Zevra Therapeutics Announces Inducement Grants under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

Zevra Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ZVRA) announced on October 6, 2025 that it granted an aggregate of 38,000 stock options as inducement awards to two new employees under its 2023 Employment Inducement Award Plan.

Each award vests over four years with 25% vesting on the first anniversary of employment and the remainder vesting in three equal annual installments, subject to continued employment. The awards were approved by the Compensation Committee and granted as inducements in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4). The Inducement Award Plan is reserved for individuals not previously employed by Zevra or returning after a bona fide non‑employment period.

CELEBRATION, Fla., Oct. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. (NasdaqGS: ZVRA) (Zevra, or the Company), a commercial-stage company focused on providing therapies for people living with rare disease, today announced that the Company has granted options to purchase an aggregate of 38,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Inducement Awards”) to two new employees pursuant to the Company’s 2023 Employment Inducement Award Plan (as amended and/or restated, the “Inducement Award Plan”). Each Inducement Award vests over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary of the employee’s start date, and the remainder vesting in three equal annual installments thereafter (subject to each such employee’s continued employment on each vesting date).

Each Inducement Award was approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and granted as an inducement material to the individual entering into employment with Zevra, in accordance with Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4). The Inducement Award Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees of Zevra, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, as an inducement material to such individuals entering into employment with Zevra.

About Zevra Therapeutics, Inc.

Zevra Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial-stage company combining science, data and patient need to create transformational therapies for rare diseases with limited or no treatment options. Our mission is to bring life-changing therapeutics to people living with rare diseases. With unique, data-driven development and commercialization strategies, the Company is overcoming complex drug development challenges to make new therapies available to the rare disease community.

For more information, please visit www.zevra.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits of any of our products or product candidates for any specific disease or at any dosage, our strategic and product development objectives, compensation matters, and the timing of any of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Zevra and its current plans or expectations. They are subject to several known and unknown uncertainties, risks, and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These and other important factors are described in detail in the "Risk Factors" section of Zevra’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed on March 12, 2025, and Zevra’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, filed on August 12, 2025, and Zevra’s other filings with the SEC. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, except as required by law, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure that such expectations will prove correct. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date after the date of this press release.  

Zevra Contact

Nichol Ochsner 
+1 (732) 754-2545 
nochsner@zevra.com  

FAQ

How many options did Zevra (ZVRA) grant on October 6, 2025?

Zevra granted an aggregate of 38,000 options to two new employees.

What is the vesting schedule for the ZVRA inducement awards?

Each award vests over four years: 25% on the first anniversary and the remainder in three equal annual installments.

Why were the stock options granted under Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4) for ZVRA?

The awards were granted as inducements material to two individuals entering employment, consistent with Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4).

Who approved the inducement awards at Zevra (ZVRA)?

The awards were approved by Zevra’s Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

Does the Inducement Award Plan apply to existing Zevra employees?

No; the plan is used exclusively for individuals not previously employed by Zevra or returning after a bona fide non‑employment period.

Will the ZVRA inducement grants immediately dilute existing shareholders?

The company granted options that will only dilute shareholders if and when they are exercised, subject to the stated vesting and continued employment.