News

PlayWize nearly doubled its value after the software developer for the gaming industry announced it has won a development and licence agreement with Ladbrokes.

The group will license its software to Ladbrokes for two years, and will receive a contribution towards development costs in the form of a development fee and ongoing licensing fees under a revenue sharing arrangement.

"The agreement represents the first step in the company's new strategy to develop and license its online 3-D poker technology to third-party poker rooms; the company anticipates that more similar agreements will follow," said chief executive Foo Katan.

AIM-listed Physiomics rallied on news the healthcare firm has signed an agreement with Lilly to support its cancer drug discovery research programme.

Under the terms of the deal, Physiomics will provide in silico simulations of cancer cellular processes.

"This is a very positive step forward for Physiomics as a further major pharma company joins our growing list of partners at a time when interest in application of systems biology to pharma R&D is increasing very rapidly," said chief operating officer Christophe Chassagnole.

Mediazest narrowed first-half losses to £223,000 for the six month to 30 June compared to £447,000 last time on turnover of £1.8m against £1.3m previously and said growing demand gives ground for optimism in the future.

"The growing demand for digital out-of-home media coupled with our improved positioning and awareness of our services in the marketplace gives us grounds for optimism in the future," said chairman Lance O'Neill.

"The second half of 2007 has begun with the group's strongest ever quarter and in addition to a wide range of work in the education sector we have a good order book going forward with a number of well known blue-chip clients," he added.

Gold producer Goldplat said performance for the year exceeded expectations and said it is on track to bring a new plant in Ghana into full production in the first half of 2008.

Pre-tax profits for the year came in at £751,000. There are no comparatives for the previous year as the company listed in July 2006.

Pharmaceutical group Futura Medical said it has signed a global licensing agreement with SSL International for the worldwide rights to MED2002, its gel for erectile dysfunction.

Under the terms of the agreement, an undisclosed royalty on MED2002 sales will be paid to Futura with milestone payments of up to £18m, subject to certain specified regulatory approvals and sales targets being achieved.

Shares in Brinkley Mining fell on concerns over its uranium mining production plans in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the government is currently reviewing a number of mining licenses in the area.

Solana Resources said its Tres Curvas-1 wildcat exploration well in north eastern Colombia has been successfully drilled, logged and cased as a potential new field discovery.

Shares in Enfis were on offer as first-half losses widened to £891,000 compared to £609,000 last time but the light-emitting diode arrays maker said its outlook remains 'exciting'.

Digital TV group Eicom jumped on news that it will be launching its second Performance Channel on Sky today.

XTL Biopharmaceuticals announced today that it has presented a new class of novel and highly potent small molecule inhibitors of hepatitis C at the International Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus & Related Viruses in Scotland.

Character animation software firm DA Group saw its share price slide after it said it is still in talks concerning the sale of the company.

Venteco rallied after the pest control provider said it made a pre-tax profit of £508,000 in the first-half compared to a loss of £68,000 last time.

Concateno, the AIM-listed life science investment group, has appointed Neil Elton as finance director with effect from 14 September 2007.