Author: Ravi Shankar

Accomplished finance and enterprise executive with over 20 years of global leadership in multinational and Fortune 500 companies

BRISBANE, Calif., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPST) (“Tempest”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing in vivo CAR-T therapies designed to reset dysfunctional immunity in cancer and autoimmune disease, today announced that Nancy Freda-Smith has been appointed to its board of directors and will serve as Chair of the Audit Committee.

“We are delighted to welcome Nancy to our board,” said Matt Angel, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Tempest. “As an experienced board director and C-suite executive who has both led and advised global Fortune 500 companies, Nancy brings deep expertise in corporate governance, global finance, enterprise risk management, and large-scale transformation. Her strategic and operational acumen, along with experience spearheading financial and governance frameworks to support corporate objectives, will bring significant value to Tempest.”

Ms. Freda-Smith is a seasoned public company board director and senior finance and audit executive with more than 30 years of experience advancing corporate governance, financial reporting, enterprise risk management, and regulatory compliance across global organizations. She most recently served as Chief Audit and Risk Officer at Ralph Lauren where she led internal audit, Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance, enterprise risk management, asset protection, cybersecurity resilience, and global control transformation across operations spanning over 30 countries and more than $7 billion in revenue. Previously, she served as an Independent Director and Audit Committee Member of Chuy’s Holdings, providing oversight during its acquisition by Darden Restaurants, including M&A execution, cybersecurity response, SEC disclosure, and financial risk management. Earlier, as Managing Director at Deloitte & Touche LLP, Ms. Freda-Smith advised Fortune 500 companies on SEC reporting, capital markets transactions, complex U.S. GAAP and IFRS matters, and audit quality. Her clients included companies across the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector among other industries. She is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner. Ms. Freda-Smith also holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Boston College.

Ms. Freda-Smith added, “Tempest’s science and its differentiated approach to in vivo CAR-T are genuinely compelling, and I’m encouraged by the company’s efforts to broaden its pipeline and strategic partnerships, creating additional avenues for value creation. I look forward to bringing rigorous financial oversight and governance discipline to the board as Tempest works to execute on this next chapter, and to supporting the team in pursuit of that potential.”

About Tempest Therapeutics

Tempest is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation in vivo CAR-T therapies for cancer and autoimmune disease. Tempest’s lead product candidate, TPST-4003, combines a clinically supported dual-targeting CD19/BCMA CAR structure with an advanced CD7-targeting delivery system to support broad immune reset across multiple indications. Tempest envisions a world in which immune reset therapies bring safe, effective, and broadly accessible therapeutic options to patients in need. For additional information, visit Tempest’s website at https://www.tempesttx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, concerning Tempest. These statements may discuss goals, intentions, and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the management of Tempest, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management of Tempest. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could”, “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “goal”, “suggest”, “target” and other similar expressions. All statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, statements regarding: the potential applicability of Tempest’s platform and product candidates across autoimmune and oncology indications; and Tempest’s ability to achieve its operational plans. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on Tempest’s current expectations, estimates and projections about its industry as well as management’s current beliefs and expectations of future events only as of today and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to Tempest’s need for additional capital to fund its planned programs and operations and to continue to operate as a going concern; unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical or clinical trials; the possibility that results from prior clinical trials and preclinical studies may not necessarily be predictive of future results; past results may not be indicative of future results; clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected; loss of key personnel; changes in expected or existing competition; changes in the regulatory environment; risks relating to volatility and uncertainty in the capital markets for biotechnology companies; and unexpected litigation or other disputes. These and other factors that may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied are discussed in greater detail in the “Risk Factors” section of Tempest’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 30, 2026, and in other documents filed by Tempest from time to time with the SEC. Except as required by applicable law, Tempest undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Tempest’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as prediction of future events. In light of the foregoing, investors are urged not to rely on any forward-looking statement in reaching any conclusion or making any investment decision about any securities of Tempest.

Investor Contacts:

Sylvia Wheeler
Wheelhouse Life Science Advisors
swheeler@wheelhouselsa.com

Aljanae Reynolds
Wheelhouse Life Science Advisors
areynolds@wheelhouselsa.com

New HO3, HO5, and HO6 products bring more choice and coverage options to South Carolina’s coastal market

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Slide Insurance Holdings, Inc. (“Slide” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SLDE) today announced an expanded suite of property insurance products available statewide in South Carolina, with a focus on bringing more choice and admitted capacity to the coast.

The expanded offerings, offered through Slide Specialty Insurance Company, include a new HO5 product designed for higher-value homes, plus new HO3 homeowners and HO6 condo products. All three feature expanded coverage options, additional discounts, and highly competitive rates, giving South Carolina homeowners greater flexibility to find coverage that fits their needs and budget.

South Carolina’s rapidly growing coastal communities need more home insurance options, particularly for larger and higher-value homes, where finding coverage can be challenging. Areas like Horry County, home to the Myrtle Beach area, have grown by more than 20% since 2020, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates, illustrating the growing demand for committed coastal capacity.

“Coastal property insurance is where Slide has a distinct advantage,” said Bruce Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Slide. “We’re deepening our commitment to South Carolina at a time when the coastal market is growing, and homeowners need more options. We have the underwriting technology, financial strength and experience to deploy capacity where we see attractive opportunities while maintaining a disciplined approach to risk.”

Slide has served South Carolina homeowners since 2022. Its product expansion in South Carolina advances the company’s strategy of disciplined growth and geographic diversification in property insurance markets where its underwriting and catastrophe risk management capabilities provide a competitive advantage.

