I have just come across this absolute gem. I don't normally get this excited, but must share it with others. Cobra is the name, listed on Aim and a market cap of 30 million. Just been awarded a US patent for a system that allows people to take previously injected drugs in tablet form. Already profitable was floated off from MLB last year (and given their fundraising today they may regret ever letting this one go).
Collins Stewart are predicting 1.8 million this year and 3.1 million next year, though i can see those numbers being left behind. The company is both exciting and defensive because some of the products that can be taken are against cancer, anthrax and other potentially fatal diseases. (Hoping of course there will never be another terrorist outrage but even then this stock would be one to have onside.) Turnover has doubled in the last twelve months and the potential really is amazing. Biotechs not usually my style but this one is already profitable and i just have to have some in my portfolio.

Shares Mag wrote this article last year. They were evidently too optimistic at that time, but how much has really changed. That last RNS said their forward order book had doubled, so where do we go from here? Maybe SM will follow up on last years arcticle. Interesting times ahead.


Shares Magazine-Plays of the Week 5/6/03
Cobra Bio-Manufacturing (AIM:CBF) - 98p Buy by: Timon Day Investors looking for plays on vaccines for AIDS and other virulent viruses can take a punt on Cobra. Now looks a good time as investor interest in the bombed-out biotech sector is rapidly reviving with shares such as Oxford Biomedica (OXB) doubling since March.
Demerged from ML Laboratories a year ago at 103p, the shares are now nearly back to where they were and optimists say they could go much, much higher if one of their customers succeeds in developing an AIDS vaccine.
The US says it will spend 5 billion fighting AIDS in Africa and Bill Gates is spending around $500 million through his International Aids Vaccines Institute (IAVI). Cobra made IAVIs anti-AIDS vaccine for the Phase 2 trials. If positive, a Phase 3 trial will start next year which could lead to the drug winning FDA approval in a couple of years time.
Cobra currently only makes small batches of drugs for Phase 1 and 2 trials, but could expand capacity or contract out manufacture. Big drug companies like Cobras leading DNA and virus products manufacturing technology.
IAVI is understood to have granted Cobra a royalty on sales of its AIDS vaccine. If the vaccine goes on sale, Cobra will reap substantial profits.
The same is true for other customers such as the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) and Mayne Pharma, an Australian company, with which a long-term manufacturing agreement was signed six months ago to produce a novel genetically engineered virus.
Last November, Cobra opened a US sales office in Chicago. The US accounts for more than 70% of the world market for biopharmaceuticals. Progress is encouraging with US orders of $2.2 million to date compared with $900,000 for the whole of the previous year.
The recent sale of 6.5 million shares at 80p was eight times over-subscribed and the net proceeds of 4.7 million will be used to double capacity through the purchase of a 15,000 manufacturing facility in Oxford. Happily, parent ML has slashed its stake from 46% to just 5%, leaving its offspring to grow unfettered.
Cobra boasts several high-calibre institutional investors led by Fidelity Investments with just under 10%, Standard Life with almost 8% and Legg Mason with almost 7%. The best thing about Cobra is that its basic drug making business is expected to see profits of 1 million this year soaring to 1.6 million next year and 3 million to September 2005 dropping the untaxed PE to 6. Royalties and technology transfer payments, if a vaccine goes on sale, are the icing on the cake which could boost profits several times. Zuzanna Day, wife of the author, owns shares in Cobra.
Shares Summary Cobra shares are a lower-risk punt in the biotech sector. The business plan is ahead of schedule, ML is history and AIDS vaccines promise mega profit potential. Business: Biopharmaceutical products manufacturer Vital stats: Market capitalisation: 19m Historic PE Sep to 02: losses Prospective PE to Sep 03: 18 Prospective PE to Sep 04: 12 No dividend

AFX 7/10/04


LONDON (AFX) - Cobra Bio-Manufacturing PLC said it sees its year to September loss 'at the bottom end of market forecasts'.

In a trading statement, the biopharmaceutival manufacturing company said its second half sales were 30 pct higher than its first half sales.

'Losses for the year are anticipated to be at the bottom end of market forecasts, however the company's cash resources are well in excess of forecasts as a result of balancing costs and demand,' it said.

