Patent Allowance Strengthens Intellectual Property Position in Advanced Battery and Dual-Use Energy Storage Materials

Ottawa, Ontario - Newsfile Corp. - January 26, 2026 - Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV: FMS) (OTCQB: FCSMF) (FSE: FKC0) ("Focus" or the "Company"), a leading developer of high-grade flake graphite deposits and advanced graphite materials for battery, defence, and industrial applications, is pleased to announce that the Canadian Intellectual Property Office ("CIPO") has allowed the Company's Canadian patent application No. 3,209,696, entitled "Advanced Anode Materials Comprising Spheroidal Additive-Enhanced Graphite Particles and Process for Making Same" (the "Patent"). The allowance confirms that the Canadian Intellectual Property Office has completed its substantive examination and determined that the Patent claims meet all Canadian requirements for patentability, including novelty and inventiveness. Subject to the completion of final administrative steps, the Patent is expected to proceed to formal grant. The allowed Patent covers proprietary processes and compositions for silicon-enhanced, spheroidal graphite particles, designed to improve performance characteristics critical to lithium-ion battery anodes, including energy density, charge efficiency, and cycling stability, by incorporating silicon within the graphite particle architecture while leveraging graphite's structural stability and conductivity. Silicon is widely recognized as a key material in next-generation battery anodes due to its significantly higher theoretical energy storage capacity relative to conventional graphite. By distributing silicon within the graphite structure, the technology is intended to address two fundamental challenges associated with silicon-enhanced anodes: charge-induced volume expansion and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) instability. Embedding silicon within a graphite matrix is expected to help buffer volumetric expansion during cycling, supporting improved mechanical integrity, while the surrounding graphite structure may reduce direct silicon-electrolyte interactions, contributing to enhanced cycling stability and battery longevity. In addition to commercial battery markets, the Company believes these performance attributes are relevant to a range of dual-use applications, including defence, aerospace, and other mission-critical systems, where energy density, durability, and operational reliability are essential. Advanced anode materials capable of maintaining stable performance under demanding operating conditions are increasingly viewed as strategically important across both civilian electrification and national security-related energy storage applications. Dean Hanisch, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Graphite, commented, "The allowance of this Patent represents the culmination of years of focused research and development. The underlying technology was shaped under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Doninger, whose deep technical insight and commitment to innovation were instrumental to its success, and we are grateful for the work he contributed. With the Patent now allowed, we are well positioned to move forward with broader testing and advancement of this technology as part of our downstream strategy." The allowance of this patent also aligns with growing North American and allied-nation priorities to establish secure, non-adversarial sources of battery materials, as governments and industry increasingly recognize the strategic risks associated with reliance on foreign-controlled supply chains. Graphite represents the largest material component of a lithium-ion battery by weight, and intellectual property protecting advanced anode materials is expected to play an important role in supporting domestic manufacturing, energy security, and defence-aligned and dual-use supply chains serving both civilian and national security priorities. Focus Graphite continues to advance its graphite assets and technology initiatives as part of its broader strategy to support North American battery, energy storage, electrification, and advanced industrial markets, while building a differentiated portfolio that spans resource development and value-added downstream innovation. Further updates will be provided as the Patent progresses to formal issuance and as the Company advances related technical and commercial initiatives. In Memoriam - Dr. Joseph. E. Doninger The Company also notes with deep respect the recent passing of Dr. Joseph E. Doninger, who was one of the inventors of the allowed patent and a key contributor to the development of the underlying technology. Dr. Doninger served as Vice President of Manufacturing and Technology at Focus and played an instrumental role in shaping the Company's downstream and advanced materials strategy. Dr. Doninger earned his B.A. from the University of Illinois and completed his Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Northwestern University, beginning a distinguished career...