ValiRx PLC - ValiRx Exercises Option on Evaluation Asset
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
RNS Number : 4057G
ValiRx PLC
01 June 2026
1 June 2026
ValiRx PLC
("ValiRx" or the "Company")
ValiRx Exercises Option on Evaluation Asset
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 update on its evaluation agreement with The Royal Institute for the advancement of
Learning / McGill University ("McGill"), a Canadian based University and The Institute for Research in Immunology, and
Cancer - Commercialization of Research ("IRICoR"), a Canadian based non-profit organisation (announced on 9 January
2026).
ValiRx is pleased to announce that Inaphaea BioLabs Ltd. ("Inaphaea") has successfully completed the evaluation of the
second generation, orally available, RNA Helicase inhibitor from McGill/IRICoR four months ahead of schedule. Following
completion of the evaluation, the Company has exercised its option to negotiate definitive agreements for an exclusive
licence of intellectual property rights to be granted to a newly incorporated Canadian entity ("NewCo") to exploit, develop
and commercialise the technology and background intellectual property in exchange for equity in NewCo and
royalty/milestone payments to be agreed. The agreement will include licensing of the Company's evaluation results into
NewCo for a pre-agreed equity holding and a commitment to fund initial pre clinical development work with an estimated
cost of £150,000 for a further equity consideration.
The NewCo will seek external non-dilutive and dilutive funding and ValiRx (and potentially other investors arranged by ValiRx)
may, subject to availability of funds, provide up to £2 million of seed funding ("Seed Funding"). Any such Seed Funding would
be provided in tranches in line with the cash requirements, in exchange for further equity under a development plan
provided by the Company.
ValiRx expects to be able to provide further updates to the market on the progress of this asset in due course including a
cross license for the Companion Animal rights to its wholly owned subsidiary ValiRx Animal Health Ltd ("VAH").
Mark Eccleston, CEO of ValiRx commented "I am really pleased to be able to progress this asset ahead of schedule. This
achievement reflects both the strength of the existing data package available from McGill and the up-front due diligence
performed by ValiRx, in particular our Director of Research, Michelle Barnard, who has worked closely with the scientific and
commercial teams at McGill and IRICoR to develop and execute a critical path plan. This really supports the new approach
ValiRx is taking to asset evaluation and licensing and highlights the critical value of our in-house capabilities through
Inaphaea. The structure of the agreement is largely agreed and we expect to be able to proceed rapidly to the establishment
of the Canadian Newco to progress through the phases of human medicine whilst developing applications in the companion
animal market through VAH. Discussions with a range of external investors are underway and, in some cases, have proceeded
to due diligence".
*** ENDS ***
Engage with the ValiRx management team directly by asking questions, watching video summaries and seeing what other
shareholders have to say. Navigate to our Interactive Investor hub here: https://valirx.com/s/cc8ef3
For more information, please contact:
Investor questions on this announcement
We encourage all investors to share questions
on this announcement via our investor hub
https://valirx.com/link/PRVB3P
ValiRx plc
Dr Mark Eccleston, CEO
Tel: +44 115 784 0026
www.valirx.com
Mark.Eccleston@valirx.com
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nominated Adviser)
Liam Murray / Ludovico Lazzaretti
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7213 0880
Shard Capital Partners LLP (Sole Broker)
Damon Heath
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7186 9000
V Formation (Public Relations)
Jocelyn Braithwaite
+44 (0) 115 646 5491
www.vformation..co.uk
jocelyn@vformation.co.uk
Subscribe to our news alert service: https://valirx.com/s/f298d1
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
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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