the australian- spec buy. , page-3

Good find massey. Ive screened out the white noise and isn thread is very bare without the endless posts from 'holders' who hate the company. Appreciate your researched posts and found thisversion not behind paywall PUBS and pokies king Bruce Mathieson had the odd bout of asthma in his youth, which righted itself when he was in his 40s.

‘‘Asthma is such a bastard of a problem. It affects small children to adults,’’ the straight-talking Woolworths joint venturer said.

But that’s not exactly why Mathieson has tipped in $1 million for a 15 per cent stake at 6c a pop in iSonea, which is honing its asthma-management tool into a smartphone app to detect and manage an ailment that afflicts 300 million people globally.

Mathieson, who has dabbled in

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

2011 resource plays and the generic drug maker Mayne Pharma, believes such early-stage healthcare plays suits his risk-reward equation. ‘‘The first criteria is I don’t like to lose money,’’ he says. ‘‘There’s no use making 10-15 per cent. I would rather go in when there’s big multiples to be made.’’

Ascribed a $1.05 billion net worth by the BRW Rich List, Mathieson could simply buy more rubbidy dubs (at least when the competition regulator isn’t looking) or dabble in junior resource speccies to supplement his exposures to Western Desert Resources, and Molopo Energy.

He’s drawn to healthcare plays because they’re not affected by economic vagaries. ‘‘The good thing about healthcare is it rings the piano 24 hours a day.’’

Mathieson’s tinkling of iSonea’s ivories isn’t his first healthcare play: he’s also in the roll-on testosterone play Acrux and generic drug maker Mayne Pharma.

iSonea has developed a smartphone app that enables sufferers to record wheeze trends and medication usage and adherence.

The company hopes to launch an enhanced version, AirSonea, in Australia and the US within 12 months.

There’s also scope for use in the racing industry, given wheezy tubes have been the Waterloo for many a nag.

Not that Mathieson would use that as excuse for his highly fancied gelding Kelinni running an unlucky fourth in last week’s Cup.

iSonea chalked up an underwhelming $8000 of revenue in the last quarter for a $649,000 loss. We’ll ascribe a spec buy on the backing of Mathieson, who buys assets (including pubs) on gut feel rather than boring financials.

Even if iSonea snares a modest market share the stock will — in the publican’s argot — be ‘‘off like a Bondi tram’’.