Tag: GlobeNewswire

BOSTON, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLUE), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel molecular glue degrader (MGD)-based medicines, today announced the grant of inducement equity awards to five newly hired non-executive employees as a material inducement to commencing their employment with the Company.

The employees received, in the aggregate, non-qualified stock options to purchase 86,725 shares of Monte Rosa Therapeutics common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, with an exercise price per share equal to the closing price of $11.26 as reported by Nasdaq on October 1, the effective date of the grant or the “Grant Date”, which will vest 25% on the first anniversary of the Grant Date and in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to the employee’s continued service with the Company through each applicable vesting date; and restricted stock units for an aggregate of 19,150 shares of Monte Rosa Therapeutics common stock, which will vest 25% on each of the first four anniversaries of the Grant Date, subject to the employee’s continued service with the Company through each applicable vesting date, or collectively, the Awards.

All of the above-described Awards were granted outside of stockholder-approved equity incentive plans and are pursuant to the Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. 2026 Inducement Plan. The Awards were approved by the compensation committee of the board of directors, which is comprised solely of independent directors, as a material inducement to the employees entering into employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Monte Rosa

Monte Rosa Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing highly selective molecular glue degrader (MGD) medicines for patients living with serious diseases. MGDs are small molecule protein degraders that have the potential to treat many diseases that other modalities, including other degraders, cannot. Monte Rosa’s QuEEN™ (Quantitative and Engineered Elimination of Neosubstrates) discovery engine combines AI-guided chemistry, diverse chemical libraries, structural biology, and proteomics to rationally design MGDs with unprecedented selectivity. Monte Rosa has developed the industry’s leading pipeline of first-in-class and only-in-class MGDs, spanning autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, oncology, and beyond, with three programs in the clinic. Monte Rosa has ongoing collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies in the areas of immunology, oncology, and neurology. For more information, visit www.monterosatx.com.

Investors
Andrew Funderburk
ir@monterosatx.com

Media
Cory Tromblee, Scient PR
media@monterosatx.com

BOSTON, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLUE), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel molecular glue degrader (MGD)-based medicines, today announced the grant of inducement equity awards to five newly hired non-executive employees as a material inducement to commencing their employment with the Company.

The employees received, in the aggregate, non-qualified stock options to purchase 86,725 shares of Monte Rosa Therapeutics common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, with an exercise price per share equal to the closing price of $11.26 as reported by Nasdaq on October 1, the effective date of the grant or the “Grant Date”, which will vest 25% on the first anniversary of the Grant Date and in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to the employee’s continued service with the Company through each applicable vesting date; and restricted stock units for an aggregate of 19,150 shares of Monte Rosa Therapeutics common stock, which will vest 25% on each of the first four anniversaries of the Grant Date, subject to the employee’s continued service with the Company through each applicable vesting date, or collectively, the Awards.

All of the above-described Awards were granted outside of stockholder-approved equity incentive plans and are pursuant to the Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. 2026 Inducement Plan. The Awards were approved by the compensation committee of the board of directors, which is comprised solely of independent directors, as a material inducement to the employees entering into employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Monte Rosa

Monte Rosa Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing highly selective molecular glue degrader (MGD) medicines for patients living with serious diseases. MGDs are small molecule protein degraders that have the potential to treat many diseases that other modalities, including other degraders, cannot. Monte Rosa’s QuEEN™ (Quantitative and Engineered Elimination of Neosubstrates) discovery engine combines AI-guided chemistry, diverse chemical libraries, structural biology, and proteomics to rationally design MGDs with unprecedented selectivity. Monte Rosa has developed the industry’s leading pipeline of first-in-class and only-in-class MGDs, spanning autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, oncology, and beyond, with three programs in the clinic. Monte Rosa has ongoing collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies in the areas of immunology, oncology, and neurology. For more information, visit www.monterosatx.com.

Investors
Andrew Funderburk
ir@monterosatx.com

Media
Cory Tromblee, Scient PR
media@monterosatx.com

BOSTON, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLUE), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel molecular glue degrader (MGD)-based medicines, today announced the grant of inducement equity awards to five newly hired non-executive employees as a material inducement to commencing their employment with the Company.

