REG - Aptamer Group PLC - Trading Update

AptamerAnnouncement

08/07/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 4040V  Aptamer Group PLC  08 July 2024

     08 July 2024

 

Aptamer Group plc

("Aptamer", the "Company" or the "Group")

Trading Update

 

 

Aptamer Group plc (AIM: APTA), the developer of novel Optimer(®) binders to
enable innovation in the life sciences industry, announces a trading update
for the year ending 30 June 2024.

 

Upturn in sales and order book as the year progressed

The unaudited revenue for the year was approximately £0.85 million with
£0.55 million generated in the second half of the year. Following the lull in
customer confidence caused by the acute funding problem in August 2023,
confidence had to be rebuilt with customers which translated into the
rebuilding of the sales pipeline. These efforts have led to increased revenues
in the second half of the year and an encouraging rise in order book values.
In the last quarter of the financial year, £0.98 million in orders were won
which has resulted in a total of £1.8 million in signed orders currently
being processed or awaiting processing in the laboratory.

 

In addition to the order book, we have a current pipeline of advanced sales
negotiations totalling £2.1 million. Consequently, Aptamer Group is
well-positioned moving into the new financial year, with ongoing work
progressing through the lab and a robust sales pipeline.

 

Strong technical delivery across strategic assets

Over the year, Aptamer Group has made significant technical progress on the
advancement of key Optimer assets:

 

·      Optimer binders for Immunohistochemistry (IHC) are continuing to
be evaluated by a top-five pharmaceutical company with the potential for
licensing. The partner has demonstrated Optimer performance in IHC assays
within its own laboratories and is expanding testing to new application areas.

·      In partnership with Neuro-Bio, Aptamer Group is advancing the
second phase of Optimer development for a rapid diagnostic test for early
Alzheimer's disease. Negotiations for downstream royalties, if successful, are
under discussion.

·      Following submission of a patent application in March for Optimer
binders that are intended for the treatment of malodour, this work is
continuing in Unilever's labs, with on-person functionality studies planned
for the second half of 2024. This project is anticipated to complete over the
next two years, and if successful, could result in Aptamer licensing the
Optimer binders to Unilever.

·      Optimer-based delivery vehicles for precision medicines are being
developed for fibrotic liver disease and are undergoing evaluation with a top
15 pharma partner. Based on the Company's internal data the partner requested
Aptamer manufacture test amounts of Optimer-siRNA conjugates for evaluation in
their own laboratories, with the potential for licensing if successful. These
data have generated substantial interest from several pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies, including AstraZeneca where we are also developing
data using their siRNA for their internal evaluation.

 

The demonstration of the Optimer technology across a range of strategic assets
exemplifies the Company's focus on developing high-value solutions, which can
be licenced to partners for downstream revenue.

 

Steve Hull, Executive Chair of Aptamer Group, said: "The trajectory of both
sales and revenue shows increasing potential, putting Aptamer Group on a good
footing for the forthcoming year. The team has worked hard to rebuild the
pipeline in the past year, and it is pleasing to see we have achieved a
continued increase in sales throughout the year, with £0.98 million sales
orders signed in the final quarter alone showing this work is beginning to pay
off for the Company. We have made excellent technical progress this year
having focussed on key strategic assets. Successful work is ongoing with
Unilever to deliver Optimers aimed for use in personal care products, and we
have had high interest from multiple top pharma companies in our Optimer
delivery vehicles for fibrotic liver disease. As we continue to progress these
projects with our partners, the Company increases its potential to generate
significant licensing revenue from these high-value assets."

 

- ENDS -

 

For further information, please contact:

 

 

 Aptamer Group plc                                            +44 (0) 1904 217 404

 Steve Hull
 SPARK Advisory Partners Limited - Nominated Adviser          +44 (0) 20 3368 3550

 Andrew Emmott / Adam Dawes
 Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Limited - Broker               +44 (0) 20 3657 0050

 James Pope / Andrew Thacker

 

About Aptamer Group plc

Aptamer Group 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.

Optimer binders are oligonucleotide affinity ligands that can function as an
antibody alternative. The global affinity ligand market is currently worth
over $170 billion.

Aptamer has successfully delivered projects for a range of global pharma
companies, diagnostic development companies, and research institutes, covering
multiple application areas with the objective of establishing royalty-bearing
licenses.

 

 

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