Argent BioPharma Ltd (ASX:RGT), an ASX-listed clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced on 29 September 2026 that it has entered into an exclusive, royalty-bearing licence agreement with NLC Ltd., NLC Viral Defense, LLC (together, NLC) and Dr. Dorit Arad for the commercialisation of the antiviral applications addressed by NLC's Tollovir, Tollovid, and NutraVir products. The licence territory extends worldwide excluding China, with existing TolloHealth rights in the United States preserved. The agreement expands Argent's product portfolio alongside its flagship CimetrA immune-modulation asset.

About Argent BioPharma

Argent BioPharma Ltd (ASX:RGT, formerly MGC Pharmaceuticals Limited) is an ASX-listed clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Subiaco, Western Australia, with research and Manufacturing facilities in Slovenia and Malta. The company's core pipeline includes CimetrA (anti-inflammatory and anti-infective, targeting acute lung injury and ARDS), CannEpil (drug-resistant epilepsy), and CogniCann (dementia and Alzheimer's). Argent also trades on the LSE and the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States.

NLC Licence Agreement — Announced 29 September 2026

Argent BioPharma entered into a licence agreement with NLC Ltd., NLC Viral Defense, LLC, and Dr. Dorit Arad providing an exclusive, royalty-bearing licence to commercialise the antiviral applications identified in the agreement, derived from patents, intellectual property, and Trade secrets associated with Tollovir (excluding the clinical-trial formulation NLCV-001 containing a different concentration of Shikonin 95%), Tollovid, and NutraVir. The licensed rights extend worldwide excluding China, with existing TolloHealth rights in the United States preserved.

The commercial structure includes monthly licence fees and tiered sales royalties payable to NLC. NLC is also entitled to cash sales milestone payments of US$100,000 at aggregate cumulative net sales of US$2.5 million and a further US$125,000 at US$5 million of net sales. Subject to Shareholder approval (to be sought within 120 days of execution), Argent will issue 2,000,000 Performance Rights to NLC that vest at each net sales milestone and automatically convert to ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis. The transaction also includes the purchase for US$1.00 of substantially all existing NutraVir inventory.

Argent's commercialisation of the NLC products will be run in tandem with its CimetrA commercialisation strategy, given the complementary product profiles, with associated costs shared across both programmes. Roby Zomer, Executive Chairman of Argent BioPharma, described the agreement as an important step in building Argent's next chapter following the CannEpil licensing transaction, with CimetrA remaining at the centre of the development strategy.

Industry Context

The intersection of antiviral therapeutics and immune-modulation has grown as a research and commercial focus following the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased understanding of the role of host inflammatory response in viral disease. NLC's scientific approach involves botanical compounds and research into viral processes, host pathways in viral entry, and inflammatory responses — an area that is scientifically adjacent to Argent's core CimetrA platform, which targets cytokine-driven inflammatory disorders. The global antiviral drug market represents a large and growing commercial opportunity.

Risks and Uncertainties

The NLC licence provides Argent with commercialisation rights only; any pharmaceutical development of the licensed products would require separate regulatory rights and approvals, including FDA submissions. The transaction is conditioned on shareholder approval for the Performance Rights component within 120 days, and if approval is not obtained, the parties must negotiate alternative consideration. Commercial sales milestones of US$2.5 million and US$5 million are aspirational targets that may take time to achieve. Argent's small Market Capitalisation and clinical-stage status mean ongoing dilution risk and funding uncertainty are relevant considerations for investors.