UK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: E-Therapeutics Seeks Pharma Alliances

29th Jun 2010 16:00

Dow Jones smallcap news is now on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps E-THERAPEUTICS PLC (ETX.LN), a U.K. drug developer, said Tuesday its focus this year and next will be on clinical trials of its experimental medicines and securing alliances with pharmaceutical companies. E-Therapeutics, which uses complex computer software to identify promising drug candidates, is aiming to begin early-stage human trials of experimental treatments for cancer and hospital bug c. difficile by 2011, Chief Executive Malcolm Young told Dow Jones Newswires. Results will likely be known later in 2011 or early 2012. At 1424 GMT, shares flat at 35 pence. EMERSON ELECTRIC CO. (EMR), a U.S. power and industrial-automation company, returned with a sweetened offer to buy CHLORIDE GROUP PLC (CHLD.LN) for almost GBP1 billion, after the U.K. secure power systems company rebuffed an earlier bid and backed a better deal from Swiss engineer ABB Ltd. (ABB). At 1426 GMT, Chloride shares +40.5 pence, or 12%, at 389 pence. AWARD INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PLC, a PLUS Market-listed investment company, said it plans to list on London's Alternative Investment Market July 20 as part of its reversal takeover of digital marketing company Fuse 8 Group Ltd. Award, which doesn't plan to raise any capital on admission, will change its name to Fuse 8 PLC and have a market capitalization of around GBP1.5 million. TRAVELZEST PLC (TVZ.LN), a holiday retailer, said it is considering working with third parties to broaden its winter and summer programs. "We're thinking of adding in some third-party tour operating products to further monetize things. For example, if someone calls wanting to go to Egypt we will pass them on to an operator that deals with Egypt and get some commission from that," Chief Operating Officer Jack Fraser told Dow Jones Newswires. At 1426 GMT, shares +0.25 pence, or 1.4%, at 18.5 pence. PLASTICS CAPITAL PLC (PLA.LN), a plastics maker, said it will begin hiring staff for the first time in 18 months, as its order books are their strongest since then and demand remains high. At 1427 GMT, shares +1 pence, or 3.3%, at 31 pence. PURSUIT DYNAMICS PLC (PDX.LN), an industrial technology company, said it intends to ask biofuel makers for two or three U.S. cents from every gallon of ethanol they sell that is manufactured using its technology. At 1427 GMT, shares -12 pence, or 5%, at 231 pence. CARPETRIGHT PLC (CPR.LN), a carpet and floorings retailer, said its full fiscal-year sales rose 7% on the year, partly due to new partnerships with insurers and house builders, which it hopes to expand. At 1427 GMT, shares -70 pence, or 9.8%, at 640 pence. PRIVATE & COMMERCIAL FINANCE GROUP PLC (PCF.LN), a finance provider, said it is on the hunt for new funding that would allow it to write more business, improve operational gearing and take advantage of acquisition opportunities in the specialist finance sector. At 1428 GMT, shares +0.37 pence, or 4.4%, at 8.25 pence. ASSURA GROUP LTD. (AGR.LN), a healthcare company, said it is still enjoying rent increases on its properties despite a squeeze on public finances in the U.K. It reported a sharply narrower fiscal-year loss and said it will resume dividend payments this fiscal year. At 1429 GMT, shares +0.5 pence, or 1.2%, at 43 pence. INFRASTRATA PLC (INFA.LN), a gas storage company, said it signed a preliminary agreement with U.S. natural gas company eCORP International LLC to help fund the construction of its flagship Portland project on England's west coast. At 1429 GMT, shares +10.5 pence, or 25%, at 53 pence. PINEWOOD SHEPPERTON PLC (PWS.LN), a film and television production company, said it has the backing of the majority of its shareholders, after its second-largest shareholder called for the company's chairman to quit. At 1429 GMT, shares flat at 143.5 pence. CH2M HILL COS. LTD., a U.S. engineer, offered to buy smaller U.K. peer SCOTT WILSON GROUP PLC (SWG.LN) for about GBP189 million, trumping an earlier offer by rival U.S. firm URS Corp. (URS). At 1430 GMT, shares in Scott Wilson were up 8 pence, or 3.2%, at 261 pence. JACQUES VERT PLC (JQV.LN), a womenswear retailer, reintroduced a final dividend for the first time since 1995 as it swung to a full-year profit, but said trading in the coming fiscal year will likely be "unpredictable." At 1430 GMT, shares +3.3 pence, or 24%, at 17 pence. BRITISH POLYTHENE INDUSTRIES PLC (BPI.LN), a polythene products company, said first-half earnings will be lower than a year earlier due to a rise in raw material costs and weak demand for its silage products. At 1430 GMT, shares -14.5 pence, or 6.9%, at 197 pence. DJ UK Smaller Cos -2.2% AIM -2.2% -By Rachael Gormley, Jason Douglas & Hannah Benjamin, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 20 7842 9272; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 29, 2010 11:00 ET (15:00 GMT)