Ekf Diagnostics Share Discussion Threads

[mginvestor] 31/3/2021 07:11

Agree Wan,

Brilliant meeting.

What a way to start it too. Julian emphasised the contract news being the largest that EKF has ever received. They are receiving at least £500k a week (£24m for the year) in terms of revenue from Amazon.

The broker FCs are very conservative and it must be difficult for them to work out what they could be if management is reserved.

He said testing is here to stay for at least the next 12-18 months.

Expecting upgrades throughout the year.

[wan] 30/3/2021 18:13

Excellent zoom meeting/presentation today.

Not that the name was specifically mentioned, but I am quite sure that the new multiyear global supply contract announced today is with Amazon, who indeed have been building their own labs and started testing their own 1 million + employees. Hence it is the biggest deal in EKF's history.

Plus, anyone following certain news flow, will also already appreciate Amazons ambitions in healthcare, hence Julian (CEO of EKF) is not just pleased and excited about the significant scale-up and ramp in manufacturing required to support the new contract (over 1 million Amazon employees that will require multiple testing), but he is also excited about what else lies ahead, in terms of what Amazon will be utilizing their new testing capabilities and capacity for beyond COVID-19. Watch this space!

And importantly there are more reasons beyond that deal to be very optimistic indeed about EKF's prospects and future.

Good night all, sleep well ;-)

[jockbach] 30/3/2021 18:02

This is interesting hxxps://blog.aboutamazon.co.uk/working-at-amazon/how-we-ramped-up-onsite-covid-19-testing-for-amazon-employees

[wan] 30/3/2021 15:16

I had to chuckle earlier today with regard to a test to release private provider, who are stating on their website that they have applied for ISO 22879 - which specifies the technical requirements, the appropriate dimensions and the requirements for the testing of castors for furniture. (obviously they meant ISO 22870 which is for requirements applicable to point-of-care testing) Sums some of them up really!

[wan] 30/3/2021 15:13

Pldazzle...Interesting spot, I missed that!

I would imagine that certain funds/investors will also be quite interested in what else is/might be in the Mount Sinai/EKF pipeline....I certainly am ;-)

[pldazzle] 30/3/2021 14:49

Useful information from today's RNS:

"... in December 2020 the Company made a distribution in specie whereby, with the exception of a single "golden" share, the Company's shareholding in Trellus Health Limited was distributed to ordinary shareholders of the Company at a total value of £3,810,000. The fair value per EKF share was 0.8374p. Because the investment in Trellus was made on an arm's length basis within 6 months of the dividend, the Board judged the fair value of the dividend payment to be identical to the value of the investment."

[welshborderer] 30/3/2021 13:32

This is the headline takeaway from N+1Singer but i do not have paid access to their full report

"Having upgraded several times in the year, EKF’s FY20 results are as expected and show a step change in the performance of the business. Whilst this has been catalysed by the pandemic and sales of sample collection devices, the core business has held up relatively well and is showing an encouraging return to growth in Q1. The main new news this morning is a significant multi-year, multi-million dollar contract expansion for sample collection devices with a multinational private sector partner. We push through further material upgrades to FY21E revenue and PBT of 23% & 40% respectively and see further upgrade potential if demand persists and continues to grow."

[wan] 30/3/2021 10:52

Worth checking out 4 of EKF's new account wins -

At Stepan Company, we connect with the world through the innovative chemistry we create. As we expand our capabilities and capacities, we are committed to developing newer and better ways to collaborate with our customers. That enhanced collaboration will empower our customers to grow and will ensure that we grow along with them.


Purissima is the next-generation natural ingredient company, delivering the purest, most reliable, highest quality compounds and formulations at scale for the global health and wellness industry. We harness the power of native microorganisms to produce natural compounds. We work with the earliest forms of plant life and craft ingredients that enable our partners to deliver differentiated and affordable health & wellness products to people across the globe.


Arc Bio is revolutionizing microbial detection with proprietary, turnkey metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) workflow and software solutions for fast, precise, and cost-effective analyses.


SimpleSeq wraps all your Sanger sequencing needs into a convenient little package. Each SimpleSeqTM kit includes the sequencing service for 96 sequencing reactions; so you can submit samples for all 96 sequencing reactions at once or submit as low as one sample at a time. The sequencing results will be available for download by noon the day after shipping the sample.

[mysteronz] 30/3/2021 10:42

Wow amazing upgrade - crazy price reaction this morning, opportunity nonetheless :)

[mirandaj] 30/3/2021 10:28

Quotes:

Another *upgrade* to forecasts for
@EKFdiagnostics
from N+1 Singer following news of a significant multi-year, multi-million dollar contract expansion: FY21 sales now expected to be £65m, adjusted PBT now £17.5m

At the end of last year N+1 Singer were forecasting FY21 revenues of £48.5m (now £65m) and adjusted PBT of £10.6m (now £17.5m) “We continue to believe these estimates are cautious”

Significant expansion of supply agreement for COVID-19 sample collection kits. Y/e 31 Dec '21 will be significantly ahead of already upgraded management expectations. #EKF

[wan] 30/3/2021 09:44

Investor Presentation now available -

[wan] 30/3/2021 09:01

EKF ON TRACK TO SET FRESH RECORDS
30 Mar 2021 Wales Manufacturing

AIM-listed point-of-care business EKF Diagnostics Holdings has reported record turnover and profits after having its most successful year to date and making a "real contribution to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic".

