Spero Therapeutics Announces Inducement Grant Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

Spero Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SPRO) announced that on November 3, 2025 its Compensation Committee approved an inducement grant of 90,000 restricted stock units (RSUs) to one newly hired employee under the 2019 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The RSUs vest in four equal annual installments beginning December 1, 2025, subject to the employee’s continued employment, and are governed by the 2019 Inducement Plan and an RSU agreement.

News Market Reaction

+3.00%

1 alert

+3.00% News Effect

On the day this news was published, SPRO gained 3.00%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Inducement RSUs: 90,000 units Q3 2025 net loss: $7.4M Q3 2025 revenue: $5.4M +5 more

8 metrics

Inducement RSUs 90,000 units Granted to one new employee under 2019 Inducement Plan

Q3 2025 net loss $7.4M Quarter ended September 30, 2025; vs $17.1M year-ago

Q3 2025 revenue $5.4M Quarter ended September 30, 2025; vs $13.5M year-ago

Cash & equivalents $48.6M As of Q3 2025; expected to fund operations into 2028

Overall success rate 58.5% PIVOT-PO tebipenem HBr Phase 3; vs 60.2% comparator

GSK upfront payment $66.0M Upfront received under collaboration reported in 10-Q

BARDA funding committed $65.6M Government funding commitment; $61.1M recognized to date

Shares registered 3,000,000 shares Additional shares under 2017 Stock Incentive Plan via Form S-8

Market Reality Check

Price: $2.36 Vol: Volume 185,338 is below t...

low vol

$2.36 Last Close

Volume Volume 185,338 is below the 20-day average of 401,152, suggesting limited trading interest ahead of this HR-focused update. low

Technical Price $2.35 is trading above the 200-day MA $1.82, indicating a prior upward trend into this neutral news.

Peers on Argus

Sector peers showed mixed moves, with names like ATOS down 5.75% and ZNTL up 1.4...

1 Up 1 Down

Sector peers showed mixed moves, with names like ATOS down 5.75% and ZNTL up 1.4%, while momentum scanner peers EQ and PYXS moved in opposite directions. This pattern points to stock-specific rather than sector-driven dynamics for SPRO around this announcement.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Nov 28 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 28	Inducement grant	Neutral	+3.0%	Grant of 90,000 RSUs to a new employee under inducement plan.
Nov 13	Earnings and update	Neutral	-1.2%	Q3 2025 results, PIVOT-PO data, cash runway into 2028, SPR720 discontinued.
Nov 04	Earnings preview	Neutral	+3.4%	Announcement of timing for Q3 2025 results and business update.
Oct 21	Phase 3 results	Positive	+3.5%	Positive Phase 3 PIVOT-PO tebipenem HBr data in cUTI meeting endpoint.
Oct 14	Conference presentations	Neutral	+3.1%	Announcement of IDWeek presentations including late-breaking PIVOT-PO results.

Pattern Detected

Recent news, especially clinical and business updates, has often been met with modest positive price reactions, while one earnings release saw a small pullback despite operational progress.

Recent Company History

This announcement about 90,000 RSUs under the 2019 Inducement Plan comes after several clinically focused and financial updates. In Q3 2025, Spero reported a narrower net loss of $7.4M and revenue of $5.4M, with cash of $48.6M expected to fund operations into 2028. Earlier, positive Phase 3 PIVOT-PO data for tebipenem HBr and IDWeek presentations supported the development narrative, which previously coincided with modest share price gains.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details a routine HR-related action: an inducement grant of 90,000 RSUs to a new e...

Analysis

This announcement details a routine HR-related action: an inducement grant of 90,000 RSUs to a new employee under the 2019 Inducement Plan, vesting over four years from December 1, 2025. It follows more material updates, including PIVOT-PO Phase 3 success and Q3 2025 results with a net loss of $7.4M and cash of $48.6M. Investors may track ongoing equity compensation levels, regulatory filings, and future tebipenem milestones as key context for ownership dilution and execution risk.

Key Terms

restricted stock unit awards, Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4), inducement equity incentive plan

3 terms

restricted stock unit awards financial

"approved the grant of an aggregate of 90,000 restricted stock unit awards (RSUs)"

Restricted stock unit awards are company promises to deliver a specific number of shares to employees or service providers in the future once conditions—such as staying with the company for a set time or meeting performance targets—are met. They matter to investors because when the promises convert into actual shares they increase the total share count and can reduce earnings per share, while also aligning recipients’ interests with stock performance much like deferred pay that turns into ownership if goals are met.

Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) regulatory

"inducement material to Spero’s new employee 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.

inducement equity incentive plan financial

"under the Spero Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, as amended"

An inducement equity incentive plan is a program that grants employees or executives company shares or stock options to motivate and reward their work, often as a way to attract new talent. It aligns their interests with the company's success, encouraging them to contribute to long-term growth. For investors, such plans can influence a company's stock performance and overall financial health by motivating key personnel.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spero Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPRO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying and developing novel treatments for rare diseases and multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections, today announced that on November 3, 2025, the Compensation Committee of Spero’s Board of Directors approved the grant of an aggregate of 90,000 restricted stock unit awards (RSUs) to one new employee under the Spero Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (2019 Inducement Plan). The RSUs are being granted as an inducement material to Spero’s new employee in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The 2019 Inducement Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees of Spero (or following a bona fide period of non-employment), as a material inducement for such individuals entering into employment with Spero, pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules.

The RSUs will vest in four equal annual installments beginning on December 1, 2025, subject to the employees‘ continued employment with Spero on such vesting dates. The RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the 2019 Inducement Plan and an RSU agreement covering the grant.

About Spero Therapeutics
Spero Therapeutics, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying and developing novel treatments for rare diseases and MDR bacterial infections with high unmet need. For more information, visit www.sperotherapeutics.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
Shai Biran, PhD
Spero Therapeutics
IR@Sperotherapeutics.com

Media Inquiries:
media@sperotherapeutics.com

FAQ

What did Spero Therapeutics (SPRO) announce on November 28, 2025 about equity grants?

Spero announced a grant of 90,000 RSUs to one new employee approved November 3, 2025 under its 2019 Inducement Plan.

What is the vesting schedule for the 90,000 RSUs granted by SPRO?

The RSUs vest in four equal annual installments beginning December 1, 2025, subject to continued employment.

Why did Spero use the 2019 Inducement Plan for the SPRO RSU grant?

The 2019 Inducement Plan is used to grant equity as a material inducement to individuals not previously employed by Spero, per Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4).

Does the SPRO inducement grant require shareholder approval?

The grant was approved by the Compensation Committee under the 2019 Inducement Plan and is compliant with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) as an inducement award.

How many employees received RSUs in Spero's November 2025 inducement announcement?

A single new employee received an aggregate of 90,000 RSUs.

Where can investors find the terms governing the SPRO RSU award?

The RSUs are subject to the 2019 Inducement Plan and a separate RSU agreement that sets the award terms and conditions.