings of Oryx International Growth Fund Limited run by strong supporters of the Board buying up shares whilst they remain ridiculously cheap . Roll on the vote so that the Board can crack on with building the Business once this nonsense is behind them

https://www.investmentweek.co.uk/news/4120923/north-atlantic-companies-trust-rebuffs-misleading-shareholder-claims

Friedman I understand the non dilution of shareholding importance to a point but to imply the sa le of skin shares has been to get sweetbiotix over the line is wrong. All the sales of skin shares in recent years have been to prop up the first generation products which have not grown as rapidly as hoped with the manufacturing partners paying for sweetbiotix scale up. From the accounts just £68k was paid for R&D in 2022 . That said, I understand the difficult trading conditions experienced last year and providing the bounce back in first generation sales has been as good as forecast then selling assets at inopportune times will be a thing of the past.

Proton, it may well turn out to be a win win. Skin get nothing from the sale other than peace of mind that their major shareholder will not be looking to sell anymore shares to fund the shortfall between revenue and costs for another year. Whilst Opti if they hit their projections to be profitable by 2024 wont need to raise further funds to balance the books whilst growing the company. If sweetbiotix clear regulatory hurdles regarding the novelty of their structure (SOH stated this was 60-40 in their favour in the May 23 Investor Meets Presentation about 46.13 minutes in) then with the recovery in first gen product sales, the need to sell off assets to fund the business will be history.

Marc, Opti is selling the family silver at a potentially knock down price to raise circa £600k gross. Skin has a tie in with Croda for a pro-ageing lysate that is due to undertake further clinical trials in Nov because additional beneficial properties have been found during scale-up by Croda to add to the products worth. I suspect the decision to sell Skin shares was taken before the recent interest and rise in the Opti sp as a small dilution of Opti shares through a placing to raise a similar amount would have been preferable.

4M shares sold then (1,211,562 were sold in Feb) and with an Opti shareholder hat on would be disappointed with the option taken but with a skin hat on highly delighted this action has been taken in advance of news so happy to be proved wrong; good call elrico

4M shares sold Martinu, 1,211,567 sold in Feb don't forget

Toyin, well aware of what he said to TW in an interview recorded some 9 days ago but I would imagine SOH has been taken by surprise at the level of interest shown in Opti that has risen and sustained the share price to its new level, so not beyond the realms of possibility that he reappraises the situation when he decides more money is needed to grow the business. As you correctly state, there is no immediate call for Opti funds so why wouldn't he at least wait for Skin to announce the Croda trial has started to see the impact on the sp before deciding rather than sell a huge chunk of a valuable asset at today's price?

Elrico, I would be surprised if the June share sells are attributed to Opti as SOH also made it clear that the shares sold in Feb 2023 (when Skin share were 21p) took Opti to the threshold for notification by TR1 and any further sales would take the company over the reporting threshold. Also, since SOH made those comments about selling skin shares, the Opti share price has quadrupled accompanied by associated interest and volume, wouldn't it make more sense for SOH to therefore raise any growth funds by a placing, especially as it has been speculated that there is further II interest, rather than selling skin shares in advance of expected accretive news for skin?

Useful to know Robj and ty. As you say the Triggering of the funds drawdown is important and in turn should trigger a share price rerate

Merely an observation that with the dry season commencing Oct through to May that at least 4 of the 8 months will be lost following a slippage just 1 month after the milestones were announced.