19 September 2023

Aptamer Group plc

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

Placing and Subscription to raise £310,772

PDMR Dealing

Total Voting Rights

Aptamer Group plc (AIM: APTA), the developer of novel Optimer^® binders to enable innovation in the life sciences industry, today announces that it has raised £310,772 through the issue of 28,251,956 new Ordinary Shares by way of a subscription and a placing by Turner Pope to certain existing shareholders at 1.1p per share (the "Issue Price") (together, the "Fundraise").

The Fundraise was initiated following approaches from existing non-UK shareholders who could not be contacted in time to participate in the August 2023 fundraise and extended to take advantage of demand from other existing shareholders using the Company's remaining net authorised unissued share capital.   

The Fundraise includes a subscription by Dr Adam Hargreaves, a non-executive director of the Company, for 5,000,000 new Ordinary Shares for a total investment of £55,000.  Following this further investment, Dr Hargreaves is now interested in 22,500,000 Ordinary Shares representing 4.81 per cent of the enlarged issued share capital.

In addition, an existing investor, Mr Nicholas Slater, is investing £50,000 in the Fundraise for 4,545,454 new Ordinary Shares, taking his holding to 26,045,454 Ordinary Shares representing 5.57% of the enlarged issued share capital.

The net proceeds will be ringfenced to support research and development (R&D) activities within the business, including the ongoing process improvements. R&D work was reduced as part of the Company's new strategy to support cost-cutting in August. While higher-risk development activities will still aim to be funded by grants, the new funds will enable internal validation of the technology in key focus areas.  

Total Voting Rights

Application for the admission of the new Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM ("Admission") has been made and Admission is expected on Monday, 25 September 2023, following which the total number of shares in issue and total voting rights will be 467,343,673.  The Group does not hold any shares in treasury and, therefore, the above figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculation by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company.

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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.