11 April 2014
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc
("EKF", the "Company" or the "Group")
Results of General Meeting and Total Voting Rights
On 20 March 2014, EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (AIM: EKF) announced that it had entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Selah Genomics, Inc. ("Selah"), a US based developer of molecular diagnostics for personalised medicine, and a conditional agreement to acquire DiaSpect Medical AB. ("DiaSpect"), a Swedish based manufacturer of point-of-care haemoglobin analysers. In addition, the Company announced an issue of equity to raise £22.0 million (before expenses) by way of a Firm Placing and Conditional Placing, and details of an Offer to Qualifying Participants to raise up to an additional £4.0 million (before expenses). The issue of new ordinary shares of the Company in connection with the Acquisitions, Conditional Placing and Offer were subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Company at a General Meeting.
The Company later announced, on 20 March 2014, the successful completion of the Placing, raising £5.0 million by way of a Firm Placing of 14,285,714 new Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each and £17.0 million by way of a Conditional Placing of 48,571,428 new Ordinary Shares, and on 10 April 2014, the closing of the Offer, raising an additional £4.0 million pursuant to the successful application for 11,428,571 new Ordinary Shares.
Furthermore, the Board of EKF is pleased to announce that, at the General Meeting of the Company held earlier today, the resolutions which were set out in the Notice of General Meeting included in the circular to shareholders in relation to the Acquisitions, Conditional Placing and Offer, dated 20 March 2014, were duly passed.
Application has been made for 134,228,991 new Ordinary Shares, being the total number of new Ordinary Shares being issued under the Acquisitions, Conditional Placing and Offer, to be admitted to trading on AIM. Admission is expected to become effective at 8:00am on 17 April 2014. Following the admission of the Consideration Shares, Conditional Placing Shares, and Offer Shares (the "New Ordinary Shares"), the Company will have 422,057,074 ordinary shares of 1 pence each in issue.
Admission of the New Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM represents the final condition to completions of the Acquisitions. Completions of the Acquisitions are therefore expected to occur on 17 April 2014.
Directors' Shareholding
As part of the Placing, Julian Baines subscribed for 71,428 Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each at the Issue Price. Following this transaction and admission of the New Ordinary Shares, the shareholding of Julian Baines and persons connected to him is 1,621,955 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 0.38 per cent. of the Company's issued ordinary share capital following the transaction, all of which are held beneficially.
As part of the Placing, David Evans subscribed for 71,428 Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each at the Issue Price. Following this transaction and admission of the New Ordinary Shares, the shareholding of David Evans and persons connected to him is 1,605,753 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 0.38 per cent. of the Company's issued ordinary share capital following the transaction, all of which are held beneficially.
As part of the Placing, Richard Evans subscribed for 57,142 Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each at the Issue Price. Following this transaction and admission of the New Ordinary Shares, the shareholding of Richard Evans and persons connected to him is 153,842 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 0.04 per cent. of the Company's issued ordinary share capital following the transaction, all of which are held beneficially.
As part of the Placing, Paul Foulger subscribed for 28,571 Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each at the Issue Price. Following this transaction and admission of the New Ordinary Shares, the shareholding of Paul Foulger and persons connected to him is 3,438,589 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 0.81 per cent. of the Company's issued ordinary share capital following the transaction, all of which are held beneficially.
As part of the Placing, Adam Reynolds subscribed for 28,571 Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each at the Issue Price. Following this transaction and admission of the New Ordinary Shares, the shareholding of Adam Reynolds and persons connected to him is 3,204,724 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 0.76 per cent. of the Company's issued ordinary share capital following the transaction, all of which are held beneficially.
Definitions used in this announcement will have the same meaning as those used in the Circular, unless the context requires otherwise.
Enquiries:
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc |
Tel: 029 2071 0570 |
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David Evans, Executive Chairman |
Mob: 07740 084 452 |
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Julian Baines, CEO |
Mob: 07788 420 859 |
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Paul Foulger, CFO |
Mob:07710 989 255 |
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Canaccord Genuity Limited
Nominated Adviser/Corporate Broking |
Tel: 020 7523 8000 |
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Lucy Tilley /Julian Feneley /Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor /Chris Connors |
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Walbrook PR Limited |
Tel: 020 7933 8780 |
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Paul McManus |
Mob: 07980 541 893 or paul.mcmanus@walbrookpr.com |
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Paul Cornelius |
Mob: 07866 384 707 or paul.cornelius@walbrookir.com |
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About EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc - www.ekfdiagnostics.com
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc was formed in July 2010 following the acquisition of EKF-diagnostic GmbH for €14.32m and refocused its strategy to one of building a substantial point of care diagnostics business. As part of this strategy, the Group has integrated three further acquisitions, Quotient Diagnostics Limited (acquired in September 2010), Argutus Medical Limited (acquired in December 2010) and Stanbio Laboratory L.P. (acquired in June 2011). In 2013 EKF established a new subsidiary, EKF Molecular Diagnostics Ltd, to focus on molecular and companion diagnostics and acquired 360 Genomics Ltd, a business that owns diagnostics technologies for cancer gene detection.
The Company, with its head office in Cardiff and operations in London, Germany, Poland, Russia, Ireland and the US, is a leading diagnostics business, focussing on the development, production and distribution of chemical reagents and analysers for the testing of Glucose, Lactate, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit and HbA1c.
In March 2011 EKF entered into a distribution agreement with Alere Inc ("Alere"), a global diagnostics company, under which Alere was appointed the exclusive distributor of EKF's CLIA waived Hemo Control device and cuvettes in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. The device is distributed in the US under the name HemoPoint H2.