BOSTON and LONDON, June 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Akari Therapeutics Plc (Nasdaq: AKTX), an innovative biotechnology company advancing therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, today announced the successful initial closing of a private placement financing round. This transaction is expected to raise an aggregate of approximately $7.6 million in gross proceeds from both new and existing investors.

"We are pleased to announce this financing for Akari Therapeutics," said Samir R. Patel, MD, Interim President and CEO of Akari Therapeutics. "The overwhelming interest from investors allowed the company to upsize the transaction to $7.6 million and highlights the excitement surrounding our science and the strategic direction of the company, and our merger with Peak Bio, which we expect to close in the third quarter of 2024."

The majority of the private placement financing was supported by new investors, with continued support from certain existing investors, led by Akari's Chairman, Dr. Ray Prudo, and Interim President and CEO, Samir R. Patel, MD, underscoring their strong confidence in the company's future. "I believe investors share our enthusiasm for the Akari-Peak go-forward strategy and combined scientific potential. The financing supports investors' belief in our strategic vision and the future of our combined companies and the management team," added Dr. Patel.

The company entered into a definitive agreement for the private placement with the investors on May 29, 2024, pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell and issue an aggregate of 4,029,754 unregistered American Depository Shares ("ADSs"), each representing 2,000 of the Company's ordinary shares, and Series C Warrants (the "warrants") to purchase up to 4,029,754 ADSs, at a per unit price of $1.885 per ADS and warrant. The warrants have a term of 3 years from the closing date of the private placement and have cashless exercise provisions. The warrants (other than those issued to Dr. Ray Prudo and Samir R. Patel, M.D.) have an exercise price of $1.76 per ADS, which is equal to the Nasdaq official closing price of the Company's ADSs on the Nasdaq Capital Market on May 29, 2024. The warrants issued to Dr. Ray Prudo and Samir R. Patel, M.D., have an exercise price of $1.79 per ADS, which is equal to the price at which the Company's ADSs were last sold on the Nasdaq Capital Market on May 29, 2024.

In connection with the initial closing of the private placement on May 31, 2024, the Company received gross proceeds of approximately $7.2 million, and issued 3,817,553 unregistered ADSs and warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 3,817,553 ADSs. The remaining 212,201 ADSs and warrants to purchase up to 212,201 ADSs are expected to be issued and sold by the Company within 90 days of May 31, 2024, subject to receipt of payment related thereto.

Paulson Investment Company LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent for the financing.

The securities described above were offered and sold in a private placement under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act") and Regulation D promulgated thereunder and have not been registered under the Act or state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of, or offer to sell or buy, securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication is for informational purposes only. No offering of securities shall be made, except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

About Akari Therapeutics

Akari Therapeutics Plc (Nasdaq: AKTX) is dedicated to developing advanced therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The company's lead asset, investigational nomacopan, is a bispecific recombinant inhibitor of complement C5 activation and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) activity. Akari also conducts pre-clinical research on long-acting PAS-nomacopan in geographic atrophy (GA). For more information, visit akaritx.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication includes express or implied forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), about the private placement, including the receipt of proceeds related thereto, and the proposed transaction between Peak Bio and Akari and the operations of the combined company that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Akari and Peak Bio. Actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Words such as "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "continue," "future," "opportunity" "will likely result," "target," variations of such words, and similar expressions or negatives of these words are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding: the business combination and related matters, including, but not limited to, satisfaction of closing conditions to the proposed transaction, prospective performance and opportunities with respect to Akari or Peak Bio, post-closing operations and the outlook for the companies' businesses; Akari's, Peak Bio's or the combined company's targets, plans, objectives or goals for future operations, including those related to Akari's and Peak Bio's product candidates, research and development, product candidate introductions and product candidate approvals as well as cooperation in relation thereto; projections of or targets for revenues, costs, income (or loss), earnings per share, capital expenditures, dividends, capital structure, net financials and other financial measures; future economic performance, future actions and outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings; and the assumptions underlying or relating to such statements.

