NeuroVive starts collaboration to evaluate IPO of subsidiary in Taiwan
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ), a leading mitochondrial medicine company, is reporting that the company’s subsidiary NeuroVive Pharmaceutical Asia Ltd., whose registered office is in Hong Kong, has signed a financial advisory agreement with Yuanta Securities Co., Ltd., Taiwan’s leader in IPOs. This agreement is the first phase of a process with the objective of an IPO of NeuroVive’s subsidiary on the Taiwanese stock exchange within two to three years.
The motivation for initiating a process with the objective of an IPO in Taiwan is to increase the development rate of NeuroVive’s drug candidates in mitochondrial medicine and specific viral diseases by utilizing capital from the Asian market. An IPO would also create a secure base in Asia for the NeuroVive group’s continued growth in this region.
Listing the subsidiary would offer the parent company the opportunity to fund parts or all of development projects using the subsidiary’s capital. The parent company could also support the subsidiary through direct assignments on various projects. Moreover, positive progress for the subsidiary could also aid the retention of a secure capital base in the parent company, firstly via future revenue streams from the subsidiary, and secondly via positive share price performance of the subsidiary creating greater value for parent company shareholders.
If this process with the objective of an IPO is completed, it will probably include one or more funding rounds before the subsidiary is listed, followed by the actual IPO. The Taiwan Stock Exchange also offers the capacity to conduct subsequent share issues effectively after an IPO is completed.
There is very substantial interest in life science enterprises in Taiwan, with strong growth in terms of total market capitalization and the number of IPOs in the sector in the last five years. There is also substantial interest from investors and the country’s government to attract foreign, and especially European, companies for listing on the Taiwanese stock exchange.
“We see several potential benefits in initiating a process to evaluate a potential IPO of NeuroVive’s subsidiary on the Taiwanese exchange, the main reason being to create a stronger capital base that can fund development projects, and thus shorten time to market,” commented NeuroVive’s CEO Mikael Brönnegård, “moreover, an IPO in Asia could attract more international investors and increase global recognition of the NeuroVive group.”
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical Asia Ltd. is a subsidiary of NeuroVive, which is 70% owned by the parent company, with the remainder held by collaboration partner Foundation Asia Pacific Ltd. The subsidiary controls the rights to NeuroVive’s presumptive future pharmaceuticals in China, CicloMulsion® and NeuroSTAT®.
About NeuroVive
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ), a leading mitochondrial medicine company, is developing a portfolio of products to treat acute cardiovascular and neurological conditions through mitochondrial protection. These medical conditions are characterized by a pressing medical need and have no approved pharmaceutical treatment options at present. NeuroVive’s products CicloMulsion® (heart attack) and NeuroSTAT® (traumatic brain injury) are currently being evaluated in phase III and phase II studies, respectively. NeuroVive’s research programs also include products for the treatment of anti-viral indications (Hepatitis B/C), brain cell injury in stroke patients, and drug candidates for cellular protection and treating mitochondria-related energy regulation diseases. NeuroVive’s shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm, Sweden.
About Yuanta Securities Co., Ltd.
Yuanta Securities Co., Ltd. is the leader in IPOs on the Taiwanese market. The company was rated as the foremost IPO advisor in Taiwan in 2012, representing as much as 22% of the total value of all IPOs on the stock exchange in Taiwan. Yuanta is also Taiwan’s leading stockbroker, with 174 offices and 2,800 brokers, and a market share of 14% in 2012. More information at www.yuanta.com/en.
For media and investor relations questions, please contact:
Ingmar Rentzhog, Laika Consulting, tel: +46 (0)46 275 62 21 or ir@neurovive.se
It is also possible to arrange an interview with NeuroVive’s CEO Mikael Brönnegård via the contact above.
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ)
Medicon Village, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)46 275 62 20 (switchboard), Fax: + 46 (0)46 888 83 48, info@neurovive.se, www.neurovive.se
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ) is required to publish the information in this news release under The Swedish Securities Market Act. The information was submitted for publication on 10 March 2014, at 8:30 a.m. CET.
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