South Carolina homeowners who are interested in learning more about Slide’s new coverage options can visit www.slideinsurance.com/sc.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those discussed herein. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “aim,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue,” the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology and relate, without limitation, to the Company’s beliefs and expectations regarding the Company’s projections of future financial performance including net margins and its share repurchase program and its ability to increase return on equity and build long-term value for shareholders. These statements are only predictions based on Slide’s current expectations and projections about future events and are not guarantees of actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Although Slide believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there are important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements, including, among others, our limited operating history; the success of the Company’s underwriting and profitability initiatives; inflation and other changes in economic conditions (including changes in interest rates and financial and real estate markets), including changes that may impact demand for our products and our operations; lack of effectiveness of exclusions and loss limitation methods in the insurance policies we assume or write; inherent uncertainty of our models and our reliance on such models as a tool to evaluate risk; the impact of macroeconomic conditions, including declining consumer confidence, inflation, high unemployment and the threat of recession; the impact of new federal and state regulations that affect the property and casualty insurance market and our failure to meet increased regulatory requirements, including minimum capital and surplus requirements; the cost of reinsurance, the collectability of reinsurance and our ability to obtain reinsurance coverage on terms and at a cost acceptable to us; assessments charged by various governmental agencies; pricing competition and other initiatives by competitors; our ability to obtain regulatory approval for requested rate changes, and the timing thereof; legislative and regulatory developments; the outcome of litigation pending against us, including the terms of any settlements; risks related to the nature of our business; performance of our investment portfolio; the adequacy of our liability for losses and loss adjustment expense; ratings by industry services; catastrophe losses; reliance on key personnel; weather conditions (including the severity and frequency of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and hail); acts of war and terrorist activities; court decisions and trends in litigation; and other matters described from time to time by us in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement made by Slide in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Slide undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, actual results, revised expectations or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

About Slide

Slide Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLDE) is a Tampa-based specialty property insurer built for coastal and catastrophe-prone markets. Slide combines advanced technology with deep insurance expertise to maintain a disciplined approach to risk, bring additional capacity to the markets it serves along with its network of more than 5,000 independent agents, and provide a dependable, streamlined insurance experience to its policyholders. Slide ranks among the 25 largest U.S. homeowners insurance groups by direct written premium, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). For more information, visit slideinsurance.com.

Contacts

Investors
ir@slideinsurance.com

Media
Rachel Carr
Chief Marketing Officer
press@slideinsurance.com

Lille, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Top Wealth Group Holding Limited (NASDAQ: TWG)(“Top Wealth” or the “Company”), a leading supplier of premium sturgeon caviar and fine wine products, today announced a positive profit alert for the current financial year ending December 31, 2026.

The Company expects net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders for the current financial year to record an increase of no less than 100% compared to the previous financial year.

Key drivers of the expected profit growth include:

• Extensive corporate marketing of the Company’s position of a reputable regional supplier of premium wine and caviar, driving significant revenue growth.
• While engaging in long term sustainable growth in upstream vertical integration and acquisitions, the Company succeeded in selling its precious inventory of fine wines in the premium market to loyal clients and new clients. These sales not only resulting in increase in revenue but also maintaining a good gross margin.
• Enhanced operational efficiency and further realization of economies of scale.

As the Company is undergoing a strategic upward integration of its caviar business, the present year’s revenue contribution derived mainly from the premium wine section. The Company expects caviar and wine sectors will achieve more balanced growth in the future years.

The Company cautions that the above figures are preliminary estimates based on currently available information. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates due to market conditions and operational factors. The Company expects to disclose its audited full-year financial results in accordance with applicable Nasdaq rules and SEC requirements following the completion of the fiscal year.

About Top Wealth Group Holding Limited

Top Wealth Group Holding Limited is a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, with all operations carried out through its operating subsidiary in Hong Kong, Top Wealth Group (International) Limited. The Company specializes in supplying premium-class sturgeon caviar, and its caviar and caviar products are endorsed with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (“CITES”) permits. The Company supplies caviar to customers under customer brand labels (i.e. private labeling), and also sells under its own brand, “Imperial Cristal Caviar,” which has continuously achieved significant sales growth since its launch.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in verbal statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of the press release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

Top Wealth Group Holding Limited
Investor Relations
Email: ir@topwealth.cc

MONTRÉAL, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Saputo Inc. (TSX: SAP) (“we”, “Saputo” or the “Company”) today announced an evolution of its organizational structure designed to strengthen the Company’s ability to execute its strategic priorities, enhance commercial execution within its ingredient business, accelerate enterprise transformation, and support continued expansion of its ingredients platform.

The changes reflect Saputo’s ongoing commitment to evolving its business to meet changing customer, consumer, and market needs while enhancing organizational agility and execution.

“As Saputo continues to evolve its portfolio and invest in growth opportunities, it is important that our organizational structure evolves alongside our business,” said Carl Colizza, President and Chief Executive Officer. “These changes are intended to increase organizational focus, strengthen accountability, and improve execution across key strategic priorities. This is about ensuring we have the right structure to support our future ambitions and create sustainable value for our stakeholders.”

New Ingredients Division

As demand for higher-value dairy ingredients continues to grow globally, Saputo is creating a dedicated Ingredients Division to accelerate innovation, strengthen commercial focus, and expand opportunities across global markets.

Steve Douglas has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer, Ingredients, where he will be responsible for leading the division’s commercial, operational, innovation, and growth initiatives. Mr. Douglas will also remain President and Chief Operating Officer, Dairy Division (UK), until the completion of the previously announced sale of the Dairy Division (UK).

Enterprise Transformation

To support the Company’s continued evolution and accelerate the adoption of new technologies and ways of working, Saputo has created the role of Chief Enterprise Transformation Officer, to be led by Haig Poutchigian.

In this newly created role, Mr. Poutchigian will lead the integration of our business administration and operational finance, as well as information technology teams into a single enterprise services model.

The new structure is intended to improve consistency, visibility, and scalability across the enterprise. By bringing these capabilities together, Saputo expects to streamline processes, reduce complexity, improve coordination, and accelerate execution, while supporting productivity, automation, and data-driven decision-making across the enterprise.

Canadian Division

As part of its organizational evolution, Dave Paradis has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer, Dairy Division (Canada). In this role, Mr. Paradis will lead Saputo’s Canadian operations, with a focus on advancing the division’s strategic priorities, strengthening commercial execution, enhancing customer partnerships, and driving operational excellence across the business.

Supporting the Next Phase of Growth

This organizational evolution reinforces several priorities that Saputo has communicated over recent years, including:

• Expanding value-added dairy and high-protein ingredients capabilities.
• Leveraging digital and AI-enabled technologies.
• Simplifying processes and improving execution.
• Supporting sustainable growth and value creation.

These organizational changes do not alter Saputo’s strategic priorities. Rather, they are intended to enhance focus, accountability, and execution across the business.

“Throughout our history, Saputo has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of our customers, consumers, and markets,” added Mr. Colizza. “These changes represent the next step in that evolution and will help ensure we remain well positioned to compete, grow, and create value in the years ahead.”

