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Highlights

  • Aptamer Group has secured AUD 3.8 million (GBP 2.0 million) through a placing of 666.7 million new shares at 0.3p each.

  • Funds will support in-house manufacturing, licensing discussions, and launch of a new biomarker discovery service.

  • The Issue Price reflects a 21.1% discount to the prior closing price of 0.38p.

Aptamer Group plc (LSE:APTA) has raised AUD 3.8 million before expenses through a placing of ordinary shares to new and existing shareholders. The capital raise includes a firm placing and a conditional placing of a combined 666,666,666 new Ordinary Shares at an issue price of 0.3 pence per share, representing approximately 25.1% of the enlarged issued share capital.

The placing comprises two parts: a firm placing of 400.4 million shares, raising AUD 2.3 million, and a conditional placing of 266.2 million shares, generating a further AUD 1.5 million. The conditional portion is subject to shareholder approval at an upcoming general meeting.

The issue price represents a 21.1% discount to the closing price on 3 July 2025. Trading of the firm placing shares is expected to begin on 9 July 2025, while conditional placing shares are anticipated to commence trading on or around 28 July 2025, pending approval.

SPARK Advisory Partners acted as Nominated and Financial Adviser, while Turner Pope Investments served as Placing Agent.

Funding to Accelerate Key Strategic Areas

Aptamer intends to use the proceeds across several growth-focused initiatives. A major portion will be allocated to asset licensing discussions, with the strengthened balance sheet expected to aid ongoing commercial negotiations. 

The company will also invest in bringing manufacturing capabilities in-house, acquiring essential equipment to control the production of patented and patentable raw materials. This shift aims to reduce dependency on external supply chains, improve efficiency, and maintain intellectual property control.

Biomarker Discovery Service to Launch

Building on recent success in identifying a novel target for liver fibrosis, Aptamer will launch a commercial biomarker discovery service. This offering, targeting unmet medical needs, has already attracted significant external interest. The service will incorporate proprietary cell separation technology, further enhancing its value proposition.

In addition, Aptamer will channel funds into AI and machine learning development to support candidate discovery. Using its extensive aptamer sequence database, the company plans to refine models to predict optimal sequences for drug discovery. This could expand capabilities into previously untargetable proteins, including RNA-binding proteins.

Liver Fibrosis Program Progresses

Funds will also be directed to animal model studies under the liver fibrosis program, validating in vivo efficacy of its siRNA delivery platform using the Optimer® system. The platform targets a specific liver protein involved in scarring, aiming to reduce fibrosis. These studies are expected to support future licensing discussions.

Director Participation and Shareholder Impact

Director Adam Hargreaves has committed AUD 190,000 (GBP 100,000) to the placing, underlining executive support for the strategy. The new shares represent a significant dilution; however, management believes the proceeds provide sufficient runway through to 2027, given current cost controls and commercial progress.