ORPH.L Regulatory News (ORPH)

18 December 2019

Open Orphan plc

("Open Orphan" or the "Company")

 New Contract with SFA Therapeutics

Open Orphan, a European-focussed, rare and orphan drug consulting services platform, is pleased to announce the signing of a contract with SFA Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company based in Pennsylvania, USA ("SFA Therapeutics").

This contract sees Venn Life Sciences ("Venn"), part of Open Orphan plc, provide SFA Therapeutics with assistance in the filing of a European Medicines Agency application for Orphan Drug Designation including providing both consulting and regulatory writing services. Open Orphan is delighted to support SFA Therapeutics in the development of its promising novel treatment and it is hoped that this agreement will be the first step in a longer-term relationship between both companies.

The contract is evidence of Open Orphan executing upon its strategy of winning contracts in the fast-growing orphan drug sector and its capability in being able to assist North American companies with their European activities. It is also an important contract as it is the first time that Venn has utilised Open Orphan's skills and expertise in filing a European Medicines Agency Orphan Drug Designation for a North American company which already has a US FDA Orphan Drug Designation.

Cathal Friel, Chief Executive of Open Orphan commented:

"This contract is a further demonstration of delivery against one of Open Orphan's key objectives, transforming Venn. The contract is an exciting one as we are now building on our capability by actively winning work in the fast-growing orphan drug sector. We look forward to delivering the contract for SFA Therapeutics and building upon the relationship."

Enquiries:

Open Orphan plc Tel: +353 1 644 0007Cathal Friel, Chief Executive Officer

Arden Partners (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) Tel: +44 (0)20 7614 5900John Llewellyn-Lloyd / Ruari McGirr / Benjamin Cryer

Davy (Euronext Growth Adviser and Joint Broker) Tel: +353 (0)1 679 6363Anthony Farrell (Corporate Finance)

Camarco (Financial PR) Tel: +44 (0)20 3757 4980Tom Huddart / Dan Sherwen

Notes to Editors on Open Orphan:

Open Orphan plc is a European-focused, rare and orphan drug consulting services platform. The Company intends to roll up a number of orphan drug services businesses. Open Orphan has two data driven digital platforms, a Genomic Health Data Platform, which is establishing a rare disease database and a Virtual Rep platform enabling pharmaceutical companies to engage key opinion leaders and physicians. The Company is targeting rapid growth in one of the fastest growing sectors in the global pharmaceutical industry targeting under-supplied treatment for life threatening or very serious diseases and rare disorders.