TELA Bio seeks reverse split to meet Nasdaq bid
TELA Bio, Inc. (TELA) is asking stockholders at an October 8, 2026 virtual special meeting to approve an amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation authorizing a reverse stock split of its common stock at a ratio between 1-for-5 and 1-for-15, to be chosen later by the board and implemented within one year or abandoned at the board’s discretion.
The company states the primary goal is to increase its share price to satisfy Nasdaq’s $1.00 minimum bid price requirement after receiving a deficiency notice; the closing bid was $0.79 per share on September 1, 2026. TELA’s common shares outstanding were 45,143,410 as of that date; examples in the proxy show that at 1-for-5, 1-for-10 and 1-for-15, outstanding shares would drop to 9,028,682, 4,514,341 and 3,009,560, respectively, while authorized shares would remain 200,000,000, increasing the proportion of unissued shares.
A second proposal would allow the company to adjourn the meeting to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes to pass the reverse split. Both proposals require approval by a majority of outstanding common shares, and broker discretionary voting is permitted, with abstentions and broker non-votes counting as votes against. The record date is September 8, 2026.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- Nasdaq bid-price deficiency and delisting risk: TELA received a Nasdaq deficiency letter after its stock traded below the $1.00 minimum bid for 30 days and is ineligible for an additional 180-day cure period due to a separate stockholders’ equity requirement, increasing risk of potential delisting to over-the-counter markets.
Filing Explained
The proposal preserves a split option but would enlarge TELA’s relative unissued-share capacity; no split or financing is completed yet.
The September 4 preliminary proxy seeks stockholder approval for authority that has not yet been used: after approval, the Board could file the amendment, choose a ratio from 1-for-5 to 1-for-15, or abandon the split before it becomes effective.
A completed reverse split would reduce the number of shares while raising the per-share price proportionally, without changing an existing holder’s percentage ownership or voting power except for fractional-share treatment; fractional interests would instead be paid in cash.
Because the
The next state-defining milestones are the
Sources and calculations
- TELA Bio preliminary proxy statement (2026-09-04)
- Reverse stock split definition (2026-09-04)
- Dilution definition (2026-09-04)
- TELA Bio second-quarter 2026 fundamentals (2026Q2)
- Available liquidity against the last reported quarterly operating outflow, in days at that rate $30,424,000 / ($9,381,000 / 91) = 295.1 days
Key Figures
Key Terms
Reverse Stock Split financial
Bid Price Rule regulatory
broker non-votes financial
Nasdaq Global Market market
Fractional Share Payment financial
householding regulatory
FAQ
What is TELA (TELA) asking stockholders to approve at the 2026 special meeting?
Why is TELA (TELA) proposing a reverse stock split between 1-for-5 and 1-for-15?
How would the reverse stock split affect TELA (TELA) shares outstanding and authorized?
What is the record date and voting standard for TELA’s 2026 special meeting?
What Nasdaq listing issues does TELA (TELA) disclose in the proxy?
Will TELA (TELA) issue fractional shares in the reverse stock split?
Does the reverse stock split change TELA (TELA) stockholders’ percentage ownership or voting rights?
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
☐ Filed by a party other than the Registrant
In accordance with Rule 14a-6(d) under Regulation 14A, please be advised that TELA Bio, Inc., or TELA or the
Company, intends to release definitive copies of this Proxy Statement to security holders on or about
September 14, 2026.
Malvern, PA 19355
2026 SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To be Held on October 8, 2026
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/s/ Joseph Capper
Joseph Capper
Chairman of the Board of Directors |
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/s/ Heather Getz
Heather Getz
Director and Chief Executive Officer |
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FIRST BEING MADE AVAILABLE ON OR ABOUT , 2026.
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Date:
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| | October 8, 2026 | |
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Time:
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| | 10:00 a.m. | |
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Website Address:
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| | The meeting can be accessed by visiting https://event.accessnewswire.com/tela-meeting-2026, where you will be able to listen to the meeting live, submit questions and vote online. There will be no physical location for stockholders to attend. | |
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Record Date:
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| | You can vote if you were a stockholder of record on September 8, 2026. | |
Heather Getz
Chief Executive Officer and Director
, 2026
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
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Time and Date
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Record
Date |
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Website Address
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10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on Thursday, October 8, 2026
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September 8, 2026
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The meeting can be accessed by visiting https://event.accessnewswire.com/tela-meeting-2026, where you will be able to listen to the meeting live, submit questions and vote online. There will be no physical location for stockholders to attend.
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Voting Matters
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For More
Information |
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Board of Directors
Recommendation |
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| | | PROPOSAL 1: The approval of an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to combine outstanding shares of our Common Stock into a lesser number of outstanding shares by a ratio of not less than one-for-five and not more than one-for-fifteen, with the exact ratio to be set within this range by the Board, in its sole discretion | | |
Page 6
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✓ FOR
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| | | PROPOSAL 2: Approval of an adjournment of the Special Meeting to the extent there are insufficient votes at the Special Meeting to approve Proposal 1 | | |
Page 16
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✓ FOR
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING
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| | | | 1 | | |
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON
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PROPOSAL 1:
REVERSE STOCK SPLIT
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PROPOSAL 2:
APPROVAL OF THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE SPECIAL MEETING TO THE EXTENT THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT VOTES AT THE SPECIAL MEETING TO APPROVE PROPOSAL 1
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OTHER INFORMATION
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OTHER MATTERS
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HOUSEHOLDING
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AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING
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MAIL
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INTERNET
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PHONE
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ONLINE AT THE MEETING
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Mailing your signed proxy card or voter instruction card.
