Aptamer Group has increased revenues by 28% and grown its sales pipeline to \u00a37m as the Yorkshire life sciences business looks to turn growing interest in its technology into sustainable profitability.<\/p>\n
The AIM-listed company, which develops synthetic binders known as Optimers for use in drug discovery, diagnostics and other life sciences applications, reported revenues of \u00a31.5m for the year to 30 June 2026, up from \u00a31.2m a year earlier.<\/p>\n
But the higher sales have yet to translate into improved earnings, with its adjusted EBITDA loss widening to \u00a32.3m from \u00a32.2m.<\/p>\n
Administration expenses rose to \u00a33.2m from \u00a32.9m, reflecting continued investment in the business.<\/p>\n
Cash at the year-end stood at \u00a34.4m, compared with \u00a31.1m in 2025, following a \u00a34.1m equity raise in April. The board said the cash position provides funding into calendar 2028, in line with its July trading update and before any further licensing receipts.<\/p>\n
The company reported progress on several fronts during the year, including repeat business with multiple top 20 pharmaceutical companies and two licensing agreements covering enzyme-modulating Optimers with Twist Bioscience and Alphazyme. The agreements include upfront payments, royalties and supply revenue, with initial licensing payments already received.<\/p>\n
Chief executive Dr Arron Tolley said the business had moved from proving its technology to proving its business model.<\/p>\n
The group is now seeking to convert repeat orders from major pharmaceutical customers into longer-term contracts. Following more than \u00a3500,000 of spending by several top 20 pharmaceutical companies, it is moving these relationships towards multi-year, multi-target master service agreements, with several in advanced negotiations.<\/p>\n
The agreements are central to its ambition to reach EBITDA break-even by providing greater visibility over future revenues.<\/p>\n
Aptamer’s sales pipeline increased from \u00a34.8m at the end of June to \u00a37m by 21 September.<\/p>\n
Alongside its fee-for-service work, the company is developing its own licensable assets in enzyme technology and cosmetics, building on its recent licensing deals.<\/p>\n
Its development programmes include folic acid Optimers being used in work towards a rapid test for food fortification, supported by the Gates Foundation, and a second development programme for Unilever, which was completed in-house during the year.<\/p>\n
The group has also advanced its therapeutic work, with a fibrotic liver delivery vehicle demonstrating promising preclinical characteristics, including being non-toxic, stable and non-immunogenic.<\/p>\n
A targeted radiotherapeutic programme has been launched, with material for initial animal studies delivered to partners, while several therapeutic programmes have identified lead candidates for kidney-targeting delivery vehicles.<\/p>\n
Aptamer has also developed and trained an artificial intelligence model using its own dataset. The technology has demonstrated an ability to screen candidates, with initial Optimer candidates now undergoing validation.<\/p>\n
The company has invested in new automation machinery to increase its binder development and manufacturing capacity, which it says will support revenue growth beyond the level needed to reach break-even.<\/p>\n
Tolley said the April fundraising had helped establish the foundations for the next phase of expansion, with AI development advancing to candidate validation within months and manufacturing capacity increased to support partners at commercial scale.<\/p>\n
He added that the business entered the new financial year with recurring fee-for-service demand, growing licensing income and multiple development programmes progressing through its own pipeline.<\/p>\n
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Life sciences business reports higher revenues and two licensing deals, but losses widen as it invests in its next phase of growth<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":271992,"featured_media":2138238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53262,120781],"coauthors":[137100],"class_list":["post-2161471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-news","category-markets","tag-featured-story","tag-yorkshire"],"yoast_head":"\n