Benzinga | Apr 28, 2021 10:25AM EDT

Akari Therapeutics' Nomacopan Secures Expediated Review Tag For Blistering Skin Disorder

* The FDA has granted Fast Track designation to Akari Therapeutics Plc's (NASDAQ: AKTX) nomacopan to treat patients with moderate and severe Bullous Pemphigoid (BP).

* Nomacopan has also been granted orphan drug designation for nomacopan to treat BP by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

* Fast track is a process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs.

* BP is a severe orphan autoimmune inflammatory blistering skin disease wherein both terminal complement activation (via complement component C5), and the lipid mediator leukotriene B4 (LTB4) have a central role in driving the disease.

* Akari's lead drug candidate, Nomacopan, is a C5 complement inhibitor that independently and specifically binds to and inhibits leukotriene B4 (LTB4) activity.

* Price Action: AKTX shares are up 2.13% at $2.39 during the market trading session on the last check Wednesday.