S-8

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 13, 2026

Registration No. 333-_______

 

 
 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

vTv Therapeutics Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware  

3980 Premier Drive, Suite 110

High Point, NC 27265

  47-3916571

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan

vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2026 Equity Inducement Plan

Inducement Award Grant to Deepa Prasad

Inducement Award Grant to Paul Sekhri

Inducement Award Grant to Thomas Strack

(Full title of the plans)

Michael Tung

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

vTv Therapeutics Inc.

3980 Premier Drive, Suite 110

High Point, NC 27265

(Name and address of agent for service)

(336) 841-0300

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies of all communications to:

Elizabeth M. Keiley

Executive Vice President and General Counsel

vTv Therapeutics Inc.

3980 Premier Drive, Suite 110

High Point, NC 27265

(336) 841-0300

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

 

 
 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement is being filed by vTv Therapeutics Inc. (the “Registrant”) for the purposes of registering (i) an additional 782,789 shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), that may be issued pursuant to the vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2024 Plan”), (ii) 15,616 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of October 19, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Deepa Prasad, (iii) 55,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of July 26, 2022, by and between the Registrant and Paul Sekhri, (iv) 12,500 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2023, by and between the Registrant and Thomas Strack, and (v) 250,000 shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2026 Equity Inducement Plan (the “Inducement Plan”), including 43,500 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to outstanding stock options previously granted under the Inducement Plan.

2024 Plan Evergreen Increase

The number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2024 Plan is subject to an automatic annual increase on each January 1 by an amount equal to four percent (4%) of the aggregate of (x) the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31 and (y) the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable or issued upon exercise of any outstanding warrants with an exercise price equal to or less than $0.01 per share, as of the immediately preceding December 31. Accordingly, on January 1, 2025, the number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2024 Plan increased by 286,408, and on January 1, 2026, the number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2024 Plan increased by 496,381. This Registration Statement registers these additional aggregate 782,789 shares of Common Stock. The additional shares are of the same class as other securities relating to the 2024 Plan for which the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-8, File No. 333-282290, filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on September 23, 2024, is effective.

The information contained in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-8, File No. 333-282290, filed by the Registrant with the SEC on September 23, 2024, is hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to General Instruction E, except for “Item 8. Exhibits.”

Inducement Awards

This Registration Statement is also being filed for the purpose of registering shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of stock option awards granted to employees of the Registrant to induce each such employee to accept employment with the Registrant (collectively, the “Inducement Awards”). The Inducement Awards were granted as employment inducement awards pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4) and are detailed below:

 

   

a stock option award to purchase 15,616 shares of Common Stock granted on October 19, 2021 to Deepa Prasad, our former President and Chief Executive Officer, a copy of which is attached to this Registration Statement as Exhibit 4.5 and is incorporated by reference herein;

 

   

a stock option award to purchase 55,000 shares of Common Stock granted on July 26, 2022 to Paul Sekhri, our President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairperson, a copy of which is attached to this Registration Statement as Exhibit 4.6 and is incorporated by reference herein; and

 

   

a stock option award to purchase 12,500 shares of Common Stock granted on November 10, 2023 to Thomas Strack, our Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President. Twenty-five percent (25%) of Dr. Strack’s stock option award vested on November 10, 2024, with the remainder vesting in equal quarterly installments over the next three years. The options have an exercise price of $14.16 per share, and will expire on November 10, 2033.

Inducement Plan

On March 5, 2026, the Board of Directors of the Registrant (the “Board”) adopted the Inducement Plan, effective as of March 5, 2026, pursuant to which the Registrant reserved 250,000 shares of Common Stock to be issued exclusively for grants of equity-based awards to individuals who were not previously employees or directors of the Registrant, as an inducement material to the individual’s entry into employment with the Registrant within the meaning of Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Marketplace Rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Rule 5635(c)(4)”). The Inducement Plan provides for the grant of equity-based awards in the form of non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards and performance stock awards. The Inducement Plan was adopted by the Board without stockholder approval pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4). This Registration Statement registers 250,000 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Inducement Plan, including 43,500 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to outstanding stock options previously granted thereunder.


PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.

