Ocular Therapeutix™ Reports Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Ocular Therapeutix (OCUL) granted inducement equity awards to nine newly hired non-executive employees effective September 14, 2026, under its 2019 Inducement Stock Incentive Plan and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Rhea-AI Summary

Ocular Therapeutix (OCUL) granted inducement equity awards to nine newly hired non-executive employees effective September 14, 2026, under its 2019 Inducement Stock Incentive Plan and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The awards comprise non-statutory stock options for up to an aggregate of 64,850 shares and restricted stock units (RSUs) for an aggregate of 21,350 shares of common stock. The stock options have a ten-year term and an exercise price of $10.72 per share, equal to the Nasdaq Global Market closing price on the grant date. Options vest over four years, with 25% after one year and the remainder in equal monthly installments over the next three years, subject to continued service. RSUs vest in three equal annual installments over three years, also subject to continued service and the terms of the award agreements and plan.

News Explained

The grants create potential future employee ownership of up to 64,850 shares through options and 21,350 shares through RSUs, rather than an immediate transfer of all those shares: options must be exercised, and both awards vest over three or four years subject to continued service.

Market Context

At publication, OCUL was up 2.74% pre-headline; prior inducement-grant notices showed -0.59% and +0....

Analysis

At publication, OCUL was up 2.74% pre-headline; prior inducement-grant notices showed -0.59% and +0.54% 24-hour reactions, providing mixed same-event historical context.

Key Figures

Newly hired employees: 9 employees Grant effective date: September 14, 2026 Stock options: 64,850 shares +5 more

Newly hired employees

9 employees

Inducement awards

Grant effective date

September 14, 2026

Award effective date

Stock options

64,850 shares

Aggregate non-statutory options

Restricted stock units

21,350 shares

Aggregate RSU awards

Option exercise price

$10.72 per share

Equal to the closing price on the grant date

Option term

10 years

Stock option awards

Option vesting

4 years

25% after one year, remainder monthly over three years

RSU vesting

3 years

Equal annual installments

Historical Context

2 past events · Latest: Aug 13

2 events

1. Aug 13

   Inducement equity grants

   24h Move

   -0.6%

   One employee received options and RSUs under the inducement plan at $9.24.

2. Aug 07

   Inducement equity grants

   24h Move

   +0.5%

   Eight employees received options and RSUs under the inducement plan at $8.40.

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

Key Terms

inducement equity awards, non-statutory stock option, restricted stock unit, Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

4 terms

inducement equity awards financial

"announced that it has granted inducement equity awards to nine newly hired"

Inducement equity awards are stock-based grants—such as shares or options—given to newly hired employees or executives as a hiring incentive, often issued outside a company’s standard long-term compensation plan. They matter to investors because they dilute existing ownership, create a charge against earnings, and align new hires’ pay with company performance; think of it as giving a slice of the pie upfront to convince someone to join, which changes each owner’s share and incentives.

non-statutory stock option financial

"consist of non-statutory stock option awards to purchase up to an aggregate"

A non-statutory stock option is a company-granted right that lets a person buy shares later at a set price but does not receive special tax-favored treatment under tax law. It matters to investors because when the option is used the holder usually pays ordinary income tax on the gain and the company records compensation cost and issues new shares, which can reduce existing owners’ percentage ownership—think of it like a coupon to buy stock that creates a taxable event and some dilution.

restricted stock unit financial

"and restricted stock unit awards representing the right to receive an aggregate"

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.

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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BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCUL, “Ocular” or the “Company”), an integrated biopharmaceutical company committed to redefining the retina experience, today announced that it has granted inducement equity awards to nine newly hired non-executive employees. The awards were made as an inducement material to each recipient’s acceptance of employment with Ocular under Ocular’s 2019 Inducement Stock Incentive Plan in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The inducement equity awards were granted effective as of September 14, 2026, and consist of non-statutory stock option awards to purchase up to an aggregate of 64,850 shares of Ocular’s common stock and restricted stock unit awards representing the right to receive an aggregate of 21,350 shares of Ocular’s common stock. The stock option awards have an exercise price of $10.72 per share, equal to the closing price of Ocular’s common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on the effective date of grant. Each of the stock option awards has a ten-year term and vests over four years, with 25% of the original number of shares vesting on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant, and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over the three years after such date, subject to the recipient’s continued service to Ocular through the applicable vesting dates. Each of the restricted stock unit awards vests over three years, in equal annual installments on the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant, subject to the recipient’s continued service to Ocular through the applicable vesting dates.

The inducement equity awards are subject to the terms and conditions of the award agreements covering the grants and Ocular’s 2019 Inducement Stock Incentive Plan.

About Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. is an integrated biopharmaceutical company committed to redefining the retina experience. AXPAXLI™ (also known as OTX-TKI), Ocular’s investigational product candidate for retinal disease, is an axitinib intravitreal hydrogel based on its ELUTYX™ proprietary bioresorbable hydrogel-based formulation technology. AXPAXLI is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), and diabetic retinal disease, including non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).

Ocular’s pipeline also leverages the ELUTYX technology in its commercial product DEXTENZA^®, an FDA-approved corticosteroid for the treatment of ocular inflammation and pain following ophthalmic surgery in adults and pediatric patients and ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis in adults and pediatric patients aged two years or older, and in its investigational product candidate OTX-TIC, which is a travoprost intracameral hydrogel that has completed a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Ocular is currently evaluating next steps for the OTX-TIC program.

Follow the Company on its website, LinkedIn, or X.

DEXTENZA^® is a registered trademark of Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. The Ocular Therapeutix logo, AXPAXLI™, ELUTYX™, and Ocular Therapeutix™ are trademarks of Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.

Investors & Media
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Bill Slattery
Vice President, Investor Relations
bslattery@ocutx.com