Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Announces January 2026 Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: CRNX) announced that on January 10, 2026 its Compensation Committee granted inducement equity awards to 10 new non-executive employees under the 2021 Inducement Plan.

The grants consist of 37,575 non-qualified stock options and 25,525 restricted stock units (RSUs). Options have an exercise price of $53.25, equal to the Jan. 9, 2026 closing price. Options vest over four years with 25% at the one-year anniversary and the remainder in 36 equal monthly installments; RSUs vest in four equal annual installments, each subject to continued employment.

The awards were made as inducements material to employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are subject to the 2021 Inducement Plan and applicable award agreements.

News Market Reaction

-1.88%

1 alert

-1.88% News Effect

On the day this news was published, CRNX declined 1.88%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Stock options granted: 37,575 shares RSUs granted: 25,525 units New employees: 10 employees +5 more

8 metrics

Stock options granted 37,575 shares Non-qualified options to new non-executive employees under 2021 Inducement Plan

RSUs granted 25,525 units Restricted stock units to 10 new non-executive employees

New employees 10 employees Recipients of inducement stock options and RSUs

Option exercise price $53.25 per share Equal to CRNX closing price on Nasdaq Global Select Market on Jan 9, 2026

Option vesting period 4 years 25% after one year, then 36 equal monthly installments

RSU vesting period 4 years Equal annual installments starting one-year after vesting commencement

Initial cliff vesting 25% Portion of stock options vesting on one-year anniversary

Monthly vesting tranches 36 installments Remaining stock option vesting schedule after first year

Market Reality Check

Price: $55.42 Vol: Volume 2,198,235 vs 20-da...

normal vol

$55.42 Last Close

Volume Volume 2,198,235 vs 20-day avg 1,602,399 (1.37x), before this HR-focused news. normal

Technical Price 53.25 trading above 200-day MA at 36.24, indicating a pre-existing uptrend.

Peers on Argus

Peers showed mixed moves: IMVT -2.4%, KYMR -0.29%, PTGX +0.02%, VKTX -1.11%, APL...

Peers showed mixed moves: IMVT -2.4%, KYMR -0.29%, PTGX +0.02%, VKTX -1.11%, APLS +2.63%, suggesting this routine inducement update is stock-specific.

Common Catalyst Same-day peer news includes a J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference update (APLS) and Phase 2 trial publication (VKTX), pointing to broader biotech news flow rather than a unified sector move.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 06 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 06	Equity offering priced	Negative	-4.6%	Underwritten offering of 7,620,000 shares priced at $45.95.
Jan 05	Equity offering proposed	Negative	+3.1%	Proposed $350.0M common stock offering with 30-day option.
Jan 05	Clinical & launch update	Positive	+3.1%	Positive atumelnant Phase 2 data and early PALSONIFY revenue traction.
Jan 04	Event & data preview	Neutral	+3.1%	Announcement of business update call and Phase 2 topline timing.
Dec 18	Conference participation	Neutral	+6.4%	Planned presentation at 44th J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

Pattern Detected

Recent history shows positive price reactions to clinical/commercial updates and a negative reaction to the priced equity offering, while neutral conference and scheduling news sometimes coincided with upside.

Recent Company History

Over the past month, Crinetics issued several market-moving updates. On Jan 5–6, 2026, it announced and then priced a common stock offering at $45.95, with the pricing news seeing a -4.63% move. Around the same time, PALSONIFY launch metrics and positive Phase 2 atumelnant data each coincided with +3.1% reactions. A J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference participation update on Dec 18, 2025 aligned with a +6.36% move. Today’s inducement grants fit into ongoing capital raising, commercialization, and hiring activity.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details standard inducement equity grants for 10 new non-executive employees: 37,5...

Analysis

This announcement details standard inducement equity grants for 10 new non-executive employees: 37,575 stock options and 25,525 RSUs, with an exercise price of $53.25 and four-year vesting. It follows recent capital-raising, PALSONIFY launch updates, and positive Phase 2 atumelnant data. Investors monitoring dilution, hiring to support commercialization, and execution on recently reported clinical and business milestones may view these awards as part of ongoing growth infrastructure.

Key Terms

nasdaq listing rule 5635(c)(4), non-qualified stock option, restricted stock unit, rsu, +4 more

8 terms

nasdaq listing rule 5635(c)(4) regulatory

"granted as inducements material to the employees entering into employment with Crinetics 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.

non-qualified stock option financial

"granted non-qualified stock option awards to purchase an aggregate of 37,575 shares"

A non-qualified stock option (NSO) is a contract that lets an employee or service provider buy company shares at a fixed price for a set period, like a voucher to purchase stock later at today’s price. It matters to investors because exercising NSOs creates ordinary income for the holder and can increase share count, affecting a company’s earnings and ownership mix; think of it as a future sale that can dilute existing shareholders and has immediate tax consequences for the recipient.

restricted stock unit financial

"and granted an aggregate of 25,525 restricted stock unit (“RSU”) awards"

A restricted stock unit is a promise from a company to give an employee shares of stock after certain conditions are met, like staying with the company for a set amount of time. It’s like earning a bonus that turns into company stock once you’ve proven your commitment, making it a way to motivate and reward employees.

