Newly floated Cambridge BioTech company formed in 2007 has over 300 customers including Astra Zeneca.

Floated at 180p.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon_Discovery

Yes I saw that dc.

Broken 200p barrier and looking good for 2015.

Shares - To improve its standing in the market it is buying companies to create a fully integrated life science business. Horizon is not exposed to the huge development risks associated with the industry. If the drug fails in the development or clinical trial stages , Horizon still gets paid. Second, this enables it to generate revenues from the industry, which is rare for a small cap.

This has magic .

Horizon Discovery target price raised to 229p

By Philip Whiterow

January 07 2015, 3:27pm
N+1 expects the momentum to continue, with more deals over the next year helping to de-risk the stock.


Horizon Discovery (LON:HZD) has pushed through N+1’s target price prompting the broker to raise it to 229p from 183p.

The strength in the bio research company’s share price has stemmed from strong newsflow including multiple deals across the whole range of Horizon Discovery’s offering and the business is not reliant on any single agreement, said the broker.

N+1 expects the momentum to continue, with more deals over the next year helping to de-risk the stock.

Shares were 207p today.

Horizon Discovery snaps up high volume genomics platform for £6mln

By Philip Whiterow

January 08 2015, 9:05am
Haplogen cell lines can be generated much more easily than normal cell lines.
Haplogen cell lines can be generated much more easily than normal cell lines.


Horizon Discovery (LON:HZD) has agreed to acquire Haplogen Genomic, a Vienna-based company that has developed a high-volume human genomics platform.

Haplogen’s technology can generate precisely engineered human cell lines at a price that puts genome editing within the reach of all academic researchers, Horizon said.

Cell lines are used to compare normal and diseased patients to find the best combinations of medicines to treat an illness.

Horizon has been rapidly building its portfolio of diagnostic tools since it listed last March.

In November, it signed an exclusive agreement with diagnostic tool developer Adarza BioSystems to follow the acquisitions of CombinatoRx in June and SAGE Labs in September.

Haplogen will give it its own high-throughput cell line generation platform based on human haploid genetics.

The deal will increase its cell line inventory by over ten-fold and enable an on-demand cell line development service to be launched this quarter, it added.

Haplogen cell lines can be generated much more easily than normal cell lines as only one copy of a gene instead of the normal two needs to be targeted.

Horizon will pay £6mln in cash for Haplogen, with a possible further £3.9mln depending on performance.

Darrin Disley, Horizon’s chief executive, said: "We have seen increasing interest in Haplogen Genomics' offerings from all customer segments including academic researchers, drug development companies and research tools providers since we started working with them.

"This acquisition is a continuation of our ambition, stated at the time of our IPO, of expanding our intellectual property portfolio, product development capabilities and commercial offerings to gain broader access to important markets, especially basic academic research.”

HORIZON DISCVRY

19 Jan 2015 07:00:21



Horizon Dis Grp plc



RNS Number : 4726C

Horizon Discovery Group plc

19 January 2015








PRESS RELEASE

19th January 2015



Horizon Discovery Group plc



Trading Update



Revenues expected to be ahead of consensus by approximately 7% driven by an increased global demand for expanded product, service and IP offering



Cambridge, UK - 19th January 2014: Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE: HZD) ("Horizon" or the "Group"), the international life science company supplying research tools and services to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines, today announces a trading update ahead of its full year results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2014. The Group intends to announce its preliminary full year 2014 results on 14 April 2015.



The Group reports a successful year and expects full year 2014 revenues to be ahead of consensus expectations of £11.0 million by approximately 7%, representing growth in excess of 77% over prior year (year ended 31 December 2013: £6.7 million). In addition, the Group is eligible to receive future R&D milestones of up to £158 million plus future product royalties (year ended 31 December 2013: £120m).



