From Biotech to Banking: OpGen's Audacious Rebirth as CapForce Inc.

CLARKSBURG, MD – February 27, 2026 – In one of the most dramatic corporate transformations in recent memory, OpGen, Inc., a company once dedicated to fighting infectious diseases, has shed its medical identity to re-emerge as CapForce Inc. (OTC: OPGN). The name change, effective today, marks the culmination of a strategic pivot that swaps molecular diagnostics for digital investment banking, a high-stakes gamble that sees the firm trading laboratory work for the complex world of high finance.

The company announced its new identity, CapForce, is meant to represent the “Force of Capital,” signaling its new mission as a “next-generation fintech-powered investment bank.” The firm intends to change its ticker symbol to “CFOR” to reflect this new direction, severing its last public tie to a past that now seems worlds away.

A Radical Corporate Reinvention

Until recently, OpGen was a precision medicine company battling the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Headquartered in Maryland, its work involved developing and commercializing sophisticated molecular microbiology solutions like the Unyvero system and the Acuitas AMR Gene Panel. These tools used genomics and AI-powered bioinformatics to provide rapid pathogen identification, aiming to guide doctors in prescribing effective antibiotics and tracking potential outbreaks. The company even collaborated with pharmaceutical giant Merck on its mission.

However, the path of a small-cap diagnostics firm is often fraught with financial peril. Despite a 52% revenue increase in 2024 to $5.2 million, driven largely by new listing sponsorship services rather than its core products, the company's financial health was precarious. Revenue from its primary business lines had declined, and a Q1 2025 report showed total revenue dropping to zero. The company's stock, delisted from Nasdaq and trading on the OTC markets, experienced extreme volatility, soaring in 2025 after a dismal 2024 performance.

The seeds for this radical transformation were sown in 2024 with a series of leadership and ownership changes. The transition began with David Lazar acquiring a stake and becoming CEO, but the pivotal moment came in July 2024 when his stake was sold to AEI Capital Ltd. By August 2024, John Tan Honjian, the CEO of AEI Capital, had taken the helm as CEO and Chairman of OpGen, setting the stage for a complete overhaul of the company's purpose and strategy.

The “Force of Capital” Strategy

CapForce Inc. is entering a fiercely competitive arena with a clear, ambitious strategy: to serve what it identifies as a globally underserved market. The company will now focus on providing fintech-enabled digital investment banking services for high-growth, mid-sized private companies, specifically those with listing market capitalization values between $1 billion and $10 billion. The firm’s leadership believes this segment is often overlooked by bulge-bracket investment banks, creating a lucrative niche for a more agile, technology-driven player.

Technology is the cornerstone of this new identity. CapForce plans to build an integrated digital ecosystem, including a platform for cross-border securities activities, AI-powered robo-advisory services, and advanced capitalization table management solutions. This tech-first approach is designed to empower mid-cap companies, helping them “punch above their weight” and access capital markets more efficiently.

To jumpstart these capabilities, the company acquired iCapX Sdn. Bhd., a Malaysian fintech platform specializing in cap table management and corporate advisory, in December 2025. This acquisition provides an immediate technological and operational foundation for its ambitious plans, integrating a key service offering directly into the new CapForce portfolio.

The Power Behind the Pivot: AEI Capital's Grand Design

The driving force behind this metamorphosis is AEI Capital Group, CapForce's controlling shareholder. AEI is a formidable Asia-based alternative asset management group with a global footprint and over $7 billion in assets under management. Its core focus on global growth equity, combined with strategies in private credit, hedge funds, and real estate, provides a powerful financial and strategic backstop for the new venture.

With offices in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, London, and Washington D.C., AEI's international presence aligns perfectly with CapForce's ambition to serve a global clientele. The repositioning of OpGen should not be viewed as the desperate act of a failing company, but rather as a calculated, strategic move by AEI Capital to build a new pillar in the rapidly evolving digital finance landscape. By taking control of a publicly traded shell and infusing it with a new, high-tech mission, AEI is effectively launching a fintech investment bank with direct access to public markets, a maneuver that bypasses many of the hurdles a typical startup would face.

Navigating a Crowded and Regulated Field

While the vision is compelling, the path forward for CapForce is lined with significant challenges. The company enters a market populated by established boutique investment banks that have long-standing relationships in the mid-market, as well as a growing number of nimble fintech startups offering their own disruptive solutions. CapForce is betting that its unique combination of an AI-driven platform, a focus on the specific $1 billion to $10 billion valuation segment, and the powerful backing of AEI Capital will be its key differentiators.

Furthermore, the regulatory landscape for fintech, AI-powered financial advice, and cross-border securities is complex and constantly shifting. Operating across jurisdictions from the United States to Asia and Europe will require navigating a maze of rules set by bodies like the SEC, the UK's FCA, and Singapore's MAS. The company itself acknowledges these risks in its forward-looking statements, noting that the timing and implementation of its initiatives are subject to market conditions and regulatory approvals.

The transition from developing life-saving medical diagnostics to facilitating billion-dollar capital market transactions is a profound one. The market will be watching closely to see if CapForce can successfully execute this audacious pivot and prove that the “Force of Capital” is strong enough to forge a new legacy from the ashes of the old one.