Member Info for leewill39

Another promotion from within was their laboratory manager
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-lamoure-8ba7512b/?originalSubdomain=uk

Richard Lamoure
Laboratory Manager at Avacta

Interesting bio....

I have strong experience in leading the day to day running of a laboratory with a team of 8 scientists and technicians, as well as managing overseas distributors’ accounts. A hardworking and enthusiastic individual, bilingual French and English.

Overseas distributor accounts.........elisa kits maybe????

Amongst the changes on the website this week they are now clearly defining the 2 divisions including senior leaders for each side of the business.

As previously mentioned, Avacta have promoted to Mary Bronserud to Operations Director of the diagnostics unit. Why would Avacta make this move now? The diagnostics division is mainly a small bunch of scientists developing reagents for third party products, its hardly in need of an Operations Director, especially one with a history in the FMCG sector. They also have a laboratory manager who manages the lab, clearly they need someone with experience in handling very large supply chains.

Added to the other moves within the business towards the diagnostics unit and the production scientists jobs I think Avacta are gearing up for the launch of the test.
https://avacta.com/diagnostics/

I see that the AppDX video was only uploaded 2 days ago.

Notice that the test is identical to the 1 shown in Alistair Smiths presentation on the 23rd November:)
https://avacta.wistia.com/medias/30w6vgnvmg

Don't forget KKR fund who own Gamma Biosciences, who in turn own Astea.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200218005460/en/KKR-Forms-Life-Sciences-Tools-Platform-Gamma-Biosciences

I'm sure they are looking over Avacta with great interest...….The word is spreading:)

Morning all.

Noticed that Avacta have updated their significant shareholders page on their website. I was sure that the holdings have changed slightly so I checked an archived version of the website from November

November
Current significant shareholders are as follows:
Baillie Gifford & Co Limited – 4.59%
Premier Miton Group – 3.81%
Conifer Management, LLC – 3.32%
As at 22nd October 2020 the company has 252,649,804 ordinary shares of 10p each in issue.

Now
Current significant shareholders are as follows:
Premier Miton Group – 4.66%
Baillie Gifford & Co Limited – 4.63%
Conifer Management, LLC – 3.54%
As at 3rd February 2021 the company has 253,236,345ordinary shares of 10p each in issue.

I think Conifer were at 3.54% after the June placing so it could just be a typo.

However, If these are holdings are correct it would indicate that Miton and Conifer have been picking up shares in the background.

I was thinking exactly the same thing!!

Another change I've noticed...

Previously - Shaping the future of cancer treatment with powerful therapeutic and diagnostic platforms

Now - Shaping the future of medicine with powerful therapeutic and diagnostic platforms

We need a bigger boat:)

So they release the name of the test AffiDXTM SARS-CoV-2

Now change website tab from Affimer COVID-19 diagnostic to SARS-Cov-2

Keywords maybe???

Dido Harding up now if interested

Interesting tweet from Neil Polwart - Group Head of Mobile @TheBBIGroup & Founder @novarumdx
https://twitter.com/polwart/status/1356688650986287105

"This is why I say we shouldn't trust our eyesight to interpret test results - what you see may not always be there..."

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/04748597/filing-history

Just looked up the option price and it was 29.2p per share.

Still a good price for Bach and puts a few quid(170k) in the kitty for Avacta.

After increasing their holding today Bach Biosciences are now very aligned with our interests in Avacta.

Bach being a spin out from Tufts University, which is one of top medical schools in the US will be a very well connected partner Stateside. Its now clearly in Bach's interests to get our platforms noticed, especially Precision which I'm sure is why the Point deal has been signed.

I'm sure Ruane will be have been sounding out their contacts at Tufts before putting $10,000,000 into Avacta.

Just looking at the latest RNS and our contacts at FTI Consulting. We seem to have some very senior folks looking after Avacta, I wonder why.......

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-conway-6a34a84/?originalSubdomain=uk
Simon Conway
Senior Managing Director, Strategic Communications at FTI Consulting

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-cuthbert-15bb3b25/
Stephanie Cuthbert
Senior Director at FTI Consulting Strategic Communications

Great news to see Bach taking up there share options.

The fact that they are not even waiting for Phase 1 data from AVA6000 speaks volumes to me. Alistair Smith said at the time of announcing the partnership the deal with Bach it would be transformational for the group, which is looking increasingly likely.

Now lets hear an update on the next 3 pro drugs that are currently in development and even more so the TMAC programme.

Absolutely love this RNS this morning:)

The more I researched Avacta I kept coming back to Affyxell as a potential Jewell in the crown.

Naturally, nothing to stop these group of investors/funds investing into Avacta as well.

The affimer technology is gaining real momentum now, a very exciting year ahead!!

Who knows that upfront could be a lot bigger than any of us think?

