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28 August 2024

Graft Polymer (UK) Plc
(the "Company")

Substantial progress in Awakn collaboration

Identification of lead series, selection of Charnwood Discovery as synthesis partner, and new patent filing

Graft Polymer (UK) Plc (LON: GPL), an innovative healthcare services company, is pleased to report substantial progress in its collaboration with Awakn Life Sciences Corp. (CSE: "AWKN", OTCQB: AWKNF) ("Awakn"), details of which were announced on 18 July 2024.

The collaboration focuses on developing a new class of therapeutics for the potential treatment of trauma-related mental health disorders, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ("PTSD"), which affects approximately 13 million adults in the U.S. and 20 million collectively in the US and other key international markets.

Recent progress includes:

·      Lead chemical series identified: Awakn has successfully identified two aminoindane chemical series as co-leads for further development. These series represent a promising new class of compounds with the potential to improve treatment options for trauma-related mental health disorders such as PTSD. The selection of these lead candidates is a pivotal step in the drug development process.

·      Synthesis pathways defined: Awakn has also successfully established synthesis pathways for these compounds. This achievement is crucial, as it enables efficient and scalable production of the drug candidates, which will be essential as the collaboration moves towards more advanced pharmacological testing.

·      Charnwood Discovery selected as synthesis partner: Awakn has selected Charnwood Discovery, a respected UK-based provider of drug discovery services, as its synthesis partner. The selection of Charnwood Discovery, known for its technical expertise, ensures that the synthesis process will be conducted to a high standard.

·      New provisional patent filed: On 27 August 2024, Awakn filed a provisional patent application with the US Patent and Trademark Office, covering a new class of aminoindane chemical entities and their derivatives. This provisional patent has been incorporated into the scope of the commercial collaboration agreement between the Company and Awakn. This filing strengthens the intellectual property portfolio underpinning the Graft Polymer-Awakn collaboration, further reinforcing the Company's competitive edge in the biopharmaceutical market.

Anthony Tennyson, CEO, Graft Polymer (UK) Plc, commented:

"We are thrilled with the progress made in our collaboration with Awakn. The identification of the lead chemical series and the filing of a new patent significantly advance our goal of developing transformative therapies for trauma-related mental health disorders such as PTSD.

"These developments not only validate the scientific strength of the partnership but also position us well for the next stages of development. The addition of Charnwood Discovery as our synthesis partner further ensures that we are on the right path towards bringing these promising compounds to market."

Enquiries:

Graft Polymer (UK) Plc
Anthony Tennyson, CEO and Executive Director. anthonytennyson@graftpolymer.co.uk

Allenby Capital (Broker) +44 (0) 20 3328 5656 

Nick Naylor / Liz Kirchner (Corporate Finance) | Guy McDougall (Sales) 

About Graft Polymer (UK) Plc

Graft Polymer (UK) Plc is an innovative healthcare services company dedicated to helping biopharmaceutical companies specializing in central nervous system disorders enhance the effectiveness of their therapeutics.

For more information, please visit www.graftpolymer.co.uk.

About Awakn Life Sciences Corp.

Awakn Life Sciences Corp. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics for substance use and mental health disorders. Awakn's near-term focus is on Alcohol Use Disorder, a condition affecting approximately 29 million adults in the US and approximately 40 million in international markets. Awakn's goal is to provide therapeutics to addiction sufferers; commercialising Awakn's R&D pipeline across multiple channels.

For more information, please visit awaknlifesciences.com