Surrey University Partnership

IP2IPO Group PLC 10 February 2006 For immediate release 10th February 2006 IP2IPO GROUP PLC 25 YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SURREY IP2IPO Group plc (AIM: IPO) ('IP2IPO'), the intellectual property commercialisation company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an exclusive long-term partnership with the University of Surrey. In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise nearly 90% of Surrey's research was rated as national or international standard. Electronic Engineering (including Computing) and Subjects Allied to Medicine were among three research groups that achieved the maximum 5** rating whilst seven other areas gained grade 5 ratings. Surrey enjoys a strong reputation for innovation and enterprise. Its Research Park is one of the most successful in Europe, with more than 140 companies employing a total of more than 2,500 staff. Its successful spin-out companies include Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, a world leader in the design, build and launch of small satellites. Under the terms of the partnership, IP2IPO has agreed to work with the University of Surrey to identify and facilitate the formation of spin-out companies from across the University and to invest an initial fund of up to £5 million in such companies in return for equity stakes in them. In addition, IP2IPO will receive 13.3% of the equity in spin-out companies from the University at the time that the company is established prior to investment. The partnership has a term of 25 years. Alan Aubrey, Chief Executive of IP2IPO, commented: 'We are very pleased to be entering into this partnership with the University of Surrey and are already working on a number of exciting potential spin-out company opportunities. This is IP2IPO's seventh university partnership and our third with a member of the SETsquared partnership, which we believe further confirms our position as the leading university intellectual property specialist in the UK.' Professor Chris Snowden, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey, said: 'The University is very pleased to conclude this agreement with IP2IPO. It further strengthens our existing enterprise and entrepreneurial culture, for which Surrey is internationally regarded. We look forward to supporting the spin-out of new companies in collaboration with IP2IPO and to realising further value for the University and its staff. IP2IPO has an established reputation for value-added collaboration with universities, and we intend to see this partnership endure.' For more information please contact: IP2IPO 020 7489 5200 Alan Aubrey, Chief Executive Officer Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000 Tim Anderson, Mark Court, Mary-Jane Johnson University of Surrey 01483 683678 Anthony Woolhouse Notes for editors IP2IPO is an intellectual property (IP) company that specialises in commercialising university technology. The Company was founded in 2001 and listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange plc 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 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 works 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 receives 20 per cent of King's College London's equity in spin-out companies and technology licenses. The partnership has a 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 invested £1.15m in Amaethon Limited in return for a 40 per cent. 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 per cent.) interest in spin-out companies created and technology licences negotiated, in return for the provision of technology transfer services to the University. In May 2005, IP2IPO announced the launch of LifeUK, a new subsidiary company. LifeUK, which has since been renamed Modern Biosciences, will in-license life science intellectual property created by medical researchers at universities with which IP2IPO already has partnerships, other universities in the UK and similar academic and charitable research institutions. Modern Biosciences' objective is to further develop the intellectual property which it in-licenses with a view to creating substantial value either by subsequently licensing these development programmes to the pharmaceutical industry or via the creation of new ventures. In December 2005, IP2IPO entered into its sixth long-term partnership with the University of Bristol. IP2IPO will work with the University of Bristol to help identify and progress commercialisation opportunities as well as invest an initial £5 million in seed capital in spin-out companies from the University of Bristol over a five year period in return for equity stakes in those companies. In return, IP2IPO will receive 13.3 per cent of equity spin-out companies from the University of Bristol at the time that the spin-out company is established prior to investment. The partnership has a term of 25 years. To date, 5 spin-out companies from the IP2IPO portfolio have listed on the AIM Market of London Stock Exchange plc: Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping plc, Synairgen plc, VASTox plc, Proximagen Neuroscience plc and GETECH Group plc. There has been one trade sale: Toumaz Technology Limited was sold to Nanoscience Inc. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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