Proximagen First Day Dealings

IP2IPO Group PLC 31 March 2005 For immediate release 31 March 2005 IP2IPO GROUP PLC PROXIMAGEN NEUROSCIENCE PLC SUCCESSFUL PLACING AND ADMISSION TO AIM IP2IPO Group plc (AIM: IPO), the intellectual property company that commercialises university technology, is pleased to note that today is the first day of trading on AIM of shares in Proximagen Neuroscience plc ('Proximagen'), a spin-out company from King's College London focused on neurodegenerative disease. Proximagen raised £13.5 million (before expenses) at a placing price of 148p per share (the 'Placing Price') and its capitalisation at the placing price was £29.7 million. Following the placing IP2IPO owns 4,704,000 shares in Proximagen (worth £7.0 million at the placing price), representing 23.5% of Proximagen's enlarged share capital. The press release issued today by Proximagen follows: For immediate release 31 March 2005 PROXIMAGEN NEUROSCIENCE PLC ('Proximagen' or 'the Company') FIRST DAY OF DEALINGS ON THE AIM MARKET OF THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE Proximagen Neuroscience plc (AIM: PRX), the drug discovery and development company focused on neurodegenerative disease, is pleased to announce its flotation on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange today. Background • Proximagen was founded in November 2003 by Professor Peter Jenner and King's College London, leveraging more than 25 years of innovative neurodegenerative research • Proximagen has a pipeline with four compounds in development • £13.5 million (£12.6 million net of expenses) has been raised for Proximagen via a placing at 148 pence per share • £1.0 million (before expenses) was raised for King's College. King's College will hold 11% of the enlarged share capital of Proximagen • On admission the market capitalisation of Proximagen at the placing price will be £29.7 million • The proceeds of the placing will be used to finance the Company's drug development programmes in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease • KBC Peel Hunt Ltd is the Company's nominated adviser and broker Commenting on the flotation, Kenneth Mulvany, Proximagen's Chief Executive Officer, said: 'I am delighted by the response to Proximagen's flotation. Commencing life as a public company is extremely exciting for us and we look forward to progressing our drug development programmes in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease and to generating value for our shareholders.' For further information please contact: Proximagen Neuroscience plc Kenneth Mulvany, Chief Executive Officer 020 7848 6011 IP2IPO Group plc David Norwood, Chief Executive Officer 020 7067 1651 KBC Peel Hunt Ltd Capel Irwin 020 7418 8900 Buchanan Communications Tim Anderson/Mark Court/Mary-Jane Johnson 020 7466 5000 Notes for editors About Proximagen Background to the therapeutic area: The Group's business is drug discovery and development and is primarily focused on the identification and subsequent out-licensing of novel therapeutics which improve the quality of life of patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases. In 2002 Alzheimer's disease was the sixth most frequent cause of death for those above the age of 65 in the US. Current treatments for Alzheimer's only offer symptomatic relief and mainly only for the early stages of the disease. The incidence of Parkinson's disease is 300,000 new patients annually worldwide. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease and no treatment has been shown to slow or stop the progression of the disease. The business opportunity: The Directors believe that the neurodegenerative drugs market, as a result of its size and existing therapeutic needs, represents a significant opportunity for the Group. Global annual sales of current pharmaceutical products for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are alone estimated to be in excess of US$4 billion. The life expectancy of the general population is increasing such that the proportion of the world population aged over 60 is forecast by the World Health Organisation to double between 2000 and 2050. This suggests that the number of individuals suffering from age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, will also increase. Proximagen seeks to commercialise a pipeline of compounds to address the medical needs of patients with neurodegenerative disease. This will be accomplished through the Group's internal research programmes and in-licence programmes that will be carefully selected from the wider range of research projects available to the Group. The business: Proximagen Limited was founded by Professor Peter Jenner in conjunction with King's College in November 2003 to draw upon over 25 years of pre-eminent neurodegenerative research. The Group's primary objective is to develop and commercialise a pipeline of compounds to address the medical needs of patients with neurodegenerative disease. The Group has already made significant progress towards implementing this business model by commencing three proprietary programmes in the field of neurodegenerative disease. The Group will seek to out-license its own internal research and development programmes as well as commercialise carefully selected