Novacta Biosystems Attracts New Investment

Novacta Biosystems, the Welwyn Garden City based biotechnology
company, has recently completed a EUR 600,000 investment round from
new investors including Esperante, existing shareholders Westgate
Hall, GEIF Ventures and Oxford Technology 4 VCT as well as a number of
other new and existing investors.

Novacta is developing naturally-derived products primarily as
novel anti-infective agents for hospital-based infections. Its lead
product candidate for treatment of the hospital acquired infections
caused by Clostridium difficile is in preclinical development. C.
difficile infections were associated with twice as many deaths in UK
hospitals last year as MRSA. Cases of C. difficile infections, which
occur in the lower digestive tract, rose by 22 per cent in the past
year and affected more than 15,500 people over 65 in the first quarter
of this year. New anti-infective agents are needed that specifically
target C. difficile and not the other bacteria involved in maintaining
a healthy gut environment. Novacta's candidates show this potential.

The investment will be used primarily to progress Novacta's C.
difficile candidates in pre-clinical testing towards clinical trials,
in addition to its pipeline of therapeutic agents that target other
infections including MRSA, as well as other programmes designated for
antiviral and oncology indications.

Novacta's technologies allow it not only to develop novel products
but also to develop new methods for making high value chemicals using
natural catalysts, known as biotransformations that are cleaner and
more efficient than some of the traditional methods. Consequently
Novacta has established a number of revenue generating alliances with
other companies.

Commenting on the investment, Dr Fiona Marston, Chief Executive of
Novacta Biosystems, said "Novacta is delighted to have attracted this
investment round. This funding will enable us to advance our
C.difficile candidate towards clinical trials and Novacta expects to
raise further capital this year to support clinical development of
this candidate and to advance the development of the pipeline."

Dean Slagel of Esperante said, "Novacta represents an optimal
investment proposition for Esperante by offering a professional
management team, therapeutic developments in major indications and a
revenue-generating business."