Cytokinetics Announces Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

Cytokinetics (Nasdaq: CYTK) reported that on August 14, 2026 it granted stock options for 27,565 shares and 18,273 RSUs to 12 new employees as material inducement awards under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The options have a $74.13 exercise price, 4-year vesting and 10-year term, while RSUs vest over 3 years.

News Explained

The awards were granted on August 14, but they do not immediately increase the common-share count: RSUs settle in shares upon vesting, while options are rights to purchase shares; if those conditions are met, existing holders’ percentage ownership would decline absent offsetting changes.

Market Context

The current momentum scan included LEGN at 6.222760304808617% higher, providing broader biotech trad...

Analysis

The current momentum scan included LEGN at 6.222760304808617% higher, providing broader biotech trading context. For this inducement-award announcement, the platform also records Net Selling among insiders; vesting schedules and share-settled awards remain the key terms to monitor.

Key Figures

Stock options: 27,565 shares Restricted stock units: 18,273 RSUs Recipients: 12 employees +5 more

8 metrics

Stock options 27,565 shares Inducement grants announced August 18, 2026

Restricted stock units 18,273 RSUs Settled in common shares upon vesting

Recipients 12 employees Employees whose employment commenced in July and August 2026

RSU vesting period 3 years 40% vesting on year one, 40% on year two, and 20% on year three

RSU vesting schedule 40% / 40% / 20% Vesting on the first, second, and third anniversaries

Option exercise price $74.13 per share Equal to the August 14, 2026 closing price

Option vesting period 4 years Subject to continued employee service

Option term 10 years Term of the granted stock options

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Aug 06 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Aug 06	Q2 earnings report	Negative	-5.7%	Widened net loss and lower year-over-year revenue accompanied the quarterly update.
Jul 30	UK marketing authorisation	Positive	+2.6%	MHRA authorisation and positive NICE guidance supported UK commercial expansion.
Jul 23	Earnings date announcement	Neutral	-1.4%	The company scheduled its second-quarter results release and conference call.
Jul 17	Inducement equity grants	Neutral	-1.3%	The company granted options and RSUs to ten newly hired employees.
Jul 07	Conference data presentation	Neutral	-0.0%	The company announced planned late-breaking ACACIA-HCM data presentations at ESC Congress.

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

Pattern Detected

Recent positive or neutral corporate announcements produced mixed reactions, including a -5.67% move after the Q2 2026 results.

Key Terms

restricted stock units, nasdaq listing rule 5635(c)(4)

2 terms

restricted stock units financial

"and 18,273 restricted stock units (RSUs) that will be settled in shares"

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.

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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cytokinetics, Incorporated (Nasdaq: CYTK) today announced that on August 14, 2026 it granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 27,565 shares of common stock and 18,273 restricted stock units (RSUs) that will be settled in shares of common stock upon vesting to 12 employees, whose employment commenced in July and August 2026 as a material inducement to their employment.

The RSUs will vest over 3 years, with 40% of the RSUs vesting on the first anniversary of the applicable grant date, an additional 40% of the RSUs vesting on the second anniversary of the grant date and the final 20% vesting on the third anniversary of the grant date, in each case, subject to each respective employee’s continued service with the Company. The stock options that were granted are subject to an exercise price of $74.13 per share, which is equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on August 14, 2026 and will vest over 4 years, with 1/4^th of the shares underlying the employee’s option vesting on the one-year anniversary of the grant date and the remaining shares thereafter vesting in monthly installments at a rate of 1/48^th of the shares underlying such stock options over the subsequent 36 months, subject to each respective employee’s continued service with the Company. The stock options have a 10-year term. These awards are subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan and the applicable award agreements pursuant to which the awards were granted.

The stock options and RSUs were granted as material inducements to employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Cytokinetics

Cytokinetics is a specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, building on its over 25 years of pioneering scientific innovations in muscle biology, and advancing a pipeline of potential new medicines for patients suffering from diseases of cardiac muscle dysfunction. Cytokinetics’ MYQORZO^® (aficamten) is a cardiac myosin inhibitor approved in the U.S., Europe and China for the treatment of adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM). Following positive topline results in ACACIA-HCM, a Phase 3 clinical trial of aficamten in patients with non-obstructive HCM (nHCM), the company plans to discuss the results with the U.S. FDA and other regulatory authorities. Cytokinetics is also developing omecamtiv mecarbil, an investigational cardiac myosin activator for the potential treatment of patients with heart failure with severely reduced ejection fraction and ulacamten, an investigational cardiac myosin inhibitor for the potential treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, while continuing pre-clinical research and development in muscle biology.

For additional information about Cytokinetics, visit www.cytokinetics.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Disclaimer 

Omecamtiv mecarbil and ulacamten are investigational medicines. They have not been approved nor determined to be safe or efficacious for any disease state or any indication by FDA or any other regulatory agency.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). Cytokinetics disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements and claims the protection of the Act's Safe Harbor for forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Cytokinetics' and its partners' research and development activities of Cytokinetics’ product candidates. Such statements are based on management's current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to the risks related to Cytokinetics' business outlined in Cytokinetics' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission particularly under the caption “Risk Factors” in Cytokinetics’ latest Annual Report on Form 10-K. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and Cytokinetics' actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which it operates, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that Cytokinetics makes in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Cytokinetics assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

CYTOKINETICS® and the CYTOKINETICS C-shaped logo are registered trademarks of Cytokinetics in the U.S. and certain other countries.

MYQORZO^® is a registered trademark of Cytokinetics in the U.S. and the European Union.

Contact:
Cytokinetics
Diane Weiser
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs
(415) 290-7757

FAQ

What inducement equity grants did Cytokinetics (CYTK) announce on August 18, 2026?

Cytokinetics announced stock options for 27,565 shares and 18,273 RSUs granted on August 14, 2026. According to Cytokinetics, these equity awards were made to 12 new employees as material inducements to employment under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

What are the vesting terms for the Cytokinetics (CYTK) RSU inducement grants in 2026?

The RSUs vest over three years, with 40% on the first anniversary, 40% on the second, and 20% on the third. According to Cytokinetics, vesting is contingent on each employee’s continued service with the company through the applicable vesting dates.

What is the exercise price and vesting schedule for the 2026 Cytokinetics (CYTK) stock option grants?

The stock options have a $74.13 exercise price, equal to the August 14, 2026 closing share price. According to Cytokinetics, 25% vests after one year, and the remaining 75% vests monthly over 36 months, subject to continued service, with a 10-year option term.

How many employees received inducement equity awards from Cytokinetics (CYTK) in August 2026?

Twelve employees received inducement equity awards comprising stock options and RSUs. According to Cytokinetics, these individuals started employment in July and August 2026 and received the grants as material inducements in line with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Under which plan were the 2026 Cytokinetics (CYTK) inducement stock options and RSUs granted?

The inducement stock options and RSUs were granted under the company’s Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan. According to Cytokinetics, the awards are governed by this plan and the specific award agreements for each participating employee.