This strong performance has been driven by an increased global demand for Horizon's fully integrated commercial offering comprising research tools, services and intellectual property including drug targets, drug biomarkers and drug candidates. Horizon worked with 30 of the world's top 50 Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical companies during the year (year ended 31 December 2013: 21) and 961 organisations in total (year ended 31 December 2013: 353). The Horizon offering enables its customers to translate human genome sequencing data into innovative medicines and companion diagnostic tests that improve clinical outcomes for patients and economic outcomes for drug developers and healthcare payers alike.



Molecular diagnostic reagent products, genome-editing services and combination drug screening services have contributed significantly to the growth in revenue and in customer breadth and depth. Revenue includes consolidated contributions following the successful integration of two strategic acquisitions completed in 2014 that have broadened the Group's capabilities and established Horizon as the world's leading translational genomics company. Horizon Discovery Incorporated, was formed following the acquisition of the combination high-throughput screening business and assets ("CombinatoRx") from Zalicus Incorporated (NASDAQ: ZLCS), completed on 2 June 2014, and Sage Labs, Incorporated an in vivo model development company completed on 29 September, 2014.



Financial reporting will include non-recurring exceptional items relating to the IPO and the acquisitions during the year and losses for the Group are expected to be in line with market expectations as investment continues in the long term growth of the business consistent with our previously reported strategy.



Year-end cash is expected to be reported at approximately £17m (year ended 31 December 2013: £4.2m).



Post-period end, on 8 January 2015, the Company announced the acquisition of Haplogen Genomics GmbH, a biotechnology company based in Vienna, Austria. Now renamed Horizon Genomics GmbH, the acquired company's core haploid technology platform adds a new dimension to the Group's commercial offering by adding a 10-fold increase in both its cell line product inventory (10,000 vs 1,000 previously) and production capacity (100s per month vs 10s per month previously) as well as a 10-fold reduction in production cost. These products have application in basic genomics research enabling access to the fast-growing academic research market not previously penetrated by the Group as well as broadening its commercial offering to those companies engaged in drug discovery and development. This also builds Horizon's capability in generating genetic sequence, antibody, aptamer and protein validation reagents for research, process optimisation and diagnostic uses.



Dr. Darrin M. Disley, Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Discovery Group, commented:

"Last year was transformational for Horizon as we expanded from a fast-growing private company with approximately 80 employees located in Cambridge, UK, to a fully integrated global public company with over 200 employees in the UK, United States and now in Vienna, Austria.



"We have enjoyed strong revenue growth in 2014, driven both organically and through the successful acquisitions of CombinatoRx and Sage Labs. Horizon has remained focused on becoming a fully-integrated life science company and, with the integration of recent acquisitions, is now able to provide service, product and R&D solutions to customers engaged in all stages of the personalized medicine paradigm from 'sequence to treatment'.



"This has also been a year in which Horizon cemented its leadership in the fields of genome editing and personalized medicine through the acquisition of key IP, operational capability and know-how. To support this growth, management has further developed Horizon's talent pool, and, to this effect, we have augmented our Executive, Scientific Advisory Board as well as added high calibre business leaders to our Board to guide the Company.



"Horizon has successfully delivered on all of its 2014 goals as set out at the time of the IPO, and we are confident and very excited by the prospects for the year ahead."



ENDS

Horizon Discovery transition to AIM a success as revenues look set to exceed forecasts

By Ian Lyall

January 19 2015, 7:29am
The update marks a confident start to life on the markets for the life sciences group, which listed on AIM in March.
The update marks a confident start to life on the markets for the life sciences group, which listed on AIM in March.


Horizon Discovery Group (LON:HZD) said 2014 revenues will be some 7% ahead of forecast and 77% up on the year earlier, boosted by increased demand for its services and contributions from two recent acquisitions.

It marks a confident start to life on the markets for the life sciences group, which listed on AIM in March.

Ahead of today’s announcement analysts were predicting Horizon would post sales of £11mln.

The update also revealed group is eligible to receive future R&D milestones of up to £158mln plus future product royalties (up from £120mln at the end of 2013).

