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Japan grants Shonin approval for Alpha Tau (DRTS) Alpha DaRT cancer therapy

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6-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Alpha Tau Medical Ltd. reported that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has granted Shonin marketing approval for its Alpha DaRT® therapy to treat unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer. This is the first regulatory approval for the Alpha DaRT platform outside Israel.

As a condition of approval, the company will run a post-market surveillance study in Japan, enrolling 66 patients across five leading clinical centers to further evaluate safety and clinical performance. Alpha Tau and its partner HekaBio are preparing for launch and plan discussions with Japanese authorities about potential reimbursement and additional clinical studies in other tumor types.

Positive

  • Japanese Shonin approval for Alpha DaRT: Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare granted rigorous Shonin marketing approval for Alpha DaRT in unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer, marking the technology’s first regulatory authorization outside Israel and validating its clinical data in a major healthcare market.

Negative

  • None.

Insights

Japanese Shonin approval is a major validation step for Alpha DaRT.

Alpha Tau Medical has received Shonin marketing approval in Japan for Alpha DaRT to treat unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer. Shonin is described as the most rigorous pathway for medical devices, making this a meaningful regulatory milestone.

The approval requires a post‑market surveillance study of 66 patients at five Japanese centers to gather real‑world safety and performance data. This embeds ongoing evidence generation into commercial use and may influence future label expansions and physician adoption, depending on outcomes.

Management highlights plans to discuss reimbursement approaches and potential additional clinical studies with Japanese regulators. Future disclosures about reimbursement terms, pace of patient enrollment in the surveillance study, and any moves into new tumor types will shape the commercial impact of this approval.

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 6-K

 

 

 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13A-16 OR 15D-16

UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

  

For the month of February 2026

 

Commission File Number: 001-41316

 

 

 

Alpha Tau Medical Ltd.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Kiryat HaMada St. 5

Jerusalem, Israel 9777605

+972 (3) 577-4115

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F Form 40-F

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

 

On February 24, 2026, Alpha Tau Medical Ltd. (the “Company”) issued a press release titled “Alpha Tau Medical Receives Japanese Marketing Approval for Alpha DaRT® in Unresectable Locally Advanced or Locally Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer.” A copy of this press release is attached to this Form 6-K as Exhibit 99.1.

 

The information in this Report on Form 6-K, including Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing made by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as otherwise set forth herein or as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.   Description
99.1   Press release dated February 24, 2026.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

  Alpha Tau Medical Ltd.
     
Date: February 24, 2026 By: /s/ Uzi Sofer
    Uzi Sofer
    Chief Executive Officer

 

 

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Exhibit 99.1

 

Alpha Tau Medical Receives Japanese Marketing Approval for Alpha DaRT® in Unresectable Locally
Advanced or Locally Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

 

- Approval establishes first clinical authorization outside Israel and initiates post-market surveillance program -

 

- First-in-kind technology delivers intra-tumoral alpha-emitting radiotherapeutics, reflects strength of clinical data and strong collaboration with Japanese regulators and clinical societies -

 

JERUSALEM – February 24, 2026 - Alpha Tau Medical Ltd. (Nasdaq: DRTS, DRTSW (“Alpha Tau”), the developer of the innovative alpha-radiation cancer therapy Alpha DaRT®, today announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (“MHLW”) has granted regulatory (Shonin) marketing approval for Alpha DaRT for the treatment of unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer.

 

In Japan, the Shonin approval process is the most rigorous pathway for medical devices, conducted after a review and recommendation by Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA). This marks the first regulatory approval of the Alpha DaRT platform outside Israel. As part of the approval, Alpha Tau will need to conduct a post-market surveillance (PMS) study enrolling 66 patients in total at five selected leading clinical centers in Japan. The PMS study is intended to further evaluate the safety and clinical performance of Alpha DaRT in real-world clinical settings and to generate additional real-world clinical evidence in collaboration with Japanese physicians and treatment centers.

