Akari Therapeutics Taps Ex-AACR President LoRusso to Guide Mid-2027 Phase 1 ADC Trial
AKTX•Akari Therapeutics has appointed Patricia LoRusso, D.O., former AACR President, to its Scientific Advisory Board to guide advancement of AKTX-101’s IND-enabling studies toward a mid-2027 Phase 1 trial. Dr. LoRusso brings over 25 years of oncology drug development expertise to optimize Akari’s novel PH1 spliceosome-modulating ADC payload.
1. Appointment to Scientific Advisory Board
On July 7, Akari Therapeutics appointed Dr. Patricia LoRusso to its Scientific Advisory Board to support the clinical advancement of its lead program, AKTX-101, into IND-enabling studies and a planned mid-2027 Phase 1 trial.
2. Extensive Oncology Drug Development Experience
Dr. LoRusso has over 25 years of experience in early‐phase oncology drug development, serving as former President of the American Association for Cancer Research and holding senior translational roles at Yale Cancer Center and the Barbara Karmanos Cancer Institute.
3. Strategic Implications for Pipeline
Her appointment strengthens Akari’s expertise in deploying its PH1 spliceosome‐modulating ADC payload targeting Trop2, bolstering efforts to initiate first‐in‐human trials for AKTX-101 while advancing AKTX-102 toward IND‐enabling studies across multiple solid tumor targets.
