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ARK THERAPEUTICS GROUP PLC

Ark Therapeutics signs a letter of intent with EMD Millipore Corporation

London, UK - 14 August 2012, Ark Therapeutics Group plc ("Ark") is pleased to announce that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent with EMD Millipore Corporation, USA (a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) ("EMD Millipore") to enter into a collaborative agreement in the field of viral based bioengineered vaccines and other live viral products manufacturing.

Key elements of the collaboration focus on production optimization of viral based bioengineered vaccines and other live viral products for pilot and production scale and the installation of these processes at Ark's GMP manufacturing facility in Kuopio, Finland. Additionally, the parties plan to establish a GMP BSL-2 suite in the Kuopio facility equipped with EMD Millipore process technology to enable Ark's wider routine use of EMD Millipore process technology in its manufacturing services business.

Dr David Venables, Ark's Chief Executive Officer commented, "We are delighted to announce this collaboration with EMD Millipore which combines Ark's unrivalled expertise in commercialisable GMP manufacturing processes for live viral products and EMD Millipore's pre-eminent position in bioprocessing integrated solutions and high-performance devices."

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Ark Therapeutics Group plc

Ark Therapeutics Group plc is a leading viral product focused contract development and manufacturing services company with world-class viral research, development and GMP manufacturing operations in Finland and the UK. Ark's business model is to offer product development and GMP manufacturing contract services for viral products, including the areas of viral mediated gene therapy, oncolytic viruses, live and attenuated viral vaccines, viral vectored vaccines and virus like particles. Ark's capabilities span from translational research through preclinical and clinical product development, in addition to process and analytical development, GMP manufacture and sterile filling from pre-clinical through to commercial product supply. These capabilities have been established through the development of Ark's own products through to Marketing Authorisation Application registered with the European Medicines Agency. Following a change in business strategy in 2011, Ark is now building its business through contract development and manufacturing services and is seeking external partners to advance its own product pipeline. 

This announcement includes "forward-looking statements" which include all statements other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding the Group's financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations (including development plans and objectives relating to the Group's products and services), and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include forward-looking terminology such as the words "targets", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "can", "may", "anticipates", "would", "should", "could" or similar expressions or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Group's control that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Group's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Group will operate in the future. Among the important factors that could cause the Group's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include those relating to Ark's funding requirements, regulatory approvals, clinical trials, reliance on third parties, intellectual property, key personnel and other factors. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. As a result of these factors, readers are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statement.