First Day of Dealings

RNS Number : 6557Y

Bould Opportunities PLC

14 May 2021

 

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This announcement is an advertisement for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation Rules of the UK Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") and is not a prospectus. This announcement does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer for sale or subscription of, or solicitation of any offer to subscribe for or to acquire, any ordinary shares in Bould Opportunities plc in any jurisdiction, including in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, the Republic of South Africa or Japan. Investors should not subscribe for or purchase any ordinary shares referred to in this announcement except on the basis of information in the prospectus (the "Prospectus") in its final form, published by Bould Opportunities plc in connection with the proposed admission of its ordinary shares to the Standard Listing segment of London Stock Exchange plc's Main Market for listed securities.

14 May 2021

Bould Opportunities plc

(to be renamed Cizzle Biotechnology Holdings Plc)

("Cizzle Biotechnology" or the "Company")

Admission to the Main Market of London Stock Exchange and First Day of Dealings

Cizzle Biotechnology, a UK based developer of a blood test for the early detection of a majority of different forms of lung cancer, announces its admission to the Standard Listing segment of the Official List and to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.  The Company's shares will begin trading at 8.00 a.m. today under the ticker CIZ (ISIN: GB00BNG2VN02), initially under the name of Bould Opportunities plc until the change of name to Cizzle Biotechnology Holdings plc, approved by shareholders at a General Meeting on 13 May 2021, is effective.

Cizzle Biotechnology is in the early stages of developing a blood test for the early detection of a majority of the different forms of lung cancer. Its proof-of-concept prototype test is based on the ability to detect a stable plasma biomarker, a variant of C1Z1 known as CIZ1B. C1Z1 is a naturally occurring cell nuclear protein involved in DNA replication, and the targeted C1Z1B variant is highly correlated with early stage lung cancer.

Peer-reviewed published research led by Professor Coverley has demonstrated that CIZ1B can be measured via an ELISA process, which should allow for testing in a high-throughput, hospital-friendly format. The Directors and Proposed Directors believe that this development overcomes an important barrier to further clinical development and the application of this blood test for the early detection of lung cancer, which is essential to improve a patient's chance of survival.

Cizzle Biotechnology is a spin-out from the University of York and was initially funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, White Rose Technology Seed Corn Fund, Finance Yorkshire Seedcorn LLP and Viking Members, who with management, invested in the project to support the development of a prototype blood test.

The business was founded in 2006 by Professor Coverley, a cell biologist working out of the University of York. Professor Coverley has 20 years' experience in basic cancer-related research and is currently principal investigator of an academic DNA replication research laboratory at York and Chief Scientific Officer of Cizzle Biotechnology.

Cizzle Biotechnology's current technology is based on the ability to detect the CIZ1B variant of this protein, which is a stable plasma biomarker that is highly correlated with the presence of lung cancer. Cizzle Biotechnology is seeking to develop and commercialise a simple blood test for the early detection of the main forms of lung cancer, ideally at a stage when the disease still bears a good prognosis. Cizzle Biotechnology's goal is to produce a test that can provide results quickly and accurately, so avoiding the need for intrusive follow up testing, which can include repeated CT scanning and/or tissue biopsies, which are both costly to the NHS, health providers and medical insurers and stressful to patients.

The Board intends the Company's initial product to be a diagnostic immunoassay that can be readily performed by hospitals and reference laboratories, but a potential follow-on product could be a point of care test provided by a primary health care provider.

The Company has completed a placing of 22,000,000 new ordinary shares at 10p per share to raise gross proceeds of £2.2 million.  The Board intends to apply a majority of the net proceeds of the Placing towards the development of the C1Z1B biomarker test through to CE marking and/or FDA 510(k) clearance.

Allan Syms, Executive Chairman of the Company, said:

"We are delighted to start trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange today.  Cizzle Biotechnology is engaged in a very exciting area of development which is seeking to address an urgent clinical need and could potentially provide significant benefits to both patients and the health care system, as well as potentially significant competitive and commercial advantages for the Company.  We are very excited to be embarking on the journey ahead with the support of our key stakeholders."

Total voting rights

Following Admission, the total number of Ordinary Shares in issue will be 253,447,788, each with equal voting rights.  The Company does not hold any rights in treasury.  The total voting rights figure can be used by Shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine whether they are required to notify their interest in, or a change of their interest in, the Company under the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority.

Prospectus

The Company's Prospectus was published on 23 April 2021 and is available to view on the Company's website.  Capitalised terms not otherwise defined in this announcement have the same meaning ascribed to them in the Prospectus.

Enquiries:

Cizzle Biotechnology Holdings plc	Via IFC Advisory
Allan Syms (Executive Chairman)

Allenby Capital Limited	[phone]
John Depasquale
Alex Brearley

Novum Securities Limited	[phone]
Colin Rowbury/Jon Bellis

IFC Advisory Limited	[phone]
Tim Metcalfe
Florence Chandler

About the Company

Cizzle Biotechnology is developing a blood test for the early detection of a majority of the different forms of lung cancer.  Cizzle Biotechnology is a spin- out from the University of York, founded in 2006 around the work of Professor Coverley and colleagues.  Its proof-of-concept prototype test is based on the ability to detect a stable plasma biomarker, a variant of C1Z1 known as CIZ1B.  C1Z1 is a naturally occurring cell nuclear protein involved in DNA replication, and the targeted C1Z1B variant is highly correlated with early stage lung cancer.

 

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