Belgian cancer therapy firm in dispute over molecular unit

Belgian cancer diagnosis and therapy company IBA (Ion Beam Applications) said it had received claims for about €17m from SK Capital, the co-shareholder in its IBA Molecular unit, over the future of the jointly held business, writes Reuters’ Robert-Jan Bartunek. IBA said it had previously questioned the future financing of the unit and had notified SK Capital, which as a response had filed several claims including alleged breaches of the acquisition contract of IBA Molecular. SK Capital holds a 60% stake in IBA Molecular, which develops and licences new molecules. IBA, which holds the remaining 40% in the venture, said it was now looking at sending claims of its own. The group said legal proceedings had not yet begun as the companies were seeking to settle, but it could not rule out an impact on its results in 2013.