Access the Akari CEO Corner here TAMPA, Fla. and LONDON, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Akari Therapeutics, Plc (Nasdaq: AKTX), an oncology biotechnology company developing novel payloads for antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), today released a new CEO Corner segment featuring President and Chief Executive Officer Abizer Gaslightwala. In this segment, Abizer Gaslightwala, President and Chief Executive Officer of Akari Therapeutics, provides a corporate update highlighting the Company’s progress in 2025, key ...

In-person presentation on Tuesday, January 13th at 9:30 AM PT As part of the presentation, Mr. Gaslightwala will provide an overview of Akari’s ADC platform, strategic priorities and key milestones for 2026 TAMPA, Fla. and LONDON, Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Akari Therapeutics, Plc (Nasdaq: AKTX), an oncology biotechnology company developing antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with novel payloads, today announced that Abizer Gaslightwala, President and Chief Executive Officer of Akari Therapeutics will pr ...

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].

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics has announced promising preclinical data for its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) AKTX-101, which targets Trop2 and shows potential in treating K-Ras G12V mutated pancreatic cancer, a highly lethal form of cancer with low survival rates [1][6] Industry Overview - Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, with approximately 60,000 new diagnoses and around 50,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The most common type, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), has limited treatment options, especially for K-Ras G12V mutation-driven tumors [2][3] Current Treatment Landscape - The standard treatments for K-Ras G12V-driven PDAC, such as FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel, yield poor outcomes with overall survival rates of 1.5 years and 1.3 years, respectively. There is a significant unmet need for targeted therapies in this area [3][4] AKTX-101 Mechanism and Efficacy - AKTX-101 is designed to deliver a novel RNA spliceosome modulating payload, PH1, to cancer cells expressing Trop2. This mechanism disrupts RNA splicing, which is crucial for cancer cell survival and proliferation. The ADC has shown significant cytotoxic potency in preclinical models, outperforming other investigational therapies [4][5] Future Development Plans - The company plans to present the preclinical data at a scientific conference and is advancing AKTX-101 towards a first-in-human trial expected to start in late 2026, with preliminary safety and efficacy data anticipated in 2027 [7]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is focused on developing novel payloads for antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), specifically highlighting its innovative PH1 payload and its dual mechanism of action [1][3] - The company aims to advance differentiated therapies for oncology patients through its next-generation ADC discovery platform [1][3] Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is an oncology biotechnology company that specializes in next-generation spliceosome payload ADCs [3] - The company utilizes an innovative ADC discovery platform to generate and optimize ADC candidates for various targets [3] Product Innovation - The PH1 payload is a spliceosome modulator designed to disrupt RNA splicing in cancer cells, which has shown potential to induce cancer cell death and activate immune responses [3] - Preclinical studies of AKTX-101, an ADC utilizing the PH1 payload, have demonstrated significant activity and prolonged survival compared to traditional ADCs [3] - AKTX-101 has shown potential synergy with checkpoint inhibitors, exhibiting prolonged survival both as a single agent and in combination with these inhibitors [3]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics has appointed Kameel D. Farag as Interim Chief Financial Officer, bringing over 20 years of experience in biopharma and global finance [1][2][4] - The company is focused on developing novel antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) that utilize a unique spliceosome modulator payload, aiming to disrupt cancer cell survival [2][7] Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is an oncology biotechnology company specializing in next-generation spliceosome payload ADCs, with a platform capable of generating and optimizing ADC candidates for various targets [7] - The lead asset, AKTX-101, has shown significant preclinical activity and prolonged survival compared to traditional ADCs, with potential synergy with checkpoint inhibitors [7] Leadership Background - Kameel D. Farag previously served as CFO at Aspen Neuroscience, where he tripled the company's headcount and secured over $150 million in financing [4] - Farag has also held senior finance roles at Ionis Pharmaceuticals and Amgen, contributing to substantial revenue growth and operational improvements [4]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is presenting data on its novel antibody drug conjugate (ADC) payload, PH1, at the 40th Annual Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Meeting, highlighting its immune mechanism-of-action and potential in oncology [1][2] Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is focused on developing next-generation spliceosome payload ADCs, with its lead candidate, AKTX-101, targeting the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells [5][6] - The PH1 payload is designed to disrupt RNA splicing within cancer cells, showing preclinical efficacy in inducing cancer cell death and activating immune cells [5][6] Research Findings - The abstract presented at SITC indicates that the PH1 ADC, in combination with anti-PD-1, resulted in a higher rate of complete tumor regressions compared to a first-in-class ADC with a microtubule inhibitor payload [2] - The immune response stimulated by the PH1 ADC is attributed to neoantigen activation, which enhances the activity of antigen-presenting cells, B, and T-cells [2] - Notably, the combination of PH1 ADC and anti-PD-1 expanded the population of gamma-delta T cells, which are effective in tumor killing [2] Presentation Details - The oral and poster presentations will take place on November 7 and 9, 2025, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, with specific times and locations provided for attendees [3][4]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics is presenting new data on its novel antibody drug conjugate (ADC) payload, PH1, at the 40th Annual SITC Meeting, highlighting its immune mechanism-of-action and potential in oncology treatment [1][2]. Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is focused on developing next-generation spliceosome payload ADCs, with its lead candidate, AKTX-101, targeting the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells [5]. - The PH1 payload is a spliceosome modulator designed to disrupt RNA splicing in cancer cells, showing preclinical efficacy in inducing cancer cell death and activating immune responses [5]. Research Findings - The abstract presented at SITC indicates that the PH1 ADC, in combination with anti-PD-1, resulted in a higher rate of complete tumor regressions compared to a first-in-class ADC with a microtubule inhibitor payload [2]. - The immune response stimulated by the PH1 ADC involves neoantigen activation, antigen-presenting cells, and T-cell activation, leading to enhanced therapeutic potential [2]. Presentation Details - The oral and poster presentations will provide further insights into the findings, with specific sessions scheduled for November 7 and November 9, 2025 [3][4].