LG are obviously very keen on affimers having extended the partnership twice in 18 months.

Just as a reminder:
Under the terms of the extended agreement, LG Chem has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialise, on a world-wide basis, Avacta’s Affimer PD-L1 inhibitor with Affimer XT serum half-life extension.

Surely that has to worth a few quid:)

I’m still surprised they haven’t spoken about the LG Chem extension yet.

Surely they will want to disclose the further upfront payment prior to the trading update?

https://twitter.com/sharebuyers/status/1355864024597082112

Covid stocks poised to surge as workplace testing campaign kicks off

Shares in the ‘so-called’ COVID stocks look set to rally in the coming weeks as new campaign has kicked off designed to encourage the pace of rapid COVID-19 testing among British employers in the workplace.

The campaign comes off the back off an investigation by The Daily Mail that shown major employers such as John Lewis, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Steel have been using regular rapid testing programmes to avoid key parts of their operations being shutdown due to potential COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace.

Promising statistics are highlighted such as Tata and John Lewis saving 8,000 work days for thousands of staff who would have otherwise had to self-isolate.

These promising results are transpiring from a pilot scheme launched by the government which sees them pick up the costs and sourcing activities for companies involved in its pilot until March.

And now The Daily Mail is kicking off a campaign to ensure rapid testing becomes mainstream in workplaces by asking for movements such as:

Government supporting payment for testing kits beyond its pilot which comes to a halt at the end of March:
Marketing to show rapid testing can be a success in the workplace
It has already gained support from the British of Chamber of Commerce.

Government wants 2m rapid British tests per day by April
With promising results of a workplace testing scheme, it comes as little surprise that the government is increasing its focus on rapid testing.

A fortnight ago, it was revealed that it is seeking to scale up lateral flow production in the UK to produce up to 2m rapid tests per day (the aforementioned pilot expires in March).

PA Consulting was handed a £6.2m to help draw up the plans to scale up manufacturing of lateral flow tests – including sourcing possible providers.

Domestic test providers ready to surge? The potential winners
Omega Diagnostics: A member of the UK Rapid Test Consortium who is on track to build up its lateral flow test production capability to 2m per week in April. Antigen and antibody test possibilities.
Abingdon Health: Lead partner in the UK Rapid Test Consortium with false accusations recently made against it by the FT and Good Law Project ( Abingdon Health boss highlights FT’s flawed accusations ). Recently IPO’d to support production of lateral flow antibody test as part of the UK Rapid Test Consortium and certainly on the government’s radar as part of its role in the UK Rapid Test Consortrium.
Avacta: Big expectations on its rapid COVID-19 test capability and has been backed to deliver ( Broker backs Avacta after it says all is on track ).
Novacyt: Novacyt already has made big inroads with the government and The Daily Mail states – “the Government is handling the cost and sourcing of tests for companies in its pilot until the end of March.

I've noticed that Avacta follow this lady on twitter:
https://twitter.com/katymmontague?lang=en

Upon a bit of further investigation she heads up Oncology partnership at AstraZeneca.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katymmontague/?originalSubdomain=uk
Director & Head of Academic Alliances, Oncology R&D Business Development & Licensing
Full-time
Dates EmployedOct 2020 – Present
Employment Duration4 mos
LocationCambridge, England, United Kingdom
I manage the Academic Alliances team in AstraZeneca’s Oncology R&D Business Development & Licensing function. The team is responsible for facilitating AstraZeneca’s preclinical and nonclinical Oncology collaborations with academics worldwide to support the company’s R&D strategy, and in particular preparing and negotiating the agreements that underpin these partnerships. Member of the Oncology R&D Business Development & Licensing Leadership Team.
https://www.astrazeneca.com/partnering.html

https://www.astrazeneca.com/partnering/our-areas-of-partnering-interest.html
Looking over AZ's areas of interest in Oncology I would suggest that the TMAC programme is right up their street. I wonder if AZ saw enough in the incredible TMAC animal data to look at partnering with Avacta.

Just a reminder about Alistair Smith said following the release of the data:
"We continue to receive significant commercial interest in the TMAC concept, so I am delighted that we have been able to demonstrate superior efficacy and targeting of the warhead to the tumour with the first TMAC that we have tested in animals.

This is hugely encouraging for the TMAC programme and I look forward to keeping the market updated on future developments.”

Avacta and Tufts University jointly own all the IP around this concept which can include many types of check inhibitors and toxins. Avacta have gone a bit quiet on the TMAC programme, I just wonder if a big announcement is round the corner:)

Avacta do like using big statements.....

"Shaping the future of cancer treatment with powerful therapeutic and diagnostic platforms"

POWERFUL!!!!

Either Avacta know what they have under the hood or they are setting themselves up for an almighty fall, I know which camp I am firmly in:)