Micap Share Discussion Threads

[m.t.glass] 25/8/2004 07:37

Beckaroo - more on that catheter grant:


RNS Number:2801C
MICAP PLC
25 August 2004
25 August 2004
Micap plc

("Micap" or "the Company")

Micap to benefit from UK Government's Nanotechnology funding for research into
antimicrobial technology for urinary catheters

Micap, the UK technology licensing company specialising in the micro
encapsulation of active ingredients within yeast cells, today announces that it
has been awarded funding from the UK Government's Micro and Nanotechnology
manufacturing initiative to carry out a development project investigating the
prevention of microbial colonisation of polyurethane-based catheters.

The total project value is approximately #260,000, and the new grants will cover
50% of this cost. The funding is for a two year project to develop the use of
antimicrobial technology from Manchester Metropolitan University, polyurethane
catheter technology from Biomer Technologies Ltd, and Micap PLC's yeast
microencapsulation technology.

The development will focus on nosocomial infections that represent an enormous
financial burden on healthcare systems in terms of extended hospital stay and
patient care. Many of these infections are catheter related and bacteria are
becoming increasingly resistant to most commonly used antibiotics and
antiseptics. For example, each year more than 1 million patients in U.S.
acute-care hospitals and extended-care facilities acquire such an infection
(Maki & Tambyah, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Mar-Apr 2001).

* This project will employ Micap's novel yeast based micro-encapsulation
technology, which is able to protect volatile antimicrobials through high
temperature polymer production and to control and target release of the
antimicrobial agent during the catheter lifetime.

* A combination of commercially available biocides and antibacterial natural
plant oils such as tea tree oil will be used to overcome problems of
bacterial resistance.

Dr Gordon Nelson, Technical Director at Micap, said: "We are delighted to
receive the award from the DTI. A successful outcome could help the NHS to save
millions of pounds each year by reducing antibiotic use, in addition to the
potential for freeing up hospital beds. The DTI support helps innovative
companies, such as Micap and Biomer, to turn their ideas into reality, creating
jobs and prosperity for the companies and the UK."

- Ends -


For further information:
Micap plc Tel: [phone]
Dr Gordon Nelson, Technical Director [phone]
Michael Norris, Finance Director [phone]

Media enquiries:
Gavin Anderson

Liz Morley/Janine Brewis Tel: [phone]

Notes to editors:

"Nosocomial" - a secondary disorder associated with being treated in a hospital
but unrelated to the patient's primary condition.

The DTI's Micro and Nanotechnology Manufacturing Initiative.

On 2 July 2003, the UK Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Sainsbury,
announced a cash injection of #90 million over the next six years to help
industry harness the commercial opportunities offered by Micro and
Nanotechnologies (MNT). This #90 million will be spent on collaborative R&D and
a new network of Micro and Nanotechnology facilities, and forms the first step
of developing and implementing a new Technology Strategy.

This will help business build on the UK's excellent scientific track record in
these small-scale sciences and win a share of the developing market. The new
investment is also securing additional industry and regional spending
anticipated to exceed #200 million to provide a boost to future advanced
manufacturing in the UK.

Within this Initiative, DTI has allocated #50 million for grants under an
Applied Research Programme of collaborative R&D leading to significant economic
impact for the UK.

#40 million has also been allocated towards facilities development for a UK
Micro and Nanotechnology (MNT) Network. More information relating to the MNT
Network can be found at: www.microandnanotech.info.

Micap plc

Micap plc is a technology development, production and licensing company that
micro encapsulates active ingredients ('actives') in single celled organisms, in
particular yeast. These organisms can be used to protect and deliver 'actives'
for the flavouring, agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. The natural cell
wall of the yeast protects the active ingredient against evaporation, pressure,
oxidation and light, allowing:

* Highly concentrated, heat resistant flavours
* Targeted drug delivery and delivery of drugs which alone would be
broken down in the stomach before taking effect
* Natural enhancement of cosmetic ingredients

Biomer Technologies

Biomer Technology Ltd (BTL), based in the UK, exploits intellectual property
associated with the development of novel polymers with attractive properties for
product applications in medical device applications.

BTL's enabling technologies are focused on developing materials and solutions
for the global healthcare market including, cardiovascular monitoring, drug
eluting materials, and other interventional applications. The BTL polymer
technologies include highly flexible medical grade polyurethanes (ZytarTM),
which have already been approved for use in humans, and a revolutionary
biocompatible coating system, which is under development for drug delivery,
tissue engineering and biocompatible coating applications.

Catheters Market

The US market for Antimicrobial Catheters in 2002 was $98.7 Million rising to
approximately $206 Million in 2006 (Frost and Sullivan Report - Antimicrobial
catheters market: revenue forecasts 1999-2009).


