UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 20, 2026

ANAVEX LIFE SCIENCES CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

630 5th Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY USA 10111
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

1-844-689-3939

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a -12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d -2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e -4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On February 20, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Anavex Life Sciences Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), upon the recommendation of its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, appointed Axel Paeger, MD, MBA, MBI as a member of the Board, effective February 23, 2026, to fill a vacancy on the Board.

Dr. Paeger will be compensated for his service as a member of the Board consistent with the compensation paid to the Company’s other non-employee directors as previously disclosed in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders.

The Board determined that Dr. Paeger is an independent director within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder and the listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market. There are no arrangements or understandings between Dr. Paeger and any other person in connection with his appointment as director of the Company, and there are no transactions or relationships between Dr. Paeger and the Company and its subsidiaries that require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On February 23, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing the foregoing, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

This information shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, and it shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.