SGM.L Regulatory News (SGM)

7 Nov 2006 07:00

Sigma Capital Group PLC07 November 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7 November 2006 SIGMA CAPITAL GROUP PLC ("Sigma" or the "Company") Sigma Partnership with the University of Dundee Sigma Capital Group PLC (AIM: SGM), the specialist asset management and advisorygroup, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a partnership with theUniversity of Dundee (the "University"). The partnership has a 10-year term withthe option to extend this term. The University of Dundee is one of the UK's leading universities,internationally recognised for its expertise across a range of disciplinesincluding science, medicine and engineering. The medical and life sciences are5-star rated, Dundee was Scottish University of the Year 2004/2005 (Sunday TimesGood University Guide) and was ranked top for teaching quality in 2005. TheUniversity of Dundee is extremely research active and has a research income ofover £55M per annum. Recent successful spin-outs include IDMoS, Cyclacel and CXRBiosciences. The university has also developed strong links with industry,including most recently as one of the four academic partners in a £50Minvestment project to create the Dundee-based Scottish Translational MedicineResearch Collaboration in collaboration with one of the world's largestpharmaceutical companies, Wyeth Pharmaceutical. Dundee is one of the foremostcentres for biomedical research in the UK, with funding programmes such as an£11M award by Cancer Research UK in 2005. The University also formed theDivision of Signal Transduction Therapy with six major pharmaceutical companiesand the Medical Research Council; to date this has earned the University over£10M and is currently worth over £3M per year. The partnership with Sigma has been formed to assist with the University's spinout activity and will support the maximising of the commercial value oftechnologies developed by the University. This partnership is in line withSigma's strategy of partnering with Scottish Universities on a long-term basisto help them identify and progress commercialisation opportunities and isSigma's second such partnership this year. Under the terms of the agreement, Sigma will work with the University's Researchand Innovation Services department to support its commercialisation activityacross all Colleges. In return, Sigma will receive equity in new spin-outcompanies from the University. It is also intended to establish a fund, to be managed by Sigma TechnologyManagement Limited, for investment in University of Dundee spin-out companies. Graham Barnet, Sigma's Managing Director, commented, "I am delighted to beannouncing this agreement with the University of Dundee which, in our view isone of the leading universities in the UK with an excellent commercial focus.Dundee has a strong history of spin-outs and we believe that there are many highquality opportunities for the future. The university's technology transferoffice, Research and Innovation Services, has delivered some pioneering projectsin recent years and I am very much looking forward to working with them." James Houston, Director of Research and Innovation Services at the University ofDundee said, "The University of Dundee has developed an impressive record ofspinning out successful and sustainable companies. Our preferred relationshipwith Sigma will serve to maximise further the commercial value of technologiesdeveloped within the university in relation to our future spin-out companies. Welook forward to a productive working relationship with the Sigma team." ENDS ContactSigma Capital Group plcGraham Barnet, Joint Managing Director 0131 220 9444 Buchanan CommunicationsDiane Stewart, Isabel Podda 0207 466 5000 Notes to Editors About the University of Dundee The University of Dundee has powered its way to a position as one of Scotland'sleading universities with an international reputation for excellence across arange of activities. •First in the UK in teaching quality - The Times and Times Higher Education Supplement league tables 2005. •Scottish University of the Year 2004-5 - Sunday Times Good University Guide. •Best place to work in Europe according to an international poll of scientists by The Scientist magazine 2004 & 2005. •University of Dundee graduates command the highest starting salaries north of Oxford. •An annual turnover of £150m generates a further £234m downstream for the local economy. €15 companies have been spun out of the University in the last 6 years. For further information on the University, contact: Roddy Isles Head of Press University of Dundee TEL: 01382 384910 www.dundee.ac.uk About Sigma Capital Group plc Sigma Capital Group PLC is an AIM listed UK asset management and advisory group,which focuses on Specialist Fund Management, Commercialisation of University IPand Property. Sigma was founded in 1997 by Graham Barnet and Neil Crabb, and hasoffices in Edinburgh and London. Sigma announced in July 2006 an investment B1Medical Limited, a partnership between the University of Aberdeen, the RobertGordon University and NHS Grampian and which will focus on the commercialisationof technology in the field of medical devices for orthopaedics. In August 2006Sigma announced a partnership with the Robert Gordon University to assist withits commercialisation activity. www.sigmacapital.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange