OKYO Pharma Announces Chief Development Officer and Director Acquires Shares

Rhea-AI Summary

OKYO Pharma (NASDAQ: OKYO) said Gary Jacob, Chief Development Officer and director, acquired 30,980 ordinary shares on NASDAQ at $1.59 on March 19, 2026, increasing his total holding to 108,920 shares.

The purchase is a direct insider buy by a senior officer and board member, showing personal investment in the company's clinical-stage programs for neuropathic corneal pain and inflammatory eye diseases.

Positive

• Insider purchase of 30,980 shares at $1.59
• Director holding increased to 108,920 shares

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction – OKYO

%

2 alerts

% News Effect

+11.9% Peak Tracked

$87M Market Cap

0.0x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, OKYO declined NaN%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +11.9% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 2 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Shares acquired: 30,980 shares Purchase price: $1.59 per share Total CDO holding: 108,920 shares +3 more

6 metrics

Shares acquired 30,980 shares Chief Development Officer purchase on NASDAQ

Purchase price $1.59 per share Price paid for newly acquired shares

Total CDO holding 108,920 shares Post-transaction beneficial ownership

Shelf capacity $200,000,000 Maximum aggregate offering under Form F-3 shelf

Current share price $1.62 Pre-news trading level

Daily price change 1.25% Move over prior 24 hours before this news

Market Reality Check

Price: $1.62 Vol: Volume 157,069 is at 0.73...

normal vol

$1.62 Last Close

Volume Volume 157,069 is at 0.73x the 20-day average of 215,584. normal

Technical Trading below 200-day MA of $2.25, with shares at $1.62 pre-news and 51.63% under the 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

While OKYO was up 1.25%, scanner peers like QNCX (-12.47%) and ATRA (-4.8%) were...

2 Down

While OKYO was up 1.25%, scanner peers like QNCX (-12.47%) and ATRA (-4.8%) were down (median about -8.6%), indicating OKYO’s move around this insider purchase was more stock-specific than sector-driven.

Previous Acquisition Reports

5 past events · Latest: Dec 15 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 15	Insider share purchase	Positive	-8.3%	Chairman-linked entity Panetta Partners acquired 24,551 shares on NASDAQ.
Dec 03	Insider share purchase	Positive	-5.8%	Chairman-linked Panetta Partners bought 27,051 additional ordinary shares.
Nov 21	Insider share purchase	Positive	+11.0%	Panetta Partners purchased 82,018 shares, lifting chairman’s stake above 10.46M shares.
Oct 16	Insider share purchase	Positive	+1.9%	Panetta Partners acquired 210,000 shares, further increasing the chairman’s holding.
Jan 31	Insider share purchase	Positive	-3.6%	CEO and chairman-linked entity bought 30,000 shares total at $1.04 per share.

Pattern Detected

Insider share acquisitions at OKYO have often seen mixed-to-negative near-term reactions, with 3 of 5 past acquisition-tag events followed by same-day declines.

Recent Company History

Over the past year, OKYO has repeatedly reported insider share purchases by senior leadership, including the Chairman and CEO, under the acquisition tag. These events typically involved tens to hundreds of thousands of shares and produced modest, often negative, single-day moves (average about -0.95%). Against that backdrop, the latest purchase by the Chief Development Officer adds to a continuing pattern of insiders increasing exposure as the company advances urcosimod in neuropathic corneal pain.

Historical Comparison

-0.9% avg move · In the past 12 months, OKYO has issued 5 insider share acquisition updates, with an average same-day...

acquisition

-0.9%

Average Historical Move acquisition

In the past 12 months, OKYO has issued 5 insider share acquisition updates, with an average same-day move of -0.95%. Today’s modest +1.25% gain ahead of this CDO purchase is slightly more supportive than typical.

