Azitra to Showcase AI-Microbiome Platform at Key Investor Conference

BRANFORD, CT – January 07, 2026 – Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Azitra, Inc. (NYSE American: AZTR) announced today it will present its precision dermatology pipeline at the upcoming Biotech Showcase, a major investor conference running parallel to the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. The presentation places the company and its innovative technology platform in front of a global audience of investors and potential partners at a critical juncture in its development.

Chief Operating Officer Travis Whitfill is scheduled to present on Tuesday, January 13. The event provides a high-stakes platform for the company's leadership to conduct one-on-one meetings, where they will outline their clinical strategy, recent progress, and key anticipated milestones for their novel skin therapies.

The Strategic Stage: A Quest for Capital and Collaboration

For a small-cap company like Azitra, participation in Biotech Showcase is more than a routine update; it is a strategic necessity. The conference is one of the life sciences industry's premier venues for dealmaking, historically facilitating billions of dollars in investments and partnerships. Companies presenting often seek to secure the significant capital required to navigate the costly and lengthy process of clinical trials and regulatory approval.

Azitra's financial position underscores the importance of this event. The company has been operating with significant losses and, according to market data, is rapidly utilizing its cash reserves. While it recently secured $1.5 million in a private placement in late 2025 and received acceptance for a compliance plan from NYSE American, the scale of its ambition requires far more substantial funding. The one-on-one meetings with investors managing over $400 billion in collective capital represent a pivotal opportunity to secure the resources needed to push its promising clinical programs across the finish line.

Investors will be weighing the company's high-risk, high-reward profile. Azitra's stock (AZTR) has shown extreme volatility over the past year, and while one analyst has set a bullish price target of $4.00, the stock currently trades at a fraction of that value. The presentation will be a key test of management's ability to articulate a compelling value proposition that justifies the inherent risks of early-stage biotech investment.

A New Frontier in Dermatology: AI and Engineered Microbes

At the heart of Azitra's pitch is its highly innovative scientific platform, which combines the fields of microbiome science, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence. This technology aims to revolutionize the treatment of complex skin diseases by harnessing the body's own microbial ecosystem.

The company's approach centers on using genetically engineered strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacterium commonly found on healthy human skin, as a living therapeutic delivery system. Azitra has developed a proprietary microbial library of approximately 1,500 bacterial strains, which serves as the foundation for its discovery engine.

What sets Azitra apart is its use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze this vast library. The AI platform predicts and screens for strains with drug-like properties, significantly accelerating the identification of potential therapeutic candidates. Once a candidate is identified, Azitra employs advanced genetic engineering techniques to enhance its safety and efficacy. This includes modifying the bacteria to control its growth on the skin—a critical safety feature—and to produce specific therapeutic proteins that are missing or deficient in certain skin diseases.

This platform represents a potential paradigm shift from traditional small molecules or system-wide biologics, offering a targeted, topical treatment that works in concert with the skin's natural environment.

A Beacon of Hope for Devastating Skin Conditions

Azitra is deploying its cutting-edge platform to address conditions with significant unmet medical needs, positioning itself as a source of hope for underserved patient populations.

Its lead program, ATR-12, targets Netherton syndrome, a severe and rare genetic skin disorder caused by a deficiency in the LEKTI protein. The condition is characterized by a severely compromised skin barrier, chronic inflammation, and a high susceptibility to infections. It can be fatal in infancy, and individuals who survive face lifelong, debilitating symptoms with no currently approved targeted treatments. ATR-12 is an engineered S. epidermidis strain designed to be applied topically and deliver a functional version of the LEKTI protein directly to the skin. The program is currently in a Phase 1b clinical trial, and investors at the showcase will be keenly focused on the expected timing for initial safety data and topline results.

The company's second clinical program, ATR-04, addresses a more common but still challenging condition: skin toxicity associated with EGFR inhibitors (EGFRi). These powerful cancer therapies often cause severe rashes and skin discomfort that can be so debilitating that patients must reduce their cancer treatment dosage or stop it altogether. Affecting an estimated 150,000 people in the United States, this side effect represents a market opportunity estimated to exceed $1 billion. In a significant validation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation to ATR-04 in September 2024, a move designed to expedite the development and review of drugs for serious conditions. A Phase 1/2 clinical trial for ATR-04 has been initiated, marking another key milestone for the company.

As Azitra takes the stage in San Francisco, it will be presenting not just a technology, but a potential new path forward for patients suffering from some of dermatology's most intractable diseases. The response from the investment community in the coming weeks will be a crucial indicator of whether this vision can be translated into a clinical and commercial reality.