Kicking off the day in the pharma sector, Tissue Regenix (LON:TRX) has treated its first two patients using its OrthoPure XT decellularised tendons.
Orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, Dr Gabriel Oliver, used OrthoPure to replace ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) in a 31-year-old man who was injured during football and a 32-year-old woman hurt while skiing.
The procedure using Tissue Regenix’s technology was part of a clinical trial aimed at securing regulatory sign off in the form of a CE Mark in the EU in 2017.
Elsewhere, biotech veteran Dr Mike Owen has been appointed as a non-executive director of ReNeuron Group (LON:RENE), the stem cell therapy specialist.
Dr Owen will chair the company's Scientific Advisory Board.
In other board-related news, African low cost airline fastjet (LON:FJET) has slimmed down its board with the interim chairman and three other directors standing down.
Clive Carver, interim chairman, is departing immediately while two other non-execs, Bryan Collings and Rob Burnham, will not stand for re-election at the next AGM.
In other news, mining company Premier African (LON:PREM) announced chairman and chief executive George Roach has converted US$650,000 of his outstanding loans into shares.
In the oil space, China New Energy (LON:CNE) has signed an outline deal to provide its expertise in the development of two African biorefineries: one in Zimbabwe, the other in neighbouring Zambia.
It will be working with Sunbird Bioenergy, a specialist in the field.
Meanwhile, LGO Energy (LON:LGO) has reached agreement with some of its drilling contractors in Trinidad that will see them paid in shares rather than cash.
The total value of invoices being settled is approximately £0.9mln out of a net creditor balance of approximately £1.6mln.
Providence Resources (LON:PVR) is to take 100% control of the licence that includes the Kish Bank Basin prospect, offshore Dublin.
PSE Seven Heads, a subsidiary of Malaysian oil group Petronas, has assigned its 50% stake to Providence subject to Irish ministerial approval.
To the world of the miners – and Graphite miner StratMin Global Resources (LON:STGR) has given Bass Metals an option to buy a larger stake in its Loharano mine in Madagascar.
Bass has already agreed to pay £2mln for a 25% stake but under a tweak to the terms of an additional option agreement the ASX-listed group can take a further 15% (against 10% previously) if it pays within the new schedule.
DiamondCorp (LON:DCP) raised the full £4mln from its placing on Thursday at a price of 6p per share.
The placing price concluded at an 18% discount to the price on Wednesday and the issue will now be completed in two tranches with the second tranche to follow a vote at the annual general meeting (AGM) on 7 January.
Elsewhere, Tertiary Minerals (LON:TYM) expects a positive decision ‘shortly’ on its application for a mining permit at the Storuman fluorspar project in Sweden.
Talks have been underway for 15 months with groups and utilities that will be affected by a mine at the site.
In gold news, initial field work has started on Ferrex's (LON:FRX) deposits in the heart of the Western Australia gold fields.
A detailed land survey is currently being undertaken to assess the existing drill holes and previous mining operations, which have historical resources of 5,741,155 tonnes at two grams per tonne (g/t) of gold for 363,599 ounces.
Finally, TV-on-the-move specialist Motive Television (LON:MTV) said it remains in discussions about extending the conversion period of its convertible loan notes (CLNs).