ArcticZymes Releases New White Paper Quantifying the Impact of Optimized Nuclease Strategy on Viral Vector Manufacturing Economics

26 Feb 2026 14:41 CET

Tromsø, Norway, 26[th] February 2026 - ArcticZymes Technologies ASA (OSE: AZT)
today announces the publication of a new whitepaper presenting a comprehensive
viral vector manufacturing cost model that highlights how optimized nuclease
strategy can significantly improve process yield and reduce overall cost per
dose in viral vector production.

The economic challenges of cell and gene therapy

As demand for viral vectors continues to accelerate across cell and gene therapy
pipelines, manufacturing cost, scalability, and downstream robustness are
increasingly limiting patient access to life-changing therapies. While upstream
productivity is being widely optimized, ArcticZymes' new analysis identifies
nuclease-mediated DNA and chromatin clearance as a highly under-exploited lever
with substantial impact on manufacturing economics.

The newly published white paper introduces a comparative cost model built on
experimentally validated data and representative adeno-associated virus (AAV)
and lentiviral (LV) manufacturing workflows. The model demonstrates that
adopting salt-active nuclease strategies can deliver step-change improvements in
downstream performance, including increased recovery yields and materially lower
cost of goods per dose.

Key findings

The model indicates that optimized nuclease selection can have a significant
impact on overall process and commercial manufacturing scale costs including:

· Approximately 2 x improvement in overall process recovery
· More than 70% reduction in nuclease-related cost per batch
· An estimated 40% reduction in cost of goods per dose

In addition to direct cost reductions, the analysis highlights improvements in
downstream robustness, filtration performance, and regulatory confidence,
supporting more predictable and scalable manufacturing outcomes.

ArcticZymes developed the model to support manufacturers in better understanding
the economic consequences of nuclease choice under real process conditions.
Rather than predicting absolute costs, the framework enables relative scenario
comparisons that clearly illustrate how improved chromatin clearance and salt
-tolerant enzymatic performance translate into tangible commercial benefits.

CEO Michael B. Akoh comments:

"This white paper reinforces what we increasingly see across advanced therapy
manufacturing: small changes at critical process steps can have outsized impact
on yield, cost, and scalability. Our cost model demonstrates that nuclease
strategy is not a minor technical detail, but a strategic decision that can
meaningfully improve affordability and access to viral vector-based therapies.
By quantifying these effects, we aim to support our customers in making more
confident, data-driven manufacturing decisions."

The white paper is now available and is intended for process development
scientists, manufacturing leaders, and decision-makers seeking practical levers
to improve viral vector economics without fundamental changes to facility design
or regulatory strategy.

To download the white paper or find out more about ArcticZymes range of salt
active nucleases, please visit www.arcticzymes.com/optimize-nuclease-strategy

For more information, please contact:

ArcticZymes Technologies ASA
CEO, Michael B. Akoh Tel: +46 (0) 70 262 37 15
CFO, Børge Sørvoll Tel +47 952 90187
ir@arcticzymes.com

About ArcticZymes Technologies ASA

ArcticZymes Technologies is a Norwegian life sciences company focused on the
development, manufacturing and commercialization of novel recombinant enzymes
for use in molecular research, In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) and biomanufacturing.

Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange since 2005. Its headquarters are based in
Tromsø, Norway, at the SIVA Science Park.

ArcticZymes Technologies' IP and capabilities are protected via a large
portfolio of patents.

For more information, please visit the website: www.arcticzymes.com

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