Artiva Biotherapeutics Appoints Veteran Biotech Executive and Drug Developer Diego Miralles, M.D., as President and Head of Research and Development

Artiva Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: ARTV) appointed Diego Miralles, M.D. as President and Head of Research and Development, effective May 18, 2026.

Rhea-AI Summary

Artiva Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: ARTV) appointed Diego Miralles, M.D. as President and Head of Research and Development, effective May 18, 2026. He will lead advancement of AlloNK in autoimmune diseases, including preparation for a Phase 3 trial in refractory rheumatoid arthritis and a potential first BLA filing in 2029.

As an employment inducement, Miralles will receive options on 232,500 shares and 77,500 RSUs vesting over four years under Artiva’s 2025 Inducement Plan.

Positive

• Seasoned biotech leader appointed President and Head of R&D
• Leadership supports Phase 3 planning for AlloNK in refractory rheumatoid arthritis
• Company targets first AlloNK BLA submission in 2029
• Inducement grant aligns executive incentives with long-term shareholder value

Negative

• Equity inducement grant of 310,000 shares creates incremental share dilution

Argus May 19 session

-7.27% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – ARTV

On May 19, the day this news came out, ARTV closed 7.27% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the May 19 session.

Key Figures

Executive experience: more than 20 years Target BLA timing: 2029 Stock options granted: 232,500 options +5 more

Executive experience

more than 20 years

Leadership in research, clinical development and commercialization

Target BLA timing

2029

Planned first BLA filing for AlloNK

Stock options granted

232,500 options

Inducement grant under 2025 Inducement Plan

RSUs granted

77,500 RSUs

Inducement grant for President and Head of R&D role

Vesting term

4 years

Options and RSUs vest over four years

Initial vesting

25% on May 15, 2027

Cliff vest for both options and RSUs

Option vest schedule

1/36 monthly

Remaining options vest monthly after initial cliff

RSU vest schedule

1/12 quarterly

Remaining RSUs vest quarterly after initial cliff

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: May 08

5 events

1. May 08

   Equity offering

   24h Move

   -13.0%

   Underwritten common stock and pre-funded warrant offering for about $300M.

2. May 08

   Q1 earnings & data

   24h Move

   -13.0%

   Reported positive AlloNK Phase 2a RA data and Q1 2026 financials.

3. May 08

   Clinical data update

   24h Move

   -13.0%

   Announced positive AlloNK clinical data and FDA alignment on Phase 3 RA trial.

4. Apr 08

   Conference participation

   24h Move

   -7.2%

   Planned participation in the 25th Annual Needham Virtual Healthcare Conference.

5. Mar 10

   Full-year results

   24h Move

   +17.3%

   Reported 2025 financials, cash runway into Q2 2027 and AlloNK clinical progress.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

inducement grant, restricted stock units, nasdaq listing rule 5635(c)(4), phase 3 trial, +2 more

6 terms

inducement grant financial

"The Inducement Grant will be granted pursuant to Artiva’s 2025 Inducement Plan..."

An inducement grant is a stock-based reward given to a new hire—often options or restricted shares—used as a recruiting “signing bonus” to encourage someone to join a company and stay long enough to add value. Investors care because these grants can dilute existing shareholdings, change executive incentives and increase reported compensation costs, so they signal both management priorities and potential impacts on shareholder value.

restricted stock units financial

"...options to purchase 232,500 shares... and 77,500 restricted stock units (the “RSUs”...)"

Restricted stock units are a type of company reward where employees are promised shares of stock, but they only fully own these shares after meeting certain conditions, like staying with the company for a set time. They matter because they can become valuable assets and are often used to motivate employees to help the company succeed.

nasdaq listing rule 5635(c)(4) regulatory

"...in accordance with Nasdaq listing Rule 5635(c)(4)."

NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) is a rule that requires a company to get approval from its shareholders before selling a large amount of its shares, usually over 20%. This helps protect investors by making sure the company doesn't flood the market with new shares without their say, which could lower the stock's value.

phase 3 trial medical

"...as we prepare for and execute our Phase 3 trial in refractory RA..."

A Phase 3 trial is a large, late-stage test of a new drug or medical treatment done on many people to make sure it really works and is safe. For investors, it matters because a successful Phase 3 usually means the company can ask regulators to sell the product and could earn lots of money, while failure can sharply reduce the company’s value.

fda approval regulatory

"...advancing multiple therapeutics from discovery through FDA approval and commercialization..."

