Aptamer Group, a York-based life sciences company that develops synthetic binders called Optimers, reported a 40% rise in annual revenue to £1.2 million for its latest financial year.

The company grew its portfolio of Optimer assets from four to eleven and signed new royalty deals with Neuro-Bio for Alzheimer’s diagnostics and the University of Glasgow for vaccine development.

It also strengthened partnerships with Unilever and is in talks with major pharma firms over new licensing agreements.

After the year-end, the company raised £1.8m and secured £675,000 in new contracts.

The funds will help expand manufacturing, build new partnerships and push further into the therapeutic and diagnostic markets.