Holding(s) in Company

For filings with the FSA include the annex                                              
                                                                                        
For filings with issuer exclude the annex                                               
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
TR-1: NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTEREST IN SHARES                                          
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer                                      
of existing shares to which voting rights are                           Avacta Group PLC
attached:                                                                               
                                                                                        
2 Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):               
                                                                                        
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights                                            x
                                                                                        
An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments which may result         
in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached         
                                                                                        
An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to               
qualifying financial instruments                                                        
                                                                                        
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights                                        
                                                                                        
Other (please specify):                                                                 
                                                                                        
3. Full name of person(s) subject to the                     Rock Island Investments Ltd
notification obligation:                                                                
                                                                                        
4. Full name of shareholder(s)                                                          
 (if different from 3.):                                                                
                                                                                        
5. Date of the transaction and date on                                                  
which the threshold is crossed or                                       22 December 2010
reached:                                                                                
                                                                                        
6. Date on which issuer notified:                                       29 December 2010
                                                                                        
7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or                                         4% and 3%
reached:                                                                                
                                                                                        


 

8. Notified details:                                                                                         
                                                                                                             
A: Voting rights attached to shares                                                                          
                                                                                                             
Class/type   Situation previous               Resulting situation after the triggering transaction           
of           to the triggering                                                                               
shares       transaction                                                                                     
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
if possible  Number          Number           Number         Number of voting      % of  voting rights       
using        of              of               of shares      rights                                          
the ISIN     Shares          Voting                                                                          
CODE                         Rights                                                                          
                                              Direct         Direct   Indirect     Direct       Indirect     
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
Ordinary                                                                                                     
0.1p                                                                                                         
GB0033519546 63,014,131      63,014,131       0              0                     Less than 3%              
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
B: Qualifying Financial Instruments                                                                          
                                                                                                             
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction                                                         
                                                                                                             
Type of financial   Expiration      Exercise/                 Number of voting             % of voting       
instrument          date            Conversion Period         rights that may be           rights            
                                                              acquired if the                                
                                                              instrument is                                  
                                                              exercised/ converted.                          
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
C: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Financial                                
Instruments                                                                                                  
                                                                                                             
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction                                                         
                                                                                                             
Type of       Exercise price Expiration     Exercise/        Number of voting rights % of voting rights      
financial                    date           Conversion       instrument refers to                            
instrument                                  period                                                           
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                     Nominal     Delta       
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                             
Total (A+B+C)                                                                                                
                                                                                                             
Number of voting rights                             Percentage of voting rights                              
                                                                                                             
0                                                   Less than 3%                                             
                                                                                                             


 

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the          
financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable:                              
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
Proxy Voting:                                                                           
                                                                                        
10. Name of the proxy holder:                                                           
                                                                                        
11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease                                     
to hold:                                                                                
                                                                                        
12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold                                       
voting rights:                                                                          
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
                                                                                        
13. Additional information:                                                             
                                                                                        
14. Contact name:                                                             Chris Hill
                                                                                        
15. Contact telephone number:                                                07875303242