About Saputo
Saputo, one of the top ten dairy processors in the world, produces, markets, and distributes a wide array of dairy products of the utmost quality, including cheese, fluid milk, extended shelf-life milk and cream products, cultured products, and dairy ingredients. Saputo is a leading cheese manufacturer and fluid milk and cream processor in Canada, and a leading dairy processor in Australia. In the USA, Saputo is a leading cheese producer and extended shelf-life and cultured dairy products manufacturer. Until completion of the previously announced divestiture, , Saputo remains the leading manufacturer of branded cheese and dairy spreads in the United Kingdom. In addition to its dairy portfolio, Saputo produces, markets, and distributes a range of dairy alternative products. Saputo products are sold in several countries under market-leading brands, as well as private label brands. Saputo Inc. is a publicly traded company, and its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “SAP”. Follow Saputo’s activities at Saputo.com or via Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Investors and other interested parties can stay informed of Saputo’s latest news and financial disclosures by subscribing to email alerts on the Company’s website at Saputo.com.

Investor Inquiries
Nicholas Estrela
Senior Director, Investor Relations
1-514-328-3117

Media Inquiries
1-514-328-3141 / 1-866-648-5902
media@saputo.com

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains statements which are forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to our objectives, outlook, business projects, strategies, beliefs, expectations, targets, commitments, goals, ambitions and strategic plans including our ability to achieve these targets, commitments, goals, ambitions, strategic plans, and statements other than historical facts. The words “may”, “could”, “should”, “will”, “would”, “believe”, “plan”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “foresee”, “objective”, “continue”, “propose”, “aim”, “commit”, “assume”, “forecast”, “predict”, “seek”, “project”, “potential”, “goal”, “target”, or “pledge”, or the negative of these terms or variations of them, the use of conditional or future tense or words and expressions of similar nature, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws.

By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those stated, implied, or projected in such forward-looking statements. As a result, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statements will materialize, and we warn readers that these forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact or guarantees of future performance in any way. Assumptions, expectations, and estimates made in the preparation of forward-looking statements and risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations are discussed in our materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities from time to time, including the “Risks and Uncertainties” section of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis dated June 4, 2026, available on SEDAR+ under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-looking statements are based on Management’s current estimates, expectations and assumptions. Management believes that these estimates, expectations, and assumptions are reasonable as of the date hereof, and are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, and other uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events, and are accordingly subject to changes after such date. Forward-looking statements are intended to provide shareholders with information regarding Saputo, including our assessment of future financial plans, and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Undue importance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, and the information contained in such forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as of any other date.

Unless otherwise indicated by Saputo, forward-looking statements in this news release describe our estimates, expectations and assumptions as of the date hereof, and, accordingly, are subject to change after that date. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Saputo does not undertake to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether written or verbal, that may be made from time to time by itself or on our behalf, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. All forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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• Appointments support ProQR’s strategy to scale AI across the discovery and development of medicines using its Axiomer RNA editing platform and pipeline
• AX-0811, the first ProQR program identified through its AI-enabled discovered engine in clinical testing, with target engagement data expected in early January 2027
• ProQR’s expanded AI strategy is directly supporting the ongoing development programs; the Company expects up to 5 clinical data readouts over the next 12 months across 4 development programs

LEIDEN, Netherlands & CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ProQR Therapeutics N.V. (Nasdaq: PRQR) (ProQR), a clinical-stage company dedicated to changing lives through transformative RNA therapies based on its proprietary ADAR-mediated Axiomer™ RNA editing technology platform, today announced the appointments of:

• Chris Hart, PhD, Chief Data and AI Officer – Dr. Hart most recently served as Vice President of Data Science and AI/ML at Eli Lilly and Company.
• Thomas Wolf, PhD, Board of Directors as strategic AI advisor – Dr. Wolf is co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Hugging Face, which Nvidia has recently agreed to acquire.

“I am thrilled to welcome Chris to ProQR’s management team and Thomas to the Board of Directors as strategic advisor. Together, they bring complementary and highly relevant expertise that will help us further integrate AI into drug discovery and development as we work to deliver more and better medicines to patients faster,” said Daniel A. de Boer, Chief Executive Officer of ProQR. “Chris brings more than 15 years of experience applying AI and machine learning to oligonucleotide therapeutics, most recently at Eli Lilly, while Thomas brings frontier AI experience from co-founding and building Hugging Face, a leading open-source AI platform. Their expertise comes at an important time for our RNA editing pipeline, with AX-0811, our first program identified through ProQR’s AI-enabled discovery process to enter clinical development, and the second, AX-2911, expected to follow in the coming months.”

Chris Hart, PhD, most recently served as Vice President of Data Science and AI/ML in the Genetic Medicines team at Eli Lilly and Company. He brings more than two decades of experience in computational biology, genomics, AI, and oligonucleotide drug development, including more than 15 years focused on AI/ML-driven optimization of oligonucleotide therapeutics. Hart was previously founding CEO of Creyon Bio, where he applied AI and machine learning to oligonucleotide drug discovery. Before Creyon, he spent seven years at Ionis Pharmaceuticals, where he built and led the company’s functional genomics group. He holds a PhD from the California Institute of Technology and completed postdoctoral training at Yale University.

As Chief Data and AI Officer, Hart will lead ProQR’s AI strategy and its execution across drug discovery and development. Drawing on his experience in AI-driven oligonucleotide engineering, he will connect ProQR’s proprietary data, computational models and experimental capabilities to accelerate EON design and optimization, strengthen candidate selection, and inform and optimize clinical development.

“ProQR has built a one-of-a-kind RNA editing platform that combines RNA biology with advanced AI to discover and optimize new therapies,” said Chris Hart, PhD. “I look forward to helping scale this approach and translate this platform into many new therapies for patients.”

Thomas Wolf, PhD, will join ProQR’s Board of Directors as strategic advisor on AI. Wolf is co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Hugging Face, the open-source AI platform that Nvidia recently agreed to acquire for $12.9B. At Hugging Face, he has built a widely adopted ecosystem of models, datasets, and tools that enable researchers and companies to develop and apply AI at scale. This work has made advanced AI more accessible, enabling teams to adapt models to their own data and translate research advances into practical applications. He is driving the development of Hugging Face’s robotics technologies and building collaborations with academia and industry to advance AI in scientific discovery. In his role, Dr. Wolf will advise ProQR’s Board on technology strategy and scaling AI across the Axiomer platform.

