Member Info for NiptSteve

I highlighted IONA in Sweden a few weeks ago and it’s good to see this reflected on the website: https://www.premaitha.com/pregnant-women/where-can-i-get-the-iona-test/where-can-i-get-the-iona-test-nordic-locations The Swedish website and Facebook page are looking good as well. As these (and other customer samples) are being processed in Manchester it does again raise the question of contingency if we pull out of UK - all to be revealed shortly I guess. Be good to hear something from the EU as well re their investigation - on the off chance it goes in our favour it will make little difference as the likes of NHS will have been decided so they need to give an update ASAP.

Just to add that in relation the the potential UK withdrawal - the SAFE test is continuing to be taken up by private clinics in the UK so hopefully this implies that a way forward has been identified for existing UK providers.

Hardman still speaking about the company moving "much closer to cashflow breakeven" so I wonder if we have hit that in time for the trading statement. This bit was interesting as Middle East progress is expected but I wasn't expecting Africa growth. "has made enormous strides in Africa and the Middle East, where a number of new laboratories will be coming on stream in fiscal 2019." Full report here: http://www.hardmanandco.com/docs/default-source/mohtnly-newsletters/hardman-co-monthly-may-2018.pdf

Flipper there has been a few updates to the tender in relation to dates - the closing date was yesterday so nobody knows at this stage the outcome. Although I have dismissed the UK it will be interesting to know if we have actually bid for this - regardless of intention to pull out of UK I guess it would have made sense to put the bid in just in case of any last minute twist. The only twists that I can think of would be 1.a mutually agreed settlement, 2.a court imposed settlement or 3.an intervention from the EU causing a forced settlement. History tells me that there is unlikely to be any twist and UK will be the way forward - at which point we can move on along with the share price.

Yes it would have been a positive if it was us - but it’s not. Let’s hope we get an RNS Monday or next week to justify this rise.

If Wales were using IONA there would have been an RNS so forget that - besides, do people think that it would be worthy of a rise like today? How many tests do you think they will do per year (high risk only)? Middle East and Asia will/are far surpass this and even UK NHS will be small as high risk only. If this rise is off the back of Wales then imo it’s a false rise - I hope it is due to news on Monday/next week regarding patent situation.

What I don’t want to be seeing is a trading statement that doesn’t include confirmation that the patent issue is resolved - either via pulling out of UK (as speculated here) or a settlement; so I can wait as all other news is wasted. Good figures, breakeven or new contracts (surely something must have been lined up in Brazil for us to go through the approval process) unlikely to rerate the share price. Any of those combined with definitive patent news should get us moving. I really don’t care how it is resolved at this stage. Who knows, maybe we informed the EU investigation team of our options (which if Illumina are unwilling to settle are very few) and this has changed the dynamics. With us gone and the Harmony test ruled out of winning the NHS tender (as per judges notes) then there is literally no competition for Illumina in the UK at least; anti-trust anyone (yes I know we infringed but Illumina are happy to license to those on their machines). I have no idea really like everyone else and just my speculative thoughts.

Just to add that from memory I think the share price had to be above 50p for 30 days for them to converted. After averaging down numerous times I can see a path to hitting that level but it would need a complete reversal of how things have panned out so far and atm the share price and the market doesn’t judge it likely. Let’s hope the April update actually arrives in April and that is accompanied by definitive news on patent situation.

As we wait for the trading statement things continue to look promising in the UAE with this lab based in Dubai: http://menalabs.com/genetika/laboratory.php "After a thorough evaluation, MenaLabs has decided to select the IONA test as its NIPT solution. Under the agreement MenaLabs will become the regional platform of Premaitha Health to provide NIPT testing with the highest quality and with the shorter turn around time." http://menalabs.com/genetika/pregnancy.php Anybody that digs a little deeper will see that these are part of a much bigger company called Cerba HealthCare: http://www.cerbahealthcare.com/index.php?id=92&L=9 Looks like they may be using Sequenon (or have done in the past) in other countries so good to see they have gone with IONA in Dubai. That's all for now - back to the waiting for this writ nightmare to end...

This hearing is not to decide whether we infringed the 321 patent - it is to rule on the counter application by us on abuse of legal process as stated in the interims. If we are successful it will increase the pressure on Illumina to settle.

IONA now being marketed and sold in Sweden with samples being processed in Manchester by the looks of it: http://iona-test.se https://vitalabs.se

Flipper the big trades of a couple of weeks ago suggested something was imminent but volume since then has been pitiful so I’d be surprised (but delighted) to see a settlement land soon. Also, Illumina have played this perfectly so far and I see no reason why they will be in a rush to settle. With the NHS introducing NIPT this year and most likely other EU contracts up for grabs there is nothing like a potential patent infringement writ to put off customers going with us.

Something is up as constantly able to get a quote to sell a large amount at the full offer.

Feb report is out and still no updated figures.

Flipper interested to know your thoughts on why a sale would be needed by Q2?

Also if that’s the case somebody better let TF CEO Marc Casper know who said this in article yesterday: ...There is "good momentum with Ion Torrent" sequencing technology, particularly in the areas of oncology, noninvasive prenatal testing, and applied markets, he said... https://www.genomeweb.com/sequencing/thermo-fisher-launches-new-sequencing-instruments-readies-clinical-mass-spec-system

What are peoples thoughts on this? Do we use Ion AmpliSeq tech as part of our NIPT? https://emea.illumina.com/company/news-center/press-releases/press-release-details.html?newsid=2325616 Although this relates to research market who knows where it will lead.

Perhaps a line will be drawn and those existing labs will incur a higher royalty rate to Illumina going forward whilst any new (Illumina based) labs will be on a 'friends' rate or nearer to that? Also how will the forcing of IONA onto Illumina platform in UK/EU appear to the EU investigation? Ok the patents have been upheld but they relate to a process not a platform. The paying of a royalty is one thing (mates rate or the GSH $75 per test or higher) but surely if ever an example of anti-competition was needed then a forced platform change is that. Who knows. So many questions and outcomes going around in my head. Knowing our luck they will come out of the EU investigation unscathed!!

Nice article - Wolfson do the reflex method and they use IONA so it’s good PR for us. Good to see which other hospitals use Wolfson and that they are speaking to further hospitals.

So this looks like it is being done via Wolfson (who use IONA to do their reflex DNA test): "We are proud to announce that Liverpool Women�s Hospital is the first Trust outside of London to offer Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) (reflex DNA) through the NHS maternity pathway of care." https://www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk/news/nipt-reflex-dna-tests-available-through-your-nhs-maternity-pathway/