17 August 2023

Aptamer Group plc

Contract wins

Aptamer Group plc (AIM: APTA), the developer of novel Optimer^® binders to enable innovation in the life sciences industry, today announces signing of two new contracts with a top five pharma partner valued up to £219,000.

These two contracts represent further conversion of the sales pipeline announced previously. The final value to be recognised as revenue for these new contracts will be subject to scientific and commercial attrition as the contracts progress, which is scheduled to be completed over the course of the current financial year.

The first contract is for the development of an Optimer pair to a neurodegenerative biomarker for use in an immunoassay platform. The second contract is a follow-on contract for the final stage of Optimer development to a neuronal protein target for immunohistochemistry (IHC), following positive results in the earlier stages of Optimer development.  This builds on the adoption of our Optimer-Fc platform for use in automated IHC workflows.

Optimer binders are being sought as alternatives to traditional antibodies for analytical assays to enable increased accuracy and selectivity in the detection of validated biomarkers, while the extended target range of Optimer binders compared with antibodies enables the generation of reagents to novel biomarkers.

Dr Rob Quinn, CEO of Aptamer Group, said: "I am pleased to be able to extend our partnership with this top five pharma partner. These two projects are further evidence of the need for Optimer binders to meet challenging requirements for use in real-world applications when, to date, antibodies have been unable to provide a satisfactory solution, such as IHC. Building awareness and adoption of Optimer technology by such partners is key to allowing us to deliver on our strategy of executing therapeutic, diagnostic, and bioprocessing licensing deals."

- ENDS -

For further information, please contact:

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

About Aptamer Group plc

Aptamer develops custom affinity binders through its proprietary Optimer^® platform to enable new approaches in therapeutics, diagnostics, and research applications. The Company strives to deliver transformational solutions that meet the needs of life science researchers and developers through the use of its proprietary Optimer platform.

Optimer binders are oligonucleotide affinity ligands that can function as an antibody alternative. The global affinity ligand market is currently worth over $170 billion. Optimer binders are engineered to address many of the issues found with alternative affinity molecules, such as antibodies, and offer new, innovative solutions to bioprocessing, diagnostic and pharmaceutical scientists.

Aptamer has successfully delivered projects for global pharma companies, diagnostic development companies, and research institutes covering a range of targets and applications with the objective of establishing royalty-bearing licenses. Through the unique Optimer technology and processes, scientists and collaborators can make faster, more informed decisions that support discovery and development across the Life Sciences.