The employees received, in the aggregate, non-qualified stock options to purchase 86,725 shares of Monte Rosa Therapeutics common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, with an exercise price per share equal to the closing price of $11.26 as reported by Nasdaq on October 1, the effective date of the grant or the “Grant Date”, which will vest 25% on the first anniversary of the Grant Date and in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to the employee’s continued service with the Company through each applicable vesting date; and restricted stock units for an aggregate of 19,150 shares of Monte Rosa Therapeutics common stock, which will vest 25% on each of the first four anniversaries of the Grant Date, subject to the employee’s continued service with the Company through each applicable vesting date, or collectively, the Awards.

All of the above-described Awards were granted outside of stockholder-approved equity incentive plans and are pursuant to the Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. 2026 Inducement Plan. The Awards were approved by the compensation committee of the board of directors, which is comprised solely of independent directors, as a material inducement to the employees entering into employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Monte Rosa

Monte Rosa Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing highly selective molecular glue degrader (MGD) medicines for patients living with serious diseases. MGDs are small molecule protein degraders that have the potential to treat many diseases that other modalities, including other degraders, cannot. Monte Rosa’s QuEEN™ (Quantitative and Engineered Elimination of Neosubstrates) discovery engine combines AI-guided chemistry, diverse chemical libraries, structural biology, and proteomics to rationally design MGDs with unprecedented selectivity. Monte Rosa has developed the industry’s leading pipeline of first-in-class and only-in-class MGDs, spanning autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, oncology, and beyond, with three programs in the clinic. Monte Rosa has ongoing collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies in the areas of immunology, oncology, and neurology. For more information, visit www.monterosatx.com.

Investors
Andrew Funderburk
ir@monterosatx.com

Media
Cory Tromblee, Scient PR
media@monterosatx.com

VANCOUVER, BC and BOSTON, MA, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: XENE), a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need, today announced equity inducement grants to eight new non-officer employees consisting of an aggregate of 17,850 share options and 10,500 restricted share units (RSUs). All of the foregoing share options and RSUs were approved by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors with an effective date of October 1, 2026 and were granted as inducements material to the employees entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The share options have an exercise price of $38.93 per common share, which is equal to the closing price per share of Xenon’s common shares on the grant date of October 1, 2026. The share option grants vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the one-year anniversary of the respective employee’s start date and 1/36th of the remaining options vesting monthly thereafter on the last day of each month, subject to such option recipient’s continued service relationship with the Company. Each option has a 10-year term and is subject to the terms and conditions of the share option agreement and the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2025 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan. The RSUs will vest as to 25% of the underlying shares on each of the first four anniversaries of the grant date of October 1, 2026, subject to such employee’s continued service relationship with the Company. Each RSU grant is subject to the terms and conditions of the restricted share unit award agreement and the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2025 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.

About Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Xenon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: XENE) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. Xenon’s lead molecule, azetukalner, is a novel, potent K_V7 potassium channel opener in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of epilepsy, major depressive disorder and bipolar depression. Xenon is also advancing an early-stage portfolio of multiple promising potassium and sodium channel modulators, including K_V7 and Na_V1.7 programs in Phase 1 development for the potential treatment of pain. Xenon has offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.xenon-pharma.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Xenon and the Xenon logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. in the US, Canada and elsewhere. All other trademarks belong to their respective owner.

Contacts:
For Investors: 
Laura Perry/Emily Huang
Argot Partners
Xenon@argotpartners.com

For Media:
Colleen Alabiso 
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs 
media@xenon-pharma.com 

VANCOUVER, BC and BOSTON, MA, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: XENE), a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need, today announced equity inducement grants to eight new non-officer employees consisting of an aggregate of 17,850 share options and 10,500 restricted share units (RSUs). All of the foregoing share options and RSUs were approved by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors with an effective date of October 1, 2026 and were granted as inducements material to the employees entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The share options have an exercise price of $38.93 per common share, which is equal to the closing price per share of Xenon’s common shares on the grant date of October 1, 2026. The share option grants vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the one-year anniversary of the respective employee’s start date and 1/36th of the remaining options vesting monthly thereafter on the last day of each month, subject to such option recipient’s continued service relationship with the Company. Each option has a 10-year term and is subject to the terms and conditions of the share option agreement and the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2025 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan. The RSUs will vest as to 25% of the underlying shares on each of the first four anniversaries of the grant date of October 1, 2026, subject to such employee’s continued service relationship with the Company. Each RSU grant is subject to the terms and conditions of the restricted share unit award agreement and the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2025 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.

About Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Xenon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: XENE) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. Xenon’s lead molecule, azetukalner, is a novel, potent K_V7 potassium channel opener in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of epilepsy, major depressive disorder and bipolar depression. Xenon is also advancing an early-stage portfolio of multiple promising potassium and sodium channel modulators, including K_V7 and Na_V1.7 programs in Phase 1 development for the potential treatment of pain. Xenon has offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.xenon-pharma.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Xenon and the Xenon logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. in the US, Canada and elsewhere. All other trademarks belong to their respective owner.

Contacts:
For Investors: 
Laura Perry/Emily Huang
Argot Partners
Xenon@argotpartners.com

For Media:
Colleen Alabiso 
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs 
media@xenon-pharma.com 

VANCOUVER, BC and BOSTON, MA, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: XENE), a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need, today announced equity inducement grants to eight new non-officer employees consisting of an aggregate of 17,850 share options and 10,500 restricted share units (RSUs). All of the foregoing share options and RSUs were approved by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors with an effective date of October 1, 2026 and were granted as inducements material to the employees entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The share options have an exercise price of $38.93 per common share, which is equal to the closing price per share of Xenon’s common shares on the grant date of October 1, 2026. The share option grants vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the one-year anniversary of the respective employee’s start date and 1/36th of the remaining options vesting monthly thereafter on the last day of each month, subject to such option recipient’s continued service relationship with the Company. Each option has a 10-year term and is subject to the terms and conditions of the share option agreement and the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2025 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan. The RSUs will vest as to 25% of the underlying shares on each of the first four anniversaries of the grant date of October 1, 2026, subject to such employee’s continued service relationship with the Company. Each RSU grant is subject to the terms and conditions of the restricted share unit award agreement and the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2025 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.

About Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Xenon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: XENE) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. Xenon’s lead molecule, azetukalner, is a novel, potent K_V7 potassium channel opener in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of epilepsy, major depressive disorder and bipolar depression. Xenon is also advancing an early-stage portfolio of multiple promising potassium and sodium channel modulators, including K_V7 and Na_V1.7 programs in Phase 1 development for the potential treatment of pain. Xenon has offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.xenon-pharma.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Xenon and the Xenon logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. in the US, Canada and elsewhere. All other trademarks belong to their respective owner.

Contacts:
For Investors: 
Laura Perry/Emily Huang
Argot Partners
Xenon@argotpartners.com

For Media:
Colleen Alabiso 
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs 
media@xenon-pharma.com 

Developers of advanced therapies using PluriFreeze during preclinical stages can seamlessly scale to clinical manufacturing and cross-reference the Drug Master File in FDA submissions

HOLLISTER, Calif., Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alpha Teknova, Inc. (“Teknova”) (Nasdaq: TKNO), and Pluristyx, Inc. (“Pluristyx”), today announced that Pluristyx is completing a Type II Drug Master File (DMF) for the PluriFreeze™ cryopreservation system for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The DMF will support drug makers seeking to incorporate PluriFreeze into their clinical development and manufacturing programs. Teknova is a leading producer of critical reagents for the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, vaccines, and molecular diagnostics, and is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of PluriFreeze in the United States and Canada. Pluristyx is a leading provider of advanced induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies and proprietary, genetically engineered solutions for drug discovery and the development of advanced therapies.

Developers who utilize PluriFreeze in preclinical stages can now request a letter of authorization (LOA) from Pluristyx and cross-reference the PluriFreeze DMF in their Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and Biologics License Applications (BLA). The comprehensive regulatory submission details chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) for the PluriFreeze system, helping to streamline regulatory submissions and accelerate the development of next-generation therapies.

“The PluriFreeze DMF gives advanced therapy developers more to build on than strong product performance: a documented regulatory position for their cryopreservation system, ready when they need it,” said Stephen Gunstream, Teknova’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As the cell therapy industry has matured, and as more novel therapies move into clinical trials, our customers want to know that the reagents they’ve built their processes around can support them through clinical development and into commercialization. This file puts that documentation on record with the FDA, so they can seamlessly scale with confidence.”

