---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-26-417935"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "AARD"
cik: "0001774857"
company_name: "Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc."
filed_at: "2026-10-08T20:14:11+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-10-12T15:28:42.904626+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.3
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.3
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Aardvark Therapeutics adds Abivax CSO David Zhang to board as ARD-101 regulatory decisions loom

## Summary
- David Zhang, Ph.D., MBA, appointed independent Class II director effective Oct. 7, 2026; he is Chief Strategy Officer of Abivax S.A. and a member of its Executive Committee.
- Zhang paid $40,000/year prorated cash plus a $500,000 option granted Oct. 7, 2026 that vests 1/36 monthly and accelerates in full on a change in control.
- At Abivax he led biometrics through positive topline readouts of two pivotal Phase 3 trials of obefazimod in ulcerative colitis.
- At MyoKardia he oversaw pivotal trial design, readout and the NDA for CAMZYOS (mavacamten) before the Bristol Myers Squibb acquisition; earlier 15 years at Genentech/Roche.
- Zhang said Aardvark is 'at a pivotal moment, with important decisions ahead for ARD-101' and cited navigating the regulatory landscape in Prader-Willi Syndrome.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-26-417935
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: AARD
- cik: 0001774857
- company_name: Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc.
- filed_at: 2026-10-08T20:14:11+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.3
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.3
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1774857/000119312526417935/0001193125-26-417935-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1774857/000119312526417935/ck0001774857-20261006.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-26-417935
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-26-417935.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-26-417935.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  David (Zhongwei) Zhang was appointed as Class II director at Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Class II director
  source text: On October 6, 2026, the board of directors (the “Board”) of Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed David (Zhongwei) Zhang, Ph.D., MBA, as a Class II director of the Company, effective October 7, 2026.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1774857/000119312526417935/0001193125-26-417935-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.