Recognized expert in cancer biology, RNA biology and translational therapeutics with 20 years of experience in preclinical oncology drug discovery and developmentTAMPA, Fla. and LONDON, Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Akari Therapeutics, Plc (Nasdaq: AKTX), an oncology biotechnology company developing antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with novel immuno-oncology payloads, today announced the appointment of Prafulla Gokhale, Ph.D., Director of the Experimental Therapeutics Core and the Lurie Family Imaging Ce ...

Core Viewpoint - Akari Therapeutics has appointed Dr. Olga Anczukow to its Scientific Advisory Board, enhancing its expertise in RNA biology and cancer research, which is crucial for the development of next-generation therapeutics [1][2][4] Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is an oncology biotechnology company focused on developing antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with a unique payload, PH1, that targets RNA splicing in cancer cells [9] - The lead candidate, AKTX-101, targets the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells and utilizes a proprietary linker to deliver the PH1 payload directly into tumors, minimizing off-target effects [9] - AKTX-101 has shown significant activity in preclinical studies, demonstrating prolonged survival compared to traditional ADCs and potential synergy with checkpoint inhibitors [9] Dr. Olga Anczukow's Background - Dr. Anczukow is a recognized leader in RNA biology and cancer research, currently serving as an Associate Professor at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and a Co-Program Leader at the NCI-designated Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center [4][6] - Her research focuses on alternative RNA splicing and its misregulation in cancer, contributing to tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance [4][6] - Dr. Anczukow's previous work includes significant contributions to understanding breast cancer genetics and the role of RNA splicing in cancer biology [5][6] Research and Development Focus - The company aims to leverage Dr. Anczukow's expertise to shape research strategy and evaluate emerging scientific opportunities, particularly in RNA-targeted treatments [2][4] - Akari's innovative ADC discovery platform allows for the generation and optimization of ADC candidates tailored to specific antigen targets [9] - The ongoing research at The Jackson Laboratory integrates various methodologies to investigate how cancer cells adapt their splicing programs to survive and evade therapy [6]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is set to present at the 2026 Biocom Global Partnering & Investor Conference, highlighting its focus on oncology biotechnology and antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with novel immuno-oncology payloads [1][2]. Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics specializes in developing next-generation ADCs, particularly focusing on a unique payload, PH1, which targets RNA splicing [3]. - The lead candidate, AKTX-101, targets the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells and utilizes a proprietary linker to deliver the PH1 payload directly into tumors, minimizing off-target effects [3]. - PH1 is a spliceosome modulator designed to disrupt RNA splicing in cancer cells, showing potential to induce cancer cell death while activating both innate and adaptive immune responses [3]. - Preclinical studies indicate that AKTX-101 has significant activity and prolonged survival compared to traditional ADCs, with potential synergy when combined with checkpoint inhibitors [3]. - The company has initiated IND enabling studies for AKTX-101, aiming to start its First-In-Human trial by late 2026 or early 2027 [3]. - Akari is also developing AKTX-102, targeting CEACAM5, a tumor antigen expressed in various solid tumors, leveraging the PH1 payload for enhanced tumor cell killing and immune activation [3].

