NEWARK, Calif., Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:PTGX) today reported that on November 15, 2022, it issued inducement awards to Arturo Molina, M.D., M.S., F.A.C.P., the Company's recently hired Chief Medical Officer, in accordance with the terms of Dr. Molina's employment offer letter. The awards were granted under the Protagonist Therapeutics Amended and Restated Inducement Plan, which was adopted May 29, 2018, and amended February 18, 2020 and February 15, 2022.
Dr. Molina received options to purchase 127,500 shares and restricted stock units (RSUs) to acquire 21,250 shares, respectively, of Protagonist Therapeutics common stock. The exercise price of the options is $8.04, which was the per-share closing price of Protagonist Therapeutics common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on November 15, 2022. The shares subject to the option vest over a four-year period, with 25 percent of the shares subject to the option vesting on the first anniversary of Dr. Molina's date of hire and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over three years thereafter. One-fourth of the shares underlying the RSUs will vest annually over a four-year period. The awards were approved by the compensation committee of the Company's board of directors and were granted as a material inducement to Dr. Molina's entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(c)(4).
About Protagonist Therapeutics
Protagonist Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company with peptide-based new chemical entities rusfertide and PN-235 in advanced stages of clinical development, both derived from the Company's proprietary technology platform. Rusfertide, a mimetic of the natural hormone hepcidin, is the Company's lead drug candidate currently in a global Phase 3 stage of development. The VERIFY (Phase 3) and REVIVE (Phase 2) studies of rusfertide in polycythemia vera are ongoing. Protagonist owns all marketing rights to rusfertide.
Protagonist has partnered with Janssen Biotech, Inc. on the development of PN-235 (JNJ-77242113) in moderate-to-severe psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. PN-235 is currently in multiple studies in psoriasis, led by Janssen.
Protagonist is headquartered in Newark, California. For more information on Protagonist, please visit the Company's website at www.protagonist-inc.com.
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SOURCE Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc.
