NorthStrive Biosciences Advances to Phase III of AI-Driven Drug Discovery Program Toward Validation of Multiple Potential Drug Compounds & Discoveries

Rhea-AI Summary

NorthStrive Biosciences (NASDAQ:ELAB) initiated Phase III of its AI Development Program with Yuva Biosciences to move AI-prioritized small-molecule candidates into experimental validation targeting muscle preservation via mitochondrial function.

Phase III will generate biological data including cytotoxicity screening and ANT1 expression testing at multiple timepoints, leveraging an exclusive mitochondrial biogenesis dataset and YuvaBio’s MitoNova™ AI classifier to focus testing on the most promising candidates. The work is intended to accelerate discovery and reduce compounds advanced for further development. Phase III is expected to take approximately 6 to 9 weeks.

Positive

• Advances AI-selected candidates to experimental validation
• Uses an exclusive mitochondrial biogenesis dataset for prioritization
• Includes cytotoxicity and ANT1 expression testing at multiple timepoints
• Phase III timeline of approximately 6–9 weeks

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

-29.68% 31.4x vol

56 alerts

-29.68% News Effect

+10.3% Peak Tracked

-44.4% Trough Tracked

-$1M Valuation Impact

$2M Market Cap

31.4x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, ELAB declined 29.68%, reflecting a significant negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +10.3% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -44.4% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 56 alerts that day, indicating high trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $1M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $2M at that time. Trading volume was exceptionally heavy at 31.4x the daily average, suggesting significant selling pressure.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Phase III duration: 6 to 9 weeks

1 metrics

Phase III duration 6 to 9 weeks Expected timeframe for Phase III experimental work

Market Reality Check

Price: $3.51 Vol: Volume 37,360 vs 20-day a...

low vol

$3.51 Last Close

Volume Volume 37,360 vs 20-day average 276,410 (relative volume 0.14) ahead of this update. low

Technical Shares at $3.285, trading below the 200-day moving average of $8.25 and near the 52-week low of $3.02.

Peers on Argus

Biotech peers showed mixed moves: QLGN up 7.72%, REVB up 2.34%, while UBX fell 2...

1 Down

Biotech peers showed mixed moves: QLGN up 7.72%, REVB up 2.34%, while UBX fell 29.14% and INDP fell 7.92%, suggesting company-specific factors dominate for ELAB.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 04 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 04	Equity stake highlight	Positive	-4.1%	Highlighted equity stake in newly uplisted General Enterprise Ventures.
Oct 30	Regulatory approval	Positive	+3.3%	AGA Precision secured ITAR registration enabling defense and aerospace work.
Oct 28	Aerospace acquisition	Positive	+0.7%	AGA acquired Indarg Engineering to expand precision machining footprint.
Oct 20	Backlog update	Positive	-0.1%	Reported AGA sales backlog and new CNC equipment to grow capacity.
Sep 04	AI Phase II completion	Positive	-9.9%	Completed Phase II using MitoNova™ AI to shortlist small molecules.

Pattern Detected

Recent ELAB news, including M&A and AI obesity program updates, often saw modest price reactions, with several positive headlines followed by negative or muted moves.

Recent Company History

Over the past six months, PMGC/ELAB reported acquisitions in aerospace and defense manufacturing, growing backlog at AGA Precision, and regulatory progress such as ITAR registration. NorthStrive’s AI obesity program hit key milestones, including completion of Phase II using the MitoNova™ platform on Sep 04, 2025, which saw a -9.92% move. Today’s Phase III initiation continues that AI-driven pipeline development within a diversified, capital‑dependent holding structure.

Market Pulse Summary

The stock dropped -29.7% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite this Phase ...