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Using the Internet at www.envision
reports.com/TELAspc |
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Calling toll-free from
the United States, U.S. territories and Canada to 1-800-652-VOTE (8683). |
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You can vote at the
meeting at https://event. accessnewswire.com/ tela-meeting-2026 |
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING
(continued) |
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING
(continued) |
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Voting Matters
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Votes Required
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Treatment of Votes Withheld,
Abstentions and Broker Non-Votes |
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Broker
Discretionary Voting |
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| | | PROPOSAL 1: The approval of an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to combine outstanding shares of our Common Stock into a lesser number of outstanding shares by a ratio of not less than one-for-five and not more than one-for-fifteen, with the exact ratio to be set within this range by the Board, in its sole discretion | | |
Majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote
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Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the effect of a vote against the proposal
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Yes
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PROPOSAL 2: Approval of an adjournment of the Special Meeting to the extent there are insufficient votes at the Special Meeting to approve Proposal 1
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Majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote
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Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the effect of a vote against the proposal
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Yes
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
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Shares Beneficially Owned
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Name of Beneficial Owner
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Number of
Shares |
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Percentage
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| | | Greater than 5% Stockholders | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Entities associated with EW Healthcare Partners, LLC(1) | | | | | 7,714,709 | | | | | | 17.1% | | | |
| | | Laurence W. Lytton(2) | | | | | 2,442,341 | | | | | | 6.3% | | | |
| | | Stonepine Capital Management, LLC(3) | | | | | 2,352,032 | | | | | | 5.2% | | | |
| | | Nantahala Capital Management, LLC(4) | | | | | 5,794,114 | | | | | | 11.3% | | | |
| | | North Run Capital, LP(5) | | | | | 2,662,785 | | | | | | 5.9% | | | |
| | | Named Executive Officers and Directors | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Heather Getz(6) | | | | | 32,500 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | Antony Koblish(7) | | | | | 1,776,327 | | | | | | 3.8% | | | |
| | | Roberto Cuca(8) | | | | | 390,472 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | Jeffrey Blizard(9) | | | | | 97,731 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | Guido Neels(10) | | | | | 1,950 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | Guy Nohra(11) | | | | | 1,950 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | Paul Thomas(12) | | | | | 1,950 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | Joseph Capper(13) | | | | | 8,177 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | William Plovanic(14) | | | | | 26,780 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | Betty Jo Rocchio(15) | | | | | 5,850 | | | | | | * | | | |
| | | All executive officers and directors as a group (11 persons) | | | | | 480,736 | | | | | | 1.1% | | | |
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL
OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT (continued) |
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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Current
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After Reverse
Stock Split if 5:1 is Selected(1) |
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After Reverse
Stock Split if 10:1 is Selected(1) |
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After Reverse
Stock Split if 15:1 is Selected(1) |
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| | | Authorized Shares of Common Stock | | | | | 200,000,000 | | | | | | 200,000,000 | | | | | | 200,000,000 | | | | | | 200,000,000 | | | |
| | | Authorized Shares of Preferred Stock | | | | | 10,000,000 | | | | | | 10,000,000 | | | | | | 10,000,000 | | | | | | 10,000,000 | | | |
| | | Shares of common stock issued and outstanding | | | | | 45,143,410 | | | | | | 9,028,682 | | | | | | 4,514,341 | | | | | | 3,009,560 | | | |
| | | Common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options | | | | | 5,654,370 | | | | | | 1,130,874 | | | | | | 565,437 | | | | | | 376,958 | | | |
| | | Common Stock issuable upon exercise of warrants | | | | | 14,711,556 | | | | | | 2,942,311 | | | | | | 1,471,155 | | | | | | 980,770 | | | |
| | | Common stock issuable upon vesting of restricted stock units | | | | | 2,095,825 | | | | | | 419,165 | | | | | | 2,09,582 | | | | | | 139,721 | | | |
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Common stock reserved under the
2019 Plan for future grants |
| | | | 445,786 | | | | | | 89,157 | | | | | | 44,578 | | | | | | 29,719 | | | |
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Common stock reserved under the
2019 Equity Plan for future grants |
| | | | 5,665,635 | | | | | | 1,133,127 | | | | | | 566,563 | | | | | | 377,709 | | | |
| | | Authorized but unissued and reserved | | | | | 136,283,418 | | | | | | 27,256,683 | | | | | | 13,628,341 | | | | | | 9,085,561 | | | |
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON (continued)
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OTHER INFORMATION
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APPENDIX A
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TO THE
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
TELA BIO, INC.
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APPENDIX A (continued)
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