LONDON, Ontario, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. ("Aduro" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: ADUR) (CSE: ACT) (FSE: 9D5), a clean technology company using the power of chemistry to transform lower value feedstocks, like waste plastics, heavy bitumen, and renewable oils, into resources for the 21^st century, today announced that initial operating campaigns are now underway at its Next Generation Process ("NGP") Pilot Plant in London, Ontario.

Highlights

Transition to Operations – The NGP Pilot Plant has transitioned into initial operating campaigns and directly supporting the Company's commercial scale-up through planned campaigns for ongoing research, customer engagement, and feedstock qualification.
Operational Readiness – Operations and technical teams have completed training and are gaining significant knowhow in controlling, trouble shooting and hands-on experience on industrial like process to support next-scale execution.
FOAK Advancing – Development of the First-of-a-Kind ("FOAK") facility is progressing alongside Pilot Plant operations, with site selection completed and equipment evaluation underway to inform design and long-lead procurement planning.
On-schedule Progression – The NGP Pilot Plant is performing to expectations, and initial campaigns are consistent with planned trials.
Data-driven Validation – Aduro is well positioned to generate supportive operational and environmental performance data to support and advance its commercialization program.

Since the Company's last commissioning update in October 2025, and following the conclusion of installation, mechanical completion, and system integration completed in December 2025, the Company has concluded commissioning close-out activities across all major systems, including process, utilities, automation, and safety systems. With initial operating campaigns underway, the facility has now shifted from project execution to operations.

The NGP Pilot Plant is functioning as an integrated process unit, supporting continuous operation and structured campaigns focused on learning, data generation, and optimization. These activities are intended to refine operating windows, assess process stability, and generate performance data under longer-duration, fully integrated Pilot Plant conditions. Feedstocks evaluated during these ongoing and planned campaigns will reflect materials supplied through customer engagement programs and other real-world sources, enabling Aduro to assess performance across a range of feedstock compositions representative of anticipated commercial conditions.

The NGP Pilot Plant represents the critical technical bridge between laboratory development and the Company's FOAK industrial plant within Aduro's structured scale-up pathway. Aduro is actively advancing FOAK development activities, with site selection completed and equipment evaluation and testing progressing to inform design decisions and prepare for long-lead procurement. Data generated through ongoing NGP Pilot Plant operations will feed directly into detailed engineering, equipment specification, and execution planning for the FOAK facility.

The NGP Pilot Plant operates with an industrial-grade automation and controls architecture supplied by Siemens, supporting repeatable operation, high-resolution data collection, and direct translation of control strategies to larger-scale facilities. To support the transition to operating campaigns Aduro has also expanded its operations and technical teams and completed a structured training program for all Pilot Plant operators covering process operation, automation and control systems, safety procedures, and abnormal operating condition response—establishing full operational readiness for sustained longer-duration testing programs.

"This milestone reflects disciplined execution across our engineering, operations, and project delivery teams," said Ofer Vicus, Chief Executive Officer at Aduro. "With the NGP Pilot Plant now in structured test operations, it becomes a significant asset advancing our path to commercialization and deepening stakeholder engagement. The FOAK facility site has been selected, and the work underway in London will directly inform design and integration planning and strengthen the Company's readiness to execute the next phase of scale-up."

"Post commissioning, our focus has shifted to operating the integrated system and learning from it," said David Weizenbach, Chief Operating Officer at Aduro. "The NGP Pilot Plant extends the work completed in the R2 continuous flow reactor, enabling us to evaluate mixed waste plastic samples from customer programs and other real-world sources under longer-durations, and more integrated operating conditions. These campaigns are designed to refine operating parameters for optimal yield and consistent performance across variable feedstocks, while validating design assumptions for the FOAK Industrial Plant."

About Aduro Clean Technologies

Aduro Clean Technologies is a developer of patented water-based technologies to chemically recycle waste plastics; convert heavy crude and bitumen into lighter, more valuable oil; and transform renewable oils into higher-value fuels or renewable chemicals. The Company's Hydrochemolytic™ technology relies on water as a critical agent in a chemistry platform that operates at relatively low temperatures and cost, a game-changing approach that converts low-value feedstocks into resources for the 21st century.

For further information, please contact:

Abe Dyck, Head of Corporate Development / Investor Relations

ir@adurocleantech.com

+1 226 784 8889

KCSA Strategic Communications

Jack Perkins, Senior Vice President

aduro@kcsa.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws, including the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that the Company plans, expects, intends, anticipates, or believes will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the advancement and scale-up of the Company's Hydrochemolytic™ Technology, ongoing and future operating campaigns at the Pilot Plant, the scope and outcomes of testing and experimentation activities, the generation and use of operating data, the development and planning of a First-of-a-Kind or demonstration-scale facility, commercialization pathways, and future partnerships or offtake arrangements.

Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, assumptions regarding sustained and stable operation of the Pilot Plant, the ability to generate decision-grade operating data, the availability of skilled personnel and engineering resources, the supply of feedstock at anticipated cost and quality, continued intellectual property protection, market demand for recycled hydrocarbons, access to capital on acceptable terms, and the regulatory environment applicable to chemical recycling and related technologies. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, technical or operational challenges, delays in scale-up or engineering activities, changes in project scope, fluctuations in oil prices and petrochemical markets, changes in environmental or chemical regulations, supply chain disruptions, difficulties in securing partnerships or offtake arrangements, competitive pressures from alternative technologies, and other risks described in the Company's public disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Aduro undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

Aduro Pilot Plant Operating Campaigns

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/625910e7-865b-426e-91dd-1bd33b342f86

Aduro Clean Technologies Achieves Key Milestone with NGP Pilot Plant Transitioning to Operating Campaigns