Biota Appoints Piper Jaffray as Financial Advisor

Biota Holdings Limited (ASX:BTA) has appointed Piper Jaffray & Co as its lead financial advisor to assist the Company by:

• Working with the Board and Management to further develop plans to maximise value from the Company’s programs; and
• Identifying the appropriate path for Biota to achieve superior returns from the Company’s research and development programs including, in particular, the potential to pursue the direct commercialisation of the second generation influenza antiviral, laninamivir, in the United States and other markets.

Biota has indicated its intention to obtain maximum shareholder value from its most advanced development compound laninamivir, a second generation neuraminidase inhibitor and influenza antiviral. The compound was recently successfully launched in Japan as ‘Inavir’ by Biota’s commercial partner, Daiichi Sankyo.

To achieve that goal, Biota is investigating a number of options to complete the development and potential commercialisation of the product in western markets, including:

• Securing non-dilutive agency funds;
• Raising funds from international capital markets; and/or
• Investigating merger or acquisition structures.

Piper Jaffray will advise Biota in all financial and strategic aspects to achieve timely completion of that goal. Piper Jaffray is a leading United States based middle market investment bank serving clients both in the United States and internationally.

About Biota

Biota is a leading anti-infective drug development company based in Melbourne Australia, with key expertise in respiratory diseases, particularly influenza. Biota developed the first-in-class neuraminidase inhibitor, zanamivir, subsequently marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as Relenza. Biota research breakthroughs include a series of candidate drugs aimed at treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease and Hepatitis C (HCV) virus infections. Biota has clinical trials underway with its lead compound for human rhinovirus (HRV) infection in patients with compromised respiration or immune systems.

In addition, Biota and Daiichi Sankyo co-own a range of second generation influenza antivirals, of which the lead product lnavir®, is approved for marketing in Japan.

Relenza™ is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.

Inavir® is registered to Daiichi Sankyo.