FDA approval is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s formal authorization for a drug, vaccine, or medical device to be marketed and sold after reviewers determine it meets standards for safety and effectiveness. For investors it’s a pivotal milestone because it opens the door to legal, large-scale sales and can sharply boost revenue potential while reducing regulatory uncertainty—like receiving a safety certificate that lets a new bridge carry traffic and tolls.

autoimmune diseases medical

"...cell therapies for patients with debilitating autoimmune diseases..."

Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own cells, tissues or organs, causing chronic inflammation and damage—think of the immune system as a home security system that wrongly targets the house instead of intruders. Investors care because these illnesses create sustained demand for diagnostics, long-term treatments and specialty drugs, influence regulatory scrutiny and healthcare costs, and can shape the commercial outlook for biotech and pharmaceutical investments.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Veteran biotechnology executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning research, clinical development, commercialization and company building

Proven track record advancing multiple therapeutics from discovery through FDA approval and commercialization, including PREZISTA^® and INTELENCE^®

SAN DIEGO, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARTV) (Artiva), a clinical-stage biotechnology company whose mission is to develop effective, safe and accessible cell therapies for patients with debilitating autoimmune diseases, today announced the appointment of Diego Miralles, M.D., as President and Head of Research and Development. Dr. Miralles brings more than two decades of senior leadership and drug development experience, with a track record of advancing therapies from discovery through approval and commercialization, to support Artiva as it advances AlloNK^® in autoimmune diseases and prepares for registrational development in refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Diego again, as we did at Vividion, and to welcome him into this leadership role at such an important time for Artiva,” said Fred Aslan, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Artiva. “Diego combines strategic, scientific and clinical judgement with a proven ability to build organizations and advance innovative therapies. These qualities will be critical as we advance AlloNK toward registrational development in refractory RA, while continuing to build a company capable of bringing a potentially transformative therapy to patients. With recent FDA alignment on a potential registrational path, Diego’s experience and leadership will be instrumental as we prepare for and execute our Phase 3 trial in refractory RA, advance AlloNK across multiple autoimmune diseases and file our first successful BLA for AlloNK in 2029.”

“Having served on Artiva’s Board of Directors for the past two years, I have seen firsthand the promise of AlloNK and the dedication of the team advancing it,” said Dr. Miralles. “Artiva is at a pivotal moment, with a therapeutic approach that has the potential to meaningfully change how autoimmune diseases are treated. AlloNK’s potential to deliver deep B-cell depletion in a consistent, scalable and outpatient-ready format is exactly the kind of innovation that could expand access for patients who need better options. I’m excited to rejoin Fred and partner with the Artiva team to advance AlloNK in refractory RA and other autoimmune diseases, execute the next phase of clinical development and help shape the company’s long-term research and development strategy.”

Dr. Miralles brings more than 20 years of global leadership experience spanning research, clinical development, commercialization and company building across biotechnology and large pharmaceutical companies. He served as chief executive officer of Laronde Inc., a Flagship Pioneering company developing a programmable RNA platform to produce therapeutic proteins. Prior to Laronde, Dr. Miralles served as chief executive officer of Vividion Therapeutics, where he built the company from inception into a leading chemical biology platform for the discovery of small molecule therapies against previously undruggable targets. Prior to Vividion, Dr. Miralles served as president of Adaptive Therapeutics, a division of Adaptive Biotechnologies, and as global head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, where he founded the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Centers and JLABS. Earlier in his career at Johnson & Johnson, he led the Janssen Research and Early Development unit in La Jolla, California and served as vice president of clinical development at Tibotec, where he was involved in the development, approval and commercialization of several antiviral medicines, including PREZISTA^® and INTELENCE^®. Dr. Miralles has served on Artiva’s Board of Directors since May 2024 and currently serves on the boards of directors of Contineum Therapeutics, ArrePath Therapeutics and Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego. Dr. Miralles received his M.D. from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, completed his internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic and was a fellow in infectious diseases at Cornell University–New York Hospital.