rsu financial

"25,525 restricted stock unit (“RSU”) awards to 10 new non-executive employees"

Restricted stock units (RSUs) are a form of company shares given to employees as part of their compensation, usually with certain restrictions or conditions, such as remaining with the company for a set period. When these restrictions lift, employees receive actual shares that they can sell or hold. For investors, RSUs can impact a company's stock supply and reflect the company's commitment to attracting and retaining talent.

exercise price financial

"The stock options have an exercise price of $53.25 per share"

The exercise price is the fixed amount at which you can buy or sell an asset, like a stock, when using an options contract. It matters because it helps determine whether exercising the option will be profitable or not, depending on the current market price. Think of it as the set price you agree on today to buy or sell later.

vesting financial

"The shares subject to the stock options will vest over four years, with 25% of the shares vesting on the one-year anniversary"

Vesting is the process by which you earn full ownership of something, like company stock or a retirement benefit, over time. It’s like earning the right to keep a gift piece by piece the longer you stay with a company, making sure employees stay committed before they receive all the benefits.

nasdaq global select market regulatory

"equal to the closing price of Crinetics’ common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on January 9, 2026."

A Nasdaq Global Select Market listing is the highest tier of stocks on the Nasdaq exchange, reserved for companies that meet the strictest financial, reporting and governance standards. For investors, it acts like a premium quality label—signaling larger, more transparent and better-governed companies that tend to offer greater liquidity and lower perceived risk compared with lower-tier listings, making it easier to buy, sell and evaluate shares.

equity awards financial

"used exclusively for granting equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees"

Equity awards are payments to employees or directors made in the form of company stock or rights to buy stock later, serving as a way to share ownership rather than cash. For investors, they matter because they align staff incentives with company performance, can increase the number of shares outstanding over time (which can reduce each share’s claim on profits), and create compensation costs that affect reported earnings.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNX) today announced that on January 10, 2026, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors granted non-qualified stock option awards to purchase an aggregate of 37,575 shares of its common stock and granted an aggregate of 25,525 restricted stock unit (“RSU”) awards to 10 new non-executive employees, in each case, under the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan (the “2021 Inducement Plan”). The stock options and RSUs were granted as inducements material to the employees entering into employment with Crinetics in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The 2021 Inducement Plan is used exclusively for granting equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees of Crinetics, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, as an inducement material to such individuals’ entering into employment with Crinetics, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The stock options have an exercise price of $53.25 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Crinetics’ common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on January 9, 2026. The shares subject to the stock options will vest over four years, with 25% of the shares vesting on the one-year anniversary of the applicable vesting commencement date and the balance of the shares vesting in a series of 36 successive equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to each employee’s continued employment with Crinetics on such vesting dates. The RSUs will vest over four years in equal annual installments beginning on the one-year anniversary of the applicable vesting commencement date, also subject to each employee’s continued employment with Crinetics on such vesting dates. The stock option and RSU awards are subject to the terms and conditions of the 2021 Inducement Plan and the terms and conditions of an applicable stock option award agreement or RSU award agreement covering the respective grant.

About Crinetics Pharmaceuticals
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals is a global pharmaceutical company committed to transforming the treatment of endocrine diseases and endocrine-related tumors through science rooted in patient needs. Crinetics is focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel therapies, with a core expertise in targeting G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with small molecules that have specifically tailored pharmacology and properties.

Crinetics’ lead product, PALSONIFY™ (paltusotine), is the first once-daily, oral treatment approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of adults with acromegaly who had an inadequate response to surgery and/or for whom surgery is not an option. Paltusotine is also in clinical development for carcinoid syndrome associated with neuroendocrine tumors. Crinetics’ deep pipeline of 10+ disclosed programs includes late-stage investigational candidate atumelnant, which is currently in late-stage development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia and ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. Additional discovery programs address a variety of endocrine conditions such as neuroendocrine tumors, Graves’ disease (including Graves’ hyperthyroidism and Graves’ orbitopathy, or thyroid eye disease), polycystic kidney disease, hyperparathyroidism, diabetes, obesity, and GPCR-targeted oncology indications.

Investors:
Gayathri Diwakar
Head of Investor Relations
gdiwakar@crinetics.com
(858) 345-6340

Media:
Natalie Badillo
Head of Corporate Communications
nbadillo@crinetics.com
(858) 450-6464

FAQ

What equity awards did Crinetics (CRNX) grant on January 10, 2026?

Crinetics granted 37,575 non-qualified stock options and 25,525 RSUs to 10 new non-executive employees.

What is the exercise price of the CRNX stock options granted in January 2026?

The exercise price is $53.25 per share, equal to Crinetics' closing price on Jan. 9, 2026.

How do the CRNX options and RSUs vest for the January 2026 inducement grants?

Options vest over four years with 25% at one year then 36 equal monthly installments; RSUs vest in four equal annual installments, all subject to continued employment.

Under what plan were the Crinetics January 2026 inducement awards granted?

The awards were granted under the 2021 Inducement Plan, used for equity inducements under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Who received the inducement awards disclosed by Crinetics on January 12, 2026?

The awards were granted to 10 new non-executive employees as inducements to enter employment with Crinetics.