Mr. William Rice reports

APTOSE APPOINTS FLETCHER PAYNE CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER, EXPANDING HIS EXECUTIVE ROLE

Aptose Biosciences Inc. has appointed Fletcher Payne chief business officer, in addition to his role as senior vice-president, chief financial officer.

With a health care tenure of more than 25 years, Mr. Payne has held several CFO and senior management positions at biotech companies in addition to finance and accounting roles, and has overseen legal, corporate development and licensing functions. During his career, he has executed a wide array of business transactions totaling more than $3.7-billion, with health care focus in clinical testing, oncology, neurological and orphan diseases indications.

"Fletcher's financial and business oversight has proven to be instrumental as we continue to evolve our business and operations strategies," said William G. Rice, PhD, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "He brings the strategic leadership necessary at a time of significant opportunity for Aptose."

About Aptose Biosciences Inc.

Aptose is a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing precision medicines addressing unmet medical needs in oncology, with an initial focus on hematology. The company's small molecule cancer therapeutic pipeline includes products designed to provide single agent efficacy and to enhance the efficacy of other anti-cancer therapies and regimens without overlapping toxicities. The company has two clinical-stage oral kinase inhibitors under development for hematologic malignancies: tuspetinib (HM43239), an oral, myeloid kinase inhibitor being studied as monotherapy and in combination therapy in the Aptivate international phase 1/2 expansion trial in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia; and luxeptinib (CG-806), an oral, dual lymphoid and myeloid kinase inhibitor in phase 1 a/b stage development for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies.

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