“ProQR is integrating AI into its proprietary RNA editing platform, which has the potential to address a broad range of diseases,” said Thomas Wolf, PhD. “The platform creates a unique opportunity as each program can build on insights from others, and AI is turning that collective learning into a growing advantage across disease targets. This makes drug discovery more systematic and efficient while increasing the probability of success in drug development. This is a key example of how AI contributes to improving human health.”

ProQR AI Strategy for Axiomer RNA Editing

ProQR is integrating AI across its Axiomer platform and workflows to support its core mission: discovering, developing, and delivering transformative RNA editing medicines to patients. The combination of ProQR’s platform technology and proprietary datasets uniquely positions the Company to maximize the impact of AI on drug discovery and development.

In discovery, AI and machine learning complement ProQR’s wet biology and experimental capabilities, enabling faster identification and optimization of EONs, across targets to capture the full value of the platform. AI-enabled discovery led to the discovery of AX-0811, which achieved approximately 60% editing efficiency in humanized models, around six-fold higher than the prior generation AX-0810, with improved stability. This was achieved with reduced discovery timelines from what used to take three years to approximately three months. ProQR’s partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks enables faster generation of high-quality data via their autonomous labs, leading to shorter learning cycles and better training sets for its AI model.

In development, ProQR is applying AI and advanced data capabilities to support more informed decisions on patient stratification, endpoint selection, and clinical trial design, incorporating insights from real-world data.

The appointments of Chris Hart, PhD, and Thomas Wolf, PhD, strengthen ProQR’s expertise to scale AI across discovery and development stages. The Company is building a continuous learning loop connecting target identification, hit optimization, lead selection and clinical development, with clinical insights feeding back into discovery and informing decisions across programs. The Company expects this approach will accelerate discovery and increase the probability of success across the development pipeline.

ProQR’s growing RNA editing pipeline is expected to generate up to 5 clinical data readouts over the coming 12 months across four development programs. AX-0811, the first ProQR program in clinical testing discovered through its AI-enabled discovery process drug that is on track for target engagement data from the first two cohorts in early January 2027. Additional programs, including AX-0422 for MPS I Hurler syndrome and AX-2911 for PNPLA3-associated MASH, are progressing toward the clinic. Together, these programs demonstrate the potential of ProQR’s scalable Axiomer platform across liver and central nervous system.

About Axiomer^™

ProQR is pioneering a next-generation RNA base editing technology called Axiomer^™, which could potentially yield a new class of medicines for diverse types of diseases. Axiomer^™ “Editing Oligonucleotides”, or EONs, mediate single nucleotide changes to RNA in a highly specific and targeted way using molecular machinery that is present in human cells called ADAR (Adenosine Deaminase Acting on RNA). Axiomer^™ EONs are designed to recruit and direct endogenously expressed ADARs to change an Adenosine (A) to an Inosine (I) in the RNA – an Inosine is translated as a Guanosine (G) – correcting an RNA with a disease-causing mutation back to a normal (wild type) RNA, modulating protein expression, or altering a protein so that it will have a new function that helps prevent or treat disease.

About ProQR

ProQR Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company dedicated to changing lives through the creation of transformative RNA therapies. ProQR is pioneering a next-generation RNA technology called Axiomer^™, which uses a cell’s own editing machinery called ADAR to make specific single nucleotide edits in RNA to reverse a mutation or modulate protein expression and could potentially yield a new class of medicines for both rare and prevalent diseases with unmet need. Based on our unique proprietary RNA repair platform technologies we are growing our pipeline with patients and loved ones in mind.

Learn more about ProQR at www.proqr.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected roles that Dr. Hart and Dr. Wolf will serve in and the expected benefits they will bring to ProQR; ProQR’s strategy and ability to integrate and scale artificial intelligence and machine learning across its discovery and development activities; the ability of AI-enabled discovery and proprietary data to accelerate the identification, optimization and selection of EONs and improve clinical development decisions; the potential benefits of ProQR’s collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks; the continued development and advancement of the Axiomer platform and ProQR’s pipeline; the Phase 1 clinical development of AX-0811, including the anticipated timing of initial clinical data in early January 2027; the development and advancement of AX-2911 and AX-0422; the timing and number of anticipated clinical data readouts across ProQR’s development programs; and the therapeutic potential of Axiomer EONs and ProQR’s product candidates.

Forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information available to management only as of the date of this press release. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including, without limitation, the risks, uncertainties and other factors described in ProQR’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including certain sections of its most recent annual report on Form 20-F. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the cost, timing and results of preclinical studies and clinical trials and other development activities; the risk that preclinical or early clinical data may not be predictive of future results or clinical benefit; the likelihood that ProQR’s programs may not advance on the timelines currently anticipated; reliance on contract research organizations, contract manufacturers and other third parties; the ability to recruit and retain employees and consultants, including members of management and scientific advisors; the ability to integrate and realize the anticipated benefits of AI, machine learning and proprietary data in discovery and development; the unpredictability of regulatory requirements and the duration and results of regulatory review; possible safety or efficacy concerns that may emerge as additional data are generated; the possible impairment of, inability to obtain or costs to obtain intellectual property rights; the ability to secure, maintain and realize the intended benefits of collaborations and partnerships; risks related to cybersecurity and data privacy; general business, operational, financial and accounting risks; and risks related to macroeconomic conditions, market volatility, geopolitical events, international trade restrictions and other developments affecting ProQR’s business. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. ProQR assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future, except as required by law.

ProQR Therapeutics N.V.

Investor and media contact:
Sarah Kiely
ProQR Therapeutics N.V.
T: +1 617 599 6228
skiely@proqr.com
or
Investor contact:
Peter Kelleher
LifeSci Advisors
T: +1 617 430 7579
pkelleher@lifesciadvisors.com

New independent directors enhance Terra Innovatum’s technical and operational depth across nuclear safety, licensing, reactor engineering and fleet-scale execution as SOLO™ advances toward key licensing and commercialization milestones

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Terra Innovatum Global N.V. (“Terra Innovatum”, “Terra”, or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: NKLR), a developer of advanced micro-modular nuclear reactors, today announced changes to the composition of its Board of Directors.

The changes come as Terra Innovatum advances the SOLO™ Micro-Modular Reactor through key licensing, first-of-a-kind deployment and industrialization milestones, and are intended to evolve the composition of the Board to support the Company’s transition from development to commercialization and its next phase of growth.

The Board has appointed Michael Modro, Kostadin Ivanov, and Tony Tullio as independent directors, effective September 22, 2026. They will serve until the Company’s next Annual General Meeting, at which point their appointments will be submitted for confirmation alongside the Company’s other nominees.