These statements are based on Akari's current plans, estimates and projections. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific. A number of important factors, including those described in this communication, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect future results and may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate include, without limitation: uncertainties as to the timing for completion of the proposed transaction; uncertainties as to Peak Bio's and/or Akari's ability to obtain the approval of Akari's shareholders or Peak Bio's stockholders required to consummate the proposed transaction; the possibility that competing offers will be made by third parties; the occurrence of events that may give rise to a right of one or both of Akari and Peak Bio to terminate the merger agreement; the possibility that various closing conditions for the proposed transaction may not be satisfied or waived on a timely basis or at all, including the possibility that a governmental entity may prohibit, delay, or refuse to grant approval, if required, for the consummation of the proposed transaction (or only grant approval subject to adverse conditions or limitations); the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of consents or regulatory approvals or actions, if any; the possibility that the proposed transaction may not be completed in the time frame expected, or at all; the risk that Akari may not realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction in the time frame expected, or at all; the effects of the proposed transaction on relationships with Akari's or Peak Bio's employees, business or collaboration partners or governmental entities; the ability to retain and hire key personnel; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction; significant or unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; the potential impact of unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, costs, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition and losses on the future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, expansion and growth of the combined business after the consummation of the proposed transaction; potential negative effects related to this announcement or the consummation of the proposed transaction on the market price of Akari's American Depositary Shares and Akari's operating or financial results; uncertainties as to the long-term value of Akari's American Depositary Shares (and the ordinary shares represented thereby), including the dilution caused by Akari's issuance of additional American Depositary Shares (and the ordinary shares represented thereby) in connection with the proposed transaction; unknown liabilities related to Akari or Peak Bio; the nature, cost and outcome of any litigation and other legal proceedings involving Akari, Peak Bio or their respective directors, including any legal proceedings related to the proposed transaction; risks related to global as well as local political and economic conditions, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; potential delays or failures related to research and/or development of Akari's programs or product candidates; risks related to any loss of Akari's patents or other intellectual property rights; any interruptions of the supply chain for raw materials or manufacturing for Akari product candidates, the nature, timing, cost and possible success and therapeutic applications of product candidates being developed by Akari, or its collaborators or licensees; the extent to which the results from the research and development programs conducted by Akari, Peak Bio, and/or their respective collaborators or licensees may be replicated in other studies and/or lead to advancement of product candidates to clinical trials, therapeutic applications, or regulatory approval; uncertainty of the utilization, market acceptance, and commercial success of Akari's product candidates, and the impact of studies (whether conducted by Akari or others and whether mandated or voluntary) on any of the foregoing; unexpected breaches or terminations with respect to Akari's material contracts or arrangements; risks related to competition for Akari's product candidates; Akari's ability to successfully develop or commercialize Akari's product candidates; Akari's, or its collaborators' abilities to continue to conduct current and future developmental, preclinical and clinical programs; potential exposure to legal proceedings and investigations; risks related to changes in governmental laws and related interpretation thereof, including on reimbursement, intellectual property protection and regulatory controls on testing, approval, manufacturing, development or commercialization of any of Akari's product candidates; unexpected increase in costs and expenses with respect to the potential transaction or Akari's business or operations; and risks and uncertainties related to epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises and their impact on Akari's business, operations, supply chain, patient enrollment and retention, preclinical and clinical trials, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones. While the foregoing list of factors presented here is considered representative, no list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that the proposed transaction or any other transaction described above will in fact be consummated in the manner described or at all. A more complete description of these and other material risks can be found in Akari's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including Akari's Annual Report on 10-K, for the year ended December 31, 2023, subsequent periodic reports, and other documents that may be filed from time to time with the SEC. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the proposed transaction, will be more fully discussed in the joint proxy statement/prospectus that will be included in the registration statement on Form S-4 that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction, which joint proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed or otherwise disseminated to Akari's shareholders when it becomes available.

Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication and are made based on the current beliefs and judgments of Akari's management, and the reader is cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements made by Akari. Unless required by law, Akari is under no duty and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement after the distribution of this document, including without limitation any financial projection or guidance, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For more information:

Investor Contact:
Mike Moyer
LifeSci Advisors
(617) 308-4306
mmoyer@lifesciadvisors.com

Paulson Contact:
Donald A. Wojnowski Jr.
Paulson Investment Company
(646) 553-3691
DWojnowski@PaulsonInvestment.com