The documents containing the information specified in this Part I will be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the SEC either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

The Registrant will furnish without charge to each person to whom the prospectus is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any and all of the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement, other than exhibits to such documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference to the information that is incorporated) and any other documents required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 428 under the Securities Act. Those documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus. Requests should be directed to vTv Therapeutics Inc., 3980 Premier Drive, Suite 110, High Point, NC 27265, Attention: Corporate Secretary, telephone number (336) 841-0300.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents, as originally filed with the Commission by the Registrant, are incorporated herein by reference; provided, however, that any reports or portions thereof that are furnished, including under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of a Current Report on Form 8-K and any exhibits included with such items, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

 

(a)

The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the Commission on March 10, 2026;

 

(b)

The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February  2, 2026 and May 13, 2026;

 

(c)

The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March  31, 2026, filed with the Commission on May 13, 2026; and

 

(d)

The description of the Class A Common Stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-37524) filed with the Commission on July 30, 2015, pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as updated by the description of the Class A Common Stock contained in Exhibit 4.5 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the Commission on March 10, 2026, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.


All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by reference from the date of filing of such documents; provided, however, that any reports or portions thereof that are furnished, including under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of a Current Report on Form 8-K and any exhibits included with such items, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for all purposes to the extent that a statement contained in this Registration Statement or in any other subsequently filed document which is incorporated by reference herein modifies or replaces such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or amended, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.


Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Officers and Directors.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings in which such person is made a party by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent to the Registrant. The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that Section 145 is not exclusive of other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. The Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for indemnification by the Registrant of its directors, officers and employees to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for such limitation of liability.

The Registrant maintains standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (a) to its directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and (b) to the Registrant with respect to payments which may be made by the Registrant to such officers and directors pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.

We have entered into customary indemnification agreements with our executive officers and directors that provide them, in general, with customary indemnification in connection with their service to us or on our behalf.


The Registrant has an insurance policy covering our officers and directors with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, or otherwise.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description of Exhibit

 4.1    vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-282290) filed with the Commission on September 23, 2024).
 4.2*    Form of Award Agreement under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.
 4.3*    vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2026 Equity Inducement Plan.
 4.4*    Form of Award Agreement under the 2026 Equity Inducement Plan.
 4.5    Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of October  19, 2021, by and between vTv Therapeutics Inc. and Deepa Prasad (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No.  001-37524) filed with the Commission on October 20, 2021).
 4.6    Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of July  26, 2022, by and between vTv Therapeutics Inc. and Paul Sekhri (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No.  001-37524) filed with the Commission on July 27, 2022).
 5.1*    Legal Opinion of Dechert LLP
23.1*    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24.1*    Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement under the caption “Power of Attorney”).
107*    Filing Fee Table

 

*

Filed herewith

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;


(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.


(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against the Registrant by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of High Point, State of North Carolina, on this 13th day of May, 2026.

 

VTV THERAPEUTICS INC.
By:   /s/ Paul J. Sekhri
Name:   Paul J. Sekhri
Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer


POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW TO ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Elizabeth M. Keiley and Michael Tung, and each or any one of them, as such person’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, with the Commission, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters and hereby ratifying and confirming all that each such attorney-in-fact, or his agent or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/ Paul J. Sekhri

Paul J. Sekhri

   President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairperson (Principal Executive Officer)   May 13, 2026

/s/ Michael Tung

Michael Tung

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   May 13, 2026

/s/ Srinivas Akkaraju

Srinivas Akkaraju

   Director   May 13, 2026

/s/ Raymond Cheong

Raymond Cheong

   Director   May 13, 2026

/s/ Fahed Al Marzooqi

Fahed Al Marzooqi

   Director   May 13, 2026

/s/ Richard Nelson

Richard Nelson

   Director   May 13, 2026

/s/ Anne M. Phillips

Anne M. Phillips

   Director   May 13, 2026

/s/ Daniel K. Spiegelman

Daniel K. Spiegelman

   Director   May 13, 2026
EX-4.2

Exhibit 4.2

VTV THERAPEUTICS INC.

2024 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

([1-year vest][3-year monthly vest][4-year vest])

NONQUALIFIED OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS NONQUALIFIED OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of ###GRANT_DATE### (the “Date of Grant”) by and between vTv Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ###PARTICIPANT_NAME### (the “Participant”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein will have the meaning assigned to such terms in the vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

WHEREAS, the Plan, pursuant to which Options may be granted, was approved by the stockholders of the Company on June 11, 2024, during the Company’s annual meeting of the stockholders (“Stockholder Approval”); and

WHEREAS, the Committee has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the Option provided for herein to the Participant subject to the terms set forth herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the covenants of the parties contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, for themselves, their successors and assigns, hereby agree as follows:

1. Grant of Option.

(a) Grant. The Company hereby grants to the Participant an Option (the “Option”) to purchase ###TOTAL_AWARDS### shares of Common Stock (such shares, the “Option Shares”), on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and as otherwise provided in the Plan. The Options shall vest in accordance with Section 2 herein. The exercise price shall be $###GRANT_PRICE### per Option Share (the “Exercise Price”).

