Longboard Pharmaceuticals Announces Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(C)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

Longboard Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LBPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on neurological diseases, has announced inducement awards to four new employees. The Compensation Committee approved non-qualified stock options to purchase a total of 92,000 shares of common stock as inducements, in line with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The options, granted on May 31, 2024, have an exercise price of $18.87 per share, the closing price on the grant date. The vesting schedule includes 25% vesting on the one-year anniversary of employment and the remaining 75% vesting monthly over the following three years, contingent upon continued employment.

Positive

• Grant of inducements may attract skilled employees.
• Stock options exercise price is set at market value as of the grant date.
• Clear vesting schedule promotes employee retention.

Negative

• Potential shareholder dilution with the issuance of 92,000 shares.
• Dependence on employees' continued employment for vesting could lead to unvested options if employees leave.

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: LBPH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel, transformative medicines for neurological diseases, today announced the grant of inducement awards to four new employees. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Longboard approved the grants of non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 92,000 shares of its common stock (the “Common Stock”) as inducements material to the employees entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The stock options were granted on May 31, 2024 (the “Grant Date”) and have an exercise price of $18.87 per share, which is equal to the closing price of the Common Stock on the Grant Date. The stock options will vest and become exercisable as to 25% of the underlying shares of Common Stock on the one-year anniversary of the applicable employee’s start date of employment and will vest and become exercisable as to the remaining 75% of the underlying shares of Common Stock in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter on each monthly anniversary, subject to the applicable employee’s continued employment with Longboard on each such vesting date. The stock options were granted as an inducement material to the employees entering into employment with Longboard in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable award agreements covering such grants.

ABOUT LONGBOARD PHARMACEUTICALS

Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel, transformative medicines for neurological diseases. Longboard is working to advance a portfolio of centrally acting product candidates designed to be highly selective for specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Longboard’s small molecule product candidates are based on more than 20 years of GPCR research. Longboard plans to advance bexicaserin (LP352), an oral, centrally acting 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C (5-HT2C) receptor superagonist, with no observed impact on 5-HT2B and 5-HT2A receptor subtypes, into a global Phase 3 program. Longboard recently reported positive topline data from a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial (the PACIFIC Study) evaluating bexicaserin in participants ages 12 to 65 years old with Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEEs), including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome and other DEEs. Longboard is also evaluating LP659, an oral, centrally acting, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor subtypes 1 and 5 modulator, which is in development for the potential treatment of rare neuroinflammatory conditions. Longboard is conducting a Phase 1 single-ascending dose (SAD) clinical trial for LP659 in healthy volunteers, with topline data expected in the second quarter of 2024.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “focus”, “will”, “working to”, “designed to”, “plans”, “potential”, “expected”, or the negative, plural or other tenses of these words, references to future dates or time periods, or other comparable language, and they may include, without limitation, statements about the following: the vesting of stock options; continued employment of newly hired Longboard employees; Longboard’s clinical and preclinical product candidates and programs, including their advancement, timing of initiating clinical trials, timing of topline data from clinical trials, characteristics of clinical trial participants, their potential (including to be highly selective and the numbers and types of conditions they may address), and their design and characteristics; Longboard’s ability to develop product candidates and deliver medicines; and Longboard’s focus and work. For such statements, Longboard claims the protection of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual events or results may differ materially from Longboard’s expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by Longboard’s forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: risks related to Longboard’s limited operating history, financial position and need for additional capital; Longboard will need additional managerial and financial resources to advance all of its programs, and you and others may not agree with the manner Longboard allocates its resources; risks related to the development and commercialization of Longboard’s product candidates; Longboard’s product candidates are in the early phases of a lengthy research and development process, the timing, manner and outcome of research, development and regulatory review is uncertain, and Longboard’s product candidates may not advance in research or development or be approved for marketing; results of clinical trials and other studies are subject to different interpretations and may not be predictive of future results; topline data may not accurately reflect the complete results of a particular study or trial and remain subject to audit, and final data may differ materially from topline data; enrolling participants in Longboard’s ongoing and intended clinical trials is competitive and challenging; risks related to unexpected or unfavorable new data; nonclinical and clinical data is voluminous and detailed, and regulatory agencies may interpret or weigh the importance of data differently and reach different conclusions than Longboard or others, request additional information, have additional recommendations or change their guidance or requirements before or after approval; risks related to relying on licenses or collaborative arrangements; other risks related to Longboard’s dependence on third parties; competition; product liability or other litigation or disagreements with others; government and third-party payor actions, including relating to reimbursement and pricing; risks related to regulatory compliance; and risks related to Longboard’s and third parties’ intellectual property rights. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by Longboard’s forward-looking statements are disclosed in Longboard’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These forward-looking statements represent Longboard’s judgment as of the time of this release. Longboard disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as may be required under applicable law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240603658472/en/

CORPORATE CONTACT:

Megan E. Knight

VP, Head of Investor Relations

IR@longboardpharma.com

858.789.9283

Source: Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

FAQ

What did Longboard Pharmaceuticals announce on May 31, 2024?

Longboard Pharmaceuticals announced the grant of inducement stock options to four new employees, totaling 92,000 shares.

What is the exercise price for Longboard Pharmaceuticals' stock options?

The exercise price is $18.87 per share, equal to the closing price on the grant date.

When do the stock options granted by Longboard Pharmaceuticals start vesting?

The stock options start vesting 25% on the one-year anniversary of employment, with the remaining 75% vesting monthly over the next three years.

How many shares are involved in the inducement grants by Longboard Pharmaceuticals?

The inducement grants involve a total of 92,000 shares of common stock.

What Nasdaq rule is Longboard Pharmaceuticals' inducement grant in accordance with?

The inducement grant is in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).