Operational update on Strategic Investments

30 January 2020

Braveheart Investment Group plc ("Braveheart" or the "Group")

Operational update on Strategic Investments

Braveheart (AIM:BRH), the fund management and strategic investment group, is pleased to provide an operational update on its strategic investments.

Paraytec Limited ("Paraytec") (holding 100%)

The second round of end user trials are underway on Paraytec's Innovate UK funded R&D project ("NEXUS"), which is developing instrumentation for measuring protein aggregation in biopharmaceuticals. Trials have already been conducted with Fujifilm Diosynth and members of Paraytec's scientific team will visit GlaxoSmithKline and Medimmune over the coming weeks. Protein aggregates are an impurity that must be controlled and must stay within product specifications, so measurement is essential to ensure that products containing protein aggregates meet the regulatory requirements.

Pharm 2 Farm Limited ("P2F") (holding 51.72%)

P2F's team attended Europe's premiere turf management show, BTME in Harrogate, earlier this month and received significant interest from across the industry. Turf management in golf and sports surfaces is a highly technical and suppliers and managers of turf are continually looking for the latest innovations to keep their turf in the best possible condition throughout the year.

This month, the company produced a batch of silicon micronutrient for shipment to customers in the Australian hydroponics market. Silicon is important because it improves nutrient uptake, strengthens plants against disease, drought and other plant stresses.

All of P2F's coated particles have improved bioavailability over traditional plant feeds, resulting in stronger plants that grow more quickly and produce higher yields. End users are currently focussed on high value crops in the horticultural and pharmaceutical markets, including the cultivation of medicinal cannabis.

Kirkstall Limited ("Kirkstall") (holding 64.67%)

Kirkstall has recently appointed new distributors in South Korea and China. The distributors are currently undertaking product training and their promotional plans for 2020 are being finalised.

Kirkstall presented at the recent joint Integrated Biological Imaging Network/3DbioNet meeting in London.  The event addressed the current challenges in 3D cell culture and how to tackle the bioimaging challenges of monitoring cell growth.

Preparations are ongoing for Kirkstall's annual conference, Advances in Cell and Tissue Culture ("ACTC") 2020, which will be held on 2-3 June 2020 at Cardiff University (www.theACTC.com).

Gyrometric Systems Limited (Gyrometric") (holding 19.95%)

Gyrometric has developed a new method of monitoring Absolute Dynamic Shaft Alignment (ADSA). This is considered to be a significant breakthrough. It means that a shipbuilder (or any other builder of large rotating equipment) could install Gyrometric's equipment, use it to align the shafts initially, then leave it in place to monitor conditions during the life of the asset. When misalignment occurs, Gyrometric's equipment can be used to correct the shaft alignment. ADSA is part of Gyrometric's suite of equipment which works interactively to provide digital data via the Internet of Things.

Gyrometric has also completed development of a new timing laser product and plans to commence sales shortly. The laser and detector are PCB mounted and housed in a rugged enclosure. The timing laser product can detect the passing of stripes on an adhesive tape at a 100mm distance, which is ideal for monitoring the speed, and other parameters, of rotating shafts. Together with Gyrometric's software, this equipment will offer customers a substantial cost saving when measuring torsional vibrations.

Phasefocus Holdings Limited ("Phasefocus") (holding 21.20%)

Phasefocus continues to expand its vendor network, with distribution agreements signed in the last three months with partners in Italy, Canada, Japan, France and Israel.  The new appointments will significantly extend the company's global presence and are expected to drive sales growth in its Livecyte live cell analysis product line.  To mark the new partnership with AFSBio Inc. in Canada, a joint seminar tour of Canadian research institutions will be taking place in early February 2020.  Furthermore, two new Application Scientists were appointed in December 2019 to support the growing distributor network and customer base.

Sentinel Medical Limited (holding 38.40%)

Work continues with The University of Sheffield to optimise the test protocols before re-starting the testing of bladder cancer patient samples.

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