Akari Therapeutics has filed a new US provisional patent covering AKTX-102, its second antibody drug conjugate targeting CEACAM5, a solid tumour marker expressed across several high‑unmet‑need cancers.
The company said the filing marks a significant expansion of its next‑generation ADC pipeline, which is built around its proprietary PH1 spliceosome‑modulating payload.
CEACAM5 is present in 80–90% of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal and pancreatic tumours, as well as around 30% of bladder cancers, 25% of lung adenocarcinomas and up to 50% of luminal A breast cancers. Its expression has also been associated with aggressive genetic subtypes such as KRAS‑mutated lung cancer.
AKTX‑102 combines a novel CEACAM5‑targeting antibody with the PH1 payload, designed to deliver potent tumour cell killing while activating innate and adaptive immune responses. The company describes the candidate as first‑in‑class.
Abizer Gaslightwala, President and Chief Executive Officer of Akari Therapeutics, said: “This patent filing marks another important step in expanding Akari’s differentiated ADC platform and rapidly growing pipeline. AKTX-102 builds on our deep and unique insights into CEACAM5 tumor biology and we believe demonstrates the versatility of our PH1 payload and our antibody expertise to unlock previously intractable targets.
“We believe PH1 can serve as the foundation for a pipeline of novel ADCs, and this program highlights our innovation on novel payloads for ADCs as well as with tumor antigen biology and antibody engineering to build best-in-class ADCs.”
Mr Gaslightwala added: “With AKTX-102, we aim to improve cytotoxic efficacy while harnessing PH1’s unique properties, including innate and adaptive immune activation and activity against KRAS-mutated cancers. We look forward to sharing additional progress as we continue to advance this exciting program.”
The new patent extends protection to AKTX‑102 and introduces composition‑of‑matter claims for novel antibody and ADC designs. It builds on Akari’s PH1 payload patent family and its lead clinical programme AKTX‑101, creating what the company describes as a layered and expanding patent moat.
Akari continues to progress AKTX‑101 toward IND/CTA submission and first‑in‑human studies while broadening its portfolio of PH1‑enabled ADCs.
