Avidity Biosciences Announces Inducement Grants Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rhea-AI Summary

Avidity Biosciences (Nasdaq: RNA) has announced inducement grants to its new Chief Technical Officer, Charles Calderaro III. The grants include a non-qualified stock option to purchase 80,000 shares of common stock and 40,000 restricted stock units (RSUs) under the company's 2022 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan.

The stock option has an exercise price of $31.42 per share, matching Avidity's closing price on Nasdaq on January 6, 2025. The stock options will vest over four years, with 25% vesting after one year and the remainder vesting monthly over 36 months. The RSUs will vest in four equal annual installments. Both grants are subject to Mr. Calderaro's continued employment with Avidity.

Positive

• Successful recruitment of new Chief Technical Officer indicating strategic expansion
• Stock price at $31.42 shows relatively strong market position

Negative

• Potential shareholder dilution from issuance of new shares and RSUs

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNA), a biopharmaceutical company committed to delivering a new class of RNA therapeutics called Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs™), today announced that on January 6, 2025, the Human Capital Management Committee of Avidity's Board of Directors granted a non-qualified stock option award to purchase an aggregate of 80,000 shares of its common stock and 40,000 restricted stock units ("RSUs") to Charles Calderaro III, under the Avidity Biosciences, Inc. 2022 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan (the "2022 Inducement Plan"), in connection with Mr. Calderaro's hiring and appointment as Avidity's Chief Technical Officer. The awards were granted as inducements material to Mr. Calderaro entering into employment with Avidity in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The 2022 Inducement Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously employees of Avidity, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, as an inducement material to such individuals' entering into employment with Avidity, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The option has an exercise price of $31.42 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Avidity's common stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on January 6, 2025. The shares subject to the stock option will vest over four years, with 25% of the shares vesting on the one-year anniversary of the applicable vesting commencement date and the balance of the shares vesting in a series of 36 successive equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to Mr. Calderaro's continued employment with Avidity on such vesting dates. The RSUs will vest in four equal installments on the first four anniversaries of the applicable vesting commencement date, subject to Mr. Calderaro's continued employment with Avidity on such vesting dates. The awards are subject to the terms and conditions of the 2022 Inducement Plan and the terms and conditions of a stock option agreement or RSU agreement, as applicable, covering the grant.

About Avidity
Avidity Biosciences, Inc.'s mission is to profoundly improve people's lives by delivering a new class of RNA therapeutics - Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs™). Avidity is revolutionizing the field of RNA with its proprietary AOCs, which are designed to combine the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the precision of oligonucleotide therapies to address targets and diseases previously unreachable with existing RNA therapies. Utilizing its proprietary AOC platform, Avidity demonstrated the first-ever successful targeted delivery of RNA into muscle and is leading the field with clinical development programs for three rare neuromuscular diseases: myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Avidity is also advancing two wholly-owned precision cardiology development candidates addressing rare genetic cardiomyopathies. In addition, Avidity is broadening the reach of AOCs with its advancing and expanding pipeline including programs in cardiology and immunology through key partnerships. Avidity is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information about our AOC platform, clinical development pipeline and people, please visit www.aviditybiosciences.com and engage with us on LinkedIn and X.

Investor Contact: 
Kat Lange
(619) 837-5014
investors@aviditybio.com

Media Contact:
Di Andrews
(619) 837-5016
media@aviditybio.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avidity-biosciences-announces-inducement-grants-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4-302345202.html

SOURCE Avidity Biosciences, Inc.

FAQ

What inducement grants did Avidity Biosciences (RNA) offer to its new CTO in January 2025?

Avidity Biosciences offered Charles Calderaro III 80,000 stock options at $31.42 per share and 40,000 RSUs as inducement grants.

What is the vesting schedule for RNA's stock options granted to the new CTO?

The stock options vest over 4 years, with 25% vesting after one year and the remainder vesting monthly over 36 months.

How will the RSUs vest in Avidity's (RNA) January 2025 inducement grant?

The RSUs will vest in four equal installments on the first four anniversaries of the vesting commencement date.

What was the exercise price for RNA's stock options granted on January 6, 2025?

The stock options were granted with an exercise price of $31.42 per share, equal to RNA's closing price on Nasdaq on January 6, 2025.