Final results
Notice of Annual General Meeting
OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), a life sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and skin care announces its audited results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2023.
Highlights
- Revenue for the year of £644,000, a 41% increase over 2022 (£457,000). There were a further circa £62k of sales orders received in December 2023 which were delivered in 2024 and carried forward into 2024 accounts.
- A circa 30% reduction in administrative expenses (excluding non-cash items such as share-based payments and amortisation) to £1.78m (2022: £2.50m), reflecting cost saving measures, the removal of ProBiotix Health plc (PBX)’s costs after March 2022 and recovery of some of the doubtful debt provided in the 2022 accounts.
- An increase in sales of LeanBiome® to The Hut Group and sales of SlimBiome® to Holland & Barrett, albeit from a very low base in 2022.
- An increase in sales of SlimBiome® to Paradise Fruits, a German company producing gummies for Walmart and for sale online in China.
- Increased sales of our OptiBiome® prebiotic fibre (an alternative trademark to SlimBiome®) to Optipharm in Australia following the launch online of their Optislim and Optiman ready meal ranges incorporating a ready meal OptiBiome sprinkle and a significant new investment in marketing.
- A reduction in stock: there was 13.9 metric tonnes of SlimBiome® taken from stock held by two partners (Maxum and Cambridge Commodities) in 2023 compared to 2022 (up 39%) representing a value of approximately £417K based on retail price of £30 per kg. Once this stock overhang is depleted, the Company should see sales of SlimBiome to these partners contributing to future revenues.
- Recruiting four new partners for SlimBiome® in Asia through our partnership with Nutraconnect Pte, all of whom placed initial orders before the end of 2023 and which we expect to contribute revenues of £125,000 to £150,000 in 2024.
- Securing a license agreement with Tata Chemicals – part of the $300bn turnover Tata Group – to incorporate its proprietary Fossence® into our SlimBiome® and WellBiome® products for the Indian market. This brings the assurance and familiarity of a branded ingredient from a well-known and trusted local source to the attention of Indian consumers.
- Reaching a new distribution agreement for SlimBiome® in Australia and New Zealand with Ravenswood Ingredients, part of the Brenntag group which is a global leader in specialised food ingredients.
- One of our partners, Optipharm, securing an international listing for products containing SlimBiome® with CostCo, the fifth largest retailer in the world.
- Ongoing discussions with a leading US corporate on a global launch of SlimBiome® in 2025 in multiple territories.
Post period end
- The recovery in sales in 2023 has carried forward into 2024 with sales order in H1 approaching FY 2023.
- Launch of LeanBiome® in MuscleTech®, a leading sports nutrition brand.
- Partnership agreement with Morepen for SlimBiome® containing finished products.
- Manufacturing agreement with KAG Industries in India.
- Roehampton University submitting the results of a third human study on SlimBiome® for publication, which demonstrated statistically significant benefits to appetite and hunger regulation with no safety, compliance or tolerance issues reported by the participating volunteers. This study underlined the effectiveness of a single dose of SlimBiome® in delivering hunger-free weight loss by non-invasive means, and was timely in view of the growing consumer, media and pharmaceutical interest in this field.
- Successful placing to raise £1,350,500 through the issue of 6,752,500 new ordinary shares of 2 pence each in the Company in March 2024.
The Report & Accounts which will be shortly posted to shareholders contains a Notice of Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) which will be held at 12 noon on 8 August 2024 at the offices of Peterhouse Capital Limited, 3rd Floor, 80 Cheapside, London EC2V 6EE.
Stephen O’Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix Health plc said: “2023 was a year where we restructured the senior management team and focused on restoring sales growth through more active management of existing accounts, broadening our partner base by securing a number of new corporate partners in key strategic markets like the USA and Asia, and investing in ecommerce channels, while reducing operating costs. We continue to see sales momentum building in 2024 with our highest ever single order of over £200,000 and sales orders in H1 approaching FY 2023.
With appetite suppression, gut health, sugar alternatives, and modulation of the human microbiome attracting ever-increasing interest, we look to the future with a high degree of confidence. With the Company’s first generation products having multiple clinical studies and health claims we are now gaining commercial traction with large partners in key markets plus the excitement of bringing our industry changing second-generation products to market.
We have achieved this with minimal shareholder dilution, no debt, a strong balance sheet (circa £9.4m as at 31 December 2023) and significant exposure to the considerable growth potential of the microbiome through our shareholdings in PBX and SkinBioTherapeutics PLC (SBTX).
On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our valued shareholders for their patience and ongoing support, and we look forward to continuing on an upward trajectory for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.”
