MEI Pharma Announces Inducement Grant under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

MEI Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: MEIP) announced the grant of inducement stock options for 169,000 shares to three new employees. The options have an exercise price of $2.85, equal to the stock's closing price on the grant date. Approved by the Compensation Committee, these options vest gradually over ten years. MEI Pharma focuses on developing cancer therapies, with clinical-stage assets like zandelisib. The press release notes potential risks associated with FDA approvals and market acceptance, highlighting the uncertainties of drug development.

Positive

• Granting of 169,000 stock options to new employees may enhance talent acquisition and retention.
• Stock options priced at $2.85, aligning employee interests with shareholder value.

Negative

• Dependence on FDA approvals for commercialization introduces significant risks.
• Uncertainty regarding the successful development and market acceptance of drug candidates.

SAN DIEGO, July 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MEI Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: MEIP), a late-stage pharmaceutical company focused on advancing new therapies for cancer, today announced the grant of inducement stock options for an aggregate of 169,000 shares of the company's common stock to three new employees. The stock options were granted as a material inducement to each new employee accepting employment with MEI in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The stock options have a $2.85 exercise price per share, which is equal to the closing price of the Company's common stock on the grant date. The options were granted pursuant to the MEI Pharma, Inc. 2021 Inducement Grant Equity Compensation Plan, and have terms and conditions consistent with the MEI Pharma, Inc. Amended and Restated 2008 Stock Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan. The options were approved by the Company's Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors in reliance on the employment inducement exception under Rule 5635(c)(4), which requires that grants relying on this exception be disclosed promptly in a press release.

The options have a 10-year term and will vest 25% of the shares subject to the option on the 12-month anniversary of the date of the grant and 2.0833% of the shares subject to the option on the first day of each of the next 36 calendar months following the 12-month anniversary of the effective date, subject to earlier vesting in connection with a change of control.

About MEI Pharma
MEI Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: MEIP) is a late-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing potential new therapies for cancer. MEI Pharma's portfolio of drug candidates contains four clinical-stage assets, including zandelisib, currently in an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial which may support accelerated approval applications with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Each of MEI Pharma's pipeline candidates leverages a different mechanism of action with the objective of developing therapeutic options that are: (1) differentiated, (2) address unmet medical needs and (3) deliver improved benefit to patients either as standalone treatments or in combination with other therapeutic options. For more information, please visit www.meipharma.com. Follow us on Twitter @MEI_Pharma and on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements 
Under U.S. law, a new drug cannot be marketed until it has been investigated in clinical studies and approved by the FDA as being safe and effective for the intended use. Statements included in this press release that are not historical in nature are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should be aware that our actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, which are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our failure to successfully commercialize our product candidates; costs and delays in the development and or FDA approval, or the failure to obtain such approval, of our product candidates; uncertainties or differences in interpretation in clinical trial results; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our industry and individual companies, including on our counterparties, the supply chain, the execution of our clinical development programs, our access to financing and the allocation of government resources; our inability to maintain or enter into, and the risks resulting from our dependence upon, collaboration or contractual arrangements necessary for the development, manufacture, commercialization, marketing, sales and distribution of any products; competitive factors; our inability to protect our patents or proprietary rights and obtain necessary rights to third party patents and intellectual property to operate our business; our inability to operate our business without infringing the patents and proprietary rights of others; general economic conditions; the failure of any products to gain market acceptance; our inability to obtain any additional required financing; technological changes; government regulation; changes in industry practice; and one-time events. We do not intend to update any of these factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements.

 

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SOURCE MEI Pharma, Inc.

FAQ

What stock options did MEI Pharma announce on July 1, 2021?

MEI Pharma announced the grant of 169,000 stock options to new employees, with an exercise price of $2.85.

What is the vesting schedule for MEI Pharma's stock options?

The options vest 25% on the one-year anniversary and 2.0833% monthly over the next three years.

What are the risks mentioned in MEI Pharma's press release?

Risks include dependence on FDA approval and market acceptance of drug candidates.

How does MEI Pharma's stock option grant affect its stock performance?

The stock option grant aims to align employee interests with shareholder value but carries risks associated with drug development.