Micap Share Discussion Threads

[ok,yah] 06/4/2005 13:41

Yes - shame, lost money on this - one of my poorest investment decisions - always knew it was highish risk though... Now out as cash may become an issue with the increase in forecast losses predicted. Still has great prospects but feel will drift down on lack of news... Will keep looking and buy back in if any news involving decent cash generation..

[matthu] 06/4/2005 13:17

rather unexpected drop in share price today ...!

[feelinlucky] 06/4/2005 07:54

Team has gone on offer at 27p/.

[pomp circumstance] 06/4/2005 07:51

I know you can spin stuff but surely this is a milestone fo the company!!


Michael Brennand, Chief Executive of Micap, said:

'The nomination by SkyePharma of their remaining Option Products is a
significant milestone for Micap. Not only are we moving to the next stage of
development with a world leading drug-delivery company, but the conclusion of
the Option agreement with SkyePharma allows us to actively market our patented
encapsulation system to other companies within the pharmaceutical market. We are
particularly excited about our opportunity in relation to topical skin
applications of products, where we have recently experienced highly positive
results in laboratory trials.'

[buba] 06/4/2005 07:49

does not make sense!!!

[feelinlucky] 06/4/2005 07:48

Wasnt what the MMs were expecting!!! Down 3 already..

[pomp circumstance] 06/4/2005 07:07

At last!!!!


MICAP PLC
06 April 2005





6th April 2005

SKYEPHARMA NOMINATES PRODUCTS FURTHER TO EXERCISE OF OPTION
AND
TRADING UPDATE

Micap plc (LSE: MIC), the technology licensing company specialising in the
microencapsulation of active ingredients in yeast cells, today announces that
SkyePharma plc (LSE: SKP, Nasdaq: SKYE) will incorporate Micap's yeast-based
delivery system in its ongoing development of a further nine (9) pharmaceutical
products. This announcement completes SkyePharma's current option agreement with
Micap.

In March 2004, SkyePharma exercised an option to acquire an exclusive licence to
use Micap's patented microencapsulation technology. This allowed SkyePharma to
use Micap's technology for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs in up to ten
nominated pharmaceutical products ('Option Products') to be selected by
SkyePharma and in August 2004 the first Option Product was nominated.

SkyePharma has, since the first Option Product was nominated, been evaluating a
number of other potential Option Products, using its experience of drug delivery
technologies to identify those compounds most suitable for the Micap technology
and with the greatest market opportunity and has now nominated the remaining
nine (9) Option Products. Whilst the identity of these products cannot be
disclosed for reasons of commercial confidentiality, they are all oral doseage
forms and include a combination of proprietary and generic compounds.

Under the terms of the March 2004 agreement, royalties will be payable by
SkyePharma to Micap on sales made of, or licences granted on, any Option
Product. SkyePharma will also make milestone payments on the successful
completion of Phase II and Phase III clinical trials and also on the commercial
launch of the first Option Product.

Micap will now carry out an optimisation program on the encapsulated compounds
and SkyePharma will undertake formulation and stability studies with a view to
commencement of further pre-clinical trials.

Micap continues to be in discussions with a number of partners regarding
evaluation, development and licensing deals and hopes to be in a position to
inform shareholders of further progress on these negotiations soon. These
discussions have been progressing well, however, in some cases they have taken
longer than expected to conclude and whilst costs remain in line with
management's expectations, certain access and option fees anticipated to be
received in the financial year to 31 March 2005 will now fall due in the new
financial year.

The Board is pleased with the significant progress in both the quality and
number of Micap's partnerships and look forward to positive developments in the
coming months.

Michael Brennand, Chief Executive of Micap, said:

'The nomination by SkyePharma of their remaining Option Products is a
significant milestone for Micap. Not only are we moving to the next stage of
development with a world leading drug-delivery company, but the conclusion of
the Option agreement with SkyePharma allows us to actively market our patented
encapsulation system to other companies within the pharmaceutical market. We are
particularly excited about our opportunity in relation to topical skin
applications of products, where we have recently experienced highly positive
results in laboratory trials.'

For further information please contact:
Contact:

Micap plc [phone]
Michael Brennand, CEO [phone]
Michael Norris, CFO [phone]

Binns & C PR [phone]
Tarquin Edwards/Chris Steele 07879 458 364 / 07979 604 687

[matthu] 30/3/2005 16:53

Maybe we'll hear something about Skyepharma's expiring option this week ...

[pomp circumstance] 30/3/2005 16:33

the more people that die, the shorter the waiting lists!!

[matthu] 30/3/2005 16:31

While I can agree with your argument in general terms, I would have thought the political climate was ideal for Micap. Surely if Micap develops wound dressings which prevent MRSA, and presuming they patent this idea, you only need a very little publicity before the Health Minister is being asked embarrassing questions about why these aren't being used very widely across the country?

[rambutan2] 30/3/2005 16:27

wouldnt put any value on our mrsa stuff. from what ive heard (from another company) the chances of actually winning a contract with the nhs mafia is miniscule.

need some news on contracts elsewhere ie food flavourings or agriculture.

[matthu] 30/3/2005 16:13

Back to nature in fight against killer superbug

BRIAN BRADY WESTMINSTER EDITOR

Sunday 27 March 2005

THE rarefied world of aromatherapy could hold the key to winning the battle against deadly superbugs that kill thousands of people every year.

Some of the essential oils used by aromatherapists are believed to be more effective in eradicating MRSA from hospital wards that the man-made chemical concoctions currently used.

