Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP, OTC PINK: HBPCD, FRANKFURT: HBP0), a clinical-stage oncology company, announced Tuesday that its board of directors has granted 1,297,000 incentive stock options to directors, officers, employees, and consultants under its equity compensation plan. Each option is exercisable to acquire one common share at $1.63 per share for five years, subject to vesting provisions.
Concurrently, the company cancelled 2,200,000 incentive stock options previously granted on July 19, 2024, to a director. Those options had an exercise price of $1.10 per share and were set to expire on July 19, 2029. The director did not receive any new options in the current grant.
The moves come as Helix BioPharma advances its oncology pipeline, led by L-DOS47, a clinical-stage antibody-enzyme conjugate designed to target CEACAM6-expressing tumors. The company also has pre-IND candidates LEUMUNA, an oral immune checkpoint modulator for post-transplant leukemia relapse, and GEMCEDA, an oral gemcitabine prodrug. Helix is listed on the TSX, OTC PINK, and Frankfurt Stock Exchange. More information is available at https://www.helixbiopharma.com/.
The stock option grant and cancellation reflect the company's ongoing management of equity incentives, which are common in biotech firms to align interests with long-term performance. Investors may view this as a routine adjustment, but the cancellation of a large block of options held by a director could signal a shift in compensation strategy or governance practices.
Forward-looking statements in the release involve risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the company's filings on www.sedarplus.ca. Helix does not assume any obligation to update these statements except as required by law.
