Acasti Pharma Announces Annual Stock Option Grants

Rhea-AI Summary

Acasti Pharma has announced the annual grant of 2,077,900 stock options to its employees, executives, and directors under its Stock Option Plan. Each option allows the purchase of one common share at an exercise price of CDN $2.05, expiring in ten years. Directors' options will vest over 12 months, while those for executives and employees will vest over 36 months. Acasti focuses on drug delivery technologies for rare diseases, holding Orphan Drug Designation for its three lead assets, each targeting serious conditions with no existing treatments.

Positive

• Annual grant of 2,077,900 stock options incentivizes employees and executives.
• Stock options have a favorable exercise price of CDN $2.05.
• Three lead clinical assets have Orphan Drug Designation, providing seven years of marketing exclusivity.

Negative

• The effectiveness of regulatory submissions and clinical trials remains uncertain, with potential delays.
• Risks associated with market acceptance of Acasti's drug delivery technologies.

LAVAL, Québec, Nov. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acasti Pharma Inc. (“Acasti” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ACST and TSX-V: ACST), today announced the annual grant of stock options to its employees, executives and directors.

An aggregate of 2,077,900 options to purchase common shares of the Company were granted under the Company’s stock option plan (“Stock Option Plan”). The stock options were granted by the board of directors as part of the Company’s annual performance review in accordance with the Company’s Long-Term Incentive Program (LTIP). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Stock Option Plan, each stock option will entitle the holder to purchase one common share of Acasti at an exercise price of CDN $2.05 and will expire after ten years. In accordance with the Stock Option Plan, options granted to directors will vest in equal quarterly installments over a period of 12 months and options granted to executives and employees will vest in equal quarterly installments over a period of 36 months.

About Acasti

Acasti is a specialty pharma company with drug delivery technologies and drug candidates addressing rare and orphan diseases. Acasti’s novel drug delivery technologies have the potential to improve the performance of currently marketed drugs by achieving faster onset of action, enhanced efficacy, reduced side effects, and more convenient drug delivery—all which could help to increase treatment compliance and improve patient outcomes.

Acasti’s three lead clinical assets have each been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which provide the assets with seven years of marketing exclusivity post-launch in the United States, and additional intellectual property protection with over 40 granted and pending patents. Acasti’s lead clinical assets target underserved orphan diseases: (i) GTX-104, an intravenous infusion targeting Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH), a rare and life-threatening medical emergency in which bleeding occurs over the surface of the brain in the subarachnoid space between the brain and skull; (ii) GTX-102, an oral mucosal spray targeting Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), a progressive, neurodegenerative genetic disease that primarily affects children, causing severe disability, and for which no treatment currently exists; and (iii) GTX-101, a topical spray targeting Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN), a persistent and often debilitating neuropathic pain caused by nerve damage from the varicella zoster virus (shingles), which may persist for months and even years. For more information, please visit: https://www.acastipharma.com/en.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other unknown factors that could cause the actual results of Acasti to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements which explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements containing the terms “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “potential,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “continue”, “targeted” or other similar expressions to be uncertain and forward-looking. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon Acasti’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: (i) the success and timing of regulatory submissions of the PK bridging study for GTX-104 and Acasti’s other pre-clinical and clinical trials; (ii) the potential of GTX-104 to provide improved bioavailability and lower intra-subject variability compared to oral capsules; (iii) regulatory requirements or developments and the outcome of meetings with the Food and Drug Administration; (iv) changes to clinical trial designs and regulatory pathways; (v) legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments; and (vi) the effects of COVID-19 on clinical programs and business operations. The foregoing list of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors detailed in documents that have been and may be filed by Acasti from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Acasti undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither NASDAQ, the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Acasti Contact:
Jan D’Alvise
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 450-686-4555
Email: info@acastipharma.com
www.acastipharma.com

Investor Contact:
Crescendo Communications, LLC
Tel: 212-671-1020
Email: ACST@crescendo-ir.com

Media Contact:
Jules Abraham
JQA Partners, Inc.
Tel: 917-885-7378
Email: jabraham@jqapartners.com

FAQ

What is Acasti's recent stock option grant?

Acasti granted 2,077,900 stock options at CDN $2.05, expiring in ten years.

How long will the stock options granted by Acasti vest?

Options for directors will vest in 12 months; those for executives and employees will vest over 36 months.

What disorders do Acasti's lead assets target?

Acasti's lead assets target Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Ataxia-telangiectasia, and Postherpetic Neuralgia.

What is the purpose of Acasti's Long-Term Incentive Program?

It is designed to reward employees and executives for their performance and align their interests with shareholders.

What is the significance of Orphan Drug Designation for Acasti?

It grants Acasti's assets seven years of marketing exclusivity in the U.S. post-launch.