“Cryopreservation is a critical manufacturing step in cell therapy, but it is often overlooked during process development,” said Dr. Jason Carstens, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Pluristyx. “PluriFreeze was designed for both cryopreservation performance and manufacturability, with a low-viscosity formulation that is easier to handle and scale as process volumes increase. That focus on low viscosity and manufacturing scalability is an important point of differentiation from other cryopreservation media, and the DMF now provides the regulatory documentation to support its use as programs advance toward the clinic.”

Purpose-built for scalable manufacturing of cell-based products, the PluriFreeze system is a biopreservation media used to protect cells – from intermediate holds during manufacturing through long-term cryopreservation – helping cells remain viable and functional throughout the product lifecycle. Entirely synthetic and animal-origin-free, the system pairs a protective wash with a freezing medium: PluriFreeze Base is a cellular wash that mimics intracellular space and provides metabolic support across the workflow, while PluriFreeze PF10 is a low viscosity freezing medium with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) that simplifies scale-up and process automation. Both products are available for research use and GMP manufacturing applications and can be further customized to support specific cell types and workflow requirements.

In studies comparing PluriFreeze with an industry reference, PluriFreeze PF10 supported similar post-thaw viability, recovery, doubling times, expansion, and surface marker expression across multiple pluripotent stem cell lines and Natural Killer (NK) cells. The PluriFreeze system is stable for up to two years at 2 – 8 °C.

The DMF, which Pluristyx holds, builds on the companies’ collaboration announced in March 2025, through which Teknova became the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the PluriFreeze product line in the United States and Canada and subsequently contributed the manufacturing and quality content required to support the file. PluriFreeze products are manufactured at Teknova’s ISO 13485 certified facilities in Hollister, California, on the same modular manufacturing platform that supports the Company’s industry-leading turnaround times across research- and GMP-grade reagents.

For product specifications, quality documentation, and ordering information for PluriFreeze Base and PF10, visit teknova.com/pluristyx, email info@teknova.com, or call 1-800-209-4488. A Letter of Authorization can be requested directly from Pluristyx at info@pluristyx.com.

ABOUT TEKNOVA

Teknova makes solutions possible. Since 1996, Teknova has been innovating the manufacture of critical reagents for the life sciences industry to accelerate the discovery and development of novel breakthroughs that will help people live longer, healthier lives. We offer fully customizable solutions for every stage of the workflow, supporting industry leaders in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and emerging therapeutic modalities. Our fast turnaround of high-quality agar plates, microbial culture and cryopreservation media, buffers and reagents, and water helps our customers scale seamlessly from RUO to GMP. Headquartered in Hollister, California, with over 180,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, Teknova’s modular manufacturing platform was designed by our team of scientists, engineers, and quality control experts to efficiently produce the foundational ingredients for the discovery and commercialization of next-generation therapies.

ABOUT PLURISTYX

Pluristyx is the leading provider of advanced iPSC-based solutions for the cell and gene therapy industry, delivering a comprehensive platform designed to accelerate therapeutic development with unmatched speed, safety, and scalability. Leveraging proprietary mRNA bulk reprogramming and a polyclonal iPSC approach, Pluristyx produces genetically younger, more stable, engineerable, and highly expandable cells. The company’s portfolio spans off-the-shelf, clinical-grade iPSC lines, custom gene editing and engineering, and safety and immune-evasion technologies, including the FailSafe^® safety switch and iACT^® immune cloaking system. Beyond cell sourcing, Pluristyx supports the full development continuum, from organoid-based disease modeling and high-throughput drug screening to GMP-scale manufacturing, helping therapeutic developers streamline workflows, reduce risk and accelerate the path to clinic. For more information, visit www.pluristyx.com.

CONTACTS

Investor Contact (Teknova)
Matt Lowell
Chief Financial Officer
matt.lowell@teknova.com
+1 831-637-1100

Media Contact (Teknova)
Jennifer Henry
Senior Vice President, Marketing
jenn.henry@teknova.com
+1 831-313-1259

Investor and Media Contact (Pluristyx)
Priya Baraniak
Chief Commercial and Development Officer
priya@pluristyx.com

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

Developers of advanced therapies using PluriFreeze during preclinical stages can seamlessly scale to clinical manufacturing and cross-reference the Drug Master File in FDA submissions

HOLLISTER, Calif., Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alpha Teknova, Inc. (“Teknova”) (Nasdaq: TKNO), and Pluristyx, Inc. (“Pluristyx”), today announced that Pluristyx is completing a Type II Drug Master File (DMF) for the PluriFreeze™ cryopreservation system for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The DMF will support drug makers seeking to incorporate PluriFreeze into their clinical development and manufacturing programs. Teknova is a leading producer of critical reagents for the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, vaccines, and molecular diagnostics, and is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of PluriFreeze in the United States and Canada. Pluristyx is a leading provider of advanced induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies and proprietary, genetically engineered solutions for drug discovery and the development of advanced therapies.

