Drug modelling consultancy Physiomics (LON: PYC) has announced a collaboration with Cancer Research UK, which will use the company’s modelling technology for early phase clinical development of ALETA-001. This is a CAR-T cell engager blood cancer treatment candidate. This modelling should be completed by the end of 2022. This follows the recent dose selection contract with Numab Therapeutics. The two contracts will provide a strong end to the year. The share price rose 23.8% to 2.6p.
More good news from Evgen (LON: EVG), which is undertaking an additional early-stage study for the treatment of glioblastoma using SFX-01. This could de-risk a phase II study and help to secure a partner. It will help to better target brain tumours. R&D costs will be lower and cash resources should last well into 2025 – assuming initial milestones are paid in the recent deal with Stalicla. The shares are 12.4% higher at 6.35p. The share price has more than doubled this week.
NetScientific (LON: NSCI) investee company PDS Biotechnology Corporation (NASDAQ: PDSB) announced further data from a National Cancer Institute-led phase II clinical study evaluating its candidate PDS0101 in combination with two Merck owned immune modulating drugs. This is a treatment for advanced HPV+ cancers. The data is consistent with previous findings on safety and efficacy. NetScientific has a 4.72% stake in PDS. The NetScientific share price rose 5.4% to 59p.
Sunrise Resources (LON: SRES) has secured a deal with a processor of natural pozzolan for the mining and test grinding of a bulk sample from the Hazen natural pozzolan deposit in Nevada. Around 250 tons of natural pozzolan will be extracted and processed at no cost to Sunrise Resources. This could lead to a collaboration. The shares are 9.1% ahead at 0.12p.
Invinity Energy Systems (LON: IES) has sold a 0.8MWh Invinity VS3 flow battery system to Equans Belux. This consists of four VS3 batteries and it will be integrated with solar PV. The system will be delivered in early 2023. The share price is 11.2% higher at 27.25p.
The family of David Crichton-Watt have bought 2.82 million shares in Steppe Cement Ltd (LON: STCM) at prices between 31p a share and 31.75p a share, taking the total shareholding to nearly 17%. The family of chief executive Javier del Ser Perez bought 300,000 shares at 31.7p each, taking their shareholding in the Kazakhstan-focused cement supplier to 8.47%. This follows last week’s third quarter trading statement showing a 2% increase in sales volumes in the third quarter, while revenues were 9% ahead. The shares have risen 6.35% to 33.5p.
DeepVerge (LON: DVRG) continued its share price decline after the company admitted that it was seeking to raise cash via a share issue to repay a loan facility agreed in March with Riverfort Global Opportunities PCC and YA II. A £500,000 repayment was due on 16 October, but this can be delayed if the whole loan and interest is repaid immediately after a fundraising. DeepVerge also needs more cash for working capital. The share price slumped 40% on the day to 3.375p, having started the week at 5.5p.
Bion Holdings (LON: BION) has returned from suspension following the publication of results for the 16 months to April 2022. The operating business was sold at the end of the period. There is £1m of cash raised in a placing that was received after the balance sheet date. There was a two-fifths drop in the share price to 0.15p.
Sierra Oncology Inc is returning the rights to SRA737, which was jointly developed by Sareum Holdings (LON: SAR) and the Institute of Cancer Research, to the CRT Pioneer Fund. It is a treatment that targets cancer cell replication. Sierra Onclology was acquired by GSK in July. The share price fell by one-fifth to 157.5p.
Interims from Angling Direct (LON: ANG) show a 1% increase in revenues, but online sales were down 8% – although they are well above pre-Covid levels. Own brand sales were one-third higher. There was a two-thirds drop in pre-tax profit to £1.1m as competitive trading hit margins and there was no government support, which contributed £900,000 in the corresponding period. The fishing products retailer had net cash of £17.1m at the end of July 2022. The share price declined by 12.5% to 28p.