Awakn Life Scien Stock Price, News & Analysis

Awakn Life Sciences Corp. (historically trading under the symbol AWKNF) was a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics targeting addiction, substance use disorders, and mental health disorders. According to multiple company news releases, Awakn described itself as a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a near-term focus on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), a condition it notes affects tens of millions of people in the United States and key European markets and for which the company states the current standard of care is inadequate. Its stated goal was to provide breakthrough therapeutics to addiction sufferers and to commercialize its research and development pipeline across multiple channels.

Awakn operated in the research and development in biotechnology industry within the broader professional, scientific, and technical services sector. The company’s disclosures emphasize the development of therapeutics for substance use and mental health disorders, with particular attention to AUD and trauma-related mental health conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Over time, Awakn communicated a strategy centered on clinical programs, regulatory pathways, and intellectual property around novel and repurposed compounds.

Corporate transformation and acquisition by Solvonis Therapeutics

In a Newsfile Corp. release dated May 27, 2025, Awakn announced the completion of an arrangement and sale under which Solvonis Therapeutics plc acquired all of the outstanding common shares of Awakn Life Sciences Corp., as well as all outstanding restricted share units and deferred share units. The transaction was carried out under an arrangement agreement dated February 22, 2025 between Awakn and Solvonis under Division 5 of Part 9 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The company reported that, under the terms of this arrangement, holders of Awakn common shares, RSUs, and DSUs received ordinary shares of Solvonis in exchange.

The same announcement stated that, following completion of the arrangement, Awakn’s common shares would be delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange on May 28, 2025 and from the OTCPink Market shortly thereafter. Awakn also disclosed that it applied to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable Canadian securities laws. As a result, AWKNF now represents the historical listing of Awakn Life Sciences Corp., and ongoing public market exposure for the combined business is associated with Solvonis Therapeutics plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Therapeutic focus and key programs

Across its news releases, Awakn repeatedly described its core focus as the development of therapeutics for addiction and related mental health conditions, with a near-term emphasis on Alcohol Use Disorder. The company cited AUD as a chronic, relapsing brain health disorder with high prevalence and low treatment success rates, and positioned its programs as aiming to address what it characterized as a significant unmet medical need.

Awakn publicly highlighted three main research and development programs in an update dated January 27, 2025:

• AWKN-001: An investigational, novel combination therapy consisting of an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-modulating drug (ketamine) delivered intravenously in combination with manualized relapse prevention cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of severe AUD in the UK and potentially the EU. Awakn reported that AWKN-001 was in Phase 3 in the UK, in a trial co-funded by the UK’s Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research and managed by the University of Exeter Clinical Trials Unit.
• AWKN-002: A proprietary oral thin film formulation of esketamine for sublingual and buccal administration, developed in combination with structured alcohol education for moderate to severe AUD in the U.S. Awakn disclosed that it had in-licensed a Phase 1 program, completed mechanistic studies in AUD, filed method-of-use patents, and held a Pre-Investigational New Drug meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company reported that the FDA confirmed AWKN-002 could be reviewed under the 505(b)(2) New Drug Application pathway and that no additional clinical data were required before initiating a Phase 2b trial in patients with moderate to severe AUD.
• AWKN-SND-14: A pre-clinical program described as a series of serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline modulators under investigation for trauma-related mental health disorders, including PTSD. Awakn indicated that this program, previously referred to as its aminoindane new chemical entity program, was designed to promote pro-social behavior and potentially offer an improved safety profile compared to current investigational PTSD treatments.

In additional news, Awakn reported positive initial results from a preclinical study of one of its aminoindane series compounds (AW21003) conducted by the University of Nottingham, which the company framed as part of its efforts to develop options for PTSD and other trauma-related conditions.

Clinical development and collaborations

Awakn’s disclosures emphasize collaboration with academic and research institutions as part of its clinical development model. For AWKN-001, the company highlighted the MORE-KARE Phase 3 trial (Multicentre Investigation of Ketamine for Reduction of Alcohol Relapse), managed by the Exeter Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Exeter and co-funded by UK public research bodies alongside Awakn. The company reported the opening of multiple National Health Service trial sites across the UK, noting that this trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a single treatment cycle of AWKN-001, with participants randomized to different ketamine doses and psycho-social support conditions in a blinded design.

For its aminoindane program (later referenced as AWKN-SND-14), Awakn described collaborations with the University of Nottingham for preclinical behavioral studies and with Concept Life Sciences for the synthesis and screening of additional compounds. The company also referenced collaboration with Graft Polymer (UK) plc (later renamed Solvonis Therapeutics plc) in the development of this program.

Regulatory and financing context

Awakn’s news releases provide insight into how the company approached regulatory pathways and capital needs typical for a clinical-stage biotechnology issuer. For AWKN-002, the company described its engagement with the FDA through a Pre-IND meeting and its intention to pursue the 505(b)(2) NDA pathway, which allows reference to an already approved esketamine product once an appropriate scientific bridge is established. For AWKN-001, Awakn referenced a planned Regulation 52b hybrid application in the UK and the potential for a defined period of market exclusivity if successful.

On the financing side, Awakn disclosed an unsecured credit facility intended to provide working capital while advancing research and development projects. It also described, in detail, the rationale for its arrangement with Solvonis, including anticipated access to London capital markets and a broader investor base through Solvonis’ listing on the London Stock Exchange.

Status of AWKNF as a historical listing

Following the completion of the arrangement with Solvonis Therapeutics plc and the planned delisting of Awakn’s common shares from the Canadian Securities Exchange and OTCPink Market, AWKNF should be understood as a historical ticker for Awakn Life Sciences Corp. The company has applied to cease to be a reporting issuer in Canada, and its business and pipeline are now associated with Solvonis, which is described in the same news releases as a UK-incorporated, London Stock Exchange–listed clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on treatments for addiction and mental health disorders.

For investors and researchers, this means that AWKNF-related information primarily reflects historical operations and transactions of Awakn Life Sciences Corp. up to its acquisition. Ongoing developments regarding the underlying programs and assets are expected to be reported under Solvonis Therapeutics plc and its London-listed symbol.

FAQs about Awakn Life Sciences Corp. (AWKNF)