Zenas BioPharma Announces Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)
Zenas BioPharma has awarded stock options to two new employees as part of its growth plans. The company, which focuses on autoimmune disease treatments, granted the options on December 15, 2025. These shares come as the firm advances its lead drug candidates through development.
The newly hired staff received non-qualified stock options for 300,000 shares in total. Each option carries an exercise price of $32.59 per share and remains valid for ten years. Vesting will occur over four years, with 25% available after the first year and the rest spread in monthly instalments.
The company’s lead product, obexelimab, is a bifunctional antibody designed for chronic autoimmune diseases. It targets CD19 and FcγRIIb, offering a self-administered injection that may reduce B cell-driven inflammation. Another key candidate, orelabrutinib, is an oral BTK inhibitor that penetrates the central nervous system. It aims to block pathogenic B cells while also affecting macrophages and microglial cells in conditions like multiple sclerosis.
Zenas is also developing earlier-stage treatments, including ZB021, an oral IL-17 inhibitor, and ZB022, a brain-penetrant TYK2 inhibitor. Both remain in preclinical testing as the company expands its pipeline.
The stock awards align with Zenas BioPharma’s goal of becoming a leader in autoimmune therapies. The new hires will support ongoing work on obexelimab, orelabrutinib, and other experimental drugs. Vesting terms ensure long-term alignment with the company’s development plans.
(4)){kind=link}