BioScience VCT plc
09 March 2006
BIOSCIENCE VCT PLC
9 March 2006
INVESTMENT PROCESS AND STRATEGY
Following the completion of a number of investments in unquoted and AIM-listed
companies during 2005, the Board of BioScience VCT plc ('BSVCT') is pleased to
report that BSVCT is now approximately 75% invested in VCT qualifying holdings.
Full information on BSVCT's portfolio of investments will be provided in the
accounts for the year to 31 December 2005 which will be published in due course.
As a result of the number and type of investments that have already been made
and the reduction in the anticipated level of future investment activity, the
Board has reviewed BSVCT's investment process and strategy, and the limited
ongoing requirement for specialist due diligence services that have been
provided by Medical Marketing International Group plc ('MMI'). Due to this
change, the Board announces that, by mutual consent, it has reached conditional
agreement with MMI for the termination of the Technology Adviser contract. The
agreement is conditional upon BSVCT shareholders agreeing to a change of name
(see below) and to settlement of amounts due to MMI under the agreement. BSVCT
will pay to MMI an undisclosed sum which reflects the loss of income through the
early termination of the contract. In addition, under the terms of the
settlement the Board has also agreed to table a resolution at the next Annual
General Meeting concerning a change of name of BSVCT (as the word 'BioScience'
is associated with MMI). The Board will recommend that shareholders vote in
favour of the resolution. Furthermore, under the terms of the agreement, MMI
will forego its entitlement to any future payments of carried interest, and
BSVCT has agreed to indemnify and hold MMI harmless from and against any
liabilities arising out of or in connection with the services that it has
performed for BSVCT, except for investment decisions made by BSVCT after relying
on due diligence performed by MMI.
On an ongoing basis, a simpler investment decision-making process is in place
whereby future investment proposals from the Fund Manager will be referred to
the full Board for approval. The impact of this is that the Investment
Committee and the Scientific Advisory Board (as described in BSVCT's prospectus
dated 17 October 2001) no longer operate. When necessary the Board will seek
specific scientific and technical input regarding potential investee companies
from appropriate specialist external experts. This change should reduce the
ongoing running costs of BSVCT, while allowing the Board access to appropriate
specialist advice that is relevant to the specific opportunity under
consideration.
ENDS
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
*A Private Investor is a recipient of the information who meets all of the conditions set out below, the recipient:
Obtains access to the information in a personal capacity;
Is not required to be regulated or supervised by a body concerned with the regulation or supervision of investment or financial services;
Is not currently registered or qualified as a professional securities trader or investment adviser with any national or state exchange, regulatory authority, professional association or recognised professional body;
Does not currently act in any capacity as an investment adviser, whether or not they have at some time been qualified to do so;
Uses the information solely in relation to the management of their personal funds and not as a trader to the public or for the investment of corporate funds;
Does not distribute, republish or otherwise provide any information or derived works to any third party in any manner or use or process information or derived works for any commercial purposes.
Please note, this site uses cookies. Some of the cookies are essential for parts of the site to operate and have already been set. You may delete and block all cookies from this site, but if you do, parts of the site may not work. To find out more about the cookies used on Investegate and how you can manage them, see our Privacy and Cookie Policy
To continue using Investegate, please confirm that you are a private investor as well as agreeing to our Privacy and Cookie Policy & Terms.