Mr. Mohammed Jiwan reports

TRIERA BIOSCIENCES - A ZENTEK COMPANY - LAUNCHES CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANIZATION SERVICES FOR CUSTOM APTAMER DISCOVERY, BIOSENSOR ENABLEMENT, AND MACHINE-LEARNING CLASSIFICATION

Zentek Ltd.'s wholly owned subsidiary, Triera Biosciences Ltd., plans to begin offering contract research organization (CRO) services for custom aptamer discovery, biosensor enablement and machine learning (ML) classification support to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics organizations in Canada, the United States, Europe and other markets that require high performance molecular recognition tools but do not have in-house SELEX expertise, biosensor engineering capability or ML classification systems to develop them.

A differentiated platform built on deep science

Triera's aptamer discovery capabilities were developed in collaboration with Dr. Yingfu Li's research team at McMaster University, a globally recognized leader in functional nucleic acid chemistry and SELEX methodology. Triera holds an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing licence from McMaster University to use and practise aptamer applications developed through this collaboration for the next 20 years: a durable scientific foundation the company believes represents a meaningful competitive position in the CRO services landscape.

What distinguishes Triera's CRO model is its integration of three capabilities within a single engagement: (i) custom aptamer discovery and optimization via SELEX; (ii) biosensor engineering and integration support; and (iii) optional ML classification systems for signal interpretation. Aptamers are chemically synthesized, enabling consistent batch-to-batch production, rapid iteration and defined stability profiles -- structural advantages over antibody-based molecular recognition tools in certain diagnostic and sensing applications.

Triera's current catalogue contains aptamers for clinically and commercially significant targets, including influenza A, SARS-CoV-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, a solid tumour biomarker), syphilis, norovirus and Clostridioides difficile, among others under development, with binding affinity values (Kd) reported in the subnanomolar range for selected research targets.

Asset-light CRO model: client financed, IP (intellectual property) retained

Triera operates as an upstream molecular recognition supplier: it develops and delivers validated aptamer sequences and biosensor-ready outputs to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics manufacturers, while retaining ownership of all underlying intellectual property. Client engagements are structured to be financed by the client, consistent with Zentek's broader asset-light, IP commercialization strategy.

In alignment with Zentek's strategic focus, Triera expects these planned CRO activities may help generate earlier and more predictable revenue, supporting internal development capacity and the company's broader diagnostic and pharmaceutical product initiatives. Successful engagements may expand into follow-on programs and, where appropriate, licensing or product partnerships. Organizations interested in exploring a project can contact the company using the information below.

Commentary

"Triera was built to commercialize a deep body of aptamer science into real-world diagnostics and therapeutics," said Mohammed (Moe) Jiwan, chief executive officer of Zentek. "Our platform is grounded in one of the world's leading academic aptamer programs, protected by a 20-year exclusive licence, and aligned with the most urgent diagnostic gaps in infectious disease and oncology across North America and Europe. By offering CRO services, we can help pharmaceutical and biotech teams access custom molecular recognition tools and accelerate their development timelines, while generating near-term revenue that supports Triera's long-term product road map."

About Triera Biosciences Ltd.

Triera holds an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing licence from McMaster University to use and practise aptamer applications developed through the collaboration with the Li Lab for the next 20 years. Triera and McMaster's combined expertise and capabilities in aptamer technology offer potential to reduce the cost and time required for the development of new treatments.

About Zentek Ltd.

Zentek is a Canadian intellectual property development and commercialization company advancing a portfolio of graphene-enabled and advanced material technologies across clean air, next-generation materials and critical minerals. The company's core platforms are Albany Graphite, ZenGuard and Triera.

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