OKYO Pharma Announces Chairman and Founder Acquires Shares

Rhea-AI Summary

OKYO Pharma (NASDAQ: OKYO) announced on October 16, 2025 that Panetta Partners Limited, an entity in which Executive Chairman Gabriele Cerrone has a beneficial interest, acquired 210,000 ordinary shares on NASDAQ. The purchase increases the chairman's total holding to 10,382,677 shares. The company is developing urcosimod for neuropathic corneal pain, a condition currently without an FDA-approved therapy.

Positive

• Insider purchase of 210,000 shares on Oct 16, 2025
• Executive Chairman's total stake is 10,382,677 shares

Negative

• Purchase price not disclosed in the announcement

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

FAQ

What shares did Gabriele Cerrone acquire in OKYO on October 16, 2025?

An entity tied to Gabriele Cerrone acquired 210,000 ordinary shares on that date.

How many total OKYO shares does the Executive Chairman hold after the October 16, 2025 purchase?

After the transaction the chairman's total holding is 10,382,677 shares.

Does the OKYO release state the purchase price for the 210,000 shares?

No; the announcement does not disclose a purchase price.

What program is OKYO developing and does it have FDA-approved therapy?

OKYO is developing urcosimod for neuropathic corneal pain, a condition with no FDA-approved therapy.

Could the chairman's share purchase affect OKYO shareholder sentiment?

Insider purchases are commonly viewed as a signal of confidence, which can positively influence investor sentiment.