VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: RKV), a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative cancer therapies through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drug discovery, today announced its participation in the BioInnovate UBC Annual Conference on February 1, 2025. This premier event, hosted at the University of British Columbia (UBC), unites academic researchers, biotech innovators, and industry professionals to foster collaboration and showcase innovative life sciences advancements.

The BioInnovate UBC Annual Conference provides a unique platform for exploring emerging trends in biotechnology and fostering partnerships between academia and industry. Through an interactive panel discussion, Rakovina Therapeutics, a collaborator with UBC, will highlight its groundbreaking work in developing therapies targeting DNA-damage response (DDR) mechanisms using AI platforms such as Deep Docking and Variational AI. These technologies enable the rapid identification and optimization of novel drug candidates, slashing traditional discovery timelines from years to months.

Collaboration with UBC and Dr. Artem Cherkasov
Rakovina's strategic partnership with UBC is a cornerstone of its innovative approach to cancer treatment. Dr. Artem Cherkasov, a UBC professor and a pioneering leader in computational drug discovery, serves on Rakovina's advisory board. Dr. Cherkasov was instrumental in developing the first-generation Deep Docking platform, which identified a compound licensed to Roche in a $142 million deal—the largest in UBC history. This success laid the foundation for Rakovina's exclusive access to the second-generation Deep Docking platform, enabling the company to rapidly screen billions of compounds and identify promising candidates for hard-to-treat cancers, such as breast, ovarian, prostate, and brain cancers.

Dr. Jeffrey Bacha, Executive Chairman of Rakovina Therapeutics, commented:
"We are thrilled to participate in the BioInnovate UBC Annual Conference and to share our progress in leveraging AI to revolutionize cancer treatment. Our collaboration with UBC and Dr. Cherkasov has been pivotal in driving innovation and accelerating the discovery of therapies targeting critical vulnerabilities in cancer cells. We look forward to engaging with fellow innovators at this event to explore future opportunities for collaboration."

AI's Transformative Role in Cancer Research
The importance of AI in revolutionizing cancer treatment was recently underscored by Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison at the announcement of a $500 billion investment in AI innovation. Ellison remarked, "One of the most exciting things we're working on... is a cancer vaccine. You can do early cancer detection with a blood test. And using AI to look at the blood test, you can find the cancers that are actually seriously threatening the person. So, again, cancer diagnosis using AI has the promise of just being a simple blood test."1

During the conference, Rakovina will showcase its advancements in the $18 billion DDR therapy market, including its recent milestone of identifying AI-generated compounds with CNS penetration capabilities. These breakthroughs underline Rakovina's mission to address unmet medical needs and improve outcomes for patients with limited treatment options.

About the BioInnovate UBC Annual Conference
The BioInnovate UBC Annual Conference features keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities designed to promote collaboration across disciplines and industries. As a participant, Rakovina Therapeutics aims to engage with the academic and biotech communities to further innovation and create meaningful partnerships.

For more information about the BioInnovate UBC Annual Conference, visit bioinnovateubc.squarespace.com/bioinnovateconference.

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 .

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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 .

For Further Information Contact:
Michelle Seltenrich, BSc MBA
Director, Corporate Development
IR@rakovinatherapeutics.com
778-773-5432
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