OKYO Pharma to Ring the Opening Bell at Nasdaq
Rhea-AI Summary
OKYO Pharma (NASDAQ: OKYO) rang the Opening Bell at Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square on December 19, 2025 from 9:15 AM to 9:45 AM ET.
The ceremony featured Executive Chairman and Founder Gabriele Cerrone and the management team and celebrated progress on OKYO's clinical pipeline, highlighted by lead candidate urcosimod, a lipid-conjugated chemerin peptide agonist targeting ChemR23 for neuropathic corneal pain (NCP).
The company noted positive Phase 2 results for urcosimod showing favourable corneal nerve outcomes and pain reduction; the bell-ringing was livestreamed on Nasdaq channels.
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News Market Reaction 11 Alerts
On the day this news was published, OKYO gained 8.56%, reflecting a notable positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +5.6% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 11 alerts that day, indicating notable trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $6M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $79M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
OKYO was up 2.19% pre-news while peers showed mixed moves: IRD -1.98%, STRO -0.89%, OVID -0.74%, ATRA +0.06%, XBIT +4.12%, suggesting stock-specific factors rather than a broad sector move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15 | Insider share purchase | Positive | -8.3% | Chairman-linked entity bought 24,551 shares, but shares fell afterward. |
| Dec 11 | Clinical trial update | Positive | +6.9% | Phase 2 corneal nerve data viewed positively, stock rose that session. |
| Dec 03 | Insider share purchase | Positive | -5.8% | Additional 27,051-share purchase coincided with a subsequent price decline. |
| Nov 21 | Insider share purchase | Positive | +11.0% | 82,018-share insider buy followed by a strong double-digit gain. |
| Nov 18 | Conference presentation | Neutral | -0.7% | OIS XV presentation announcement produced only a modest subsequent move. |
Insider share purchases have produced mixed reactions, while recent positive clinical data drew a favorable response.
Over the past two months, OKYO has combined insider accumulation with clinical progress on urcosimod for neuropathic corneal pain. Multiple Chairman share purchases in October–December 2025 saw varied price reactions, including moves of -8.25%, -5.77%, and +10.99%. By contrast, new Phase 2 data on Dec 11 led to a +6.93% move. Today’s Nasdaq Opening Bell event highlights ongoing visibility efforts following these developments.
Market Pulse Summary
The stock moved +8.6% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction aligns with recent optimism around urcosimod’s Phase 2 progress and the visibility from the Nasdaq Opening Bell event. However, past insider-buy headlines produced both gains and declines, with moves from -8.25% to +10.99%, suggesting inconsistent follow-through. With shares still 44.16% below the 52-week high, sustainability would depend on future clinical and corporate milestones.
Key Terms
neuropathic corneal pain medical
lipid-conjugated chemerin peptide agonist medical
ChemR23 G-protein-coupled receptor medical
Phase 2 medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
LONDON and NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OKYO Pharma Limited (NASDAQ: OKYO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical 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, announced that Executive Chairman and Founder, Gabriele Cerrone and the OKYO management team will ring the Opening Bell at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square, New York today.
The ceremony will be held from 9:15 AM to 9:45 AM ET, and celebrates OKYO's ongoing advancements in innovative treatments, including its lead candidate urcosimod, a lipid-conjugated chemerin peptide agonist targeting the ChemR23 G-protein-coupled receptor. The company's novel approach aims to address a significant unmet need in neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) where there are no FDA-approved therapies currently available.
"This is a proud moment for OKYO Pharma and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our exceptional team who are working to improve patient outcomes," said Gabriele Cerrone, Executive Chairman and Founder of OKYO Pharma. "Ringing the Nasdaq Opening Bell is a powerful celebration of our unwavering commitment to transforming patient outcomes through groundbreaking therapies for ocular pain. We are excited about the future as we advance our clinical programs and deliver on our mission to address unmet medical needs."
OKYO Pharma continues to progress its pipeline, with recent achievements including positive Phase 2 results for urcosimod in neuropathic corneal pain, demonstrating favourable corneal nerve outcomes and pain reduction.
The Opening Bell ceremony will be broadcast live at 9:30 a.m. ET and live streamed to Nasdaq's official channels.
To view the live broadcast, visit: https://www.nasdaq.com/marketsite/bell-ringing-ceremony
About Neuropathic Corneal Pain (NCP)
NCP is a condition that causes severe pain and sensitivity of the eyes, face, or head. The exact cause of NCP is unknown but is thought to result from nerve damage to the cornea combined with inflammation. NCP, which can exhibit as a severe, chronic, debilitating condition in patients suffering from a host of ophthalmic conditions, is presently treated, with limited success by various topical and systemic treatments in an off-label fashion. There is presently no FDA-approved drug to treat NCP.
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 corneal neuropathic pain mouse model, respectively. Urcosimod showed clear statistical significance in multiple endpoints in an earlier 240-patient Phase 2, multi-center, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial to treat dry eye disease, and OKYO recently announced positive data on NCP pain reduction in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked Phase 2 trial involving 18 neuropathic corneal pain patients.
About OKYO
OKYO Pharma Limited (NASDAQ: OKYO) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of neuropathic corneal pain, 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 patients with NCP and is currently planning a second larger, multicenter trial of urcosimod in NCP patients that is planned to start in Q1 2026.
For further information, please visit www.okyopharma.com.
Enquiries:
| OKYO Pharma Limited | Gary S. Jacob, Chief Executive Officer | +44 (0)20 7495 2379 |
| Business Development & Investor Relations | Paul Spencer | +44 (0)20 7495 2379 |
FAQ
Why did OKYO Pharma (NASDAQ: OKYO) ring the Nasdaq Opening Bell on December 19, 2025?
Who represented OKYO Pharma at the Nasdaq bell-ringing on December 19, 2025?
What is urcosimod and what condition is OKYO Pharma targeting with NASDAQ ticker OKYO?
Did OKYO Pharma report clinical data when ringing the Nasdaq bell on December 19, 2025?
How could investors watch OKYO Pharma's Nasdaq bell ceremony on December 19, 2025?
