Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: directors' dealings · United States · SEC (Form 4)

About Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: APLS) is a U.S.-based biopharmaceutical company focused on complement biology, with a particular emphasis on the C3 protein, a central node in the immune complement cascade. Founded in 2009 and incorporated in Delaware, the company is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, in the United States. For French-speaking investors, Apellis should be viewed as a specialty biotech rather than a broad-based pharmaceutical group: its value proposition rests on scientific differentiation, regulatory execution, and the gradual expansion of a small number of high-value assets. Apellis’ corporate history is tied to the development of complement-inhibiting therapies in an area that had long been underexploited. Since its inception in 2009, the company has built a platform designed to control overactivation of the complement system, thereby reducing damage to healthy cells and tissues. That scientific focus has enabled Apellis to establish itself as an early mover in C3-targeted medicine, with two first-in-class commercial products forming the core of its business. Its lead ophthalmology product is SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection), approved for geographic atrophy, an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration and a major cause of irreversible vision loss. The second major franchise is EMPAVELI (pegcetacoplan), originally developed for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and subsequently expanded into rare kidney diseases. In July 2025, the FDA approved EMPAVELI as the first treatment for C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and primary immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) in patients 12 years of age and older, broadening the commercial and clinical scope of the asset. Together, these two franchises give Apellis a more diversified revenue base than many mid-cap biotechs, although the company remains materially dependent on a limited number of products. From a competitive standpoint, Apellis operates in high-unmet-need, specialized markets where clinical differentiation matters more than scale. In geographic atrophy, SYFOVRE is positioned as a leading treatment option, while EMPAVELI has established itself as a first-mover therapy in rare complement-driven kidney diseases. This makes the company strategically relevant in both retina and rare disease markets, with a profile that blends commercial-stage execution and pipeline optionality. Apellis also maintains an international footprint, with offices in the United States, Switzerland, Germany, and Australia, supporting both development and commercialization outside its home market. Recent highlights include the July 2025 FDA approval for EMPAVELI in C3G and IC-MPGN, November 2025 five-year GALE data indicating that SYFOVRE can meaningfully delay geographic atrophy progression over the long term, and February 2026 full-year 2025 results showing continued product revenue growth. SYFOVRE remained the company’s largest revenue driver, while EMPAVELI gained momentum following its renal expansion. Overall, Apellis offers investors exposure to a Nasdaq-listed United States biotech with meaningful commercial traction, a differentiated C3 platform, and ongoing clinical/regulatory catalysts.