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is expanding its antibody drug conjugate (ADC) pipeline and intellectual property strategy, as discussed by CEO Abizer Gaslightwala in a recent virtual investor interview [2][4] - The company is advancing its lead ADC program, AKTX-101, towards Investigational New Drug (IND) and Clinical Trial Application (CTA) submissions, aiming for first-in-human studies by late 2026 or early 2027 [4][6] ADC Pipeline Expansion - Akari has introduced AKTX-102, its second ADC candidate targeting CEACAM5-expressing solid tumors, highlighting the scalability of its PH1-powered ADC platform [3][4] - The company’s differentiated approach to CEACAM5 involves a novel antibody construct combined with the PH1 spliceosome-modulating payload [4] Intellectual Property Strategy - The recent patent filing is a significant milestone that supports Akari's long-term value creation and potential partnering opportunities [3][4] - The growing patent estate is strategically important for the company as it seeks to enhance its market position and protect its innovations [4] Lead Program Details - AKTX-101 targets the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells and utilizes a proprietary linker to deliver the PH1 payload directly into tumors, minimizing off-target effects [6] - Preclinical studies indicate that AKTX-101 has significant activity and prolonged survival compared to traditional ADCs, with potential synergy with checkpoint inhibitors [6]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is expanding its antibody drug conjugate (ADC) pipeline and intellectual property strategy, as discussed by CEO Abizer Gaslightwala in a recent virtual investor interview [2][4] - The company is advancing its lead ADC program, AKTX-101, towards IND and CTA submissions, aiming for first-in-human studies by late 2026 or early 2027 [4][6] ADC Pipeline Expansion - Akari has introduced AKTX-102, its second ADC candidate targeting CEACAM5-expressing solid tumors, highlighting the scalability of its PH1-powered ADC platform [3][4] - The company’s differentiated approach to CEACAM5 involves a novel antibody construct combined with the PH1 spliceosome-modulating payload [4] Intellectual Property Strategy - The recent patent filing underscores the strategic importance of Akari's growing patent estate, which supports long-term value creation and potential partnering opportunities [4] - The company aims to leverage its innovative ADC discovery platform to generate and optimize ADC candidates for various antigen targets [6] Lead Program Details - AKTX-101 targets the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells, utilizing a proprietary linker to deliver the PH1 payload directly into tumors with minimal off-target effects [6] - Preclinical studies indicate that AKTX-101 has significant activity and prolonged survival compared to traditional ADCs, with potential synergy with checkpoint inhibitors [6]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is expanding its pipeline with a new ADC candidate, AKTX-102, targeting CEACAM5, a significant solid tumor marker in oncology [1][3] - The company has filed a U.S. provisional patent application for AKTX-102, which utilizes a proprietary PH1 spliceosome payload to enhance therapeutic efficacy [1][5] Pipeline and Product Development - AKTX-102 is designed to address CEACAM5, which is expressed in 80-90% of gastrointestinal cancers and has been linked to aggressive cancer subtypes [2][4] - The ADC combines a novel antibody construct with the PH1 payload, aiming to improve tumor cell killing and activate immune responses [3][4] Intellectual Property and Innovation - The new patent filing enhances Akari's intellectual property portfolio, which includes previous filings focused on novel mechanisms and combination strategies [5][6] - Akari's patent estate is expected to support the development of multiple first- and best-in-class ADC candidates across various cancer targets [6] Market Opportunity and Challenges - CEACAM5 has been a challenging target in oncology due to its complex biology, but Akari's approach aims to overcome these hurdles [7][8] - The company’s strategy includes addressing CEACAM5's role as an immunosuppressive checkpoint, which has historically limited therapeutic success [8][9] Clinical Development and Future Plans - Akari is advancing its lead program, AKTX-101, towards IND/CTA submission and first-in-human trials, with a goal to initiate by late 2026 or early 2027 [10][13] - The company is also pursuing partnerships to leverage its unique PH1 payload and ADC approach [13]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is progressing towards becoming a clinical-stage oncology company in 2026, with significant milestones achieved in 2025 [3][4] - The company is developing a novel payload, PH1, for its antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which has shown promising preclinical efficacy and safety [4][6] - Akari's lead candidate, AKTX-101, targets the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells and has demonstrated significant activity and prolonged survival in preclinical studies [6] Company Developments - In 2025, Akari established a strategic manufacturing partnership with WuXi Biologics to support clinical readiness [4] - The company plans to initiate its First-in-Human clinical trial for AKTX-101 by late 2026 or early 2027 [6] - Akari is also advancing another ADC candidate, AKTX-102, targeting a novel antigen relevant in gastrointestinal and lung cancers [6] Scientific Innovations - The PH1 payload is designed to disrupt RNA splicing within cancer cells, leading to cancer cell death while activating the immune system [6] - AKTX-101 has the potential for synergy with checkpoint inhibitors, showing prolonged survival both as a single agent and in combination therapies [6] - The PH1 payload has demonstrated activity against cancer cells with key oncogenic drivers such as KRAS, BRAF, and ARV7 [6]

Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is an oncology biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with a unique payload, PH1, which targets RNA splicing [3] - The company's lead candidate, AKTX-101, targets the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells and utilizes a proprietary linker to deliver the PH1 payload directly into tumors with minimal off-target effects [3] - AKTX-101 has shown significant activity and prolonged survival in preclinical studies compared to traditional ADCs, and it has the potential to be synergistic with checkpoint inhibitors [3] Strategic Priorities - Akari Therapeutics aims to initiate IND enabling studies for AKTX-101, with a goal of starting its First-In-Human trial by late 2026 or early 2027 [3] - The company is also advancing AKTX-102, an ADC targeting a novel antigen relevant in gastrointestinal and lung cancers [3] Upcoming Presentation - Abizer Gaslightwala, President and CEO of Akari Therapeutics, will present at the 2026 Biotech Showcase on January 13, 2026, at 9:30 AM PST [1][2] - The presentation will cover an overview of Akari's ADC platform, strategic priorities, and key milestones for 2026 [1]

Core Viewpoint - Akari Therapeutics has made significant progress in 2025 towards developing best-in-class antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with a novel payload, positioning the company for a pivotal year ahead in 2026 [1][12]. Group 1: Scientific Advancements - Akari has established a clear scientific roadmap focused on its proprietary PH1 payload, which is designed to overcome limitations of existing ADC payloads by directly killing cancer cells and engaging the immune system [2][4]. - The lead program, AKTX-101, is a Trop2 targeted ADC that utilizes the PH1 payload and has shown significant preclinical activity against various cancers, including pancreatic and prostate cancers [6][17]. - The partnership with WuXi XDC for GMP-grade clinical product manufacturing is a critical milestone that supports the upcoming Phase 1 clinical trials for AKTX-101 [4][7]. Group 2: Intellectual Property and Engagement - Akari has strengthened its intellectual property portfolio with new provisional patent filings related to the PH1 payload, enhancing the value of its ADC platform [8]. - Promising immuno-oncology data was presented at the Society for Immunotherapy Cancer (SITC), generating enthusiasm among researchers and scientists regarding the unique approach of splicing modulation via the PH1 payload [9]. Group 3: Operational and Financial Strategy - The company has taken steps to strengthen its operating model and capital discipline, enabling R&D milestones and key patent filings while reducing operating expenses post-merger [11]. - Akari is positioned to pursue additional financing and partnership opportunities with strategic investors and pharmaceutical companies, leveraging upcoming catalysts and milestones with AKTX-101 [11]. Group 4: Future Outlook - 2026 is anticipated to be a transformational year for Akari, with key milestones including the initiation of Phase 1 clinical studies, regulatory interactions with the FDA, and continued partnership discussions [12][15]. - The transition from a preclinical discovery company to a clinical-focused biotechnology player is expected to enhance visibility and investor interest [13][14].

Core Viewpoint - Akari Therapeutics has announced a definitive agreement for the issuance and sale of approximately 12.6 million American Depositary Shares (ADSs) and unregistered warrants, with significant participation from its Directors, Officers, and Executive Management, aimed at supporting its oncology drug development initiatives and improving its capital structure [1][4][6]. Group 1: Offering Details - The offering includes 10,043,774 ADSs in a registered direct offering priced at $0.3883 per ADS, along with unregistered Series G warrants [3]. - A concurrent private placement will issue unregistered pre-funded warrants for 2,563,713 ADSs at a combined price of $0.4041 per ADS [3]. - The gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be around $5 million, with over $1 million coming from new cash investments by the Company's Directors, Officers, and Executive Management [4]. Group 2: Use of Proceeds - The net proceeds from the offering will be utilized for ongoing research and development, working capital, and general corporate purposes [4]. Group 3: Debt Conversion - Existing note holders have agreed to convert approximately $2.5 million of the Company's outstanding debt into unregistered pre-funded warrants and warrants to purchase 6,409,410 ADSs at a combined exchange price of $0.4041 per ADS [5]. Group 4: Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is focused on developing next-generation spliceosome payload antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), with its lead candidate AKTX-101 targeting the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells [10]. - The novel payload PH1 is designed to disrupt RNA splicing within cancer cells, showing significant activity and prolonged survival in preclinical studies compared to traditional ADCs [10].