Developers who utilize PluriFreeze in preclinical stages can now request a letter of authorization (LOA) from Pluristyx and cross-reference the PluriFreeze DMF in their Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and Biologics License Applications (BLA). The comprehensive regulatory submission details chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) for the PluriFreeze system, helping to streamline regulatory submissions and accelerate the development of next-generation therapies.

“The PluriFreeze DMF gives advanced therapy developers more to build on than strong product performance: a documented regulatory position for their cryopreservation system, ready when they need it,” said Stephen Gunstream, Teknova’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As the cell therapy industry has matured, and as more novel therapies move into clinical trials, our customers want to know that the reagents they’ve built their processes around can support them through clinical development and into commercialization. This file puts that documentation on record with the FDA, so they can seamlessly scale with confidence.”

“Cryopreservation is a critical manufacturing step in cell therapy, but it is often overlooked during process development,” said Dr. Jason Carstens, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Pluristyx. “PluriFreeze was designed for both cryopreservation performance and manufacturability, with a low-viscosity formulation that is easier to handle and scale as process volumes increase. That focus on low viscosity and manufacturing scalability is an important point of differentiation from other cryopreservation media, and the DMF now provides the regulatory documentation to support its use as programs advance toward the clinic.”

Purpose-built for scalable manufacturing of cell-based products, the PluriFreeze system is a biopreservation media used to protect cells – from intermediate holds during manufacturing through long-term cryopreservation – helping cells remain viable and functional throughout the product lifecycle. Entirely synthetic and animal-origin-free, the system pairs a protective wash with a freezing medium: PluriFreeze Base is a cellular wash that mimics intracellular space and provides metabolic support across the workflow, while PluriFreeze PF10 is a low viscosity freezing medium with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) that simplifies scale-up and process automation. Both products are available for research use and GMP manufacturing applications and can be further customized to support specific cell types and workflow requirements.

In studies comparing PluriFreeze with an industry reference, PluriFreeze PF10 supported similar post-thaw viability, recovery, doubling times, expansion, and surface marker expression across multiple pluripotent stem cell lines and Natural Killer (NK) cells. The PluriFreeze system is stable for up to two years at 2 – 8 °C.

The DMF, which Pluristyx holds, builds on the companies’ collaboration announced in March 2025, through which Teknova became the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the PluriFreeze product line in the United States and Canada and subsequently contributed the manufacturing and quality content required to support the file. PluriFreeze products are manufactured at Teknova’s ISO 13485 certified facilities in Hollister, California, on the same modular manufacturing platform that supports the Company’s industry-leading turnaround times across research- and GMP-grade reagents.

For product specifications, quality documentation, and ordering information for PluriFreeze Base and PF10, visit teknova.com/pluristyx, email info@teknova.com, or call 1-800-209-4488. A Letter of Authorization can be requested directly from Pluristyx at info@pluristyx.com.

ABOUT TEKNOVA

Teknova makes solutions possible. Since 1996, Teknova has been innovating the manufacture of critical reagents for the life sciences industry to accelerate the discovery and development of novel breakthroughs that will help people live longer, healthier lives. We offer fully customizable solutions for every stage of the workflow, supporting industry leaders in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and emerging therapeutic modalities. Our fast turnaround of high-quality agar plates, microbial culture and cryopreservation media, buffers and reagents, and water helps our customers scale seamlessly from RUO to GMP. Headquartered in Hollister, California, with over 180,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, Teknova’s modular manufacturing platform was designed by our team of scientists, engineers, and quality control experts to efficiently produce the foundational ingredients for the discovery and commercialization of next-generation therapies.