This announcement contains information which, prior to its disclosure, was considered inside information for the purposes of the UK Market Abuse Regulation and the Directors of the Company are responsible for the release of this announcement.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates, and projections about its industry; its beliefs; and assumptions. Words such as ‘anticipates,’ ‘expects,’ ‘intends,’ ‘plans,’ ‘believes,’ ‘seeks,’ ‘estimates,’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, are difficult to predict, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions security holders and prospective security holders not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of the Company only as of the date of this announcement. The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. The Company will not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances, or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority.
For further information, please contact:
| OptiBiotix Health plc Neil Davidson, Chairman Stephen O’Hara, Chief Executive | www.optibiotix.com Contact via Walbrook below |
| Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (NOMAD) Liam Murray / Jo Turner / Ludovico Lazzaretti | Tel: 020 7213 0880 |
| Peterhouse Capital Limited (Broker) Duncan Vasey / Lucy Williams | Tel: 020 7220 9797 |
| Walbrook PR Ltd Anna Dunphy | Mob: 07876 741 001 |
OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), which was formed in March 2012, brings science to the development of compounds which modify the human microbiome – the collective genome of the microbes in the body – in order to prevent and manage human disease and promote wellness.
OptiBiotix has an extensive R&D programme working with leading academics in the development of microbial strains, compounds, and formulations which are used as active ingredients and supplements. More than twenty international food and healthcare supplement companies have signed agreements with OptiBiotix to incorporate their human microbiome modulators into a wide range of food products and drinks.
OptiBiotix is also developing its own range of consumer supplements and health products. The Company’s current areas of focus include obesity, cardiovascular health, and diabetes.
Chairman’s Report
This year has seen the Group successfully returned to sales growth under the renewed leadership of its founder Stephen O’Hara, who returned to the role of CEO of OptiBiotix Limited in March 2023. In that time we have secured a number of new corporate partners to help develop sales of our first-generation products in key strategic markets like the USA and Asia, increased direct to consumers sales through ecommerce channels and reduced operating costs. Our second-generation products are now approaching commercialisation, offering potential additional future growth for the Company. The positive trajectory re-established during the year has continued into 2024. With new corporate partners in new territories, strong ecommerce growth, reduced SlimBiome® ingredient stock levels held by Maxum and Cambridge Commodities, a strong balance sheet (circa £9.4m at 31 December 2023) and a successful fundraise in 2024, the financial strength of the Group provides shareholders with a robust platform for growth going forward.
Strategy and business development
From the outset, the business has had a clear strategic focus on developing unique products with functional benefits in high growth markets around the world, and balancing risk and reward by building sales of first-generation products while developing more innovative second-generation products with greater potential.
The CEO reports in detail below on the actions we have taken during the year to restore the Group to sales growth through more active management of existing key accounts, increasing the number of partners in key strategic markets, and investing to increase direct sales to customers through ecommerce channels in the UK and subsequently internationally.
Results
The results show that after a very poor start to 2023 management changes in spring led to a 41% increase in sales and a 30% decrease in costs in 2023, despite one off termination costs of £153k. With improved sales and tighter financial control operating losses for 2023 reduced by 33% from £2.4m to £1.6m.
The Board
As noted in the last annual report Rene Kamminga, who was appointed CEO of OptiBiotix Ltd in March 2021, and joined the Board of the Group in July 2022, left the business in February 2023 when Stephen O’Hara resumed the role of CEO at OptiBiotix Ltd. As outlined in the CEO report the Company took the opportunity to streamline its board and reduce advisor costs to move the business towards profitability. To support the management team Graham Myers joined the Board on 1 December 2023 as Finance Director, a part-time role in which he works closely with the OptiBiotix team to focus on driving each business unit to profitability.
Outlook
The recovery of sales established in 2023 have continued into the current year with the agreement with Morepen in India, encouraging discussion with a number of US corporates, and strong e-commerce growth, any of which having the potential to transform the business in 2024 and beyond. As the Chief Executive reports in more detail below, we have secured additional agreements to grow sales of our first-generation products in a number of key strategic markets (e.g. USA, Asia), successfully broadened our product portfolio, and reached an exciting stage in the commercialisation of our second-generation sugar replacement SweetBiotix® and MicroBiome Modulators.
The actions we took during 2023 have put the Group back on a firm growth path and the Company looks forward to reporting further progress in the year ahead. We also look forward to realising the substantial potential value of our second-generation SweetBiotix® family of products and microbiome modulators as these achieve commercialisation.
N Davidson
Chairman
28 June 2024