Tampa, FL and London – October 29, 2026 -- Akari Therapeutics (Nasdaq: AKTX) has appointed Vatnak Vat-Ho as Chief Business Officer, adding an executive who has held senior roles in oncology transactions totaling more than $25 billion in aggregate value.
Vat-Ho will run corporate strategy, partnering, licensing and investor engagement
Vat-Ho will lead corporate and business development at the oncology biotech, which is developing antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) built on a novel RNA splicing-disrupting payload called PH1. His remit covers corporate strategy, partnering and licensing, and investor engagement as the company advances its lead TROP2-targeted ADC, AKTX-101, toward the clinic.
He brings more than 20 years of experience across oncology business development, biopharmaceutical strategy, equity research and healthcare investing. His transaction record involves Pfizer, Exelixis, BioNTech, Merck KGaA, Roivant and Roche/Genentech.
Recent ADC payload deals at Ryvu Therapeutics anchor his track record
As Chief Business Officer and Management Board member at Ryvu Therapeutics, Vat-Ho originated and closed a collaboration with Exelixis on a novel ADC payload. He also closed a multi-target immuno-oncology research collaboration with BioNTech. At Ryvu he additionally oversaw partnering and business development, U.S. investor relations, commercial development and alliance management.
Earlier, as Vice President of Business Development at Affimed, he originated and closed a multi-target license and discovery collaboration with Roivant. He also served as alliance manager for Affimed's partnerships, including Roche/Genentech.
Eight years at Pfizer Oncology included a $14 billion acquisition and an $850 million upfront deal
Vat-Ho spent eight years at Pfizer Oncology in business development and commercial development, rising to Senior Director and Team Lead, Strategy, Business Development & Alliances. His work there included the $14 billion acquisition of Medivation and the $850 million upfront avelumab collaboration with Merck KGaA, along with several strategic financing and out-licensing transactions. He began his career in equity research and healthcare investing at BMO Capital Markets and Broadfin Capital.
Akari targets partnerships alongside its wholly owned pipeline
Akari CEO Abizer Gaslightwala said the company sees an opportunity to create value through strategic partnerships as well as its wholly owned pipeline, and that Vat-Ho adds relationships and transaction experience to pursue it. Vat-Ho said the ADC field increasingly treats the payload as a key driver of differentiation and value. He cited PH1's differentiated mechanism of action, encouraging preclinical activity, potential immune activation and applicability across multiple tumor targets.
Akari has initiated IND-enabling studies for AKTX-101 and aims to start a first-in-human trial by mid-2027. The company is also developing AKTX-102, a CEACAM5-targeted ADC that uses the PH1 payload.