The directors bring complementary technical, financial, operational and commercial experience to support Terra Innovatum’s licensing, first-of-a-kind deployment, industrialization and broader SOLO™ commercialization.

• Michael Modro brings extensive experience in nuclear safety, reactor technology and deterministic safety analysis. He has held senior technical and leadership roles in nuclear reactor safety and has worked extensively with the International Atomic Energy Agency and other nuclear organizations on safety assessment and regulatory frameworks.
• Kostadin Ivanov is a recognized leader in nuclear engineering, with extensive experience in reactor physics, reactor design, and modeling and simulation. He is a Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University and previously held senior academic and research positions at Pennsylvania State University.
• Tony Tullio brings decades of senior executive and financial leadership experience in complex, highly regulated global industrial businesses. He held senior leadership positions within Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, including serving as Chief Financial Officer of Maserati for the NAFTA region.

Michael W. Howard, Rex S. Jackson, and Peter Hastings will step down from the Terra Innovatum Board of Directors. Joanna Lohkamp will continue to serve on the Board.

To support this next phase of licensing, deployment and commercialization, the Board also intends to establish a Technology, Safety and Licensing Committee, subject to the adoption of the necessary governance documents, to provide focused Board-level oversight of matters relating to the SOLO™ technology platform, nuclear safety, licensing strategy, regulatory engagement and related technical and deployment activities, and to provide independent technical input to the Board and management team.

“On behalf of the Board, the leadership team and the Company, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Michael, Rex and Peter for their service, strategic input and commitment to Terra Innovatum. Their contributions helped guide the early phases of our Company’s growth,” said Alessandro Petruzzi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Terra Innovatum. “We are equally pleased to welcome Michael, Kostadin, and Tony to the Board as Terra Innovatum enters its next phase of development.”

ABOUT TERRA INNOVATUM & SOLO™

Terra Innovatum’s mission is to make nuclear power accessible. We deliver simple and safe micro-reactor solutions that are scalable, affordable and deployable anywhere 1 MWe at a time.

Terra Innovatum is a pioneering force in the energy sector, dedicated to delivering innovative and sustainable power solutions. Terra Innovatum plans to leverage cutting-edge nuclear technology through the SOLO™ Micro-Modular Reactor (SMR™) to provide efficient, safe, and environmentally conscious energy. With a mission to address global energy shortages, Terra Innovatum combines extensive expertise in nuclear industry design, manufacturing, and installation licensing to offer disruptive energy solutions. Committed to propelling technological advancements, Terra Innovatum and SOLO™ are dedicated to fostering prosperity and sustainability for humankind.

Conceptualized in 2018 and engineered over six years by experts in nuclear safety, licensing, innovation, and R&D, SOLO™ addresses pressing global energy demands with a market-ready solution. Built from readily available commercial off-the-shelf components, the intended licensing strategy for SOLO™ is designed to support timely deployment and minimize supply chain risks, with the aim of ensuring final cost predictability. Designed to adapt with evolving fuel options, SOLO™ supports both LEU+ and HALEU, offering a platform ready to transition to future fuel supplies.

SOLO™ will offer a wide range of versatile applications, providing CO2-free, behind-the-meter, and off-grid power solutions for data centers, mini-grids serving remote towns and villages, and large-scale industrial operations in hard-to-abate sectors like cement production, oil and gas, steel manufacturing, and mining. It also has the ability to supply heat for industrial applications and other specialized processes, including water treatment, desalination and co-generation. Thanks to its modular design, SOLO™ can be scaled to deliver up to 1GW or more of CO2-free power with a minimal footprint, making it an ideal solution for rapidly replacing fossil fuel-based thermal plants. Beyond electricity and heat generation, SOLO™ can also contribute to critical applications in the medical sector by producing radioisotopes essential for oncology research and cancer treatment.

To learn more, visit: https://investors.terrainnovatum.com/.
Follow us on X: https://x.com/TerraInnovatum
and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/terra-innovatum-solo/.

CONTACTS

Giordano Morichi
Founding Partner, Managing Director of Global Business Development and Investor Relations
Terra Innovatum Global N.V.
E: g.morichi@terrainnovatum.com
W: www.terrainnovatum.com

Investor and Media Relations
Simon Willcocks, Alliance Advisors IR
E: investors@terrainnovatum.com

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, opinions and projections prepared by Terra Innovatum’s management. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or future financial or operating performance, including pro forma and estimated financial information, and other “forward-looking statements” (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). The recipient can identify forward-looking statements because they typically contain words such as “outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “will,” “projected,” “continue,” “increase,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “predicts,” “intends,” “trends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negatives or variations of these words or other comparable words and/or similar expressions (but the absence of these words and/or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking).

These forward-looking statements specifically include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of financial and performance metrics, projections of market opportunity and market share, expected timing for regulatory approvals and commercialization and the potential success of Terra Innovatum’s strategy and expectations. Forward-looking statements, opinions and projections are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of Terra Innovatum’s business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of Terra Innovatum’s control. These uncertainties and risks may be known or unknown.

Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; future global, regional or local economic and market conditions; the development, effects and enforcement of laws and regulations; Terra Innovatum’s ability to manage future growth; Terra Innovatum’s ability to develop new products and services, bring them to market in a timely manner, and make enhancements to its platform; the effects of competition on Terra Innovatum’s future business; and the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries and other risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in documents Terra Innovatum files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission including Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. If any of these risks materialize or Terra Innovatum’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Terra Innovatum’s expectations and views as of the date of this press release. Terra Innovatum anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its assessments to change. However, while Terra Innovatum may elect to update these forward-looking statements in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made.

Passkey:YOU lets employees authenticate with a fingerprint or the door badge they already wear — no phone or hardware token required

HOLMDEL, N.J., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BIO-key® International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI), a global provider of workforce and customer Identity and Access Management (IAM) software featuring passwordless, phoneless and tokenless Identity-Bound Biometrics™ (IBB) authentication, today announced that its Passkey:YOU™ authenticator has received Full Certification from the FIDO Alliance, the industry body behind the FIDO2/WebAuthn/Passkey standard now in widespread use to allow phish-resistant sign in without typing a password.