ABOUT PLURISTYX

Pluristyx is the leading provider of advanced iPSC-based solutions for the cell and gene therapy industry, delivering a comprehensive platform designed to accelerate therapeutic development with unmatched speed, safety, and scalability. Leveraging proprietary mRNA bulk reprogramming and a polyclonal iPSC approach, Pluristyx produces genetically younger, more stable, engineerable, and highly expandable cells. The company’s portfolio spans off-the-shelf, clinical-grade iPSC lines, custom gene editing and engineering, and safety and immune-evasion technologies, including the FailSafe^® safety switch and iACT^® immune cloaking system. Beyond cell sourcing, Pluristyx supports the full development continuum, from organoid-based disease modeling and high-throughput drug screening to GMP-scale manufacturing, helping therapeutic developers streamline workflows, reduce risk and accelerate the path to clinic. For more information, visit www.pluristyx.com.

CONTACTS

Investor Contact (Teknova)
Matt Lowell
Chief Financial Officer
matt.lowell@teknova.com
+1 831-637-1100

Media Contact (Teknova)
Jennifer Henry
Senior Vice President, Marketing
jenn.henry@teknova.com
+1 831-313-1259

Investor and Media Contact (Pluristyx)
Priya Baraniak
Chief Commercial and Development Officer
priya@pluristyx.com

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Carlsmed, Inc. (Nasdaq: CARL) (“Carlsmed” or the “Company”), a medical technology company pioneering AI-enabled personalized spine surgery solutions, today announced that on September 28, 2026, it granted stock options to purchase 180,137 shares of the Company’s common stock and 89,286 time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to Richard Heppenstall, the Company’s newly-hired Chief Financial Officer, as a material inducement to his employment.

The Company further announced that on October 1, 2026, it granted stock options to purchase 132,464 shares of the Company’s common stock and 63,735 time-based RSUs to Anthony Jarc, the Company’s newly-hired Chief Product and AI Officer, as a material inducement to his employment.  

The stock options have a per share exercise price equal to the fair market value of the underlying shares on the respective date of grant and vest, subject to the respective employee’s continued service with the Company, over a four-year period (25% on the one-year anniversary of the applicable grant date and the remainder in 12 equal quarterly installments thereafter). The RSUs will vest in three equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary of the applicable grant date, in each case subject to each respective employee’s continued service with the Company.

The stock options and RSUs were approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee, which is comprised solely of independent directors, and were granted outside the Company’s equity incentive plan as material inducements to employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Carlsmed, Inc.

Carlsmed is a medical technology company pioneering AI-enabled personalized spine surgery solutions with a mission to improve outcomes and decrease the cost of healthcare for spine surgery and beyond.

Forward Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects and other statements containing the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “likely,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including such important factors as are set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Carlsmed’s Annual Report on Form 10-K on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Carlsmed’s views as of the date of this press release. Carlsmed anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while Carlsmed may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Carlsmed’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Investor Relations
IR@Carlsmed.com

Media
media@Carlsmed.com

Developers of advanced therapies using PluriFreeze during preclinical stages can seamlessly scale to clinical manufacturing and cross-reference the Drug Master File in FDA submissions

HOLLISTER, Calif., Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alpha Teknova, Inc. (“Teknova”) (Nasdaq: TKNO), and Pluristyx, Inc. (“Pluristyx”), today announced that Pluristyx is completing a Type II Drug Master File (DMF) for the PluriFreeze™ cryopreservation system for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The DMF will support drug makers seeking to incorporate PluriFreeze into their clinical development and manufacturing programs. Teknova is a leading producer of critical reagents for the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, vaccines, and molecular diagnostics, and is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of PluriFreeze in the United States and Canada. Pluristyx is a leading provider of advanced induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies and proprietary, genetically engineered solutions for drug discovery and the development of advanced therapies.

Developers who utilize PluriFreeze in preclinical stages can now request a letter of authorization (LOA) from Pluristyx and cross-reference the PluriFreeze DMF in their Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and Biologics License Applications (BLA). The comprehensive regulatory submission details chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) for the PluriFreeze system, helping to streamline regulatory submissions and accelerate the development of next-generation therapies.

“The PluriFreeze DMF gives advanced therapy developers more to build on than strong product performance: a documented regulatory position for their cryopreservation system, ready when they need it,” said Stephen Gunstream, Teknova’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As the cell therapy industry has matured, and as more novel therapies move into clinical trials, our customers want to know that the reagents they’ve built their processes around can support them through clinical development and into commercialization. This file puts that documentation on record with the FDA, so they can seamlessly scale with confidence.”