Analysis

The stock dropped -29.7% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite this Phase III initiation fits prior patterns where earlier ‘clinical trial,AI’ announcements on Jun 17 and Sep 04, 2025 were followed by declines of -0.97% and -9.92%. The market may continue to focus on overhangs highlighted in recent SEC filings, including resale registrations, going‑concern disclosures, and reliance on external financing, which can overshadow incremental pipeline progress even when it advances the obesity and metabolic program.

Key Terms

machine-learning, mitochondrial function, mitochondrial biogenesis, small-molecule candidates, +3 more

7 terms

machine-learning technical

"applies proprietary machine-learning methods to identify candidates targeting"

Machine-learning is a type of computer software that improves its performance by finding patterns in data rather than following fixed rules. Think of it like a digital apprentice that gets better at tasks — such as spotting customer trends, predicting demand, or automating routine work — the more examples it sees. Investors care because machine-learning can boost revenue, cut costs, create competitive advantages, and introduce new risks tied to data quality and model errors.

mitochondrial function medical

"identify candidates targeting muscle preservation through improvements in mitochondrial function."

Mitochondrial function describes how well mitochondria — the cell’s tiny power plants — produce energy and keep cells healthy. Investors watch it because many drugs, diagnostics and safety tests target or rely on healthy mitochondria; changes in mitochondrial function can signal a treatment’s effectiveness, side effects, or a new market opportunity in diseases tied to energy failure. Think of it as a company’s engine performance indicator for biological systems.

mitochondrial biogenesis medical

"using an exclusive dataset on mitochondrial biogenesis, the AI prioritization focuses"

Mitochondrial biogenesis is the process by which cells increase the number and capacity of their mitochondria, the tiny “power plants” that generate the energy a cell needs to function. Investors should care because drugs or therapies that stimulate or impair this process can change disease outcomes, patient function and measurable biomarkers, making it a common target and indicator in clinical development and biotech valuations.

small-molecule candidates medical

"accelerate discovery on small-molecule candidates which may promote mitochondrial health"

Small-molecule candidates are drug compounds made from relatively simple, low‑weight chemicals that can enter cells and alter biological processes—think of them as the pill-sized prototypes of medicines. For investors, they matter because they represent potential products that, if they pass clinical trials and regulatory approval, can be manufactured and sold at scale; they therefore carry both upside from future sales and downside from development failure, like any prototype awaiting market success.

cytotoxicity screening medical

"generating biological data on these AI-selected compounds, including cytotoxicity screening"

Cytotoxicity screening is laboratory testing that checks whether a drug, chemical or product damages or kills living cells. Think of it like testing a new soap in a fish tank to see if it harms the fish — early tests reveal safety risks that could stop development or force design changes. Investors care because negative results can delay approvals, increase costs, or reduce a product’s market potential, while clean results lower safety risk.

GLP-1 receptor agonists medical

"importance in obesity treatment, particularly for patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists."

GLP-1 receptor agonists are medicines that mimic a natural gut hormone to lower blood sugar and reduce appetite, often used to treat diabetes and obesity. Investors care because these drugs can drive large prescription sales, face strict regulatory approval and patent timelines, and their safety, pricing, or label changes can meaningfully affect a drug maker’s revenue much like a bestselling product or a recalled item would impact any company’s financial outlook.

AI Development Program technical

"initiation of Phase III of its AI Development Program (“AI Development Program”) with"

An AI development program is a company's organized effort to design, test and deploy artificial intelligence tools or products, combining staff, data, computing resources and milestones much like a workshop building and refining a new machine. Investors care because these programs can create new revenue streams or cost savings if successful, but they also require ongoing spending, carry technology and regulatory risks, and affect how management allocates capital and growth expectations.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

• Phase III is intended to generate meaningful biological data on potential drug compounds prioritized by YuvaBio’s classifier, which applies proprietary machine-learning methods to identify candidates targeting muscle preservation through improvements in mitochondrial function.
• Experimental work designed to identify candidates that may upregulate ANT1, a key gene involved in metabolic function and muscle integrity.
• Phase III is expected to accelerate discovery on small-molecule candidates which may promote mitochondrial health and support muscle preservation: using an exclusive dataset on mitochondrial biogenesis, the AI prioritization focuses experimental testing on the most promising candidates, reducing the number of compounds advanced for subsequent development.
  