 

“Receiving Shonin approval in Japan is a significant milestone for Alpha Tau and for the Alpha DaRT platform,” said Uzi Sofer, Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Tau. “Japan has granted our first marketing approval outside of Israel, and is a country with deep clinical expertise in head and neck oncology. We are grateful to HekaBio for their leadership during this process, and to the six medical societies in Japan who have continually provided their support for the approval and future launch of Alpha DaRT in Japan. Our immediate focus is on working closely with Japanese clinicians to complete the PMS study and to generate high-quality clinical data in patients with unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent disease. In parallel we anticipate initiating discussions shortly with the MHLW regarding potential reimbursement approaches for Alpha DaRT in Japan. We believe this approval represents an important first step toward broader clinical evaluation of Alpha DaRT, and look forward to discussing with the PMDA further potential clinical studies in Japan evaluating the use of Alpha DaRT in additional tumor types.”

 

Robert E. Claar, CEO of HekaBio K.K., said, “The Alpha DaRT program has been the primary focus for our team for 7 years, and we’re delighted to reach this Shonin milestone with Alpha Tau Medical for the benefit of patients in Japan. Along the way, we got strong and continuous support from medical professionals, regulators and the government of Japan to enable approval for this breakthrough therapy. An approval in Japan in advance of the US and Europe for a foreign-originated new category medical device is an extremely rare event, and we’re grateful to all of our partners who made this possible. Our team is enthusiastically preparing to launch Alpha DaRT to deliver hope and clinical benefit to patients in Japan.”

 

Dr. Jun Itami, Director, High-Precision Radiation Therapy Center, Shin-Matsudo Central General Hospital, said, “Through this domestic clinical trial, Alpha DaRT has demonstrated promise, representing a major advance in the fight against cancer. Demonstrating the efficacy of intratumoral alpha-particle radiation therapy, a modality long considered difficult to implement, for patients who have not responded to conventional therapies is a highly meaningful achievement, offering a new treatment option.

 

 

 

 

By confirming both safety and efficacy in this study, we have opened the door to delivering this therapy in real-world clinical practice, thereby expanding the range of treatment options available to patients. This outcome also provides important insights for future clinical research aimed at broadening indications.

 

Bringing hope to patients and their families by offering ‘a new treatment option’ is not only clinically valuable but also provides psychological support in the care setting. Alpha DaRT holds the potential to turn that hope into reality.

 

Further validation and long-term safety evaluation will be necessary, but we are confident that these results represent a major step forward in advancing discussions toward broader clinical application.”

  

About Alpha Tau Medical Ltd. 

 

Founded in 2016, Alpha Tau is an Israeli oncology therapeutics company that focuses on research, development, and potential commercialization of the Alpha DaRT for the treatment of solid tumors. The technology was initially developed by Prof. Itzhak Kelson and Prof. Yona Keisari from Tel Aviv University.

  

About Alpha DaRT®

 

Alpha DaRT (Diffusing Alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy) is designed to enable highly potent and conformal alpha-irradiation of solid tumors by intratumoral delivery of radium-224 impregnated sources. When the radium decays, its short-lived daughters are released from the sources and disperse while emitting high-energy alpha particles with the goal of destroying the tumor. Since the alpha-emitting atoms diffuse only a short distance, Alpha DaRT aims to mainly affect the tumor, and to spare the healthy tissue around it.

  

About HekaBio

 

HekaBio K.K. is a Japan-based, asset-light, emerging commercial-stage biopharma and MedTech venture. The company in-licenses early, de-risked assets for commercialization in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. Its portfolio emphasizes breakthrough innovations in oncology and neurodegenerative diseases. Each year, HekaBio reviews more than 200 assets and selects a few high-potential opportunities for onboarding. The company aligns development timelines between the United States and Japan, and leverages strategic partnerships to enhance regulatory, pricing and commercial outcomes. Japan, the world’s third-largest healthcare market, serves as HekaBio’s launchpad for regional expansion. To learn more about HekaBio’s mission and portfolio, visit www.heka.bio