It now provides 30 of the top 50 pharma and biotech companies with research tools, services and intellectual property including drug targets, drug biomarkers and drug candidates.

Its specialty is human gene editing, which in very basic terms means it is able to produce a pair of human cell lines identical with the exception of carefully selected mutations.

These cell lines act as a surrogate for a patient in a state of good health versus diseased health and enables drug makers to develop novel medicines that target the specific genetic drivers of a disease and implement shorter, less costly and targeted clinical trials.

This time last year the figure was 21. In total 961 organisations use its services, up from 353.

The business is well funded with £17mln of cash.

Chief executive Darrin Disley said last year was transformational for Horizon as it expanded from a fast-growing private company with 80 employees located in Cambridge, to a fully integrated global public company with over 200 employees in the UK, US and Austria.

"We have enjoyed strong revenue growth in 2014, driven both organically and through the successful acquisitions of CombinatoRx and Sage Labs,” he added.

“Horizon has remained focused on becoming a fully-integrated life science company and, with the integration of recent acquisitions, is now able to provide service, product and R&D solutions to customers engaged in all stages of the personalized medicine paradigm from sequence to treatment.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

19 Jan N+1 Singer 246.00 Buy
19 Jan Panmure Gordon 247.00 Buy

UPDATE - Horizon Discovery rises as revenues look set to exceed forecasts

By Ian Lyall

January 19 2015, 2:29pm
The update marks a confident start to life on the markets for the life sciences group, which listed on AIM in March.
The update marks a confident start to life on the markets for the life sciences group, which listed on AIM in March.


---ADDS BROKER COMMENT AND SHARE PRICE---

Horizon Discovery Group (LON:HZD) said 2014 revenues will be some 7% ahead of forecast and 77% up on the year earlier, boosted by increased demand for its services and contributions from two recent acquisitions.

It marks a confident start to life on the markets for the life sciences group, which listed on AIM in March.

Ahead of today’s announcement analysts were predicting Horizon would post sales of £11mln.

The update also revealed the group is eligible to receive future R&D milestones of up to £158mln plus future product royalties (up from £120mln at the end of 2013).

It now provides 30 of the top 50 pharma and biotech companies with research tools, services and intellectual property including drug targets, drug biomarkers and drug candidates. This time last year the figure was 21. In total 961 organisations use its services, up from 353.

Its specialty is human gene editing, which in very basic terms means it is able to produce a pair of human cell lines identical with the exception of carefully selected mutations.

These cell lines act as a surrogate for a patient in a state of good health versus diseased health and enables drug makers to develop novel medicines that target the specific genetic drivers of a disease and implement shorter, less costly and targeted clinical trials.

The business is well funded with £17mln of cash.

Chief executive Darrin Disley said last year was transformational for Horizon as it expanded from a fast-growing private company with 80 employees located in Cambridge, to a fully integrated global public company with over 200 employees in the UK, US and Austria.

"We have enjoyed strong revenue growth in 2014, driven both organically and through the successful acquisitions of CombinatoRx and Sage Labs,” he added.

“Horizon has remained focused on becoming a fully-integrated life science company and, with the integration of recent acquisitions, is now able to provide service, product and R&D solutions to customers engaged in all stages of the personalized medicine paradigm from sequence to treatment.”

Panmure Gordon reiterated its ‘buy’ recommendation and upped its price target from 234p to 247p.

Having previously pencilled in sales of £11.1mln for 2014, the broker now expects the top line will rise to £11.7mln.

“The strength of demand in Horizon’s markets, coupled with the company’s ability to act as an enabling partner to its customers has underpinned the success, and we anticipate further growth in delivery as the recent acquisitions are bedded in,” Panmure Gordon analyst Dr Mike Mitchell said.

Dr Mitchell sees Horizon thriving in a life sciences environment which is making the transition towards developing more personalised medicine.

“The performance to December ahead of our expectations reaffirms our view of a robust business, led by a strong operational management team, in turn supported by a world-class Board. As such, we consider today’s announcement as evidence of strong foundations being laid for future growth,” Dr Mitchell concluded.

