Aktis Oncology Receives U.S. FDA Fast Track Designation for AKY-1189, a Nectin-4 Miniprotein Radioconjugate

• U.S. FDA Fast Track designation granted to AKY-1189
  1
  for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have progressed on or after prior systemic therapies
• Ongoing Phase 1b trial of AKY-1189 enrolling patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer and several other Nectin-4 expressing tumor types

BOSTON, Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aktis Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKTS), a clinical-stage oncology company focused on expanding the breakthrough potential of targeted radiopharmaceuticals to large patient populations, including those not addressed by existing platform technologies, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to AKY-1189 for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) who have progressed on or after prior systemic therapies. Generated using Aktis’ miniprotein radioconjugate platform, AKY-1189 is designed to deliver actinium-225 (

Ac), a highly potent alpha-emitting radioisotope, to Nectin-4 expressing tumors. Approximately 80 – 90% of urothelial cancer patients show positive expression of Nectin-4.

Fast Track designation is an FDA process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. The purpose is to bring important new drugs to patients earlier. A drug that receives Fast Track designation may be eligible for more frequent interactions and communications with the FDA and the ability to submit a Biologics License Application on a rolling basis.

“Patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who progress on systemic therapies, such as PADCEV, have limited treatment options,” said Akos Czibere, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Aktis Oncology. “The granting of Fast Track designation affords us a unique opportunity to work closely with the FDA to potentially expedite the development and review process of AKY-1189 with the goal of addressing this unmet medical need by bringing a new therapeutic option to patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.”

Aktis is currently conducting a multi-site Phase 1b clinical trial of AKY-1189 in the United States for the treatment of locally advanced or mUC, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and head and neck cancer. Aktis expects to present preliminary results from Part 1 of the trial in the first quarter of 2027.

About Aktis’ Radioconjugate Platform
Aktis has developed a proprietary, isotope-agnostic miniprotein radioconjugate platform to selectively deliver the tumor-killing properties of radioisotopes to targeted tumors. Aktis’ therapeutic miniprotein radioconjugates are designed to maximize anti-cancer activity through high penetration, internalization and retention in cancer cells, while quickly clearing from normal organs and tissues. The Aktis platform further enables clinicians to visualize and verify target engagement with imaging isotopes prior to exposure to therapeutic radioisotopes. Leveraging this platform, Aktis is advancing a pipeline of next-generation targeted radiopharmaceuticals to address the unmet needs of patients across a broad spectrum of solid tumors.

About Aktis Oncology
Aktis Oncology, Inc. is a clinical-stage oncology company focused on expanding the breakthrough potential of targeted radiopharmaceuticals to large patient populations, including those not addressed by existing platform technologies. Aktis’ most advanced pipeline program, AKY-1189, is a miniprotein radioconjugate targeting Nectin-4, with multi-indication potential across multiple tumor types, including locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and head and neck cancer. Aktis’ second pipeline program, AKY-2519, is a miniprotein radioconjugate targeting B7-H3 expressing tumors, including prostate, lung and other solid tumors. Aktis has a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company to leverage its miniprotein platform to develop novel radioconjugates outside of Aktis’ proprietary pipeline.

AKY-1189 refers to the therapeutic radioconjugate [ Ac]Ac-AKY-1189.