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END
RESILFFDTIISFIS

[jimmy riddler] 25/8/2004 00:01

hi people, looking v closely, will be joining in for a punt soon i feel.

[m.t.glass] 24/8/2004 23:56

beck - borrowed your Micap logo up top for now (could't get anything to copy direct from website)

[beckaroo] 24/8/2004 23:50

Mintyfool, Another question on the convertibles. If MICAP gets taken over before they expire what happens to the convertibles?? Also I see they rose to 20p at start of March (following share price rise to 80p) but didn't fall down again till share price was below 50p in the middle of May.

Cheers

[jojobubba] 24/8/2004 21:23

Interesting find Beckaroo, may have some kind of connection with Skypharma perhaps?

[beckaroo] 24/8/2004 20:19

I really don't have a clue what part of MICAP is involved in urinary catheters but 258,000 is 258,000 and I think its great...

from Aug 24th



Nanotechnology projects in Runcorn and Newton-le-Willows will also be given grants as part of the hand-out.

The grants cover up to 50% of the total value. The grants are the first to be allocated from the Govern- ment's £90m micro and nanotechnology manufac- turing initiative in support of nanotechnology applied research programmes and the creation of nanotechnology facilities. Further grants will be made available over the next five years.

Announcing the grants, DTI Minister Nigel Griffiths said: "Nanotechnology is an important and exciting emerging technology, one that has the capacity to improve daily life for us all.

"It is about designing new products and improving existing ones by making things much smaller, faster, stronger or more energy efficient."Other North West projects in the grants allocation include:

* £1,350,361 for Microfluidic sorting, processing and analysis of viable cells, InsightFaraday (LGC), Runcorn.

* £500,000 for a new Microsystem for Fast Fuel Cell Materials Evaluation, InsightFaraday (LGC), Runcorn.

* £258,728 for anti-microbial urinary catheters, Micap, Newton-le-Willows.

[m.t.glass] 24/8/2004 13:42

Interesting that BPRG are boasting a toothpaste deal with Colgate (little slivers of freshbreath film mixed in the paste?). Chopping film into bits sounds a crude approach (if that's what they're doing). If anything I would have thought this was a product area more suited to Micap's ingredient control techniques.

Still; all these food technology advances are interesting ;o)

[beckaroo] 24/8/2004 12:40

Looks like the usual drop has happened the day after a good news item. Thought we might have seen it hold its gain due to the new interest from the BPRG gang.

However, the news flow is still good and the applications to their technology keep increasing.

[jojobubba] 24/8/2004 10:24

Well, doesn't look like we will get a look in today with BPRG's good news - well done them.

Did a wee check through some of the patents, looks like micap have been working on this nicotine thing for some time as their applications were admitted in 2000! Wish they would make it a bit clearer on their website though.

[m.t.glass] 24/8/2004 01:55

Bio man doing the talking, but Micap do get a mention:


BIOPROGRESS HELPS MEDICINE GO DOWN
By Rosie Murray-West, City Correspondent.
24/08/2004 Telegraph Online

The expression "a bitter pill to swallow" could soon become obsolete if patients warm to a new type of medicine - a postage stamp sized film that dissolves on your tongue.

Graham Hind, the chief executive of Bioprogress, said the company was working on delivering prescription drugs via the tiny film pieces, similar to the breath freshener strips that have become popular across the UK.

You can already take vitamins and some herbal supplements in this way, and Mr Hind said there was no reason why the films should not eventually replace conventional tablets for many pharmaceutical products.

"There's still a lot of work to be done," he said, adding that the company would need to be able to guarantee an even distribution of the active drug across a large area of film, as well as disguising the bad taste of some substances.

However, in some cases the strips could prove more effective than traditional tablets, because the active agent is so concentrated and distribution is immediate. People who find capsules and tablets difficult to swallow would also have an easier time.

Aim-listed Bioprogress said yesterday that it has entered into a six-month option agreement with Micap to evaluate a micro-encapsulation technology for smoking cessation products. The Micap technology uses dead yeast cells as natural capsules to protect an active ingredient. This would protect the active agent, but release it immediately on contact with mucus in the mouth.

"With smoking cessation you want it to be instant," Mr Hind said, adding that the film could be a replacement for medical chewing gum that claims to stop cigarette cravings. The yeast technology also has the potential to instantly release a flavour on the tongue, which would mask the bad taste of a pharmaceutical ingredient.

Bioprogress owns a number of patents on using cellulose film to wrap conventional tablets and to use as capsules. It is being evaluated by a number of large companies that are keen to stop using gelatine in their capsules because of the possibility that it could spread CJD.

Bioprogress shares rose 2.5 to 95p. Micap shares, also listed on Aim, rose 5 to 48p.