in-licensed and collaborative programmes. Business model: The Group's business model is based upon the following key principles: Core expertise in neurodegenerative disease: The Group's scientific team consists of recognised leaders in neuroscience and related drug development, medicinal chemistry and clinical expertise. Members of the team have demonstrated their ability to commercialise their R&D through the launch of a number of new drugs on to the market. The Directors believe that this expertise will significantly enhance the success of the Group's drug development programme and ultimately make registration of the Group's drug candidates more likely. Focus on development: The Group's business model is focused on pre-clinical development and early clinical trials of novel drug candidates in the field of neurodegenerative disease. The Group's aim is to develop a risk-weighted portfolio of development programmes which the Directors believe will generate drug candidates, the IPR to which can be out-licensed at an early stage up to and including Phase II (proof of concept) rather than the Group committing significant capital resources to take such drug candidates to late-stage clinical trials. Diversified risk business model: The Group intends to minimise the risk inherent in drug discovery by building its pipeline of compounds in three different ways: 1) in-house R&D, 2) in-licensing and 3) through collaborations with academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Proximagen Board of Directors: Bruce Campbell, Non-Executive Chairman & Director of Drug Development Kenneth Mulvany, Chief Executive Officer Professor Peter Jenner, Non-Executive and Chief Scientific Officer Nigel Whittle, Non-Executive Director and Programme Development Consultant George Murlewski, Non-Executive Director About IP2IPO IP2IPO is an intellectual property (IP) company that specialises in commercialising university technology. The Company was founded in 2001 and listed on AIM in October 2003. IP2IPO's first partnership was with the University of Oxford. In return for an investment of £20 million, IP2IPO has acquired 50 per cent of the University of Oxford's equity in spin-out companies and technology licenses based on intellectual property created at the Chemistry Department until 2015. In November 2003, IP2IPO created a £5 million seed capital fund for investing in spin-out companies across the University of Oxford, not just those originating within the Chemistry Department. In March 2002, IP2IPO entered into a second long-term partnership with the University of Southampton. Under the terms of this partnership, IP2IPO is committed to working with the University of Southampton in the identification and facilitation of spin-out companies from across the University of Southampton and to investing £5 million in early-stage University of Southampton spin-out companies over a four year period in return for equity stakes in those companies. In addition, IP2IPO also received a 20 per cent stake in Southampton Asset Management Limited, a company that has been formed to hold the University's equity stakes in its future spin-out companies. The partnership has a term of at least 25 years. IP2IPO entered into its third long-term partnership in May 2003 with King's College London. IP2IPO will work with King's College London to help identify and progress commercialisation opportunities as well as invest £5 million in seed capital in spin-out companies from King's College London over a five year period in return for equity stakes in those companies. In addition, IP2IPO will receive 20 per cent of King's College London's equity in spin-out companies and technology licenses. The partnership has an initial term of 25 years. In October 2003, IP2IPO announced a fourth partnership with the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products ('CNAP'), based at the University of York. CNAP is a flagship research centre that specialises in plant and microbial gene discovery. Under the terms of the partnership a new company, Amaethon Limited, has been created which has the right to commercialise CNAP's IP for 25 years. IP2IPO has committed to invest £1.15m in Amaethon Limited in return for a one third equity stake in Amaethon Limited (the remaining equity being owned by the University of York) and will also invest in the spin-out companies based on CNAP's IP which Amaethon Limited creates. In June 2004, IP2IPO acquired Top Technology Ventures Limited, an investment adviser to early stage technology funds. This combines IP2IPO's expertise in the creation of new ventures based on world leading university IP with Top Technology's focus on making early stage venture capital investments. In January 2005, IP2IPO acquired Techtran, a company set up in 2002 to commercialise university intellectual property under a long-term technology commercialisation contract with the University of Leeds. Under the terms of the contract Techtran receives a significant (30%) interest in spin-out companies created and technology licences negotiated, in return for the provision of technology transfer services to the University. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

Companies

IP Group (IPO)
Investor Meets Company
UK 100