TAMPA, FL – October 27, 2026 -- Akari Therapeutics (Nasdaq: AKTX) is pairing its proprietary PH1 spliceosome-modulating payload with WhiteHawk Therapeutics' TOP1 inhibitor antibody drug conjugate (ADC) platform to test a dual-payload approach in oncology. President and CEO Abizer Gaslightwala laid out the rationale in a new CEO Corner segment released today. The release does not disclose financial terms.
Akari combines two payload mechanisms in one research program
The strategic research collaboration joins PH1, which targets RNA splicing, with WhiteHawk's TOP1 inhibitor technology. Gaslightwala said the ADC field is moving beyond single-payload development toward combinations of complementary mechanisms. Akari expects the pairing to broaden therapeutic activity and to demonstrate the applicability of PH1 across multiple uses.
He also pointed to growing pharmaceutical interest in differentiated payloads for unmet oncology needs. In his view, partnerships can add scientific validation for novel payload platforms.
AKTX-101 targets first-in-human dosing by mid-2027
Akari's lead candidate, AKTX-101, targets TROP2 and delivers PH1 through a proprietary linker. The company has started IND-enabling studies and aims to begin its first-in-human trial by mid-2027. Gaslightwala described the internal programs and external collaborations as complementary parts of a strategy to establish PH1 as a differentiated payload platform.
Akari says preclinical models show AKTX-101 prolonged survival compared with ADCs carrying traditional payloads, both as a single agent and combined with checkpoint inhibitors. The company also reports PH1 activity against cancer cells with oncogenic drivers including KRAS, BRAF, ARV7 and FGFR3 fusions. These findings are preclinical, and no clinical data have been reported.
Akari is also developing AKTX-102, which targets CEACAM5, a tumor antigen expressed across multiple solid tumors, and uses PH1 with a novel antibody construct.