Myles McNulty Profile picture
Former micro-cap equity analyst, former micro-cap-focussed investment manager. Now managing my own book, predominantly trading UK micro-caps.

May 20, 2020, 9 tweets

It's taken a while for me to process the #AVCT news today, but I am now very excited by it.

AVCT has formed a global, exclusive sales and marketing agreement with Medusa19. It covers direct-to-consumer sales only (DTC).

Medusa is a new company, founded by Boohoo's founders. 1/9

Initially, Medusa will sell #AVCT's #COVID19 rapid antigen test, but will also sell other home tests developed by AVCT in the future.

The medical diagnostics DTC market is nascent. It is simple to perceive that the current pandemic and resultant lockdowns could catalyse... 2/9

...explosive growth for it (as is the case with most other industries that have always previously been brick-and-mortar retail-centric).

Medusa's founders - esp. the exec Chairman of #BOO, Kamani - has essentially mastered the DTC market for affordable fashion. Evidently... 3/9

...he envisages a colossal growth opp. for new entrants (with significant relevant experience) in this nascent med. diag. DTC market.

Medusa will be focussing ALL of its resources on marketing and selling #AVCT's test. Whilst those resources might seem non-existent now, 4/9

...one would expect that Kamani knows precisely what is required to build out a global reach for Medusa in lightening quick time (and the shareholders have the financial resources to achieve this).

So whilst Amazon might have a far greater reach, Medusa will provide far... 5/9

...superior marketing for #AVCT.

For AVCT, the profit-sharing arrangement essentially means that it has created an associate company to carry out its marketing and sales, removing operational risk and freeing up mgmt. time to focus on what it's best at.

I would suggest...6/9

..that the profit-sharing arrangement is highly attractive for #AVCT, elsewise they would have joined forces with a major distributor ( , , , , etc).

It's becoming increasingly clear that the LFT will be AVCT-branded: There should be news on additional... 7/9

OEMs (besides Cytiva) in the next couple of weeks.

I also expect other commercial / distribution partners shortly to take charge of other routes to market.

There is also the possibility of a partner white labelling #AVCT's Affimer reagents to be used in its own-branded LFT. 8/9

In summary, I think the Medusa deal - whilst certainly riskier than other routes #AVCT could have taken - could ultimately be a masterstroke.

Mgmt is driving AVCT forward not just at breakneck speed, but with fabulous astuteness.

Expecting an action-packed few weeks! 9/9

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