Another commercial deal for OPTI, this time with Seed Health, backed by PayPal's Peter Thiel, Cameron Diaz and Jessica Biel. Today's deal in the 13th commercial deal since OPTI started it's transition from an R&D to a commercial entity. With PLC cost under £1m pa, every deal drops to the bottom-line.
Business Insider - SEED Health using OPTI's LP-LDL
Traders will do what they do worse; more fool them. If any of them are expecting revenue guidance, then they have bought themselves a pup. I have said before, the very earliest SOH will venture these will be at the interim stage; more likely 12 months from now. The risks are just to great.
1: BOD will not want to guess sales volumes for new products in a new market with new science
2: Risk being at the mercy of partner product ETA slippage
3: Any official guidance falling 20% guidance would result in a profit warning
4: Longer term effect of said profits warning would be far worse than waiting another 12 months
Seed will result in much earlier revenues from SACCO, distribution and royalties. They also have plans for a male probiotic. I would imagine traders have taken some funds off the table ahead of results. Key for me is remaining cash, anything over £1m will be a huge plus. The big hope is a dynamic forward looking statement and commercial update. IMHO there is room for SOH to push through a more bullish statement, above and beyond YE break even, to one of profitable within the current year. He would need to offer numbers; that could be enough for those seated on the sidelines peering over the fence wondering if the grass is lush?
US will not be so aware as we, because non of the partnerships have been with PLC's. However, given Peter Thiel's record for investing in new technologies, I wouldn't surprise to see him sniff around OPTI. I'd be very disappointed if he didn't.