Fantastic news all round. Nothing but getting ready for the roll-out of the trial news and the anticipated uptick in interest from industry and US retail investors. West stepped down in seamless succession planning to allow Nant to guide the company through accelerated clinical and commercial growth starting tonight on the Nasdaq - watch for the massive spike in price and sustained rise to peak just before confirmatory interim cancer trial news at year-end. David's work is done.
The company is transforming from being a long-since orphaned Australian basket case into a multi-trial, Nasdaq-listed biotech with institutional investors with deep deep pockets and intimate understanding of the industry and the technology.
Nant will not seize more of the register as they now have two directors with executive powers in the boardroom - more than enough to actively contribute to the new phase of the company's development. Any new shares acquired by Nant will be bought on market like everyone else, restricted by the Australian Corporations Act to only 3% every 6 months - expect a sustained increase in share price as a result. Add to this the additional on-market buying from Highbridge and you will see the share price over a dollar on the ASX in no time.
A hostile takeover is impossible - the board has to unanimously agree on such an event and it is clearly in no-one's interest including Nant. Nant will not wait for commercialisation of any products (cancer or OPMD or new indications) but rather expects to make money from the share price appreciation reflecting an (industry average) billion-dollar valuation. And Nant welcomes new institutional investors.
Jerel Banks today: "Positive results from these clinical studies over the next 12-to-18 months could be transformative for patients suffering from these disorders and provide validation for the core technology and strategic focus of Benitec as an emerging leader in the fields of gene therapy and gene silencing. I plan to work diligently with the scientific and clinical teams over the coming months to position these core development activities, and the company, for success.”
BLT Price at posting:
15.5¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held