Cobra said its confirmed forward order book for the current half year is more than double the position at this time last year. Confirmed orders from North America are improving.

'There is still much ground to be made up against previous expectations for the company but with the current increase in contracted business, the year to September 2005 should see Cobra regaining momentum,' the group said.

email: newsdesk@afxnews.com

jm/

Hawick if your still around could you put some charts in the header, ta

Max online buy via Barclays has just dropped to 7.5K. This was 60K a while ago. A big buyer in the background perhaps or MMs just playing games?

Last years results were released on 2 December. With a doubled order book since then, this stock is looking cheap as chips.

Cobra Bio-Manufacturing PLC
02 December 2003

For Immediate Release 2 December 2003

Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc
Preliminary Results
for the year ended 30 September 2003

Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc, the international manufacturer of
biopharmaceuticals, today announces its preliminary results for the twelve
months ended 30 September 2003.

Highlights

Operational:
June 2003 Acquisition of additional biological manufacturing capacity
June 2003 Placing and open offer raised 5.2m before expenses
Major progress in the US during 2003 revenue up 158%
24 global customers, 27 programmes ongoing

Financial:
Manufacturing revenue up 137% to 6.0 million (2002: 2.5 million)
Profit before tax 0.8 million (2002: 0.9 million loss)
Profit after tax 1.0 million (2002: 0.1 million profit)
EPS up 590% to 6.9 pence (2002: 1.0 pence)
Increase in gross margin to 57% (2002: 34%)
Cash at bank 7.3 million (2002: 2.6 million)

Commenting on the results, Peter Fothergill, Executive Chairman said:
'We are extremely pleased with the excellent progress Cobra has made throughout
the year. The placing in June 2003 was well over subscribed and we look forward
to the additional facilities coming on-line in 2004. Together with the increase
in repeat business from existing clients and our strong headway in the US
market, 2004 promises to be an exciting year for Cobra.

It will be interesting to see how the next set of results compare to last years figures.

Financial:
Manufacturing revenue up 137% to 6.0 million (2002: 2.5 million)
Profit before tax 0.8 million (2002: 0.9 million loss)
Profit after tax 1.0 million (2002: 0.1 million profit)
EPS up 590% to 6.9 pence (2002: 1.0 pence)
Increase in gross margin to 57% (2002: 34%)
Cash at bank 7.3 million (2002: 2.6 million)

Nice tick up today. Results are due in a couple of weeks. Net assets are shown in last year's accounts as 10,549,007 million, equivalent to 58.5p per share. This together with doubled turnover makes this stock worth every penny of today's price

Another tick up. Hold tight and enjoy the ride!

From another BB concerning a recent broker note from Durlachers:

gist of Durlachers note...

CBF were one of Durlachers tips for 2004 with a price of 1.38!!
They mention that since the profit warnings of earlier this year, that many institutions have decreased their holdings, however Fidelity have gone against the grain and added over this period. They estimate net cash will be approx 2.5 million come the results.

What is most interesting is that they confirm that whereas previously CBF based/relied upon forward revenues on contracts/orders that weren't confirmed, they have now changed their policy to only include those orders that are. Hence the confirmed order book (mentioned from the trading update) for the current half year is exactly that - CONFIRMED! And, as we know, it is already double that of the same period last year...

Durlacher advise that clients should continue to hold for recovery...

Another big rise today. I can almost feel the G Forces

Top % Gainers
# EPIC Name Price Chg %

11 CBF Cobra Bio-man. Ord 10p 43.5 4.0 10.13

Top % Gainers
# EPIC Name Price Chg %

4 CBF Cobra Bio-man. Ord 10p 46.5 7.0 17.72

This is the second time I have invested in Cobra, the first time I got my fingers burn't and ducked out. I have recently got back in and I am already in healthy profit. Does anyone have any idea how far they can go? back to last year high 1.40? Any news would be handy

Jacks: Results are due on 11 January. They should be good.

Cobra Bio-Manufacturing PLC
29 November 2004

Immediate Release 29 November 2004

Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc

PRELIMINARY RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT DATE

Keele, UK: Cobra Biomanufacturing plc (AIM: CBF), the international manufacturer
of biopharmaceuticals, will announce it Preliminary Results for the year ended
30 September 2004 on 11 January 2005. A briefing for analysts will be held at
Buchanan Communications, 107 Cheapside, London at 10 am.