Initial research shows that the natural strength and complexity of oils such as eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree makes them more deadly to superbugs than artificial alternatives.

The Department of Health has confirmed plans to fund research into the use of aromatherapy oils to combat MRSA. Around £3m has already been set aside for research into the hospital-acquired infections that have rocked confidence in the health service's ability to protect patients from disease.

The move could pave the way for patients at greatest risk of infection to be treated with the oils - chemical compounds found in aromatic plants - rather than conventional antiseptics throughout their stay in hospital, either through inhalation or on dressings placed in direct contact with wounds.

Early research on the oils has been carried out by a Manchester hospital. But medics complained their revolutionary work was threatened because they could not attract enough funding to develop it into a product.

Dr Peter Warn, of Manchester University's faculty of medicine, said the project could continue with as little as £30,000 more.

Aromatherapists claim the healing properties of the tools of their trade had been neglected for years because mainstream medicine still regarded them as "flaky".

The political impact of the MRSA crisis was laid bare last week when, within days of the government releasing figures suggesting the toll of hospital-acquired infections was on its way down, a 36-day-old baby contracted the condition and died in an Ipswich hospital.

Ministers now accept they must consider almost all options in the battle against superbugs. Health Minister Melanie Johnson said: "The scientific literature indicates that essential oils can help control healthcare-associated infections, including methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus [MRSA].

"The department has allocated £3m to research into healthcare associated infection and has recently issued a call for research proposals."

A spokesman for the Department of Health told Scotland on Sunday that the demand for at least one in-depth research project into the benefits of essential oils was "a very high priority".

He added: "We have been extremely open-minded in our approach to this problem and it would be wrong for us to ignore the potential of any proposal. We have never ruled anything out. But you don't just push something into the wards just because it looks effective. We have to have all ideas carefully and professionally considered. This one looks very promising."

Earlier this year, the researchers at Manchester University revealed that their tests showed a combination of three essential oils killed MRSA and E coli bacteria within two minutes of contact. They claimed that blending the oils into hygiene products such as soaps, shampoos and hand-washes could help eradicate the superbugs from the NHS.

Further studies have even suggested that inhaling the vapour from a few drops of essential oils in boiling water can also kill the bacteria, which are often carried on the skin and in the noses of healthy people and transmitted to the more vulnerable.

"We believe that our discovery could revolutionise the fight to combat MRSA and other superbugs but we need to carry out a trial," said Warn.

"We are having problems finding funding because essential oils cannot be patented as they are naturally occurring, so few drug companies are interested in our work as they do not see it as commercially viable.

"Obviously we find this very frustrating as we believe our findings could help to stamp out MRSA and save lives."

Another study in Manchester showed combinations of Citricidal, geranium and tea tree oils were effective against MRSA. The company Micap PLC has now started a trial of more advanced essential oil treatments on burns patients diagnosed with the hospital 'superbug'. The technology transforms yeast cells into natural capsules, replacing their contents with a combination of standard biocides and essential oils, into "a complex killing mechanism that destroys MRSA".

The capsules will be incorporated into the wound dressings of 40 patients at South Manchester University Hospitals Trust over a period of around three months.

Health Secretary John Reid provoked a critical reaction to his claim earlier this month that the number of MRSA infections in England had fallen to the lowest level since records began. In the six months to September 2004, 3,519 NHS patients were treated for MRSA infection, a year-on-year drop of 6.3%.

Reid said the figures marked a "turning point" in its efforts to stop the spread of the superbug in hospitals. But the figures confirmed that about 5,000 patients die each year from bugs picked up on the wards, including about 1,000 from MRSA.

The Tories complained that Reid had only been able to present the figures in a favourable light by producing a six-monthly update, rather than the annual digest previously provided. Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley accused the government of "pre-election trickery".

[tuffbet] 23/3/2005 12:15

ricky9

See the Sigma thread and todays action .I have a feeling something may also be stirring with MICAP .

As you probably know Micap are in the Sigma (SGM) portfolio -todays link up with IP2IPO suggests IP2IPO like what they see in the Sigma portfolio

The new relationship should be good for all three .

[ricky9] 23/3/2005 12:09

Is this getting ready to go somewhere.

[sharedoc] 22/3/2005 10:56

looks like the overhang might be cleared, starting to move up, level 2 looking strong

[pomp circumstance] 21/3/2005 19:55

maybe the 350 cleared the overhang.

If you check the trades over the last 7 days, the buys = about 350k!!

[ricky9] 21/3/2005 19:44

I checked at 4.28 and you could only buy 10,000 at 29.5 T10.

[pomp circumstance] 21/3/2005 19:26

The T trade looks like a worked Sale!!

Could there be a stock overhang?

[buf] 21/3/2005 16:54

massive volume today - any ideas??

[sharedoc] 21/3/2005 07:31

MIC's technology is still being evaluated by BPRG (mentioned in their results today)

[matthu] 07/3/2005 17:56

Any product that may result from cooperation between SKP and Micap would be a long time away from being launched, whereas the production problem currently affecting GSK will be relatively short-term IMHO.

[p@] 07/3/2005 17:26

Could this do well out of GSK/SKP trouble with Paxil?

[gjabrj] 03/3/2005 16:38

spoke to soon?

Any idea who's selling. (T trades late in the day)

[gjabrj] 03/3/2005 16:36

No seller today, lets hope he's gone and the share price can begin to climb.