TIDMEKF

RNS Number : 3865Z

EKF Diagnostics Holdings PLC

18 September 2015

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc

("EKF", the "Company" or the "Group")

Extension to deadline under Rule 2.6(c) of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Code")

On 24 August 2015 the board of EKF (the "Board") announced that it had received a proposal from Jinjing (Group) Co., Ltd ("Jinjing") regarding a possible offer for the whole of the issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of the Company. Since this announcement, Jinjing has engaged in an active phase of due diligence with the Company and has requested more time to complete this work.

In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, Jinjing was required, by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 20 September 2015, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for EKF in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies.

In accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code, the Board has requested that the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Panel") extend the relevant deadline, as referred to above, to enable the parties to continue their discussions regarding a possible offer. Accordingly, an extension has been granted by the Panel and Jinjing must, by no later than 5.00 p.m. on 19 October 2015, either announce a firm intention to make an offer for EKF in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline will only be extended with the consent of the Panel.

This additional time will allow Jinjing and the Company to work towards JinJing making an offer which is recommendable to the Company's shareholders.

A further announcement will be made when appropriate. In the meantime, EKF shareholders are advised by the Board to take no action. There can be no certainty that any formal offer for the Company will be forthcoming, nor as to the terms of any such formal offer.

This announcement has been made with the agreement and approval of Jinjing.

Enquiries:

 
EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc                             Tel: 029 2071 0570 
David Evans, Executive Chairman                          Mob: 07740 084 452 
Julian Baines, CEO                                       Mob: 07788 420 859 
Paul Foulger, CFO                                        Mob: 07710 989 255 
 
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited                              Tel: 020 7886 2500 
Robert Naylor (Corporate Finance) 
Paul Fincham (Corporate Finance) 
Karri Vuori (Corporate Finance) 
 
Walbrook PR Limited                Tel: 020 7933 8780 or ekf@walbrookpr.com 
Paul McManus                                             Mob: 07980 541 893 
Lianne Cawthorne                                         Mob: 07584 391 303

About EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc - www.ekfdiagnostics.com

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc was formed in July 2010 following the acquisition of EKF-diagnostic GmbH for EUR14.32m and refocused its strategy to one of building a substantial point of care diagnostics business. As part of this strategy, the Group has integrated three further acquisitions, Quotient Diagnostics Limited (acquired in September 2010), Argutus Medical Limited (acquired in December 2010) and Stanbio Laboratory L.P. (acquired in June 2011). In 2013 EKF established a new subsidiary, EKF Molecular Diagnostics Ltd, to focus on molecular and companion diagnostics and acquired 360 Genomics Ltd, a business that owns diagnostics technologies for cancer gene detection.

The Company, with its head office in Cardiff and operations in London, Germany, Poland, Russia, Ireland and the US, is a leading diagnostics business, focussing on the development, production and distribution of chemical reagents and analysers for the testing of Glucose, Lactate, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit and HbA1c.

In March 2011 EKF entered into a distribution agreement with Alere Inc ("Alere"), a global diagnostics company, under which Alere was appointed the exclusive distributor of EKF's CLIA waived Hemo Control device and cuvettes in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. The device is distributed in the US under the name HemoPoint H2.

In March 2014, EKF acquired Separation Technology, Inc., a Florida based manufacturer of in vitro diagnostics devices for the haematology testing market. In April 2014, EKF completed the acquisitions of Selah Genomics Inc., a US based developer of molecular diagnostics for personalised medicine and DiaSpect Medical AB., a Swedish based manufacturer of point-of-care haemoglobin analysers.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

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September 18, 2015 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)

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