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics has launched a new platform called CEO Corner, aimed at providing deeper insights into the company's press releases, corporate developments, and pipeline progress [2][3] - The CEO Corner will allow stakeholders to ask questions and suggest topics for future discussions, enhancing engagement and transparency [1][2] Company Overview - Akari Therapeutics is focused on developing next-generation spliceosome payload antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) for oncology applications [4] - The company's lead candidate, AKTX-101, targets the Trop2 receptor on cancer cells and utilizes a proprietary linker to deliver a novel PH1 payload directly into tumors [4] - PH1 is designed to modulate RNA splicing within cancer cells, leading to cancer cell death and activation of immune responses, showing significant activity in preclinical studies compared to traditional ADCs [4] Product Development - AKTX-101 has demonstrated prolonged survival in preclinical models, both as a single agent and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors, indicating its potential for synergistic effects [4] - The company is actively generating validating data on the PH1 payload to further advance AKTX-101 and explore other undisclosed targets [4]

Core Insights - Akari Therapeutics has filed two new provisional patent applications with the USPTO, focusing on its novel immuno-oncology payload PH1 and its combination therapy with other immuno-oncology drugs [1][2][3] Patent Applications - The first patent application protects Akari's novel immuno-oncology payload PH1, which is a Thailanstatin analog, and its mechanism of action that activates the host immune system against cancer [1] - The second application covers a combination therapy of PH1 ADCs with other immuno-oncology drugs that alleviate checkpoint inhibition, demonstrating synergy in preclinical models [1][3] Strategic Goals - The patent filings are part of Akari's strategy to establish a new class of immuno-oncology ADC therapies, building on the success of checkpoint inhibitors [2] - The company aims to enhance its intellectual property estate to create long-term value for itself and potential partners [2] Clinical Implications - Akari's data suggest the potential for a new ADC paradigm targeting cancer through spliceosome modulation, which could improve clinical outcomes compared to existing therapies [4] - Checkpoint inhibitors currently benefit only 20-30% of patients, indicating a significant opportunity for Akari's innovative approach [4] Pipeline Development - Akari is expanding its ADC pipeline to include multiple targets, such as AKTX-101 (Trop2 ADC with PH1 payload) and future programs like AKTX-102 [5][6] - The lead candidate AKTX-101 has shown significant activity and prolonged survival in preclinical studies, with potential synergy with checkpoint inhibitors [6]