Cobus Loots, CEO of Pan African Resources, on delivering sector-leading returns for shareholders. Watch the video here.
I had as well Timster, worth a recap: As part of developing home testing capability, the supplier has been requested to provide a proof of concept relating to image recognition technology that could be used to read the results of home tests and convey these test results back to DHSC
Yes and seen by govt previously....
https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2020/W50/740622567
One of the reasons we are buying from Innova is almost certainly because we are competing with other governments across the globe for tests such as the Abbot test. And last month when the govt were planning ahead for mass testing the entire population weekly, it would have seemed entirely sensible to contract for a large amount to secure supplies but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are looking to take delivery of everything at the same time - they would have been looking to create a buffer alongside the sovereign supply. Nothing worse than promising free lfts and then not being able to deliver.
Its not even clear whether lateral testing is covered by the dps - the answers seem to conflict each other
I reckon we are most likely going to be awarded contracts under the recent 4bn Consumables Reagents and Equipment DPS (assuming clinical validation is a success)
https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2021/W10/746389838
Been looking at the questions and answers for that procurement and what really stands out is the complete confusion amongst potential bidders as to what they are being asked to deliver
https://health-family-contract-search.secure.force.com/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?retURL=%2Fapex%2FProSpend__CS_ContractPage%3FsfdcIFrameOrigin%3Dnull&file=00P4J00000GTUCOUA5
Looks to me like a classic government procurement where the winners or at least the bidders have been identified and contacted before the actual procurement exercise.
I would love to think it’s not a backup but as pointed out by bbn on Twitter - why did Mologic not yet publish any additional clinical data since December?
I think it absolutely is a backup - that’s why contracts have been awarded to the two companies that can produce both tests. But equally the longer the govt hold back from actually producing the Mologic test the more likely it will ultimately be us. And the quicker test is likely to be us as well.
@soleboy bbi have been instrumental in the conversion to nasal anterior and I think are probably the main architects of the manufacturing blue print. Perhaps ask Alistair next time you see him?
Not really a climb down - any statement of being the best test has always referred to the best ‘spike protein’ test
Not sure how independent the clinical trials are run and to what extent Sir Al will be told about any test failures as they happen but you would think he gets to hear about them real-time - yet he still sounds as bullish as ever....
Worth rereading the huff post article when trying to make sense of all the conflicting messages - remember the only correction Avacta made in its rns was that the test was nasal anterior rather than saliva.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/five-minute-covid-test-nightclubs-moonshot-plan_uk_602fee6fc5b67c32961d49aa/
Up to now everyone has been agreeing that there will be plenty of demand for all U.K. lft test producers. Perhaps we need to revise that. There are still lots of unknowns but my take on the current situation is this:
1 The ‘sovereign’ test is a separate government (pa consulting) led exercise to manufacture a U.K. test to a common spec across a range of manufacturers in the U.K. The recent ODX and GAD manufacturing awards are related to this initiative.
2 The DPS 8bn procurement is for branded lft tests in addition to the sovereign supply. The recent ODX and GAD manufacturing awards are not related to this. The idea behind this procurement is to make up any shortfall in sovereign supply if needed, but also to provide a competitive comparison to justify expenditure under the sovereign supply. And I suppose it will allow the government to buy a revolutionary 3rd party test should one come to market unexpectedly.
I reckon that most manufacturing capacity in the U.K. is currently reserved for the sovereign test. Explains why recent Avacta communications about U.K. capacity for the Avacta branded test is rather modest. I do still very much think that the sovereign test is based on Affimers - initial results for our test beat Mologic. But I also think that the government are deliberately keeping the make up of that test fluid - medium term it may migrate to the combined Avacta/Mologic super test but in the short term all will depend on final S&S results - and hence the vast majority of the U.K. manufacturing capacity may pivot between Avacta and Mologic....
So should clinical results disappoint a bit, its all very well to say we can just sell internationally but if our manufacturing capacity is curtailed by Boris then that becomes an issue. Perhaps Medusa could come to our rescue....
In the other hand if results go our way, the available capacity may go way beyond what anyone is expecting right now.....
Are you referring to yourself lunchcrop? Sounds like you’re hoping to buy in tomorrow
Have a thought for our marketing team - which one do we pick:
- the quickest
- the most accurate
- the cheapest
- the most robust
- the easiest to manufacture
- the easiest to use
- the easiest to store
Thats what I have been thinking radia!
We also now know our test is very fast - that to me is new and very relevant
Agree - ‘ The super-fast results are also seen as transformative by some in the industry, with sources saying that the time has been brought down considerably over the past few months after experimentation with hundreds of different test strips’ - maybe Cytiva have been integral to this all along
Don’t you love it when a plan comes together!!!!
gkb - its just me trying to make sense of it all. But I am pretty convinced that Avacta (as well as other listed companies involved such as Abingdon) are having to walk an increasingly difficult tightrope between keeping the markets informed and adhering to the strict ndas around the UK test. Spare a thought for Al wanting to share all the great news and respond to all the criticism but being unable to and having to write cryptic market announcements. He probably hired a new PR company just for the latter.
Perhaps I didn’t explain my point well gbk. The U.K. validation process is there to validate tests for use in the U.K. It would seem wrong for avacta to put its own branded lft aimed at the wider world through that process - especially if it’s a copy of the U.K. lft that has already been through that process.