[jojobubba] 23/8/2004 22:12

Finally managed to read up on this co. Glad I did sounds very promising, reading between the lines I am guessing that the feasibility trials may have gone quite well with Fertin for other medications, so Micap have approached Bioprogress re creating a new nicotine product for some huge US pharma. Alot rests on the Fertin trials it would seem for now.

[10km] 23/8/2004 20:54

A few notes on Micap when I started researching them a few months go .Probably been covered earlier on this thread .

Good long term potential here me thinks

MICAP June 2004 Micap .Another encapsulation company that might be worth keeping an eye out for.

Micap floated on AIM in August 2003 through a successful placing at 55p per share. (price now 48p to buy) raising more than £5m .

Annual losses slashed by more than £3 m

Losses to March 31 were £650,000 down from £3..9 m

Turnover increased from £90,000 to £900,000

May – global commercial launch of its encapsulated flavour products by its licensee Fimtech, worlds largest privately owned flavour & fragrance company

(global flavourings market estimated at £4bn)

Micap's technology holds flavour in using yeast cells , only releasing it when it hits the tongue.

It can Also be used for more effective delivery of pharmaceuticals and pesticides

Micap has been split into three divisions .

1) Micap Flavours ?
2) Micap Healthcare
3) Micap Specialities

Deals with Firmtech

Agreements with a U.K manufacture of oriental products ?

SkyPharma is the largest shareholder with 35%. With Sigma Venture Funds also l holding a significant amount.

[trumpet] 23/8/2004 19:53

Micap,

Nice touch with the newsletters, just the sort of thing the PI needs to keep track of progress outside of notifiable events.

[m.t.glass] 23/8/2004 18:30

MN - thanks for that.
Sometime this evening I will add something to the header pointing out the company Newsletters and those info links.

mtg

7:40pm edit: Header amended.

[upshegoes] 23/8/2004 17:16

Psyco
Agree with you there,used to be in Bioprogress myself,sold after the mad rise
earlier this year.
Have been in Micap since as i see similar potential here.

[upshegoes] 23/8/2004 17:00

Also most trials Micap are involved in,are being funded by other party or in the
case of MRSA with grants. Theres confidence for you.

[micap] 23/8/2004 16:58

COMPANY INFORMATION

This is public domain information.

For further information on the Micap technology and its applications, please refer to the company website www.micap.co.uk. You may be particularly interested in the newsletters which the company has started to issue recently.

If any one would like a copy of our prospectus, interim accounts to Sept 2003 or our imminent Apr 2004 Annual Report, please forward your details to [e-mail], stating which information you require.

Posted by Michael Norris, CFO, 16.58 BST, 23/08/04

[psyco] 23/8/2004 16:52

I HAVE TO SAY IVE BEEN FOLLOWING bprG FOR 6 YEARS , looking @ mic , it seems Micap has a very similar model , they do not manufactur any medicines but will licence tech to other companies , a way to print money , BPRG , HANs packaging.
imho

[jojobubba] 23/8/2004 16:14

I missed that bit, will have to do some more research on this co. Could be very exciting, hope Micap keep up the flow of news and continue to drum up interest, seems a bit quiet, many will be taking the wait and see approach no doubt.

[upshegoes] 23/8/2004 15:48

I got the impression that they were looking at possibility of using more drugs
in gum,hence widening their market. Could be wrong.

[jojobubba] 23/8/2004 15:42

Lets hope so, I don't see as much potential going with with Fertin and the gum option as they already have a successful product and may not wish to pay too much more to improve it? However if it has been found to work with and improve the gum then that bodes extremely well for use in other areas like dissolving film to create a completely new product that will enable companies to compete with the gum producers.

[upshegoes] 23/8/2004 15:32

Fertin A/S are funding all trials i believe so must be quite confident of a
good result.

[jojobubba] 23/8/2004 15:23

Copied from results in June:

An interesting new opportunity we have explored is in the use of our technology
in pharmaceutical chewing gum applications. Micap has entered into a
collaboration agreement with Fertin A/S, the leading developer of medical gum.
The most recognised brands Fertin Pharma has been involved with
includeNicotinell(R), produced for Novartis, and NiQuitin CQ(R) gum, produced
for GlaxoSmithKline. Initial results from the collaboration are due in the
summer.

Looks like we should be hearing something soon re results as the 'end of summer' is drawing near. The fact that Micap are now collaborating with BPRG also may suggest that things are going well with the gum so why not try it with the film also or of course it could indicate the opposite and they are trying their luck elsewhere. Views anyone?

[m.t.glass] 23/8/2004 15:05

Ah. Right.

Somebody from Micap did contribute to the thread earlier. Obviously they can't issue market-sensitive info selectively - but if the answer to your query is already published someplace maybe they might provide a link to it?