Azitra shares surge 42.25% after-hours after securing $31.4M financing for cosmetic protein programs.

Azitra Inc. surged 42.25% in after-hours trading following the announcement of a $31.4 million private placement financing. The deal includes an initial $10.5 million in convertible preferred stock and up to $20.9 million via warrant exercises, led by institutional investors such as Stonepine Capital and Nantahala Capital, alongside the CEO. Funds will accelerate Azitra’s filaggrin-based protein and peptide development for the cosmeceutical market, leveraging its genetic engineering platform to streamline commercialization. The financing addresses near-term value creation and aligns with the growing $3.7 billion biotech cosmetic ingredients market by 2030. The transaction, expected to close on March 20, 2026, provides critical capital for R&D and operational needs, bolstering investor confidence in the company’s expansion into high-margin cosmetic applications.