Geron Corp - GERN STOCK NEWS

Geron (GERN) announced new data presentations for RYTELO™ (imetelstat) at the upcoming ASH Annual Meeting. Key highlights include analyses from the IMerge clinical trial showing imetelstat's clinical activity in lower-risk MDS patients with transfusion-dependent anemia, regardless of prior therapy. Early safety results from the Phase 1 IMproveMF study suggest potential tolerability of imetelstat combined with ruxolitinib in frontline myelofibrosis patients. The data will be presented through six abstracts at the 66th ASH Annual Meeting in December 2024.

Notable results include RBC-transfusion independence rates and hemoglobin improvements across different patient subgroups, with positive responses seen even in patients who received prior treatments like luspatercept, lenalidomide, and HMAs.

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN), a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, has announced the granting of non-statutory stock options to newly hired employees. The grants, made on October 16, 2024, include options to purchase a total of 680,220 shares of Geron common stock at an exercise price of $4.17 per share, matching the closing price on the grant date.

These stock options have a 10-year term and vest over four years, with 12.5% vesting after six months of employment and the remainder vesting in equal installments over the following 42 months. The grants were made as material inducements to employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are subject to the terms of Geron's 2018 Inducement Award Plan.

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, has announced that it will release its third quarter 2024 financial results and business highlights on Thursday, November 7, 2024. The information will be made available via press release before the market opens and can be accessed on the company's website at www.geron.com/investors.

Additionally, Geron will host a conference call and webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET on the same day to discuss the financial results and business highlights. Interested parties can access the webcast by registering online at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/539655875. The webcast and related presentation will be available on the company's website, with an archive accessible for 30 days following the event.

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN), a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, has granted non-statutory stock options to newly hired employees as inducements for joining the company. The details are as follows:

• 500,220 shares of Geron common stock options granted
• Grant date: September 18, 2024
• Exercise price: $4.52 per share (equal to closing price on grant date)
• 10-year term
• Vesting schedule: 12.5% after six months, remaining over 42 months in equal installments

These grants were made in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are subject to Geron's 2018 Inducement Award Plan.

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) has appointed Jim Ziegler as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, effective September 9, 2024. Ziegler, with over 25 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience, will lead Geron's global commercial strategy and operations, focusing on driving growth for RYTELO™. He joins from Iovance Biotherapeutics, where he led the U.S. commercial launch of Amtagvi™. Previously, Ziegler held key roles at Gilead Sciences, Biogen, Amgen, and Pfizer.

In connection with his appointment, Geron granted Ziegler a non-statutory stock option to purchase 1,600,000 shares of common stock at $4.41 per share, vesting over four years. This grant was made as a material inducement to employment under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) has granted non-statutory stock options to newly hired employees as inducement awards. The company issued options to purchase an aggregate of 261,000 shares of Geron common stock on August 21, 2024, at an exercise price of $4.54 per share, equal to the closing price on the grant date. These options have a 10-year term and vest over four years, with 12.5% vesting after six months and the remainder vesting in equal installments over the following 42 months. The grants were made in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are subject to Geron's 2018 Inducement Award Plan.

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) announced Q2 2024 financial results and business highlights. The company launched its first commercial product, RYTELO™, in June 2024, for lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) patients with transfusion-dependent anemia. By July 31, approximately 160 patients were treated with RYTELO. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network updated its guidelines to include RYTELO as a treatment for LR-MDS. Geron's Phase 3 IMpactMF trial achieved 70% enrollment. The company reported $882,000 in total quarterly revenue, a significant increase from $29,000 in Q2 2023. However, Geron also reported a net loss of $67.4 million, increased from $49.2 million year-over-year. Total operating expenses rose to $70.2 million due to higher launch costs and headcount increases.

Geron projects total operating expenses for FY 2024 to be between $270 million and $280 million. The company has $430.4 million in cash and equivalents, expected to fund operations into Q2 2026.

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) announced that the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has updated its Clinical Practice Guidelines for Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) to recommend RYTELO™ (imetelstat) as a Category 1 and 2A treatment for symptomatic anemia in lower-risk MDS patients. RYTELO is recommended as a Category 1 second-line treatment for both RS+ and RS- patients with serum EPO ≤500 mU/mL, and as a Category 2A first-line treatment for patients with serum EPO >500 mU/mL. This update follows the FDA's approval of RYTELO in June 2024 for treating adult patients with low- to intermediate-1 risk MDS with transfusion-dependent anemia. The company believes these updates will increase awareness and uptake of RYTELO as a new treatment option for eligible lower-risk MDS patients.

Geron (Nasdaq: GERN) announced that Anil Kapur, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Chief Commercial Officer, will depart the company on August 31, 2024. A search for a new Chief Commercial Officer is underway. In the interim, Andrew Grethlein, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, will lead the commercial organization, supported by Board member Dawn Carter Bir.

The company expressed confidence in the uptake of RYTELO™ in its first month of launch and the positive customer feedback. CEO John A. Scarlett thanked Kapur for his contributions over the past five years, particularly in defining RYTELO's potential market and building a strong commercial organization.