Cizzle Biotech signs UK agreement to bring lifesaving lung cancer blood test to the NHS

Cizzle Biotech, Signs Letter of Intent with Leading UK Clinical Laboratory Provider to Bring Lifesaving Lung Cancer Blood Test to the NHS   Simple test helps detect lung cancer at its earliest stages – potentially saving thousands of lives   London, UK, 05 November 2025 – A British biotech company has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) that could lead to a transformational partnership in delivering how lung cancer is diagnosed across the NHS. Cizzle Biotechnology Holdings plc (LSE: CIZ), the UK-based cancer diagnostics developer pioneering early lung cancer detection, has entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) with a major UK laboratory group that provides diagnostic services to the NHS.   The test is already licensed in North America, and this new intended partnership marks a major step toward making Cizzle’s CIZ1B biomarker blood test available to the NHS and other health providers in the UK. The non-invasive, cost-effective test detects a specific biomarker, CIZ1B, which is highly correlated with early-stage lung cancer, often at a time before symptoms appear and when curative intervention may be possible.   Under the LOI, the laboratory partner will verify and validate the test in collaboration with one of its NHS Foundation Trust partners, which may lead to an agreement for the laboratory partner to become Cizzle’s exclusive UK provider, supporting a co-branded rollout across NHS and private healthcare markets in the UK.   A Breakthrough for Early Detection   Lung cancer remains one of the UK’s deadliest diseases, with survival rates closely tied to how early it is diagnosed. It is the country’s leading cause of cancer death, responsible for around 35,000 deaths each year, roughly one in five of all cancer fatalities. Globally, cancer claims nearly 10 million lives annually.   Early detection is critical to improving survival rates, an ambition that aligns directly with the NHS Long Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages 1 or 2 by 2028, potentially saving 55,000 lives annually. Tests like Cizzle’s CIZ1B could play a crucial role in meeting that goal by identifying lung cancer at its most treatable stage.   Developed from over a decade of research at the University of York by Professor Dawn Coverley, Cizzle’s Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, with the support of Yorkshire Cancer Research, the CIZ1B biomarker test offers a simple alternative to complex imaging procedures such as CT scans or biopsies.   From Research Lab to Real-World Impact   “Our work has been focused on the goal of making early cancer detection accessible at scale,” said Allan Syms, Executive Chairman of Cizzle Biotechnology. “This LOI is a major milestone for Cizzle, and for the future of early cancer detection in the UK.”   “This is about getting ahead of cancer, not chasing it when the cancer has already become well advanced. The ability to detect lung cancer early, through a simple, non-invasive test, has the potential to save thousands of lives every year and ease pressure on the NHS.   “We’re also deeply grateful to our shareholders for their continued support. Their confidence allows us to take innovation out of the lab and into hospitals where it can make a real difference to patients and their families.”   Global Momentum and Funding Boost   The LOI builds on Cizzle’s existing international progress. The company has already secured a licensing deal in North America and the Caribbean worth US$2.4 million in guaranteed royalties and upfront payments, with US$530,000 received to date. In the U.S., Cizzle is supporting its partner, Cizzle Bio Inc., as it advances toward CLIA accreditation and completes ongoing clinical studies with the Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida.   To accelerate commercial rollout, Cizzle has secured an additional £250,000 through the issue of convertible loan notes to long-term shareholder Frazer Lang, following a previous £150,000 note issued in May 2025.   The new funding will support validation work with the lab partner and further development of Cizzle’s UK and European operations.   ***ENDS***   Media Contact: Kelly Lewins, PR Consultant, kelly@fennellpr.co.uk   About Cizzle Biotechnology   The CIZ1B biomarker test for early-stage lung cancer is based on the pioneering work of Professor Coverley, the Founder and CSO of the Company, and her research team at the University of York. CIZ1 is a naturally occurring cell nuclear protein and the CIZ1B variant form is highly associated with the presence of early-stage lung cancer. The Company has developed CIZ1B into a non-invasive, cost-effective blood test to help in the diagnosis and detection of lung cancer and has now entered commercial royalty-bearing arrangements to license its proprietary technology, and into collaborations with centres of excellence in cancer care.  Cizzle was admitted to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in May 2021.