Geron Corporation Reports Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) reported that, effective August 17, 2026, it granted stock options for an aggregate 311,250 common shares to six newly hired employees as employment inducements.

Rhea-AI Summary

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) reported that, effective August 17, 2026, it granted stock options for an aggregate 311,250 common shares to six newly hired employees as employment inducements. The options have a $1.53 exercise price, ten-year term, and four-year vesting, and were granted under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) pursuant to Geron’s 2018 Inducement Award Plan.

News Explained

The options were granted effective August 17, but the disclosure is an option grant rather than a reported share issuance; if all 311,250 options are exercised, issuing those shares would increase the total share count and reduce existing holders’ percentage ownership.

Argus Aug 19 session 2 alerts

+3.92% close to close 1.0x rel. volume Open Argus

Details

Market move: GERN +3.92% in the Aug 19 session. employee inducement grants

+2.6% Peak Tracked

$1.01B Market Cap

On Aug 19, the first trading day after this news, GERN closed 3.92% above the previous close. Argus tracked a peak move of +2.6% during that session. Our momentum scanner recorded 2 alerts for this stock that day.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Aug 19 session.

Key Figures

Shares underlying options: 311,250 shares Newly hired employees: 6 employees Exercise price: $1.53 per share +5 more

Shares underlying options

311,250 shares

Aggregate grant to six newly hired employees

Newly hired employees

6 employees

Recipients of inducement stock options

Exercise price

$1.53 per share

Equal to the August 17, 2026 closing price

Option term

10 years

Term of the inducement stock options

Vesting period

4 years

Service-based vesting schedule

Initial vesting

12.5%

Shares vesting on the six-month employment anniversary

Initial vesting milestone

6 months

Employment anniversary for initial vesting

Remaining vesting period

42 months

Equal installments after initial vesting

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Aug 05

5 events

1. Aug 05

   Second-quarter earnings

   24h Move

   +21.6%

   RYTELO revenue growth and reiterated full-year guidance accompanied the earnings release.

2. Jul 22

   Employee inducement grants

   24h Move

   +2.8%

   Options covering 202,500 shares were granted to five newly hired employees.

3. Jul 22

   Earnings date announcement

   24h Move

   -2.1%

   The company scheduled its second-quarter results announcement for August 5.

4. Jul 14

   Executive inducement grant

   24h Move

   +2.9%

   A 1,700,000-share option was granted to newly appointed Chief Business Officer Chinmaya Rath.

5. Jul 13

   Leadership appointment

   24h Move

   -5.3%

   Chinmaya Rath joined as Chief Business Officer with over 25 years of biopharma leadership.

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

Key Terms

inducement, exercise price, vesting, nasdaq listing rule 5635(c)(4)

4 terms

inducement financial

"granted stock options ... as an inducement material to such employees’ acceptance"

Something offered to persuade someone to act a certain way, such as a payment, gift, rebate, stock award, or other benefit intended to influence decisions. Investors care because inducements can change behavior inside or around a company—affecting costs, sales practices, or management incentives—and can create conflicts of interest or trigger regulatory review. Think of it like a coupon or bonus meant to sway a choice, which can alter expected outcomes for shareholders.

exercise price financial

"The stock options have an exercise price of $1.53 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

"have a ten-year term and vest over four years"

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 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.

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

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FOSTER CITY, Calif., Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, today reported that, effective August 17, 2026, it granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 311,250 shares of common stock to six newly hired employees as an inducement material to such employees’ acceptance of employment with Geron.

The stock options have an exercise price of $1.53 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Geron’s common stock on the grant date, have a ten-year term and vest over four years, with 12.5% of the shares underlying the options vesting on the six-month anniversary of commencement of employment of such employee and the remaining shares vesting over the following 42 months in equal installments of whole shares, subject to continued employment with Geron through the applicable vesting dates.

The equity awards were granted by the Compensation Committee of Geron’s Board of Directors in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are subject to the terms and conditions of Geron’s 2018 Inducement Award Plan and the form of stock option agreement under the plan.

About Geron
Geron is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to change lives by changing the course of blood cancer. Our first-in-class telomerase inhibitor RYTELO^® (imetelstat) is approved in the United States and the European Union for the treatment of certain adult patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes with transfusion dependent anemia. We are also conducting a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of imetelstat in JAK-inhibitor relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis, as well as studies in other hematologic malignancies. Inhibiting telomerase activity, which is increased in malignant stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow, aims to potentially reduce proliferation and induce death of malignant cells. To learn more, visit www.geron.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

CONTACT:
Dawn Schottlandt
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs
dschottlandt@geron.com

FAQ

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

What did Geron (GERN) announce on August 18, 2026 regarding stock options?

Geron announced it granted stock options to purchase 311,250 shares of common stock to six newly hired employees, effective August 17, 2026. According to Geron, these inducement grants were approved under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) with a ten-year term and four-year vesting schedule.

What is the exercise price of the new Geron (GERN) inducement stock options?

The exercise price of the new Geron inducement stock options is $1.53 per share. According to Geron, this price equals the closing market price of Geron’s common stock on the August 17, 2026 grant date, aligning the options’ value directly with the company’s share price at issuance.

How do the Geron (GERN) inducement stock options granted in August 2026 vest?

The Geron inducement stock options vest over four years for each recipient employee. According to Geron, 12.5% of the shares vest on the six-month employment anniversary, with the remaining shares vesting in equal monthly installments over the following 42 months, subject to continued employment.

How many employees received Geron (GERN) inducement stock options and how many shares are covered?

Six newly hired employees received Geron inducement stock options covering 311,250 shares of common stock in total. According to Geron, these equity awards are intended as material inducements to employment and were granted under the company’s 2018 Inducement Award Plan and standard stock option agreement.

Under what plan and Nasdaq rule were Geron (GERN) inducement options granted in August 2026?

The inducement options were granted under Geron’s 2018 Inducement Award Plan in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). According to Geron, the Compensation Committee of the Board approved these equity awards, which are subject to the plan’s terms and the company’s form stock option agreement.