Senator John Cornyn recognizes facility's role in advancing radiation countermeasures for cancer patients and U.S. warfighters; Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, Office of Senator Cornyn, and Velocity Bioworks leadership join Valion Bio at ribbon cutting ceremony

SAN ANTONIO, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Valion Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIO), a clinical-stage immunotherapeutics company developing Entolimod™ for acute radiation syndrome, oncology supportive care, and longevity indications, today celebrated the grand opening of its wholly-owned biomanufacturing subsidiary, Velocity Bioworks, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in San Antonio. The facility, located on the VelocityTX innovation campus on San Antonio's historic East Side, marks the formal activation of the company's vertically integrated manufacturing strategy and positions Valion Bio as one of the few clinical-stage biotechs with end-to-end domestic biomanufacturing capability for its lead asset.

The ceremony, attended by U.S. Senator John Cornyn's office, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, and leadership from Velocity Bioworks, recognized the strategic significance of the facility for the region's bioscience economy and for U.S. national preparedness. Velocity Bioworks employs approximately 45 scientists, engineers, and operators in San Antonio and recently demonstrated successful tech transfer of the Entolimod manufacturing process with incremental scale up activities to support GMP manufacturing.

"Congratulations to Velocity Bioworks on the grand opening of their new manufacturing facility in San Antonio," said Sen. Cornyn. "This facility should help advance radiation countermeasures that have the potential to help patients fighting cancer and benefit our warfighters, and I look forward to seeing the great biomanufacturing work they'll do here in the Lone Star State."

"Today is a deliberate milestone, not an opportunistic one," said Michael K. Handley, Chief Executive Officer of Valion Bio. "When we built Valion Bio as a focused immunotherapeutics company, we made a strategic call: we were not going to outsource our future. The companies that earn the trust of the United States government for national preparedness work are the ones with secure, domestic supply chains. Through Velocity Bioworks' operations in San Antonio, we control the manufacturing of Entolimod end-to-end — and we are positioned to deliver for cancer patients, for the Strategic National Stockpile, and for the broader biologics industry as a third-party CDMO partner."

Entolimod is a Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) agonist with broad therapeutic potential. The company is advancing Entolimod with the U.S. government — including the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the Department of War — for potential inclusion in the Strategic National Stockpile as a medical countermeasure for acute radiation syndrome under the FDA Animal Rule pathway. In parallel, Valion Bio is developing the same molecule for oncology supportive care, beginning with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia — a complication that affects up to half of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

"We've built Velocity Bioworks to give biotech companies a true end-to-end partner, from development through manufacturing, so they can move faster without compromising quality," said Ania Szymanska, SVP of Quality and Regulatory Compliance at Velocity Bioworks. "That combination of speed, discipline, and continuity is what sets this team apart. At Velocity Bioworks, we are committed to advancing the next generation of biologics with the quality and urgency patients deserve."

The company chose San Antonio for its convergence of life-sciences talent, military medical research presence, and strategic logistics infrastructure. The VelocityTX innovation campus, redeveloped from the historic Merchants Ice complex, hosts research partnerships with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, the Defense Health Agency, and a U.S. Air Force research office. San Antonio is also home to Joint Base San Antonio—the Department of Defense's largest joint base—and to Kelly Field, a strategic-airlift hub from which medical countermeasures can be deployed nationwide in a matter of hours.

Today's ribbon cutting marks the operational beginning of Velocity Bioworks as both an internal manufacturing engine for Valion Bio's pipeline and an emerging contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving third-party biologics clients.

About Valion Bio, Inc.

Valion Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIO), formerly Tivic Health Systems, Inc., is a clinical-stage immunotherapeutics company activating innate immunity to protect and extend life. The company's lead asset, Entolimod™, is a TLR5 agonist being developed for acute radiation syndrome under the FDA Animal Rule pathway, for oncology supportive care including neutropenia, and for longevity indications. Entolimod™ has received Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Valion Bio is also advancing Entolasta™, a next-generation TLR5 agonist designed for broader therapeutic applications. The company's wholly owned subsidiary, Velocity Bioworks (San Antonio, Texas), is a full-service contract development and manufacturing organization that supports both Valion Bio's internal pipeline and third-party biologics clients. For more information, visit www.valionbio.com.

About Velocity Bioworks

Velocity Bioworks is a wholly owned subsidiary of Valion Bio, Inc. and a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The facility provides bioprocess development, GMP biomanufacturing, analytical method development, fill/finish, on and regulatory and quality support for biologics. Velocity Bioworks supports Valion Bio's internal pipeline and plans to serve  third-party biotech clients.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "contemplate," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "seek," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "aim," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Valion Bio, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and assumptions that are difficult to predict.

Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate, including as a result of the company's interactions with and guidance from the FDA and other regulatory authorities; the continued interest of BARDA and other U.S. government agencies in Entolimod™; the ability of the company to achieve the expected benefits from the acquisition of development and manufacturing assets within expected time frames or at all; changes to the company's relationship with its partners; failure to obtain FDA or similar clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA or similar regulations, including related to the Animal Rule; the company's future development of Entolimod or Entolasta; changes to the company's business strategy; timing and success of pre-clinical and clinical trials and study results; Velocity bioworks' ability to acquire and retain third-party customers; regulatory requirements and pathways for approval; the company's ability to successfully commercialize its product candidates in the future; changes in the markets and industries in which the company does business; consummation of any strategic transactions; the company's need for, and ability to secure when needed, additional working capital; the company's ability to maintain its Nasdaq listing; and changes in tariffs, inflation, legal, regulatory, political and economic risks.

Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties relevant to the company, and other important factors, see Valion Bio's filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on March 30, 2026, under the heading "Risk Factors", as well as the company's subsequent filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of this date, and the company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required by applicable law.

Contacts

Investor Relations:

Rich Cockrell

Valion Bio, Inc.

Vbio@cg.capital

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SOURCE Valion Bio, Inc.