VITA 34 AG: VITA 34 strengthens biotechnology sector by company takeover and announces change in management board
VITA 34 AG / Key word(s): Acquisition/Change of Personnel 16.05.2012 17:27 Dissemination of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- VITA 34 strengthens biotechnology sector by company takeover and announces change in management board Leipzig, May 16, 2012 - The VITA 34 AG (ISIN DE000A0BL849), the oldest private umbilical cord blood bank in the German-speaking countries takes over the biotechnology specialist BioPlanta GmbH and announces a change in the management board. This is the first German takeover made by VITA 34. Today, VITA 34 has concluded a contribution agreement on the acquisition of shares in the BioPlanta GmbH. BioPlanta possesses an innovative technology to produce active herbal ingredients for the environmental and pharmaceutical sectors. The company, which was founded 20 years ago, operates on a global basis in Chile, Mexico, Vietnam, China and other countries. BioPlanta has produced a revenue of about 1.5 million Euros in 2011 and has been working profitably for years. By means of this takeover, VITA 34 wants to make use of synergies in the biotechnological sector and extend its value chain, for instance by developing more business segments also outside of Europe. VITA 34 has been working with BioPlanta since 2011 within the scope of a research project to develop a method to produce antifreeze proteins in plant bioreactors and their application in the cryo-preservation of stem cells. The shares are taken over by means of an increase in capital stock from the authorized stock of the VITA 34 AG against contributions in kind. For this purpose, VITA 34 will issue a total of 380,000 new no-par value registered shares in the company at a nominal share in the company's authorized capital of EUR 1.00 respectively. The new shares will be exclusively subscribed for by the current owner of the BioPlanta shares, Dr. André Gerth. Dr. med. Eberhard F. Lampeter is going to resign from his position as a chairman of the management board of the VITA 34 AG and withdraw from the management board. He will continue to work for the company in the future as a medical consultant and in all scientific projects of the VITA 34 AG. Dr. Lampeter has led VITA 34 from its formation to the present-day medical and scientific reputation and strong market position. Dr. Gerth will be appointed as a member of the company's management board with effect from June 1, 2012. He will be responsible for the operational business and foreign activities of the VITA 34 AG. The 48-year-old founder and CEO of BioPlanta has many years of experience and expert knowledge in the field of biotechnology and project management and a broad international contact network. Press/ Investor Relations: Axel Mühlhaus Peggy Kropmanns edicto GmbH Eschersheimer Landstr. 42-44 D-60322 Frankfurt Phone: +49 (069) 90550550 Fax: +49 (069) 90550577 E-mail: vita34@edicto.de 16.05.2012 DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: VITA 34 AG Deutscher Platz 5a 04103 Leipzig Germany Phone: +49(0341)48792-40 Fax: +49(0341)48792-39 E-mail: info@vita34.de Internet: www.vita34.de ISIN: DE000A0BL849 WKN: A0BL84 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------