Korean Patent Office Grants Acurx Pharmaceuticals New Patent for DNA Polymerase IIIC Inhibitors

Rhea-AI Summary

Acurx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACXP) announced on March 30, 2026 that the Korean Intellectual Property Office granted a patent covering DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors, including compositions‑of‑matter, methods of use, and pharmaceutical formulations.

This grant adds to Acurx's expanding patent estate protecting its ACX‑375C program, following four U.S. patents and granted patents in Israel, Japan, India, Australia, and other jurisdictions. The company said its lead DNA pol IIIC inhibitor, ibezapolstat, is positioned to enter international Phase 3 pivotal registration trials in the U.S. and EU for oral acute C. difficile infection and that a trial in multiply‑recurrent CDI is starting up.

Positive

• KIPO patent granted for DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors
• Global patent estate: 4 U.S. patents plus multiple foreign grants
• Ibezapolstat positioned for international Phase 3 trials

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction – ACXP

-6.91%

15 alerts

-6.91% Session close to close

+12.4% Peak Tracked

-15.2% Trough Tracked

$12.68M Market Cap

0.0x Rel. Volume

In the Mar 30 session, ACXP declined 6.91%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +12.4% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -15.2% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 15 alerts that day, indicating notable trading interest and price volatility.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

The stock moved -6.9% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite today’s Korean...

Analysis

The stock moved -6.9% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite today’s Korean patent could fit a broader risk-off tone in small-cap biotech, as sector peers also showed declines. Historically, ACXP’s stock has sold off around financial updates but reacted positively to IP and clinical wins, so weakness after another Pol IIIC patent might reflect balance-sheet and dilution concerns given the $50 million shelf capacity and low market cap of about $11.45M, rather than the patent’s intrinsic value.

Key Figures

U.S. patents: 4 U.S. patents

1 metrics

U.S. patents 4 U.S. patents Total U.S. patents protecting DNA Polymerase IIIC program to date

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Mar 13 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Mar 13	Earnings & update	Negative	-22.6%	Full-year 2025 results with cash, loss figures and business/clinical update.
Mar 09	Clinical program update	Positive	+44.8%	New rCDI pilot trial and confirmation ibezapolstat CDI program is Phase 3‑ready.
Feb 16	Earnings call preview	Neutral	+0.5%	Announcement of date and time for FY 2025 results call and business update.
Feb 02	Patent grant	Positive	+0.6%	USPTO grants new DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitor patent expanding IP coverage.
Nov 18	Research grant	Positive	+2.8%	Health~Holland research grant to support Pol IIIC structural biology collaboration.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Across the last five news events, price reactions have generally aligned with the tone of the announcements, with positive clinical, patent, and grant updates followed by gains and more mixed/financial updates followed by weakness.

Recent Company History

Over the past six months, Acurx has progressed ibezapolstat toward Phase 3 and expanded its DNA Pol IIIC patent estate. A November 2025 grant helped fund structural biology work, followed by a February 2026 USPTO patent. March brought a new recurrent CDI trial program and full‑year 2025 results with a business update. These events, mostly aligned with share reactions, frame today’s Korean patent as another step in strengthening global IP around the Pol IIIC platform.

Key Terms

dna polymerase iiic, compositions-of-matter, acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections, mrsa, +4 more

8 terms

dna polymerase iiic medical

"granted a new patent which covers DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors including"

DNA polymerase IIIC is an enzyme bacteria use to copy their DNA during cell division, acting like the assembly line worker that lays down new building blocks. For investors it matters because medicines that block this enzyme can stop bacterial growth, making it a drug target for new antibiotics; progress or setbacks in such programs can affect company value and commercial prospects.

compositions-of-matter regulatory

"covers DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors including compositions‑of‑matter, methods of use"

Compositions-of-matter are chemically defined substances or mixtures—think of them as a company’s “recipe” for a new drug, material, or chemical product. For investors, listed compositions-of-matter often indicate patent-protected assets that can create exclusive sales or licensing income, raise valuation, and affect competitive risk if the patent is challenged or expires, similar to how owning a secret recipe can give a bakery a temporary market edge.

acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections medical

"such as acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSI, including MRSA)"

A group of sudden-onset bacterial infections that affect the skin and the tissues under it, such as cellulitis, abscesses, or infected wounds. They matter to investors because they drive demand for antibiotics, hospital care, and new treatments; success or failure in clinical trials, regulatory approvals, or changes in antibiotic resistance can quickly change a drugmaker’s revenue outlook, much like a product launch or recall shifts a company’s sales prospects.

mrsa medical

"acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSI, including MRSA)"

MRSA is a type of common bacteria that has become resistant to many standard antibiotics, causing infections that are harder to treat. Think of it like a weed that no longer responds to the usual weedkiller; it raises the need for stronger medicines, longer hospital stays, and new products or procedures. For investors, MRSA affects healthcare costs, drug and diagnostic demand, regulatory scrutiny, and potential legal or reputational risks for providers and drugmakers.

community-acquired bacterial pneumonia medical

"Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), hospital and/or ventilator-associated"

A lung infection caused by bacteria that a person catches outside of hospitals or long-term care settings, often presenting with cough, fever and difficulty breathing. For investors, it matters because its incidence drives demand for antibiotics, vaccines, diagnostic tests and hospital services, shapes clinical trial markets and influences regulatory and reimbursement decisions—similar to how seasonal demand affects sales for a common consumer product.

hospital and/or ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia medical

"Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), hospital and/or ventilator-associated"

A bacterial lung infection that develops during a hospital stay or after a patient has been placed on a breathing machine (ventilator); it occurs because patients are already ill and medical equipment can create entry points for germs. Investors should care because these infections increase hospital stays, treatment costs, regulatory scrutiny and potential legal liability, and they drive demand for antibiotics, diagnostics and infection-control products—like costly mold that signals a building’s maintenance problem.

inhalational anthrax medical

"prosthetic joint infections and inhalational anthrax, caused by B. anthracis"

Inhalational anthrax is a severe lung infection caused when tiny, hardy spores of the anthrax bacterium are breathed into the airways and germinate, releasing toxins that can rapidly damage the lungs and spread through the body. It matters to investors because outbreaks or credible threats can trigger urgent demand for vaccines, antibiotics, diagnostics and government spending, quickly affecting the value of companies in biodefense, pharmaceuticals and public‑health supplies—similar to how a factory fire can suddenly boost firms that sell firefighting equipment.

phase 3 medical

"ibezapolstat, is ready to advance to international, Phase 3, pivotal registration trials"

Phase 3 is the late-stage clinical testing step for a new drug or medical treatment, where the product is given to large groups of patients to confirm effectiveness, monitor side effects, and compare it to standard care. Successful Phase 3 results are often the final scientific hurdle before regulators decide on approval and market launch—like passing a final exam before graduation—and can sharply change a company's valuation and future revenue prospects.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y., March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACXP) ("Acurx" or the "Company"), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of small molecule antibiotics for difficult‑to‑treat bacterial infections, today announced that the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) has granted a new patent which covers DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors including compositions‑of‑matter, methods of use, and pharmaceutical compositions, which further strengthen Acurx's intellectual property portfolio and represents the most recent addition to its expanding series of granted patents in the U.S. and abroad. To date, Acurx has secured four U.S. patents, along with granted patents in Israel, Japan, India, Australia and Korea, all of which protect key aspects of the Company's ACX‑375C program targeting DNA Polymerase IIIC. Additional country‑level patent applications remain under review.

