Tiziana Life Sciences plc To Expedite Development of its Fully Human Anti-Interleukin-6-Receptor Monoclonal Antibody, a Potential Treatment of Certain Patients Infected with Coronavirus COVID-19

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION 596/2014

Tiziana Life Sciences plc

("Tiziana" or the "Company")

New York/London, March 11, 2020 – Tiziana Life Sciences plc (Nasdaq: TLSA; AIM: TILS) ("Tiziana" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company focused on innovative therapeutics for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, announced today that it is expediting development of TZLS-501, a novel, fully human anti-interleukin-6 receptor (anti-IL6R) monoclonal antibody (mAb) for treatment of patients infected with coronavirus COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Tiziana plans to administer TZLS-501 using a proprietary formulation technology. The Company entered into a world-wide license for composition-of-matter of TZLS-501, a fully human mAb targeting IL-6R, with Novimmune, SA, a Swiss biotechnology company in 2017.

Certain patients infected with coronavirus COVID-19 may develop an uncontrolled immune response ("cytokine storm") resulting in severe damage to lung tissue which could lead to respiratory failure (see Note 1, below). Early clinical studies conducted by doctors in China suggest that anti-IL6R mAbs may be used in clinical practice for treatment of COVID-19. Consequently, China's National Health Commission has recommended the use of Roche's blockbuster drug, Actemra® for treatment of patients infected with COVID-19, with serious lung damage and elevated IL-6 levels. Actemra was first approved by the FDA in 2010 for rheumatoid arthritis. Besides Actemra®, Sanofi and Regeneron are currently exploring Kevzara®, an FDA-approved anti-IL-6 receptor therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, for treatment of severe COVID-19.