AFX 7/10/04
LONDON (AFX) - Cobra Bio-Manufacturing PLC said it sees its year to September loss 'at the bottom end of market forecasts'.

In a trading statement, the biopharmaceutival manufacturing company said its second half sales were 30 pct higher than its first half sales.

'Losses for the year are anticipated to be at the bottom end of market forecasts, however the company's cash resources are well in excess of forecasts as a result of balancing costs and demand,' it said.

Cobra said its confirmed forward order book for the current half year is more than double the position at this time last year. Confirmed orders from North America are improving.

'There is still much ground to be made up against previous expectations for the company but with the current increase in contracted business, the year to September 2005 should see Cobra regaining momentum,' the group said.

Cobra's had a busy year. From their website:http://www.cobrabio.com/news.htm

News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 Dec 2004 Appointment of Adviser
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 Nov 2004 Cobra increases quality capabilities and further strengthens compliance with the latest EC clinical trials directive - Nick Hill appointed as Director of Quality, Oxford
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29 Nov 2004 Preliminary Results Announcement Date
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Oct 2004 Trading Update
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 Sep 2004 Cobra Biomanufacturing appoints Cathy Smith to strengthen North America Sales
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Aug 2004 Cobra authorised to manufacture broad range of biopharmaceuticals for European Clinical trials
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28 Jun 2004 Cobra Biomanufacturing signs agreement to manufacture Coleys Toxin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Jun 2004 Interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19 Apr 2004 Cobra Awarded US Patent for Manufacture of Biopharmaceuticals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Apr 2004 Cobra Signs Agreement to Manufacture Reolysin for Oncolytics Biotech Inc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 Mar 2004 Cobra Licenses DNA Manufacturing Technology to AstraZeneca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Mar 2004 Cobra Signs Agreement to Manufacture Avidex First Monoclonal T Cell Receptors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 Feb 2004 Annual General Meeting
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Feb 2004 Trading Update
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19 Jan 2004 Cobra Awarded Key US Patent for Oral Vaccine

Top % Gainers
# EPIC Name Price Chg %

22 CBF Cobra Bio-man. Ord 10p 42.0 2.0 5.0

Top % Gainers
# EPIC Name Price Chg

21 CBF Cobra Bio-man. Ord 10p 42.25 2.25 5.62

Cobra Bio-Manufacturing plc

Name of shareholder having a major interest

Fidelity International Limited and its direct and indirect subsidiaries

818,400 Ordinary Shares

Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

4.20%

We have to remember why this stock fell from around 1.40 per share. It was simply due to delayed orders that have since come through in the second half of 2004. This is one of the orders that subsequently appeared in June:

28 June 2004

Cobra Biomanufacturing signs agreement to manufacture Coleys Toxin

Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the Cancer Research Institute to develop cancer vaccine

Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc, the International manufacturer of biopharmaceuticals, announced an agreement between the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and its collaborator the Cancer Research Institute to produce Coleys Toxin cancer vaccine for clinical trials.

Cancer vaccines direct the immune system to eliminate tumours and are re-emerging as candidates for cancer therapy. Cobra will produce Coleys Toxin from two different bacteria under controlled conditions. A modern and regulatory compliant manufacturing process for the vaccine has been developed, and state of the art monitoring will be utilized to assess the vaccines immunological efficacy. The entire project is scheduled to take 6 months.

David Thatcher, Chief Executive of Cobra Biomanufacturing, commented:

We are delighted that the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and its collaborator the Cancer Research Institute, have chosen Cobra as its manufacturing partner. Both Institutes have a strong international scientific reputation and are at the forefront of developing improved cancer therapies.

Dr Gerd Ritter, Associate Director of the Ludwig Institutes Office of Clinical Trials Management commented:

"Cobra has an impressive track record in the safe and effective manufacture of diverse biologicals. We were impressed by the Cobra teams innovative approaches for the manufacture of this challenging microbial cancer vaccine, and as an academic organization we liked its partnership style of working. We look forward to a successful collaboration."