ORIC Pharmaceuticals Reports Inducement Grants under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

ORIC Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:ORIC) granted inducement equity awards to a new non-executive employee on March 2, 2026. The company awarded 14,800 non-qualified stock options and 2,400 restricted stock units under its 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.

The stock options carry an exercise price equal to ORIC's closing common stock price on the grant date. Vesting: 25% of options vest after one year, then monthly 1/36th thereafter; RSUs vest one-third on each of the first three anniversaries. Awards were approved by the Compensation Committee in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4).

Key Figures

Inducement stock options: 14,800 options Inducement RSUs: 2,400 restricted stock units Initial option vesting: 25% after 1 year +5 more

8 metrics

Inducement stock options 14,800 options Granted on March 2, 2026 to one new non-executive employee

Inducement RSUs 2,400 restricted stock units Granted on March 2, 2026 to the same new employee

Initial option vesting 25% after 1 year First tranche of stock options vesting from Grant Date

Subsequent option vesting 1/36 monthly Remaining stock options vesting schedule after first anniversary

RSU vesting schedule 1/3 annually over 3 years Restricted stock units vest on first three Grant Date anniversaries

Plan year 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan Equity plan under which inducement grants were issued

Current share price $13.71 Price before publication on 2026-03-06

Price vs 52-week range $14.93 high / $3.8951 low ORIC trading 8.17% below 52-week high, 251.98% above low pre-news

Market Reality Check

Price: $13.71 Vol: Volume 998,910 vs 20-day ...

low vol

$13.71 Last Close

Volume Volume 998,910 vs 20-day average 1,519,879, indicating lighter-than-normal trading before this filing. low

Technical Shares traded above the 200-day MA of 10.68, reflecting a pre-existing uptrend ahead of the inducement grant news.

Peers on Argus

Before this filing, ORIC was up 2.52%. Several biotech peers also showed gains (...

Before this filing, ORIC was up 2.52%. Several biotech peers also showed gains (e.g., NUVB +3.15%, RAPP +4.28%), but no names appeared on the momentum scanner, and scanner data flags this as not a sector-wide move.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 23 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 23	Earnings and pipeline	Positive	+14.6%	Fourth quarter and 2025 results with cash runway into 2H 2028 and Phase 3 plans.
Feb 06	Inducement grants	Positive	+2.8%	Equity inducement grants to new employees under 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.
Feb 05	Investor conferences	Positive	+4.6%	Announcement of participation in three February 2026 investor conferences and webcasts.
Jan 12	Operational update	Positive	+0.0%	Clinical efficacy data for rinzimetostat and enozertinib with 2026 milestone plans.
Jan 06	Conference presentation	Positive	+6.6%	Planned company overview at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

Pattern Detected

Recent ORIC news, including earnings, operational updates, conferences, and prior inducement grants, has generally been followed by positive or flat price reactions.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, ORIC has highlighted advancing oncology programs and strengthening its balance sheet. A Jan 2026 operational update and a Feb 2026 earnings release both emphasized progress for rinzimetostat and enozertinib, alongside cash runway into 2H 2028. Conference participation and a prior inducement grant on Feb 2, 2026 also coincided with modest share gains. Today’s smaller inducement grant similarly reflects ongoing hiring and corporate development rather than a major strategic shift.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details a standard inducement grant of 14,800 stock options and 2,400 RSUs to a ne...

Analysis

This announcement details a standard inducement grant of 14,800 stock options and 2,400 RSUs to a new employee under ORIC’s 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, with multi-year vesting tied to continued service. In the context of strong cash resources and advancing oncology programs described in recent earnings and regulatory filings, the grant mainly signals ongoing team expansion. Investors may focus more on upcoming Phase 3 plans and previously disclosed ATM capacity as the next key catalysts.

Key Terms

non-qualified stock options, restricted stock units, inducement grants, equity incentive plan, +4 more

8 terms

non-qualified stock options financial

"ORIC granted a total of 14,800 non-qualified stock options and 2,400 restricted"

Non-qualified stock options are a type of employee benefit that gives individuals the right to buy company shares at a set price, usually lower than the market value, within a certain period. Unlike other options that may have special tax advantages, these options are taxed as income when exercised, which can affect how much money the employee or investor ultimately gains. They are important because they can influence company compensation strategies and impact the financial outcomes for employees and investors.

restricted stock units financial

"14,800 non-qualified stock options and 2,400 restricted stock units to one new"

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.

inducement grants financial

"These inducement grants were granted pursuant to the ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc."