The business also announced the signing of a new multimillion-pound global supply contract and said it was confident that trading for its current financial year will be "significantly ahead of already upgraded management expectations".

[wan] 30/3/2021 08:58

Be prepared, be very prepared -

Exclusive: World leaders call for pandemic treaty
Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel propose global accord akin to that forged after Second World War

By
Lucy Fisher,
DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR and
Paul Nuki,
GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY EDITOR, LONDON
30 March 2021 • 12:01am

In their article, the 24 world leaders warned that regardless of the origins of the outbreak, a future global pandemic was an inevitability.

The group, also including Charles Michel, the European Council president, Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, and the presidents of South Africa, South Korea, Indonesia, Tunisia and Senegal, said the key question was not "if but when" the next health crisis would strike.

They warned that "no single government or multilateral agency can address this threat alone", arguing: "Together, we must be better prepared to predict, prevent, detect, assess and effectively respond to pandemics in a highly co-ordinated fashion."

Other central aims of a pandemic agreement would be to enhance international co-operation around alert systems, data-sharing and research, as well as the local, regional and global production and distribution of vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and personal protective equipment.

It comes as governments engage in fresh rounds of talks about the prospect of a pact ahead of health ministers convening at the World Health Assembly in May. A resolution outlining plans for the WHO to strengthen its pandemic preparedness and response framework is set to be tabled at the meeting, along with a proposal for a working group to negotiate an international treaty.

The world leaders' proposed new treaty would be rooted in the constitution of the WHO, which could draw in other relevant organisations, and would support the principle of "health for all". The International Health Regulations and other existing global health frameworks would underpin the treaty, ensuring "a firm and tested foundation".

"At a time when Covid-19 has exploited our weaknesses and divisions, we must seize this opportunity and come together as a global community for peaceful cooperation that extends beyond this crisis," the leaders said.

"Building our capacities and systems to do this will take time and require a sustained political, financial and societal commitment over many years."

Full story -

[wan] 30/3/2021 08:40

Beyond Covid-19 (and note the involvement of a very large global player) -

Published: 29 March 2021
Novel molecular transport medium used in combination with Xpert MTB/RIF ultra provides rapid detection of Mycobacterium bovis in African buffaloes

Charlene Clarke, Katrin Smith, Samantha J. Goldswain, Christopher Helm, David V. Cooper, Tanya J. Kerr, Léanie Kleynhans, Paul D. van Helden, Robin M. Warren, Michele A. Miller & Wynand J. Goosen

Abstract
Mycobacterium bovis is the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in wildlife. Confirmation of M. bovis infection relies on mycobacterial culture, which is time-consuming. Collection and transportation of infectious material also pose a human health risk. PrimeStore Molecular Transport Medium (MTM) has been shown to effectively inactivate infectious organisms, making it a safe method for handling infectious samples. This study investigated an in-field sampling technique for rapid, safe detection of M. bovis in buffalo tissues. Potentially infected tissues from bTB test-positive buffaloes were swabbed at post-mortem examination and stored in PrimeStore MTM at ambient temperature until Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra testing was performed. Additionally, tissue samples were frozen and transported before homogenisation for culture and Ultra testing. Oral swabs were collected from M. bovis-unexposed buffaloes as a negative control cohort. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) DNA was detected by Ultra in 13/16 tissue swabs and 9/16 matched tissue homogenates from culture-confirmed M. bovis-positive buffalo tissues. MTBC DNA was not detected in swabs from M. bovis-unexposed animals, showing the potentially high specificity of Ultra with PrimeStore swabs. PrimeStore MTM sample processing, in combination with the Ultra assay, has the potential to provide a safe, rapid post-mortem screening test for M. bovis in buffaloes.

The Ultra assay with samples stored in PrimeStore MTM shows promise as a rapid post-mortem screening test, which could be used to identify MTBC DNA in tissue samples and ultimately identify infected herds more rapidly than mycobacterial culture. This test can also be used to decrease the number of samples sent for mycobacterial culture by identifying those that contain mycobacterial DNA. In addition, the use of PrimeStore MTM to safely store and transport infectious samples will safeguard human and animal health as well as permit greater use of samples that may otherwise be restricted from being transported to diagnostic laboratories.

