Rakovina Therapeutics Highlights Strong H1 Progress and Unveils Strategic Priorities for H2 2025

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (“Rakovina” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: RKV) (FSE: 7JO0), a biopharmaceutical company advancing next-generation cancer therapies through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drug discovery, today shared a summary of its H1 2025 accomplishments and provided an outline of its strategic objectives for H2 2025 - against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving global AI landscape.

A Transformative AI Backdrop
Artificial intelligence is driving a disruptive shift in how new medicines are discovered, tested, and delivered. In just the past month, AstraZeneca (AZN) signed a drug discovery agreement worth up to $5.3 billion USD with China-based CSPC Pharmaceutical Group to co-develop pre-clinical drug candidates powered by AI. As this global momentum accelerates, Rakovina Therapeutics is harnessing the power of machine learning at the frontier of oncology - advancing novel cancer therapies that integrate AI-driven discovery, cutting-edge chemistry, and translational science.

Exclusive AI Platforms and Integrated Validation

Deep Docking & Enki: Rakovina holds exclusive licenses to two breakthrough AI discovery platforms capable of analyzing billions of chemical structures at 100x the speed of traditional methods - all while optimizing for safety, efficacy, and patentability.

Backed by Proven Technology: The Deep Docking platform was developed by Rakovina Scientific Advisor Dr. Artem Cherkasov, a University of British Columbia (UBC) professor and world-renowned pioneer of AI-powered drug discovery. In 2015, Dr. Cherkasov identified a compound through the Deep Docking system that was later licensed to Roche for $142 million USD, which remains one of the largest life-sciences IP deals in UBC history.

AI-to-Lab Pipeline: Coupled with integrated wet-lab facilities through a UBC collaboration, Rakovina operates a seamless discovery engine - from in silico screening through biochemical and cellular validation.

H1 2025 Highlights

• Presented two scientific posters highlighting progress with AI-derived DNA-damage response inhibitors at the2025 annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR)
  • kt-2000: Rakovina presented data from the research on a new class of PARP1 inhibitors demonstrating significantly improved metabolic stability, including the lowest in vitro clearance rates and the longest half-life compared to other candidates in development. Early animal studies showed strong plasma exposure and a promising pharmacokinetic profile indicative of central nervous system (CNS) penetration—an important potential advantage for treating primary and brain metastases.
  • kt-5000: The Company also unveiled the first data from its novel ATR inhibitor program, showcasing AI-derived lead candidates predicted to be highly potent and selective for ATR—a critical target in the DNA damage response pathway. Notably, these candidates were designed with the potential to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, an essential feature for addressing cancers that involve the central nervous system.
• Strengthened the financial base by closing an oversubscribed private placement and convertible debt financing of CAD4.9 Million
• Began trading on the Frankfurt exchange in Germany
• Appointed financial and scientific leaders Yevgeniy Meshcherekov and Dr. David Kideckel to the Board of Directors to strengthen governance and capital markets expertise
• Appointed Dr. David Kideckel as Chief Financial Officer
• Attended BIO International Convention, Advancing Strategic Partnering Discussions with Strong Momentum and Positive Outcomes