Inducement grants are special awards of shares or stock options given to new employees to encourage them to join a company or accept a new role. They act like a welcome bonus, providing an extra incentive to attract talent. For investors, these grants can impact a company's costs and share structure, influencing the value of their investments.

equity incentive plan financial

"pursuant to the ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan"

An equity incentive plan is a program that gives employees, executives or directors the right to receive company stock or options to buy stock as part of their pay. Think of it as offering slices of future company profit to motivate people to boost long‑term performance; for investors it matters because it can align employee goals with shareholder value but also increases the number of shares outstanding, which can dilute existing ownership.

exercise price financial

"The stock options have an exercise price equal to the closing price of ORIC’s"

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

"subject to recipient’s continued employment or service through each applicable vesting date"

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.

compensation committee financial

"The inducement grants were approved by ORIC’s Compensation Committee of the Board"

A compensation committee is a group within a company's leadership responsible for setting and reviewing how much top executives and employees are paid, including salaries, bonuses, and benefits. It matters to investors because fair and effective pay decisions can influence a company's performance, leadership motivation, and overall governance, helping ensure that the company’s management is aligned with shareholders’ interests.

nasdaq rule 5635(c)(4) regulatory

"as required by Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4), and were granted as a material inducement"

NASDAQ Rule 5635(c)(4) is a listing standard that requires a company to obtain shareholder approval before issuing a substantial number of new shares or convertible securities in certain financing or insider-related transactions that would materially dilute existing holders. It matters to investors because the vote gives shareholders a check on deals that could significantly change ownership stakes or voting power—like a homeowners’ association approving a major renovation that affects the whole neighborhood’s value.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and SAN DIEGO, March 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ORIC), a clinical stage oncology company focused on developing treatments that address mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, today announced that on March 2, 2026 (the “Grant Date”), ORIC granted a total of 14,800 non-qualified stock options and 2,400 restricted stock units to one new non-executive employee who began their employment with ORIC in February 2026.

These inducement grants were granted pursuant to the ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, subject to recipient’s continued employment or service through each applicable vesting date. The stock options have an exercise price equal to the closing price of ORIC’s common stock on the Grant Date. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the shares subject to the stock options will vest on the one (1) year anniversary of the Grant Date, with one thirty-sixth (1/36^th) of the remaining shares vesting each one-month period thereafter. One-third (1/3^rd) of the restricted stock units will vest on each of the first three anniversaries of the Grant Date. The inducement grants are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable stock option and restricted stock unit agreements and the ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.

The inducement grants were approved by ORIC’s Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, as required by Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4), and were granted as a material inducement to employment in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4).

About ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

ORIC Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving patients’ lives by Overcoming Resistance In Cancer. ORIC’s clinical stage product candidates include (1) rinzimetostat (ORIC-944), an allosteric inhibitor of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) via the EED subunit, being developed for prostate cancer, and (2) enozertinib, a brain penetrant inhibitor targeting EGFR exon 20 and EGFR PACC mutations, being developed for NSCLC. ORIC has offices in South San Francisco and San Diego, California. For more information, please go to www.oricpharma.com, and follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the vesting of the inducement grants; target indications for ORIC’s product candidates; the potential advantages of ORIC’s product candidates; and plans underlying ORIC’s clinical trials and development. Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “goal,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based upon ORIC’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: risks associated with the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics and operating as an early clinical stage company; ORIC’s ability to develop, initiate or complete preclinical studies and clinical trials for, obtain approvals for and commercialize any of its product candidates; changes in ORIC’s plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates; the potential for clinical trials of ORIC’s product candidates to differ from preclinical, initial, interim, preliminary or expected results; negative impacts of health emergencies, economic instability or international conflicts on ORIC’s operations, including clinical trials; the risk of the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of ORIC’s license and collaboration agreements; the potential market for our product candidates, and the progress and success of competing therapeutics currently available or in development; ORIC’s ability to raise any additional funding it will need to continue to pursue its business and product development plans; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; ORIC’s reliance on third parties, including contract manufacturers and contract research organizations; ORIC’s ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for its product candidates; the loss of key scientific or management personnel; competition in the industry in which ORIC operates; general economic and market conditions; and other risks. Information regarding the foregoing and additional risks may be found in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in ORIC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 23, 2026, and ORIC’s future reports to be filed with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and ORIC assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Contact:
Dominic Piscitelli, Chief Financial Officer
dominic.piscitelli@oricpharma.com
info@oricpharma.com

FAQ

What inducement grants did ORIC (ORIC) award on March 2, 2026?

ORIC awarded 14,800 non-qualified stock options and 2,400 restricted stock units. According to the company, the grants were made to a new non-executive employee and are subject to standard vesting and plan terms.

What is the vesting schedule for ORIC's (ORIC) March 2, 2026 stock options?

The options vest 25% after one year, then 1/36th monthly thereafter. According to the company, this means a one-year cliff followed by equal monthly vesting over three years.

What are the exercise price and plan terms for ORIC's (ORIC) inducement options?

The exercise price equals ORIC's closing stock price on March 2, 2026. According to the company, the options and RSUs are governed by the 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan and agreement terms.

Why were the inducement grants by ORIC (ORIC) approved by the Compensation Committee?

The Compensation Committee approved the grants to comply with Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4). According to the company, the awards were granted as a material inducement to employment under that Nasdaq rule.