VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July  11, 2025  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (“Rakovina” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: RKV) (FSE: 7JO0), a biopharmaceutical company advancing next-generation cancer therapies through AI-powered drug discovery proudly congratulates partner, Variational AI, on being honored as the 2025 Emerging Company of the Year – Biotech by Life Sciences BC.

This prestigious award recognizes a British Columbia-based biotechnology company demonstrating exceptional progress and achievement of key strategic milestones, attributes that reflect Variational AI’s impressive momentum and innovation in the field.

Since entering into a partnership with Rakovina Therapeutics in September 2024, Variational AI has applied its Enki™ generative AI platform to accelerate the discovery of novel DNA damage response (DDR) kinase inhibitors. Most recently, the platform has been used to advance the KT-5000 series, the newest generation of synthetic small-molecule candidates targeting DDR pathways. This collaboration has produced multiple structurally novel compounds with favorable drug-like properties and activity in validated cancer cell lines. Early data suggest these candidates hold strong promise as brain-penetrant agents for difficult-to-treat tumors and represent a significant step forward in the Company’s AI-powered discovery pipeline.

“We’re proud to see Variational AI recognized as Emerging Biotech Company of the Year,” said Jeffrey Bacha, Executive Chairman of Rakovina Therapeutics. “This award highlights the transformative role of AI in drug discovery and reinforces the strength of our collaboration. Variational’s Enki™ platform has helped us identify novel drug candidates with remarkable speed and precision, and we look forward to advancing these promising therapies together.”

About Variational AI

Variational AI has developed Enki™, the first commercially available foundation model for small-molecule drug discovery. By leveraging generative AI, Variational AI enables biopharmaceutical companies to rapidly discover and optimize novel, potent, safe, and synthesizable lead compounds at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional approaches.

For more information, visit www.variational.ai.

About Rakovina Therapeutics Inc.

Rakovina Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical research company focused on the development of innovative cancer treatments. Our work is based on unique technologies for targeting the DNA-damage response powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) using the proprietary Deep-Docking™ platform. By using AI, we can review and optimize drug candidates at a much greater pace than ever before.

The Company has established a pipeline of distinctive DNA-damage response inhibitors with the goal of advancing one or more drug candidates into human clinical trials in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners.

Further information may be found at www.rakovinatherapeutics.com.

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Notice Regarding Rakovina Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding the company and its respective business, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the proposed business plan of the company and other statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans,” “is expected,” “expects,” “scheduled,” “intends,” “contemplates,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “proposes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events, or results “may,” “could,” “would,” “might,” or “will” be taken, occur, or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of the company. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the company, including risks regarding the medical device industry, economic factors, regulatory factors, the equity markets generally, and risks associated with growth and competition.

Although the company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events, or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated, or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. The reader is referred to the company’s most recent filings on SEDAR for a more complete discussion of all applicable risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the company’s profile page at www.sedar.com.

For Further Information Contact:
Michelle Seltenrich, BSc MBA
Director, Corporate Development
[email protected]
778-773-5432