Shares in Horizon were up 4.9% at 235p in afternoon trading.

Great future for Discovery.

Shares - momentum is with Horizon and further upgrades would not surprise.

Horizon Discovery Selected as Core Facility
RNS
RNS Number : 6956D
Horizon Discovery Group plc
02 February 2015



PRESS RELEASE

2nd February 2015







Horizon Discovery Group Selected as Core Facility by Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute



Two year master services agreement signed with an initial work order for $500,000 to carry out drug combination screening and in vitro assay development



Cambridge, UK, 2nd February 2015: Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE:HZD) (Horizon), the international life science company supplying research tools and services to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines, today announced that it has been selected to act as a core facility by the Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute (TDI). As a core facility, Horizon will provide single and combination drug profiling followed by confirmatory secondary assay services to TDI through its discovery research services unit.



Under the agreement, Horizon will receive up to $500,000 for work to be performed during 2015 and 2016, with the option for additional collaboration work orders thereafter.



Horizon will utilize its unique cHTS (combination High Throughput Screening) platform and Chalice™ analytics software to screen and analyze potentially thousands of small-molecule drugs, therapeutic antibodies or proteins in combination to identify synergistic or antagonistic interactions. Horizon will also provide a range of optimized cellular assays as follow-ups to identify drug target activity. The first programs are forecast to start in the second half of 2015.



Dr. Darrin M. Disley, Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Discovery Group plc, commented: "Horizon is thrilled to have been chosen as a core facility to support TDI research programs via application of our innovative drug combination screening platform and assay services. The partnership, which provides access to multiple components of our technology platforms and capabilities, reinforces the value that we can provide our customers from 'sequence to treatment'. We look forward to working with the TDI team and potentially broadening our relationship further in 2016 and 2017."



Dr. Michael Foley, Sanders Director, TDI, said: "The Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute links researchers in basic and clinical science with experts in drug discovery from the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, with the goal of more efficiently translating discoveries into therapies for disease. We are delighted to be partnering with Horizon Discovery Group and look forward to initiating the programs."





ENDS

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


UPDATE - Horizon Discovery boss thrilled with TDI contract

By Philip Whiterow

February 02 2015, 11:47am
Horizon will analyse potentially thousands of small-molecule drugs, therapeutic antibodies or proteins in combination.
Horizon will analyse potentially thousands of small-molecule drugs, therapeutic antibodies or proteins in combination.


-- adds broker comment, share price --

Life sciences group Horizon Discovery (LON:HZD) has won a US$500,000 contract to provide drug profiling facilities to the Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute (TDI).

The TDI links researchers in basic and clinical science with experts in drug discovery from the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.

Horizon will analyse potentially thousands of small-molecule drugs, therapeutic antibodies or proteins in combination to identify synergistic or antagonistic interactions.

The AIM-listed firm will also provide a range of optimized cellular assays as follow-ups to identify drug target activity. The first programs are forecast to start in the second half of 2015.

Darrin Disley, Horizon’s chief executive, said he was thrilled Horixzon had been chosen.

“The partnership, which provides access to multiple components of our technology platforms and capabilities, reinforces the value that we can provide our customers from 'sequence to treatment'.

“We look forward to working with the TDI team and potentially broadening our relationship further in 2016 and 2017."

Panmure Gordon that though small, in the wider scheme of Horizon's overall activities the contract emphasised the continued traction of its unique technology offering. ‘Buy’ says the broker.