With Passkey:YOU, an employee authenticates to unlock a shared passkey service by touching a shared fingerprint scanner or tapping the door-access badge they already carry — no smartphone or separate hardware token needed. A single enrollment then works everywhere a passkey is accepted, including enterprise identity platforms such as Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, Ping, Duo, BIO-key’s own PortalGuard®, and a growing list of websites, with no separate integration project required for each one. Employees who do carry a phone can authenticate the same way through BIO-key’s MobileAuth app on iOS and Android. Passkey:YOU works at any workstation in the enterprise to provide easy, phish-resistant authentication without phones, or tokens.

Passkey:YOU’s design solves a specific problem: most authentication products assume every user carries a smartphone or can be issued and carry a physical token like a security key, which they use to authenticate. Passkey:YOU is built for the people and places where that assumption breaks down — secure facilities where phones aren’t allowed, air-gapped networks, shared workstations, manufacturing floors, call centers, retail counters, and healthcare settings. Because the Passkey:YOU authentication hardware lives at the workstation rather than in every employee’s pocket, one Passkey:YOU client can serve any number of roving or device-restricted workers.

Full Certification is the FIDO Alliance’s formal confirmation that Passkey:YOU meets the technical and security bar — Security Assurance Level L1, conforming to the FIDO2 CTAP v2.0 specification — to work as a standards-based authenticator with any of those destinations, rather than a proprietary system. It’s secured by BIO-key’s NIST-tested, scanner-interoperable fingerprint platform and its MobileAuth palm and face authentication.

In biometric mode, Passkey:YOU runs on BIO-key’s Identity-Bound Biometrics, meaning each employee’s own fingerprint, palm, or face becomes their credential — something they can’t share, forget, or lose the way they could a password or a token. Biometric data is encrypted to military-grade, quantum-resistant levels, and the platform supports NIST 800-63 and CMMC authentication requirements along with more than 30 interchangeable fingerprint scanners, so organizations aren’t locked into a single hardware vendor. One enrollment carries across devices and locations, and enrollment workflows and user-controlled privacy dashboards are built to comply with GDPR and other privacy laws.

Passkey:YOU Means Better Governance and Control for Enterprises
A traditional hardware security key is, by design, invisible to the organization that issued it: once provisioned to a user, IT typically can’t see which sites or systems it has been registered with, can’t approve new ones, and can’t revoke access to a single third-party account without physically collecting the key back. That’s a reasonable tradeoff for an individual consumer. For a regulated or enterprise workforce, it’s a blind spot.

Because Passkey:YOU is centrally managed, security and compliance teams get the opposite: visibility into which systems employees have authenticated to, the ability to approve new destinations, and the ability to cut off access to any one system instantly — without waiting for someone to physically return a device. It still presents a standard, certified interface to Entra ID, Okta, Ping, Duo, and every other passkey-enabled destination; what changes is what the organization can see and control behind it.

Agentic AI Must Be Controlled by Real People, Not Inanimate Tokens
As AI agents take on the ability to act across applications, data, and payments on a company’s behalf, someone has to be accountable for approving what they do — and that accountability breaks down if approval rests on a credential that isn’t tied to a specific person, such as a password left in a browser session or a hardware key left plugged into a shared machine.

Passkey:YOU ties that approval to a person’s unique physical features instead: a fingerprint on a shared scanner, or a face or palm scan through MobileAuth, is evidence that a specific, named individual — not an unattended device or delegated user  — authorized the action. That decision is then carried to the relevant AI authorization controls using the standardized FIDO-certified, phishing-resistant cryptography behind Passkey:YOU.

Game-Changing Economics
Hardware tokens typically cost $25–$70 each, organizations often issue two or more per employee, and roughly a quarter are lost or replaced each year. Passkey:YOU instead puts the authentication hardware at shared access points rather than in every employee’s pocket, lowering the total cost of a deployment while still meeting the strong-authentication standards cyber insurers increasingly require — now backed by FIDO’s Full Certification.

“FIDO gave the world a trustworthy, interoperable way to kill the password. Full Certification means Passkey:YOU now speaks that language as a certified FIDO authenticator,” said Jim Sullivan, Chief Legal Officer of BIO-key. “A roving user can tap the badge they already carry or touch a shared fingerprint scanner and authenticate to Entra ID, Okta, Ping, Duo, or any website that accepts FIDO passkeys. Mobile users can do the same from MobileAuth on iOS and Android. Security teams can see, approve, and revoke the relying parties behind those passkeys—something they can’t do with an unmoderated hardware security key in the hands of a user.”

“Agentic AI will force a simple question: who approved that action?” Sullivan added. “A security key left in the machine is not an answer. BIO-key Passkey:YOU proves which person was actually present to approve the action.”

Learn more about Passkey:YOU, MobileAuth, and Identity-Bound Biometrics at www.bio-key.com.

About the FIDO Alliance (www.fidoalliance.org)
The FIDO Alliance enables identity technologies that put trust and simplicity at the center of interactions among people, services, and devices. The Alliance publishes open technical specifications, certifies secure and interoperable products, and operates global market enablement programs that have made passkeys the leading standard for phishing-resistant, passwordless authentication. FIDO Certified and the FIDO Certified logo are trademarks of the FIDO Alliance.

About BIO-key International, Inc. (www.BIO-key.com)
BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication and cybersecurity with biometric-centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) software securing access for over forty million users. BIO-key allows customers to choose the right authentication factors for diverse use cases, including phoneless, tokenless, and passwordless biometric options. Its cloud-hosted or on-premise PortalGuard IAM solution provides cost-effective, easy-to-deploy, convenient, and secure access to computers, information, applications, and high-value transactions.

Forward-Looking Statements
All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “intends,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and information currently available to management. They are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including those described under “Risk Factors” in BIO-key’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers should not place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, BIO-key undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Engage with BIO-key

Facebook – Corporate:	https://www.facebook.com/BIOkeyInternational/
LinkedIn – Corporate:	https://www.linkedin.com/company/bio-key-international
X – Corporate:	@BIOkeyIntl
X – Investors:	@BIO_keyIR
StockTwits:	BIO_keyIR

Media and Investor Contacts
William Jones, David Collins
Catalyst IR
BKYI@catalyst-ir.com or 212-924-9800 x3

The covered applications address potential therapeutic uses across a range of indications, including mental health disorders, such as depression and PTSD as well as substance use disorders

Vancouver, Canada, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clearmind Medicine Inc. (Nasdaq: CMND) (the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing non-hallucinogenic psychedelic-derived neuroplastogen for scalable treatment  of neuropsychiatric, metabolic, and addiction disorders including Alcohol Use Disorder (“AUD”), today announced the publication in the United States of three patent applications covering novel proprietary combinations of lysergic acid diethylamide (“LSD”), ketamine and ibogaine with N-acylethanolamines, such as palmitoylethanolamide (“PEA”). The covered applications address potential therapeutic uses across a range of indications, including mental health disorders, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”), pain and substance use disorders.