Inducement Grant
In connection with the appointment of Dr. Miralles as Artiva’s President and Head of Research and Development, Artiva’s Board of Directors approved a new employment inducement grant to Dr. Miralles of options to purchase 232,500 shares of Artiva’s common stock (the “Options”) and 77,500 restricted stock units (the “RSUs” and, together with the Options, the “Inducement Grant”).

The Inducement Grant will be granted pursuant to Artiva’s 2025 Inducement Plan (the “Inducement Plan”), with the grant effective May 18, 2026. The Options will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on May 15, 2027, and 1/36th of the remaining Options vesting monthly thereafter, subject to Dr. Miralles’s continued employment on each such date. The RSUs will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on May 15, 2027, and 1/12th of the remaining RSUs vesting quarterly thereafter, subject to Dr. Miralles’s continued employment on each such date. The Inducement Grant is subject to the terms and conditions of the Inducement Plan and the terms and conditions of the applicable stock option notice and agreement and restricted stock unit notice and agreement covering the grant.

Artiva will grant the Inducement Grant as an inducement material to Dr. Miralles’s employment with Artiva in accordance with Nasdaq listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Artiva Biotherapeutics
Artiva is a clinical-stage biotechnology company whose mission is to develop effective, safe and accessible cell therapies for patients with debilitating autoimmune diseases. Artiva’s lead program, AlloNK^® (also known as AB-101), is an allogeneic, off-the-shelf, non-genetically modified, cryopreserved NK cell therapy candidate designed to enhance the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity effect of monoclonal antibodies to drive B-cell depletion. AlloNK is currently being evaluated in three ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of B-cell driven autoimmune diseases, including a company-sponsored basket trial across autoimmune diseases that includes rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s disease and an investigator-initiated basket trial in B-cell driven autoimmune diseases. Artiva plans to initiate a Phase 3 registrational trial evaluating AlloNK in refractory RA in 2026. Artiva was founded in 2019 as a spin out of GC Cell, formerly GC Lab Cell Corporation, a leading healthcare company in the Republic of Korea, pursuant to a strategic partnership granting Artiva exclusive worldwide rights (excluding Asia, Australia and New Zealand) to GC Cell’s NK cell manufacturing technology and programs.

Artiva is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.artivabio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the appointment of Diego Miralles, M.D., as President, Head of Research and Development of Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) and the Company’s mission, product candidates (including AlloNK’s potential for continued development, future BLA submission, commercialization, meaningful change in how autoimmune diseases are treated, and transformative treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions), positioning for sustained growth, clinical trials, pipeline, and strategic partnerships. These forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the management of the Company as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the events or circumstances referred to in the forward-looking statements may not occur. These and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results to differ from current expectations are discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date this press release is given. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

Investors
Noopur Batsha Liffick, MPH
NBL LifeSci Advisory LLC
ir@artivabio.com

Media
Jessica Yingling, Ph.D.
Little Dog Communications Inc.
jessica@litldog.com

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Who is the new President and Head of R&D at Artiva Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ: ARTV)?

Artiva appointed Diego Miralles, M.D. as President and Head of Research and Development. According to Artiva, he brings over 20 years of global leadership across research, clinical development, commercialization, and company building at biotechnology and large pharmaceutical companies.

How will Diego Miralles influence AlloNK development at Artiva Biotherapeutics (ARTV)?

Diego Miralles will lead research and development for AlloNK in autoimmune diseases. According to Artiva, his role includes preparing and executing a planned Phase 3 trial in refractory rheumatoid arthritis and helping shape long-term R&D strategy across multiple autoimmune indications.

What equity inducement grant did Artiva Biotherapeutics (ARTV) award Diego Miralles in May 2026?

Artiva approved options for 232,500 shares and 77,500 RSUs for Diego Miralles. According to Artiva, both awards vest over four years under the 2025 Inducement Plan, subject to continued employment, and were granted under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

What are the vesting terms of the Artiva (ARTV) stock options granted to Diego Miralles?

The options vest over four years, with 25% vesting on May 15, 2027. According to Artiva, the remaining 75% of options vest in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, conditional on Miralles’s continued employment at each vesting date.

What are the vesting terms of the RSUs granted by Artiva Biotherapeutics (ARTV) to Diego Miralles?

The RSUs vest over four years, with 25% vesting on May 15, 2027. According to Artiva, the remaining RSUs vest in 12 equal quarterly installments, subject to Miralles’s continued employment, under the company’s 2025 Inducement Plan.