Shares rose 4p to 227p.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////



2 Feb Panmure Gordon 247.00 Buy

Who Should Attend?Date:

Tuesday 24th February 2015

Venue:

Novotel Tower Bridge, London EC3N, 10 Pepys Street, London, EC3N 2NR

Event Timings:Sponsored by:

Horizon Discovery primed to take advantage of new era of personalised medicine, says Peel Hunt

By Ian Lyall

February 13 2015, 11:36am
“Horizon is the go-to provider of genetically defined cell and animal models of disease, with significant expertise in combination drug screening that is well aligned with trends in big pharma,” Cuddon said in his note
“Horizon is the go-to provider of genetically defined cell and animal models of disease, with significant expertise in combination drug screening that is well aligned with trends in big pharma,” Cuddon said in his note


The broker Peel Hunt described Horizon Discovery (LON:HZD) as a “long-term buy and hold” as it initiated coverage of the life sciences specialist with a 30-page research note.

Setting a 280p price target, it gave an upbeat assessment of the group’s prospects, suggesting it is primed to take advantage of a fundamental shift in healthcare.

“Horizon Discovery is a sector-leading UK company focused on providing products and services in a new era of personalised – or as President Obama recently described it – precision medicine,” said analyst Dr Paul Cuddon.

“We are particularly attracted to Horizon’s fast-growing products business that benefits from the greater commercial scale provided through recent acquisitions.”

Horizon is a specialist in the cutting-edge arena of gene editing, which allows it to produce a pair of human cell lines identical with the exception of carefully selected mutations.

These cell lines act as a surrogate for a patient in a state of good health versus diseased health and enables drug makers to develop novel medicines that target the specific genetic drivers of a disease and implement shorter, less costly and targeted clinical trials.

Cuddon reckons gene-editing is in a similar position to the antibody industry two decades ago, and he believes it is poised for “similarly rapid growth”.

Drilling down, the analyst said Horizon’s products division has the capacity to treble its revenues by 2017 “given alignment with the rapidly growing clinical sequencing and molecular diagnostics markets”.

“Importantly, the recent acquisition of Haplogen has scaled its catalogue significantly, opening up mass-academic markets with lower-cost cell lines that have the potential to become industry standards,” he added.

At the same time, he said the services business also has “sufficient scale” in pre-clinical services, which are increasingly being outsourced to firms such as Horizon.

He reckons this ‘niche’, as he describes it, is worth US$13bn a year.

“Horizon is the go-to provider of genetically defined cell and animal models of disease, with significant expertise in combination drug screening that is well aligned with trends in big pharma,” Cuddon said in his note.

“Horizon has leveraged this division and its cell lines to secure long term commercial agreements with AstraZeneca and Novartis that offer additional long-term upside.”

The shares, up 56% in the last three months alone, were changing hands at 203p earlier, valuing the business at £179mln.

Thanks for posting dreamcatcher.

18 Feb Panmure Gordon 247.00 Buy

UPDATE - Horizon Discovery and partners land £1.67mln grant

By Ian Lyall

February 18 2015, 1:43pm
Horizon's gene editing platform will be used to manipulate pathways identified that will then be tested by Manchester University to generate proof of concept.
Horizon's gene editing platform will be used to manipulate pathways identified that will then be tested by Manchester University to generate proof of concept.


---ADDS BROKER COMMENT AND SHARE PRICE---

Horizon Discovery (LON:HZD) is part of a group that has been awarded £1.67mln to fund the commercial development of Chinese hamster ovary cell lines.

These are critical tools for manufacturing of high-value biopharmaceuticals and Horizon and its partners aim to create a suite of engineered cell lines containing a range of modifications.

The changes are designed to control and improve metabolic performance of the cells for the production of medicines.

It has teamed up with the Centre for Process Innovation and Professor Alan Dickson from the University of Manchester.

The money, meanwhile, is coming from two sources: the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Innovate UK.

Horizon's gene editing platform will be used to manipulate pathways identified that will then be tested by Manchester University to generate proof of concept.

The performance of novel genotypes will be assessed in fermentors and scaled-up to 'manufacture-ready' processes at the Centre for Process Innovation and its National Biologics Manufacturing Centre business unit.

"Cell line development through targeted gene editing will be critical in delivering the next generation of biological medicines,” said Brian Burke, Horizon’s business development director.

