Sharechat Logo

Wrightson raid hints at biotech 'super-company'

By Nick Stride

Friday 7th March 2003

Text too small?
A biotech "super-company" appeared to be taking shape yesterday as rural services group Wrightson closed in on a 19.9% stake in Genesis Research and Development.

Wrightson announced its $1.31-a-share stand in the market on Wednesday and finished the day with 15.05%.

It said its Genesis investment was aimed at "providing an impetus" for more collaboration in agricultural biotechnology.

The move is likely to have been approved by its 19.9% shareholder, Fonterra. Both Wrightson and Fonterra subsidiary RD1 have biotech research arms and market observers have speculated Fonterra will eventually take over Wrightson and separate the rural services and biotech divisions.

Genesis' shares have languished below the $1.70 value of its cash reserves of about $36.3 million. They traded at 97c immediately before the Wrightson stand was announced.

British trials of Genesis' Avac eczema treatment showed the drug to be safe and well-tolerated.

  General Finance Advertising    

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:
Your name:
Your email:
Not displayed to the public
Comment:
Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved.

Related News:

MCK enters into conditional agreement for Whangarei land
April 26th Morning Report
SPG - Change to Executive Team
BGI - Forgiveness of $200,000 of secured indebtedness
General Capital Subsidiary General Finance Market Update
AFT,Massey Ventures,Gilles McIndoe to develop scar treatmen
April 24th Morning Report
Cheers to many fewer grape harvest spills
GTK - Half-Year Results Announcement Date
Government ends war on farming