OKYO Pharma Announces Director Acquires Shares

Rhea-AI Summary

OKYO Pharma (NASDAQ: OKYO) said on March 19, 2026 that Non-Executive Director John Brancaccio purchased 5,000 ordinary shares on NASDAQ at $1.61 per share, increasing his total holding to 31,201 shares.

The disclosure reflects an insider purchase by a director in the company developing therapies for neuropathic corneal pain and inflammatory eye diseases.

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

Director purchase size: 5,000 shares Purchase price: $1.61 per share Director total holding: 31,201 shares +5 more

8 metrics

Director purchase size 5,000 shares Non-Executive Director buy on Nasdaq

Purchase price $1.61 per share Price paid for 5,000 shares

Director total holding 31,201 shares Non-Executive Director stake after purchase

Current share price $1.62 Pre-news trading price in market_context

Shelf registration size $200,000,000 Maximum amount under Form F-3 shelf

52-week high $3.349 Highest price in past 52 weeks

52-week low $1.03 Lowest price in past 52 weeks

Market capitalization $86,301,931 Market cap from market_context

Market Reality Check

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

normal vol

$1.62 Last Close

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

Technical Shares at $1.62 are trading below the $2.25 200-day moving average.

Peers on Argus

OKYO is up about 1.25% while key biotech peers like STRO, OVID and others show d...

1 Down

OKYO is up about 1.25% while key biotech peers like STRO, OVID and others show declines between roughly -0.9% and -4.6%, pointing to a stock-specific move rather than a sector-wide shift.

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 acquired 24,551 shares, boosting total holdings above 10.5M.
Dec 03	Insider share purchase	Positive	-5.8%	Chairman-linked entity bought 27,051 shares, increasing ownership to 10,491,746 shares.
Nov 21	Insider share purchase	Positive	+11.0%	Chairman-linked entity acquired 82,018 shares, raising stake to 10,464,695 shares.
Oct 16	Insider share purchase	Positive	+1.9%	Chairman-linked entity purchased 210,000 shares, lifting total to 10,382,677.
Jan 31	Insider share purchases	Positive	-3.6%	CEO and Chairman-related entity bought 30,000 shares combined, increasing large insider stake.

Pattern Detected

Insider share acquisitions have produced mixed reactions, with 3 past events followed by declines and 2 by gains, despite consistently positive insider-buy signals.

Recent Company History

Over the past year, OKYO has repeatedly reported insider share acquisitions, mainly by its Chairman and other executives, under the acquisition tag. These purchases ranged from tens of thousands to over 200,000 shares and often highlighted continued commitment to the neuropathic corneal pain and dry eye pipeline. Market reactions were inconsistent, sometimes negative despite insider buying. Today’s director purchase adds to this pattern of ongoing insider accumulation against a backdrop of active clinical development.

Historical Comparison

-0.9% avg move · Past insider acquisition headlines averaged a -0.95% move. Today’s roughly +1.25% reaction to anothe...

acquisition

-0.9%

Average Historical Move acquisition

Past insider acquisition headlines averaged a -0.95% move. Today’s roughly +1.25% reaction to another insider buy skews more positive than the typical response.

Insider buying has progressed from CEO and Chairman purchases in early 2025 to repeated Chairman-linked acquisitions later in 2025 and now additional director buying, reinforcing a pattern of ongoing insider accumulation alongside urcosimod’s development.

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 issue up to $200,000,000 in ordinary shares, warrants and units, with 3 recorded takedowns. The filing notes substantial losses, limited cash, and a going-concern warning, underscoring reliance on future financings and clinical success.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights a Non-Executive Director increasing his stake by 5,000 shares at $1.61,...

Analysis

This announcement highlights a Non-Executive Director increasing his stake by 5,000 shares at $1.61, bringing his total to 31,201 shares and reinforcing a pattern of insider accumulation seen over multiple prior acquisition-tagged events. Shares trade below the $2.25 200-day moving average and well under the $3.349 52-week high. Investors may watch for additional insider filings, further use of the $200,000,000 shelf, and upcoming clinical milestones for urcosimod.

Key Terms

neuropathic corneal pain, ordinary shares

2 terms

neuropathic corneal pain medical

"developing investigational therapies for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain (NCP)"

Neuropathic corneal pain is chronic, often severe eye pain caused by damage or malfunction in the tiny nerves of the cornea, where the eye surface can feel burning, stinging, or like something is in it despite little visible damage. It matters to investors because it represents a persistent, hard-to-treat medical need that drives demand for new drugs, diagnostics, devices and regulatory approvals, similar to how fixing a frayed electrical wire stops false alarm signals.

ordinary shares financial

"has acquired 5,000 of the Company’s ordinary shares on NASDAQ at $1.61"

Ordinary shares are a type of ownership stake in a company, giving shareholders a right to participate in the company’s profits and decision-making through voting. They are similar to owning a piece of a business, and their value can rise or fall based on the company's performance. Investors buy ordinary shares to potentially earn dividends and benefit from the company's growth over time.

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 John Brancaccio, Non-Executive Director, has acquired 5,000 of the Company’s ordinary shares on NASDAQ at $1.61, bringing his total holding to 31,201 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 (NASDAQ: OKYO) disclose on March 19, 2026 about director John Brancaccio's stock purchase?

John Brancaccio bought 5,000 OKYO shares at $1.61 per share on March 19, 2026. According to the company, this purchase brought his total holding to 31,201 shares, disclosed as an insider acquisition on NASDAQ.

How many OKYO shares does John Brancaccio hold after the March 19, 2026 purchase?

After the transaction, Brancaccio holds 31,201 OKYO shares in total. According to the company, the March 19 purchase added 5,000 shares at $1.61 per share to his existing position.

At what price did OKYO director buy shares on March 19, 2026 and where was the trade executed?

The director bought shares at $1.61 per share, executed on NASDAQ. According to the company, the acquisition was a personal purchase of 5,000 ordinary shares reported in the March 19, 2026 disclosure.

Does John Brancaccio's March 19, 2026 purchase of OKYO stock indicate a change in company ownership percentage?

The filing shows an insider purchase of 5,000 shares but does not state any ownership percentage change. According to the company, the purchase raised his total to 31,201 shares; percentage impact was not disclosed.

How should investors interpret the March 19, 2026 OKYO director share purchase (NASDAQ: OKYO)?

Insider purchases can signal confidence but are not definitive investment advice. According to the company, a director bought 5,000 shares at $1.61, increasing his stake to 31,201 shares; investors should consider broader fundamentals.