OKYO Pharma announces share acquisition by Executive Chairman, Gabriele Cerrone, and updates on urcosimod trials for neuropathic corneal pain.
Quiver AI Summary
OKYO Pharma Limited has announced that Panetta Partners Limited, associated with Executive Chairman Gabriele Cerrone, has acquired 210,000 ordinary shares, increasing Cerrone's total holdings to over 10.3 million shares. The company is focused on developing urcosimod, a novel treatment for neuropathic corneal pain (NCP), a condition that currently lacks FDA-approved therapies. Urcosimod, formerly known as OK-101, is designed to provide anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects through its unique formulation and has demonstrated statistically significant results in recent clinical trials for both NCP and dry eye disease. OKYO Pharma is dedicated to innovating treatments for these ocular conditions and is currently progressing through clinical stages with its lead candidate, urcosimod.
Potential Positives
- Gabriele Cerrone, the Executive Chairman, increased his stake in the company by acquiring 210,000 shares, indicating strong personal confidence in OKYO Pharma's future potential.
- Urcosimod has shown clear statistical significance in multiple endpoints in a completed Phase 2 trial for dry eye disease, providing positive data for the company's lead product.
- The successful completion of a Phase 2 trial for neuropathic corneal pain positions OKYO to advance its drug candidate closer to potential market approval, potentially addressing an unmet medical need.
- OKYO's focus on developing innovative therapies for prevalent ocular conditions could enhance its market position and attract investor interest in the biopharmaceutical sector.
Potential Negatives
- The fact that the Executive Chairman has a significant personal stake in the company, having acquired 210,000 additional shares, may raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest in corporate governance and decision-making.
- Despite the positive trial results mentioned, the company has not indicated any immediate plans for FDA submission, which could suggest a prolonged timeline for bringing the product to market and potential financial implications.
- Although urcosimod shows promise in clinical trials, it remains in the Phase 2 stage, highlighting a lack of established market presence and potential uncertainties regarding its efficacy and safety in larger populations.
FAQ
What is urcosimod used for?
Urcosimod is developed to treat neuropathic corneal pain, an ocular condition linked to severe nerve-related pain.
Who is Gabriele Cerrone?
Gabriele Cerrone is the Executive Chairman of OKYO Pharma Limited and has a beneficial interest in Panetta Partners Limited.
What recent acquisition did OKYO Pharma announce?
OKYO Pharma announced that Panetta Partners Limited acquired 210,000 ordinary shares, increasing Cerrone's total holdings to over 10.3 million shares.
What technology is used to develop urcosimod?
Urcosimod is developed using membrane-anchored-peptide technology, creating a long-acting drug candidate for ocular diseases.
What were the results of the Phase 2 trial for urcosimod?
The Phase 2 trial for urcosimod showed statistical significance in multiple endpoints for treating neuropathic corneal pain.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$OKYO Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 3 institutional investors add shares of $OKYO stock to their portfolio, and 4 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- DAUNTLESS INVESTMENT GROUP, LLC added 747,000 shares (+37.6%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $1,919,789
- CITADEL ADVISORS LLC removed 27,404 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $70,428
- FNY INVESTMENT ADVISERS, LLC removed 20,000 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $51,400
- RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC removed 13,946 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $35,841
- WEALTH ENHANCEMENT ADVISORY SERVICES, LLC added 10,000 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $25,700
- UBS GROUP AG added 115 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $295
- CONTINUUM ADVISORY, LLC removed 50 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $128
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
$OKYO Analyst Ratings
Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $OKYO in the last several months. We have seen 1 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.
Here are some recent analyst ratings:
- HC Wainwright & Co. issued a "Buy" rating on 09/23/2025
To track analyst ratings and price targets for $OKYO, check out Quiver Quantitative's $OKYO forecast page.
Full Release
LONDON and NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OKYO Pharma Limited (NASDAQ: OKYO ), an ophthalmology-focused bio-pharmaceutical company which is developing urcosimod to treat neuropathic corneal pain (NCP), an ocular condition associated with chronic and often severe nerve-related pain but without an FDA-approved therapy, today announces it has been informed that Panetta Partners Limited, an entity in which Gabriele Cerrone, the Executive Chairman has a beneficial interest, has acquired 210,000 of the Company’s ordinary shares on NASDAQ, bringing his total holding to 10,382,677 shares.
About Urcosimod (Formerly called OK-101)
Urcosimod is a lipid conjugated chemerin peptide agonist of the ChemR23 G-protein coupled receptor which is typically found on immune cells of the eye responsible for the inflammatory response, as well as on neurons and glial cells in the dorsal root ganglion. Urcosimod was developed using a membrane-anchored-peptide technology to produce a novel long-acting drug candidate for treating ocular diseases. Urcosimod has been shown to produce anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing activities in mouse models of dry eye disease and corneal neuropathic pain, respectively, and is designed to combat washout through the inclusion of the lipid anchor built into the drug molecule to potentially enhance the efficacy of urcosimod within the ocular environment. Urcosimod showed clear statistical significance in multiple endpoints in a 240-patient completed Phase 2, multi-center, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial to treat dry eye disease, and just completed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked Phase 2 trial of urcosimod to treat neuropathic corneal pain.
About OKYO
OKYO Pharma Limited (NASDAQ: OKYO) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain and dry eye disease, with ordinary shares listed for trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market. OKYO is focused on the discovery and development of novel molecules to treat neuropathic corneal pain and dry eye disease. A Phase 2 trial of urcosimod to treat neuropathic corneal pain patients was just completed by OKYO.
For further information, please visit www.okyopharma.com .
Inquiries:
| Business Development & Investor Relations | Paul Spencer |
+44 (0)20 7495 2379
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