Robert J. DeLuccia, Executive Chairman of Acurx, stated: "Achieving this new patent extends our patent estate protection as we further develop our innovative, AI-supported drug discovery platform. We believe Acurx's preclinical pipeline of systemically-absorbed compounds has the potential to create a transformational shift in the treatment paradigm of serious and potentially life-threatening infections such as acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSI, including MRSA), Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), hospital and/or ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP), bacteremia with or without sepsis and/or infectious endocarditis, bone/joint infections, prosthetic joint infections and inhalational anthrax, caused by B. anthracis, a Bioterrorism Category A Threat-Level pathogen. Recently presented microbiome selectivity data on representative novel compounds provide initial evidence that microbiome selectivity, when compared to the comparator antibiotic, linezolid, may be a class effect."

He further stated: "Our lead DNA pol IIIC inhibitor, ibezapolstat, is ready to advance to international, Phase 3, pivotal registration trials in the US and EU for oral treatment of acute C. difficile Infection. We're also starting up a ground-breaking clinical trial with ibezapolstat in patients with multiply-recurrent CDI (rCDI) that has the potential to shift the treatment paradigm for acute CDI and rCDI from two agents to one."  

About Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Acurx Pharmaceuticals is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a new class of small molecule antibiotics for difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. The Company's approach is to develop antibiotic candidates with a Gram-positive selective spectrum (GPSS®) that blocks the active site of the Gram-positive specific bacterial enzyme DNA polymerase IIIC (pol IIIC), inhibiting DNA replication and leading to Gram-positive bacterial cell death. Its R&D pipeline includes antibiotic product candidates that target Gram-positive bacteria, including Clostridioides difficile, methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE), drug- resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP) and B. anthracis (anthrax; a Bioterrorism Category A Threat-Level pathogen). Acurx's lead product candidate, ibezapolstat, for the treatment of C. difficile Infection is Phase 3 ready with plans in progress to begin international clinical trials as soon as possible. The Company's preclinical pipeline includes development of an oral product candidate for treatment of ABSSSI (Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections), upon which a development program for treatment of inhaled anthrax is being planned in parallel.

To learn more about Acurx Pharmaceuticals and its product pipeline, please visit www.acurxpharma.com

Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about our future expectations, plans and prospects, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives, and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: whether ibezapolstat will benefit from the QIDP designation; whether ibezapolstat will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis; whether the results of the clinical trials of ibezapolstat will warrant the submission of applications for marketing approval, and if so, whether ibezapolstat will receive approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies where approval is sought; whether, if ibezapolstat obtains approval, it will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Acurx disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as may be required by law.

Investor Contact:
Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
David P. Luci, President & CEO
Tel: 917-533-1469
Email: davidluci@acurxpharma.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/korean-patent-office-grants-acurx-pharmaceuticals-new-patent-for-dna-polymerase-iiic-inhibitors-302728007.html

SOURCE Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

FAQ

What did Acurx (ACXP) announce on March 30, 2026 about patents?

Acurx announced a new KIPO patent for DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors covering compositions and uses. According to the company, this grant supplements four U.S. patents and multiple foreign grants protecting the ACX‑375C program.

How does the new KIPO patent affect Acurx's ACX‑375C program (ACXP)?

The KIPO grant expands territorial protection for DNA pol IIIC inhibitors in Korea. According to the company, it strengthens the global IP estate that already includes U.S., Israel, Japan, India, and Australia patents.

What development plans did Acurx (ACXP) disclose for ibezapolstat on March 30, 2026?

Ibezapolstat is ready to advance to international Phase 3 pivotal registration trials in the U.S. and EU for oral acute C. difficile infection. According to the company, a trial in multiply‑recurrent CDI is also starting up.

Which indications is Acurx targeting with its DNA pol IIIC inhibitors (ACXP)?

Acurx targets serious bacterial infections including ABSSSI, CABP, HABP/VABP, bacteremia, endocarditis, bone/joint infections, PJIs, and inhalational anthrax. According to the company, these are linked to its ACX‑375C program.

Does the March 30, 2026 announcement mention microbiome data for Acurx (ACXP)?

Yes. The company reported microbiome selectivity data suggesting novel compounds may spare microbiome compared to linezolid. According to the company, this selectivity may be a class effect of their compounds.