History shows a recurring pattern of insider share accumulation by senior leadership, reinforcing management exposure as urcosimod progresses in neuropathic corneal pain.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf · $200,000,000

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2026-02-02

$200,000,000 registered capacity

OKYO has an effective Form F-3 shelf filed on 2026-02-02 to offer up to $200,000,000 in ordinary shares, warrants and units. The shelf has already been used in at least 3 offerings, providing flexible access to equity financing but also the potential for further dilution as the clinical pipeline advances.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights additional insider alignment, with the Chief Development Officer raisin...

Analysis

This announcement highlights additional insider alignment, with the Chief Development Officer raising his stake to 108,920 shares after buying 30,980 shares at $1.59. Historically, similar acquisition-tag updates have produced modest, often negative, single-day moves, so price responses have not always mirrored the positive signal. Investors may focus on how ongoing access to the $200,000,000 shelf and recent equity offerings interact with this insider activity as OKYO advances urcosimod.

Key Terms

neuropathic corneal pain (ncp)

1 terms

neuropathic corneal pain (ncp) medical

"developing investigational therapies for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) and for inflammatory eye diseases"

Neuropathic corneal pain is chronic eye pain caused by damage or abnormal signaling in the nerves of the cornea, producing burning, stinging, or painful sensitivity often without visible surface injury. It matters to investors because it creates demand for specialized diagnostics and long‑term treatments distinct from standard eye drops—think of it like phantom limb pain for the eye—making it a potential market for new therapies and medical devices.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

LONDON and NEW YORK, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OKYO Pharma Limited (NASDAQ: OKYO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing investigational therapies for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) and for inflammatory eye diseases, today announced it has been informed that Gary Jacob, Chief Development Officer and Director, has acquired 30,980 of the Company’s ordinary shares on NASDAQ at $1.59, bringing his total holding to 108,920 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 has been shown to produce anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing activities in a mouse model of dry eye disease and in a neuropathic corneal pain mouse model, respectively. OKYO recently announced positive data on NCP pain reduction in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked Phase 2a trial involving 18 neuropathic corneal pain subjects. Urcosimod has shown significant pain reduction in an earlier 240 subject Phase 2, multi-center, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial in DED, which supports the development rationale in NCP.

About OKYO Pharma

OKYO Pharma Limited (Nasdaq: OKYO) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) and inflammatory eye diseases, 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 other ocular diseases. OKYO recently completed a successful phase 2 trial of its flagship drug urcosimod in subjects with NCP and plans to initiate a ~150 subject Phase 2b/3 multiple-dose study of urcosimod to treat NCP in the first half of this year.

For further information, please visit www.okyopharma.com.

Inquiries:

Business Development & Investor Relations

Paul Spencer

+44 (0)20 7495 2379

FAQ

What did OKYO announce about Gary Jacob's share purchase on March 19, 2026 (OKYO)?

Gary Jacob bought 30,980 OKYO shares at $1.59, raising his total to 108,920 shares. According to the company, this transaction was executed on NASDAQ and reflects a direct insider purchase by the chief development officer and director.

How many OKYO shares does Chief Development Officer Gary Jacob hold after the March 19, 2026 purchase?

After the purchase, Gary Jacob holds 108,920 OKYO shares in total. According to the company, the buy increased his holding by 30,980 shares purchased on NASDAQ at $1.59 per share.

At what price did Gary Jacob acquire OKYO shares on March 19, 2026 and where was the trade executed?

The purchase price was $1.59 per share, and the trade was executed on NASDAQ. According to the company, Gary Jacob completed the acquisition of 30,980 ordinary shares at that price on March 19, 2026.

Does the March 19, 2026 OKYO filing indicate the role of Gary Jacob in the company?

Yes; Gary Jacob is identified as Chief Development Officer and director of OKYO. According to the company, he executed an insider purchase increasing his total holding to 108,920 shares.

What might the March 19, 2026 insider purchase mean for OKYO shareholders (NASDAQ: OKYO)?

An insider purchase can signal confidence by management in the company, as a director bought additional shares. According to the company, Gary Jacob acquired 30,980 shares at $1.59, raising his ownership to 108,920 shares.