 

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Forward-Looking Statements

 

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used herein, words including “anticipate,” “will,” “plan,” “may,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, including with respect to the post-market surveillance study, discussions with MHLW, potential clinical studies and sales of Alpha DaRT are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based upon Alpha Tau’s current expectations and various assumptions. Alpha Tau believes there is a reasonable basis for its expectations and beliefs, but they are inherently uncertain. Alpha Tau may not realize its expectations, and its beliefs may not prove correct. Actual results could differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including, without limitation: (i) Alpha Tau’s ability to receive regulatory approval for its Alpha DaRT technology or any future products or product candidates; (ii) Alpha Tau’s limited operating history; (iii) Alpha Tau’s incurrence of significant losses to date; (iv) Alpha Tau’s need for additional funding and ability to raise capital when needed; (v) Alpha Tau’s limited experience in medical device discovery and development; (vi) Alpha Tau’s dependence on the success and commercialization of the Alpha DaRT technology; (vii) the failure of preliminary data from Alpha Tau’s clinical studies to predict final study results; (viii) failure of Alpha Tau’s early clinical studies or preclinical studies to predict future clinical studies; (ix) Alpha Tau’s ability to enroll patients in its clinical trials; (x) undesirable side effects caused by Alpha Tau’s Alpha DaRT technology or any future products or product candidates; (xi) Alpha Tau’s exposure to patent infringement lawsuits; (xii) Alpha Tau’s ability to comply with the extensive regulations applicable to it; (xiii) the ability to meet Nasdaq’s listing standards; (xiv) costs related to being a public company; (xv) changes in applicable laws or regulations; and the other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in Alpha Tau’s annual report filed on form 20-F with the SEC on March 12, 2025, and other filings that Alpha Tau may make with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While Alpha Tau may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, except as required by law, it disclaims any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause its views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Alpha Tau’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

 

Investor Relations Contact: 

 

IR@alphatau.com

 

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FAQ

What regulatory milestone did Alpha Tau Medical (DRTS) achieve in Japan?

Alpha Tau Medical obtained Shonin marketing approval in Japan for its Alpha DaRT therapy in unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer. This represents the first regulatory approval of the Alpha DaRT platform outside Israel, following review by Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency.

For which indication is Alpha DaRT approved in Japan?

Alpha DaRT is approved in Japan to treat unresectable locally advanced or locally recurrent head and neck cancer. The therapy delivers intratumoral alpha‑emitting radiation, aiming to destroy tumors while largely sparing nearby healthy tissue, based on clinical data reviewed through Japan’s Shonin device pathway.

What post-market study is required after Alpha DaRT’s Japanese approval?

As part of the Shonin approval, Alpha Tau must conduct a post‑market surveillance study enrolling 66 patients at five leading clinical centers in Japan. The study will evaluate safety and clinical performance in real‑world settings and generate additional clinical evidence with Japanese physicians and treatment centers.

Why is the Japanese Shonin approval important for Alpha Tau Medical?

The Shonin approval is important because it is Alpha Tau’s first marketing authorization for Alpha DaRT outside Israel and comes via Japan’s most rigorous device pathway. It supports the technology’s clinical credibility and opens access to the world’s third‑largest healthcare market for this head and neck cancer indication.

What are Alpha Tau and HekaBio planning after the Alpha DaRT approval in Japan?

Following approval, Alpha Tau and its partner HekaBio are preparing to launch Alpha DaRT in Japan and complete the required surveillance study. They also expect to begin discussions with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on reimbursement and explore additional clinical studies in other tumor types.

What technology underlies Alpha Tau Medical’s Alpha DaRT therapy?

Alpha DaRT uses radium‑224 impregnated sources placed directly into solid tumors, releasing short‑lived daughter isotopes that emit high‑energy alpha particles. These particles aim to destroy tumor tissue over a short diffusion range, with the goal of limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue during treatment.

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Alpha Tau Medical Ltd

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