Xpert MTB/RIF ultra assay
The Ultra assay (Cepheid) was performed using the oropharyngeal swabs collected from M. bovis-unexposed buffaloes and tissue swab samples from HiP buffaloes, according to the Ultra alternative sample assay instructions, as previously described13. Briefly, Xpert MTB/RIF sample lysis reagent (Cepheid) was mixed in a 1:1 ratio with each PrimeStore MTM stabilised swab sample and incubated for 10 min at room temperature (RT). Hereafter it was vortexed for 10 s before incubation at RT for 5 min followed by a 5 s vortex step. Approximately 2 ml of the prepared sample was dispensed into the sample chamber of the Ultra cartridge for automated processing. Aliquots of tissue homogenate processed for mycobacterial culture were also tested with the Ultra assay, with sample preparation as described above. The Ultra assay classifies MTBC DNA detection as high, medium, low, very low or trace, based on the quantity of MTBC DNA that was detected, and all of these classifications were considered positive in this study. When the Ultra could not detect MTBC DNA (“MTB not detected”), it was considered a negative result. Rifampicin resistance was also reported but is irrelevant in the context of this study (Fig. 1).

[mg1982] 30/3/2021 08:30

Excellent results and forward guidance. Can't expect better than this. It is worth way more than a ~6% rise.

We know there was a dodgy character on here spouting all sorts of nonsense. I hope no one listened to him.

GLAH

[wan] 30/3/2021 07:47

And, I have to say, that some shareholders were right to stay loyal and fully invested realising that testing would endure for far longer than some were predicting!

And, as can be seen from certain statements within the Results, there will be an ongoing need for testing for the current variants and other coronaviruses for the foreseeable future.

[wan] 30/3/2021 07:42

Clearly, 'everyone' throughout EKF's organisation has delivered an outstanding performance, which has ultimately contributed to a significant increase in shareholder value, and I would also like to extend my thanks to 'all of them' too.

[hastings] 30/3/2021 07:26

Excellent, update as highlighted by rivaldo.

[faz] 30/3/2021 07:23

In Hemetology, this news is significant, as anyone who seeks to get onto Tender Frameworks will know: EKF Link will enable us to enter all tenders moving forward that require connectivity which is a significant boost for the Company's commercial appeal.

[rivaldo] 30/3/2021 07:19

Wow - if Carling did trading updates.....

"the Board is confident that trading for the year ending 31 December 2021 will be significantly ahead of already upgraded management expectations"

Plus the Covid-19 test kit contract has become "a new multi-million dollar global supply contract" which will secure large revenues through to essentially mid-2023 and then monthly after that.

And it's now global rather than just the UK.

Lovely stuff:

[wan] 30/3/2021 05:26

Mirandaj...I am very familiar with that list. Due in part to a particular company from that list being on my doorstep (literally!) and operating from a dwellinghouse as a 'drive through test centre', best described in my book as a tinpot operation, despite the guise of a relatively slick website.

Currently (and ongoing), Planning Enforcement think that "due the pandemic" it's unlikely that planning permission is required, which I think is of dubious legality for a property that according to the the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and its current planning permission, is a class C3 Dwellinghouse and not remotely anything like a drive-through testing operation!

Not to mention that such test to release companies effectively self-certify to become authorised. And like the Panorama programme last night, one has to ask who is checking what with regard to the standards of testing being delivered? From what I can tell, a certain company on that list is not actually authorised to conduct point-of-care testing, despite offering and undertaking such testing (rapid lateral flow antigen testing), and defined by the government and indeed UKAS as meeting the minimum standards (currently a self-declaration process), -

Providers, including those for ‘Testing to Release for International Travel’ must self-declare that their service meets minimum standards through the gov.uk self-declaration process. This includes the requirement for test providers to at least be a UKAS applicant for the relevant international standard – ISO 15189 or ISO/IEC 17025 for lab-based providers and ISO 15189 and ISO 22870 for point of care testing providers.


Some companies appear to be utilising their 'partner' labs for being compliant for laboratory tests (e.g. PCR tests sent off to those labs) but the sample collection is as important as the test result itself! But there is no evidence that at least one company on that list is meeting ISO 15189 and ISO 22870 that's required for conducting point-of-care testing, despite carrying out such tests.

The government has put into place and enabled huge testing capacity, but if anyone watched Panorama last night, and given also that test to release operators can self-certify, we have to start asking some important and probing questions as to what the taxpayer and paying individuals are actually getting for their money, and whether those test results can actually be relied upon?

Panorama
7:30pm 29 Mar 2021
Undercover: Inside the Covid Testing Lab



Clearly, EKF and its partners do not resemble what I am seeing, or watching on TV last night! So, there could be an even larger slice of testing available to those able to actually deliver the appropriate quality and standards.

[mirandaj] 29/3/2021 17:41

For interest

[wan] 26/3/2021 16:39

I note that EKF gets some good coverage in Moneyweek this week -

Scientific-instrument companies are a global success – here's how to play them

Companies delivering scientific instruments – products to measure and analyse our world – are crucial to sectors ranging from telecommunications to pharmaceuticals.

Dr Mike Tubbs picks his favourite stocks in the sector.

by: Dr Mike Tubbs
26 MAR 2021

Full story (part story if not a subscriber) -

Also mentioned in the IC re favourite investment in ESG Fund