Notification of Major Interest in Shares

RNS Number : 2503K

Immupharma PLC

17 August 2012

 



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17 AUGUST 2012

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTEREST IN SHARES

SHAREHOLDER CHANGE OF CONTROL

ImmuPharma PLC (LSE:IMM), ("ImmuPharma" or the "Company"), the specialist drug discovery and development company, is pleased to confirm that  its long standing shareholder Aviva plc ("Aviva") has recently notified the Company that it has transferred ImmuPharma  Ordinary Shares of 2,471,621, representing a 3.03% shareholding in the Company, to Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (UK). This shareholding had formerly been split into two indirect funds, BNY Norwich Union Nominees Limited and Chase (GA Group) Nominees Limited.

The full TR1 form is shown at the end of this announcement.

Commenting on the announcement, Richard Warr, Chairman said: "We have recently commented that one of the Board's priorities is to maintain and strengthen our blue chip shareholder base which we believe will underpin ImmuPharma's true value in the long term. We are therefore delighted that such a highly regarded institution as Aviva continues to demonstrate its support for ImmuPharma and we look forward to maintaining this long standing relationship with Aviva and to build further value for shareholders in the Company."

TR1 FORM

For filings with the FSA include the annex
For filings with issuer exclude the annex
TR-1: NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTEREST IN SHARES
1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached:				Immupharma plc
2. Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights
An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached
An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to qualifying financial instruments
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights
Other (please specify):	On market transfer between indirect and direct funds				√
3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation:		Aviva plc & its subsidiaries
4. Full name of shareholder(s)  (if different from 3.):		Registered Holder: BNY Norwich Union Nominees Limited       220,000* Chase (GA Group) Nominees Limited        2,251,621* *denotes direct interest
5. Date of the transaction and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached:		14 August 2012
6. Date on which issuer notified:		16 August 2012
7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:		<3% to 3% change at Direct Interest Level

8. Notified details:
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type of shares if possible using the ISIN CODE	Situation previous to the triggering transaction				Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
	Number of Shares		Number of Voting Rights		Number of shares	Number of voting rights			% of  voting rights
					Direct	Direct		Indirect	Direct		Indirect
Ordinary Shares GB0033711010	Not Disclosable		Not Disclosable		2,471,621	2,471,621		Not Disclosable	3.03%		Not Disclosable
B: Qualifying Financial Instruments
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
Type of financial instrument		Expiration date		Exercise/ Conversion Period			Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/ converted.			% of voting rights

C: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Financial Instruments
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
Type of financial instrument	Exercise price	Expiration date	Exercise/ Conversion period	Number of voting rights instrument refers to	% of voting rights
					Nominal	Delta

Total (A+B+C)
Number of voting rights	Percentage of voting rights
2,471,621	3.03%

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable:
The voting rights are managed and controlled by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, with the following chain of controlled undertakings:- Aviva Investors Global Services Limited: ·      Aviva plc (Parent Company) ·      Aviva Group Holdings Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva plc) ·      Aviva Investors Holdings Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Group Holdings Limited) ·      Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Investors Holdings Limited)
Proxy Voting:
10. Name of the proxy holder:		See Section 4
11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:
12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:
13. Additional information:
14. Contact name:	Tracy Weimar, Vice President Operations and Company Secretary
15. Contact telephone number:	020 7152 4080

Ends

For further information please contact:

ImmuPharma PLC  (www.immupharma.com)
Dr Robert Zimmer, President	[phone]
Dimitri Dimitriou, Chief Executive Officer	[phone]
Richard Warr, Executive Chairman	+ 44 7766 232747
Lisa Baderoon, Head of Investor Relations	[phone]
Buchanan	+ 44 20 7466 5000
Mark Court
Panmure Gordon & Co	[phone]
Andrew Burnett, Fred Walsh
Cenkos Securities	[phone]
Stephen Keys, Camilla Hume (Corporate Finance) Andy Roberts (Sales)
Espirito Santo Investment Bank	[phone]
James Bromhead, Richard Crawley

Notes to Editors

ImmuPharma

ImmuPharma is focusing on developing novel medicines with high sales potential in specialist markets with serious unmet need.  ImmuPharma has five drug candidates in development, two platform technologies and approximately 70 patents.  The Company's most advanced drug candidate, Lupuzor^TM a potential blockbuster drug for Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease has recently received the approval from the US FDA to enter phase III with a Special Protocol Assessment and "Fast Track" designation.  ImmuPharma was founded and is led by a commercially focused Board and management team with extensive experience. www.immupharma.com

 

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