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthStrive Biosciences Inc. (“NorthStrive Biosciences”), a subsidiary of PMGC Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:ELAB) (“PMGC” or the “Company”), today announced the initiation of Phase III of its AI Development Program (“AI Development Program”) with Yuva Biosciences, Inc. (“YuvaBio”) under the Development and License Agreement ("Agreement") between the parties. Phase III will advance AI-driven compound identification in Phase II of the AI Development Program to experimental validation, marking a significant step towards advancing NorthStrive Biosciences’ pipeline of therapies addressing obesity and related metabolic conditions.

Phase III is intended to build on the results of Phase II, in which YuvaBio used its proprietary mitochondrial science-focused artificial intelligence platform, MitoNova™, to identify a shortlist of small-molecule candidates, prioritized through computational screening, with potential to promote mitochondrial health and support muscle preservation. This is a concern of growing importance in obesity treatment, particularly for patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists. YuvaBio will now begin generating biological data on these AI-selected compounds, including cytotoxicity screening and ANT1 expression testing at multiple timepoints. Phase III is expected to take approximately 6 to 9 weeks.

About Yuva Biosciences, Inc.

Yuva Biosciences, Inc. is a biotechnology company leveraging mitochondrial science and advanced artificial intelligence to identify and develop therapeutic candidates targeting aging-related and metabolic pathways. Its proprietary AI platform, MitoNova™, integrates biological, chemical, and mitochondrial-function datasets to accelerate the discovery of compounds with potential to improve cellular energy, metabolic health, and tissue function. YuvaBio is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.yuvabio.com.

About Northstrive Biosciences Inc.

Northstrive Biosciences Inc., a PMGC Holdings Inc. company, is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and acquisition of cutting-edge aesthetic medicines. Northstrive’s lead asset, EL-22, leverages an engineered probiotic approach to address obesity’s pressing issue of preserving muscle while on weight loss treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. For more information, please visit www.northstrivebio.com.

About PMGC Holdings Inc.

PMGC Holdings Inc. is a diversified holding company that manages and grows its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, investments, and development across various industries. Currently, our portfolio consists of four wholly owned subsidiaries: Northstrive Biosciences Inc., PMGC Capital LLC, Pacific Sun Packaging, Inc., and AGA Precision Systems LLC. We are committed to exploring opportunities in multiple sectors to maximize growth and value. For more information, please visit https://www.pmgcholdings.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” and “future” or similar expressions such as “look forward” are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, activities of regulators and future regulations and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described more fully in PMGC’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2025, and its other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

IR Contact:

IR@pmgcholdings.com

FAQ

What did NorthStrive Biosciences (ELAB) announce on December 17, 2025?

NorthStrive announced initiation of Phase III of its AI Development Program with YuvaBio to experimentally validate AI-prioritized small-molecule candidates.

How long is Phase III of NorthStrive's AI Development Program expected to take?

Phase III is expected to take approximately 6 to 9 weeks.

What biological tests will YuvaBio perform for ELAB's Phase III validation?

YuvaBio will perform cytotoxicity screening and ANT1 expression testing at multiple timepoints.

What AI platform is used to prioritize compounds in ELAB's program?

The program uses YuvaBio’s mitochondrial-focused AI platform, MitoNova™, to prioritize candidates.

What therapeutic focus does NorthStrive aim to address with these compounds (ELAB)?

The candidates aim to promote mitochondrial health and support muscle preservation, relevant to obesity and metabolic conditions.

How does Phase III change the discovery process for ELAB’s pipeline?

Phase III moves computationally prioritized compounds into lab validation, intended to accelerate discovery and reduce the number of compounds advanced.