Aptamer extends contract with Unilever

Custom antibody alternatives business Aptamer said on Tuesday that it has extended its contract with household goods giant Unilever to progress its Optimer asset for deodorant development.

Aptamer said its partnership with Unilever will now enter a new phase aimed at initiating in-vivo efficacy testing of Optimer binders as active ingredients in deodorants. Initiated in 2022, the partnership between Aptamer and Unilever aims to develop Optimer binders as part of novel deodorant products.

The AIM-listed group said the current contract extension follows successful lab-based tests of the Optimer binders and allows the partnership to progress to planned in-vivo activity studies for the Optimer binders before the end of 2024.

"The binders have undergone extensive laboratory testing at both Aptamer's and Unilever's facilities, demonstrating consistent and effective inhibition of the enzyme.This progress signifies the potential application of the Optimers in deodorant products," said Aptamer. "Additionally, Aptamer Group has refined these binders to enhance their efficacy as potential active ingredients and to improve their manufacturability for Unilever's production processes."

Unilever will continue to progress the developed Optimer binders through rigorous internal testing and plans to initiate in-vivo efficacy studies before the end of 2024, with a successful outcome from the trials set to lead to next steps in the partnership.

As of 1300 BST, Aptamer shares were up 4.78% at 0.24p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com