“This funding award will enable the development of an engineered CHO cell line tool kit that will drive new bioprocessing solutions beyond the term of the project, giving the bioprocessing community a foundation upon which further improvements in cell line systems can be built."

Panmure Gordon said today’s announcement fits extremely well with Horizon’s skill set and strategic aims.

"Typically, we consider Horizon’s customer base in terms of commercial biotech and pharma companies, but today’s announcement should act as a reminder that the company also acts as a crucial partner in the development of technology considered strategically important within the UK biotechnology base," the broker said, as it reiterated its 'buy' recommendation.

N+1 Singer is also a buyer, and said today's announcement is good news for Discovery, as it helps develop this key area of the business.

"The recent business and project wins are creating positive momentum in Horizon Discovery and underpinning our revenue growth assumptions," the broker said.

"Horizon Discovery is still in its rapid growth phase and we believe that there will be further new business announcements over the next year as the company aims to break even in FY2016. We believe that the shares have further to go, and that management are increasingly de-risking the business," it concluded.

Shares in Horizon were down 8p to 212p in mid-afternoon trading.

Horizon Provides Genomic Standards To CRUK
RNS
RNS Number : 1013H
Horizon Discovery Group plc
11 March 2015

PRESS RELEASE

11th March 2015







Horizon Discovery Group plc to Support Cancer Research UK's Stratified Medicine Program



Horizon's Diagnostics division to provide genetically defined, human genomic reference standards



Cambridge, UK, 11th March 2015: Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE:HZD) (Horizon), a leading provider of research tools to support translational genomics and the development of personalized medicines, today announced that it will be providing genomic Reference Materials to support Phase Two of Cancer Research UK's Stratified Medicine Programme (SMP). Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.



The work will focus on supporting the validation of a Cancer Research UK SMP Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) targeted enrichment panel, using Horizon's HDx human genomic Reference Materials. The NGS project involves multi-gene, multi-aberration tumor analysis and is being run in CPA, GLP and ISO accredited laboratories, with a UK NEQAS (www.ukneqas.org.uk) quality assessment. These Reference Materials will support run-to-run and lab-to-lab longitudinal assessment of performance of the NGS technology.



In Phase Two of the SMP, Cancer Research UK will work with the national Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) network and national genetic testing laboratories to develop a national screening programme for lung cancer samples in the NHS. Once screened, these results will be used to place patients on the National Lung Matrix Trial, run by the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU) in Birmingham, and led by Prof. Gary Middleton.



The scope of the project involves Horizon's Diagnostics business unit providing renewable, genetically defined Reference Materials representing a range of genetic aberrations and containing defined allelic mutation frequencies. The Reference Materials developed will enable reliable comparison of assay performance across sequencing platforms, targeted assays and laboratories by providing a common universal reference point.



Many factors contribute to variability in the quality of clinical samples, which is currently a concern within molecular pathology laboratories working towards the clinical application of NGS panels for tumor screening. To address this, Cancer Research UK will use Horizon's precisely defined formalin compromised Reference Standards to assess the performance of Cancer Research UK's-SMP NGS, in order to inform any necessary changes in clinical practice surrounding preparation of FFPE samples for downstream NGS analysis.



Dr Paul Morrill, President, Products, Horizon Discovery, said:"Research programs such as Cancer Research UK's Stratified Medicine Programme form a vital piece of the puzzle in the drive toward personalized, or stratified, medicine as a routine approach for the testing and treatment of cancer. We are delighted to have been chosen to support Cancer Research UK on the delivery of Phase Two of this project."



Dr Ian Walker, Head of Cancer Research UK's stratified medicine programme, commented: "Research into stratified medicine is helping us to understand the genetic changes that drive cancer, and to find out how different cancers respond to treatment. Ensuring accuracy in genetic assessment of tumors is a vital part of this process, and we welcome Horizon's involvement in assisting Cancer Research UK with taking the Stratified Medicine Programme forwards."





ENDS

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/investing/article-2994960/MIDAS-SHARE-TIPS-life-science-group-broaden-Horizon.html