The publications expand the intellectual property generated through Clearmind’s ongoing collaboration with NeuroThera Labs Inc. (TSXV: NTLX), under which NeuroThera’s PEA technology is integrated into Clearmind’s psychedelic-derived therapeutic programs. The collaboration has resulted in a growing portfolio of patent applications covering combinations of PEA with psychedelic and psychoactive compounds. Clearmind previously announced U.S. publication of a patent application covering the combination of MDMA and N-acylethanolamines for potential treatment of PTSD, anxiety and eating disorders.

“The publication of these patents come at a significant time as clinical and regulatory interest in LSD, ketamine and ibogaine continues to receive growing recognition and support for their therapeutic potential. Clearmind believes its combination approach may offer the potential for an effective and safer treatment paradigm, aiming to achieve therapeutic benefits at lower doses while preserving efficacy. By reducing the dose required to achieve the intended pharmacological effect, this approach may support improved tolerability while maintaining therapeutic potential.,” said Adi Zuloff‑Shani, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Clearmind.

About Clearmind Medicine Inc.

Clearmind is a clinical-stage neuroplastogens pharmaceutical biotech company focused on the discovery and development of non-hallucinogenic, second generation, neuroplastogen-derived therapeutics to solve widespread and underserved health problems, including alcohol use disorder. Its primary objective is to research and develop psychedelic-based compounds and attempt to commercialize them as regulated medicines, foods, or supplements.

The Company’s intellectual portfolio currently consists of nineteen patent families, including 32 granted patents. The Company intends to seek additional patents for its compounds whenever warranted and will remain opportunistic regarding the acquisition of additional intellectual property to build its portfolio.

Shares of Clearmind are listed for trading on Nasdaq under the symbol “CMND.”

For further information, visit: https://www.clearmindmedicine.com or contact:

Investor Relations
invest@clearmindmedicine.com
www.Clearmindmedicine.com

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act and other securities laws. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, the Company is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the potential therapeutic applications of the combinations covered by the published patent applications; the potential benefits, advantages and characteristics of such combinations, including the possibility of achieving therapeutic benefits at lower doses and supporting tolerability; the Company’s intellectual property strategy and patent portfolio; the expected benefits of its collaboration with NeuroThera Labs Inc.; and the development, advancement and commercial potential of the Company’s product candidates and technologies. The Company cannot assure that any patent will issue as a result of a pending patent application or, if issued, whether it will issue in a form that will be advantageous to the Company. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon management’s current expectations, beliefs and projections, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Such expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith. However, there can be no assurance that management’s expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved, and actual results may differ materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including, but not limited to, the risks detailed in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025 and subsequent filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, subsequent events or circumstances, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect thereto or with respect to other forward-looking statements. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Clearmind is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites.

TORONTO and PERTH, Western Australia, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX:CY5, TSXV:CYG, OTCQB:CYGGF) (“Cygnus” or the “Company”) provides the following update in relation to the proposed transaction under which Central Asia Metals PLC (AIM:CAML) (“CAML”) will acquire 100% of the shares in Cygnus pursuant to a scheme of arrangement under Part 5.1 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (“Scheme”).

Capitalised terms in this announcement that are not otherwise defined have the meanings given to them in the Scheme Booklet dated 13 August 2026 (“Scheme Booklet”).

Adjournment of Second Court Hearing

Cygnus announces that the Supreme Court of Western Australia (“Court”) has made orders today to adjourn the date of the Second Court Hearing in respect of the Scheme.

The Second Court Hearing has been adjourned from 2:15pm (AWST) on Wednesday, 23 September 2026 and is now scheduled to take place at 2:15pm (AWST) on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. The Second Court Hearing will be held at the David Malcolm Justice Centre, 28 Barrack Street, Perth, Western Australia.

Why has the Second Court Hearing been adjourned?

As at the date of this announcement, the Kazakhstan regulatory approval condition precedent remains outstanding. To allow additional time for the satisfaction (or waiver) of this condition precedent, Cygnus has requested, and received, orders from the Court to adjourn the Second Court Hearing to Wednesday, 14 October 2026.

CAML remains confident that it will receive the required approval and has advised Cygnus that it expects that the approval will be granted on or before 12 October 2026.¹

Should the Kazakhstan regulatory approval be received earlier than the date outlined in today’s announcement, Cygnus will announce that to the ASX and ascertain the potential to bring the Second Court Hearing forward.

Updated Indicative Timetable

As a consequence of the Court orders adjourning the Second Court Hearing, the indicative timetable will result in an Effective Date of Thursday 15 October 2026 (being the date that Cygnus Shares are suspended from trading on ASX and TSXV at close of trading), the latest date and time by which the Sale Election Forms and CREST Election Forms must be received or to withdraw a previous election made is extended to 5.00pm (AWST) / 5.00am (EDT), Thursday, 15 October 2026, the Scheme Record Date is 5.00pm (AWST), Monday, 19 October 2026 with the Implementation Date moved to Tuesday, 27 October 2026.²

Appearing at the Second Court Hearing

Cygnus will formally provide details to Cygnus Shareholders by no later than 9 October 2026 of the new date for the Second Court Hearing, the process for appearing at the hearing and opposing the approval of the proposed Scheme, and the name and address for service on Cygnus.

This announcement is authorised for release by the Board of Cygnus Metals Limited.

David Southam	Nicholas Kwong	Media:
Executive Chair	President & CEO	Paul Armstrong
T: +61 8 6118 1627	T: +1 418 748 5076	Read Corporate
E: info@cygnusmetals.com	E: info@cygnusmetals.com	T: +61 8 9388 1474

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this announcement may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Examples of forward-looking statements in this announcement include, among others, statements regarding the completion of the Scheme and the remaining related steps therefor, including timing thereof. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or timing to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking information. Information about the risks and assumptions affecting the forward-looking information herein can be found in the “Risk Factors” section in the Scheme Booklet dated 13 August 2026, a copy of which is available under Cygnus’ profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All of the forward-looking information in this announcement is qualified by these cautionary statements. Cygnus assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information, except as may be required by applicable law and the rules of the ASX and the TSX Venture Exchange.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

^{___________________________
1} For further information, Cygnus Shareholders should refer to Cygnus’ ASX announcement dated 21 September 2026 titled “Further update on Scheme of Arrangement” which provides an update on the status of the conditions precedent to the Scheme, including the Kazakhstan regulatory approval condition precedent which has not yet been satisfied.