“Cryopreservation is a critical manufacturing step in cell therapy, but it is often overlooked during process development,” said Dr. Jason Carstens, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Pluristyx. “PluriFreeze was designed for both cryopreservation performance and manufacturability, with a low-viscosity formulation that is easier to handle and scale as process volumes increase. That focus on low viscosity and manufacturing scalability is an important point of differentiation from other cryopreservation media, and the DMF now provides the regulatory documentation to support its use as programs advance toward the clinic.”

Purpose-built for scalable manufacturing of cell-based products, the PluriFreeze system is a biopreservation media used to protect cells – from intermediate holds during manufacturing through long-term cryopreservation – helping cells remain viable and functional throughout the product lifecycle. Entirely synthetic and animal-origin-free, the system pairs a protective wash with a freezing medium: PluriFreeze Base is a cellular wash that mimics intracellular space and provides metabolic support across the workflow, while PluriFreeze PF10 is a low viscosity freezing medium with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) that simplifies scale-up and process automation. Both products are available for research use and GMP manufacturing applications and can be further customized to support specific cell types and workflow requirements.

In studies comparing PluriFreeze with an industry reference, PluriFreeze PF10 supported similar post-thaw viability, recovery, doubling times, expansion, and surface marker expression across multiple pluripotent stem cell lines and Natural Killer (NK) cells. The PluriFreeze system is stable for up to two years at 2 – 8 °C.

The DMF, which Pluristyx holds, builds on the companies’ collaboration announced in March 2025, through which Teknova became the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the PluriFreeze product line in the United States and Canada and subsequently contributed the manufacturing and quality content required to support the file. PluriFreeze products are manufactured at Teknova’s ISO 13485 certified facilities in Hollister, California, on the same modular manufacturing platform that supports the Company’s industry-leading turnaround times across research- and GMP-grade reagents.

For product specifications, quality documentation, and ordering information for PluriFreeze Base and PF10, visit teknova.com/pluristyx, email info@teknova.com, or call 1-800-209-4488. A Letter of Authorization can be requested directly from Pluristyx at info@pluristyx.com.

ABOUT TEKNOVA

Teknova makes solutions possible. Since 1996, Teknova has been innovating the manufacture of critical reagents for the life sciences industry to accelerate the discovery and development of novel breakthroughs that will help people live longer, healthier lives. We offer fully customizable solutions for every stage of the workflow, supporting industry leaders in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and emerging therapeutic modalities. Our fast turnaround of high-quality agar plates, microbial culture and cryopreservation media, buffers and reagents, and water helps our customers scale seamlessly from RUO to GMP. Headquartered in Hollister, California, with over 180,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, Teknova’s modular manufacturing platform was designed by our team of scientists, engineers, and quality control experts to efficiently produce the foundational ingredients for the discovery and commercialization of next-generation therapies.

ABOUT PLURISTYX

Pluristyx is the leading provider of advanced iPSC-based solutions for the cell and gene therapy industry, delivering a comprehensive platform designed to accelerate therapeutic development with unmatched speed, safety, and scalability. Leveraging proprietary mRNA bulk reprogramming and a polyclonal iPSC approach, Pluristyx produces genetically younger, more stable, engineerable, and highly expandable cells. The company’s portfolio spans off-the-shelf, clinical-grade iPSC lines, custom gene editing and engineering, and safety and immune-evasion technologies, including the FailSafe^® safety switch and iACT^® immune cloaking system. Beyond cell sourcing, Pluristyx supports the full development continuum, from organoid-based disease modeling and high-throughput drug screening to GMP-scale manufacturing, helping therapeutic developers streamline workflows, reduce risk and accelerate the path to clinic. For more information, visit www.pluristyx.com.

CONTACTS

Investor Contact (Teknova)
Matt Lowell
Chief Financial Officer
matt.lowell@teknova.com
+1 831-637-1100

Media Contact (Teknova)
Jennifer Henry
Senior Vice President, Marketing
jenn.henry@teknova.com
+1 831-313-1259

Investor and Media Contact (Pluristyx)
Priya Baraniak
Chief Commercial and Development Officer
priya@pluristyx.com

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.