27 May 2026

ValiRx PLC

("ValiRx" or the "Company")

Cytolytix Patent Granted

London, UK - ValiRx Plc (AIM: VAL), a life science company focusing on early-stage cancer therapeutics and women's health is pleased to provide the following updates on its majority owned subsidiary Cytolytix Limited ("Cytolytix").

Cytolytix's European Patent application "Nanoparticle for Anti-Cancer Peptides and Uses Thereof" (application No. 21798092.9) has been granted in Europe with the publication number EP4225803B1. This patent, licensed from King's College London, forms a key part of the Cytolytix intellectual property portfolio.

The grant of this first European patent strengthens Cytolytix's intellectual property position and the directors believe affirms the investment in the innovative platform ValiRx has developed over the last few years. The granted intellectual property strengthens the Company's ability to attract external investment as well as increasing the Company's offerings for licensing and partnership opportunities.

ValiRx expects to be able to provide further updates on the core European Patent Application "Polyleucine-Based Peptides As Anti-Cancer Agents" (application No. 20793085.0). As announced on 1 September 2025, the Company has requested accelerated examination following the filing of routine amendments to the patent description.

Whilst these two patent families represent core IP for Cytolytix, the Company filed additional patent protection on 26 May 2026 for new inventions relating to its second-generation delivery platform based on novel liposomal formulations of the oncolytic peptide.

The new patent application includes data demonstrating induction of immunogenic cell death in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, a key component of the mechanism of action that could provide enhanced and more durable responses when translated to the clinical setting.

ValiRx CEO and Cytolytix Director, Mark Eccleston, will be presenting Cytolytix's oncolytic peptide program at the Oxford Global Discovery and development conference in Berlin (14-16 June 2026) following a series of presentations earlier in the year. ValiRx is continuing its discussions with several potential partners to progress Cytolytix, including a major pharmaceutical company and further non-dilutive funding options. 

Mark Eccleston, CEO of ValiRx commented "We are delighted to see the grant of one Cytolytix's core patents by the European Patent Office, confirming that the platform is both novel and inventive, and I am equally delighted that we have now filed on our own proprietary position in the oncolytic peptide space. We will continue to expand these core patents with new IP developed using in house expertise at ValiRx and Inaphaea and we expect to further strengthen our portfolio with new filings in H2. The filing of the new patent also allows us to talk freely about this approach with potential partners providing a platformtowards commercialisation.

"The new patent is built on data developed with the combined experience and resources of our tCRO, Inaphaea Biolabs, with the advanced nonanimal 3D-culture testing capabilities in triple negative breast cancer models on Screenin3D's UpScale^3Dlab-on-a-chip platform, one of our key capability partners. Further in-vivo zebrafish data was generated with another capability partner, Bioreparia.

"The potential immune boost feature of this class of therapeutics could significantly enhance both efficacy and durability of response and we are moving forward with VoxCell's proprietary, fully perfusable vascularised 3D tissue culture models to validate recruitment of the host immune system as we announced in July 2025.

"In addition to its application in human Triple Negetive Breast Cancer, our oncolytic peptide program will form a key part of our Animal Health subsidiary, and we will be providing further updates on this in due course."

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR"). The Directors of the Company take responsibility for this announcement.

Cautionary statement

Certain statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from any expected future events or results expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Persons receiving this announcement should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, regulation or accounting standard, the Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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Notes for Editors

About ValiRx

ValiRx is a life science company focused on early-stage cancer therapeutics and women's health, accelerating the translation of innovative science into impactful medicines to improve patient lives.

ValiRx provides the scientific, financial, and commercial framework for enabling rapid translation of innovative science into clinical development.

Using its extensive and proven experience in research and drug development, the team at ValiRx selects and incubates promising novel drug candidates and guides them through an optimised process of development, from pre-clinical studies to clinic and investor-ready assets.

ValiRx connects diverse disciplines across scientific, technical, and commercial domains, with the aim of achieving a more streamlined, less costly, drug development process. The team works closely with carefully selected collaborators and leverages the combined expertise required for science to advance.

Lead candidates from ValiRx's portfolio are outlicensed or partnered with investors through ValiRx subsidiary companies for further clinical development and commercialisation.

ValiRx listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange in October 2006 and trades under the ticker symbol: VAL.

For further information, visit: www.valirx.com