² Please note that all of the above times and dates are indicative only. The actual timetable will depend on many factors outside the control of Cygnus and CAML, including the Court approval process and the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent to the completion of the Scheme. Due to the time zone differences between Canada and Australia, certain actions relating to the implementation of the Scheme may occur on Monday, 26 October 2026 during Canadian business hours so as to enable implementation to occur on Tuesday, 27 October 2026 during Australian business hours. Any changes to the above timetable will be announced to ASX and will be available under Cygnus’ profile at www.asx.com.au

HONG KONG, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 3 E Network Technology Group Limited (Nasdaq: MASK) (the “Company” or “3 E Network”), a business-to-business (“B2B”) information technology (“IT”) business solutions provider, committed to becoming a next-generation artificial intelligence (“AI”) infrastructure solutions provider, today announced that its Nordic strategic subsidiary and Finnish project entity, Aurora Core Technology Oy, has entered the substantive implementation and execution phase of the project. Building on the Company’s recently established multi-megawatt green energy architecture, this transition advances the data center project from feasibility planning into localized construction preparation and procurement.

Strategic Subsidiary Assumes Execution Mandate for Localized Implementation

Operating as a wholly-owned strategic subsidiary, Aurora Core Technology Oy has formally assumed the localized deployment mandate for the newly established high-capacity green energy architecture. By assigning the Nordic subsidiary responsibility for local implementation, 3 E Network establishes a clear framework for compliance management and capital allocation, creating a foundation for potential regional expansion. The entity is currently managing progress across six operational pillars:

• Issuing Formal RFPs for Core Supply Chain: Building on preliminary vendor evaluations and the finalized liquid-cooling parameters, Aurora Core Technology Oy has issued formal Requests for Proposals (“RFPs”) for critical hardware designed to support next-generation high-density computing platforms, including the NVIDIA Vera Rubin architecture. Initial procurement focuses on high-capacity Liquid-to-Liquid Cooling Distribution Units, high-efficiency modular Uninterruptible Power Supply systems, and high-ampacity intelligent busways, aimed at securing essential production capacity.
• Advancing Grid Interconnection Contracts: Acting on behalf of 3 E Network, the Aurora execution team is advancing from initial power capability studies to negotiations toward binding interconnection and capacity allocation with a regional utility provider. Negotiations currently focus on integrating multi-megawatt grid connections, engineering schedules for concurrently maintainable dual-redundant power feeds, and evaluating local power distribution and step-down efficiencies.
• Progressing EIA Filings: The entity is working alongside regional regulators and environmental consultants to translate baseline studies into formal Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) filings. Key evaluation metrics include liquid-cooling water recycling rates, acoustic management for cooling towers, and lifecycle carbon footprints, aiming to support the facility’s alignment with the Scope 3 emissions standards required by enterprise clients.
• Structuring Municipal Waste Heat Monetization: Supported by earlier feasibility reviews, the representatives of the subsidiary have commenced commercial discussions with municipal heating providers. The program aims to capture high-grade waste heat from the AI data center’s liquid-cooling loops and route it into the local district heating grid. This structure is intended to reduce the facility’s carbon footprint while evaluating potential revenue-sharing mechanisms.
• Formalizing Local Engineering and Construction Partnerships: To implement the infrastructure plan, the Company is coordinating with Nordic architectural firms, structural engineers, and Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing contractors. Priorities include defining load-bearing structural specifications for fully populated AI racks and establishing construction schedules suited to Finland’s winter climate.
• Integrating EU Data Sovereignty and Security Standards: The entity is developing its infrastructure and compliance framework to align with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, the EUAI Act, and EN 50600 data center standards. Planning has begun for the procurement and installation of biometric mantraps and physical perimeter security topologies.

Deploying Capital for Front-End Engineering and Compliance

Aurora Core Technology Oy’s implementation activities are supported by the Company’s recent capital allocation. 3 E Network confirms that net proceeds from the $1.0 million private placement, subscribed by a CEO-affiliated entity, are funding critical Front-End Engineering Design activities through the local subsidiary. For site preparation, capital is allocated toward comprehensive geotechnical site surveys to verify the ground-bearing capacity required for high-density racks. Concurrently, the funding supports climate modeling teams analyzing a decade of local microclimate meteorological data against the thermodynamic requirements of the liquid-cooling systems, to establish free-cooling operating parameters designed to optimize Power Usage Effectiveness.

Regarding regulatory and permitting processes, this capital funds the preparation of EIA technical documentation, addressing requirements such as acoustic emission modeling and water recycling verification. Furthermore, the Finnish operational group has retained electrical engineering experts to conduct power flow analysis and short-circuit studies in coordination with the utility provider. The Company has systematically established the technical, environmental, and operational expenditure frameworks required for the project prior to full-scale construction.

Management Commentary

“With our infrastructure blueprint for next-generation AI computing now established, Aurora Core Technology Oy is taking responsibility for local project implementation as we move into the next phase of our European deployment,” stated Dr. Tingjun Yang, Chief Executive Officer of 3 E Network. “For cross-border data center projects, using a local subsidiary to manage procurement and contract negotiations directly is a standard and necessary procedure to maintain project timelines. Supported by our recent funding, our Finnish team is actively translating specific engineering parameters into supply chain orders and grid interconnection agreements. We intend to maintain this execution pace as we advance the commercialization of our operations in Europe.”

About 3 E Network Technology Group Limited
3 E Network Technology Group Limited is a business-to-business (“B2B”) information technology (“IT”) business solutions provider committed to becoming a next-generation artificial intelligence (“AI”) infrastructure solutions provider. It upholds the industry consensus of “AI and energy symbiosis” and has a strong vision in the field of energy investment. The Company’s business comprises two main portfolios: the data center operation services portfolio and the software development portfolio. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at https://3emask.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “assesses,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect the Company’s future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

For more information, please contact:

3 E Network Technology Group Limited
Investor Relations Department
Email: ird@3emask.com
Website: https://3emask.com/