(b) Incorporation by Reference. The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and any interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations promulgated by the Committee from time to time pursuant to the Plan. The Committee shall have final authority to interpret and construe the Plan and this Agreement and to make any and all determinations under them, and its decision shall be binding and conclusive upon the Participant and the Participant’s legal representative in respect of any questions arising under the Plan or this Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and has had an opportunity to review the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of the Plan.


2. Forfeiture; Vesting. Except as may otherwise be provided herein or as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, [the Options shall become vested and exercisable in full on the earlier of the 12-month anniversary of the Date of Grant and the first annual general meeting of the Company’s stockholders following the Date of Grant] [one-third (1/3) of the Options shall become vested and exercisable on the one (1) year anniversary of the Date of Grant with the remainder of the Options vesting monthly over the successive two-year period] [the Options shall become vested and exercisable as follows: 25% of the Options shall vest on the 12-month anniversary of the Date of Grant with the remaining Options vesting thereafter in twelve (12) equal installments on a quarterly basis over the following three years, with the final tranche vesting on the fourth (4th) anniversary of the Date of Grant], subject to the Participant’s continued employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate through each vesting date. For the avoidance of doubt, there will be no proportionate or partial vesting prior to any such vesting date and all vesting will occur only on such vesting date, subject to the Participant’s continued employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate through such vesting date.

3. Termination of Employment or Other Service. Except as otherwise provided herein or as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, if the Participant’s employment or other service with the Company and its Affiliates terminates for any reason, the unvested portion of the Option shall be cancelled immediately, and the Participant shall immediately forfeit any rights to the Option Shares subject to such unvested portion of the Option.

4. Expiration.

(a) In no event shall all or any portion of the Option be exercisable after the tenth anniversary of the Date of Grant (such ten-year period, the “Option Period”).

(b) Except as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, if, prior to the end of the Option Period, the Participant’s employment or other service with the Company and all Affiliates is terminated by the Company without Cause or by the Participant for any reason, the Option shall expire on the earlier of the last day of the Option Period or the date that is ninety (90) days after the date of such termination of employment or other service. In the event of a termination of employment or other service described in this subsection (b), the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant as described above only to the extent the Option was vested and exercisable at the time of such termination.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, if (x) the Participant’s employment or other service is terminated prior to the end of the Option Period on account of the Participant’s Disability, (y) the Participant dies while still in the employ of, or while providing services to, the Company or an Affiliate or (z) the Participant dies following a termination described in subsection (b) above but prior to the expiration of an Option, the Option shall expire on the earlier of the last day of the Option Period or the date that is eighteen (18) months after the date of death of the Participant or twelve (12) months after a termination of employment or other service on account of the Disability of the Participant, as applicable. In such event, the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, as applicable, as described above only to the extent the Option was vested and exercisable by the Participant at the time of such event.

 

2


(d) If the Participant ceases employment or other service with the Company or any Affiliates due to a termination for Cause or a termination for any reason at a time when grounds to terminate the Participant’s employment or other service for Cause exist, the Option (including any vested portion of the Option) shall expire immediately.

5. Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No Option Share shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of the Option until payment in full is made to the Company of the Exercise Price and an amount equal to any U.S. federal, state, local and, to the extent applicable, non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld is withheld. The Option may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designee (including a third-party administrator) in accordance with the terms hereof. The Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent (including bank or certified check or wire transfer) and/or in shares of Common Stock (or any combination of the foregoing) valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company); provided that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest; (ii) pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of the stock subject to the Option, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company from the sales proceeds; or (iii) by such other method as the Committee may permit, including without limitation: (A) in other property having a fair market value equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes or (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the Option Shares otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes; or (C) if an Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by means of a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay for the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes.

6. Rights as a Stockholder. The Participant shall not be deemed for any purpose to be the owner of any shares of Common Stock subject to this Option unless, until and to the extent that (i) this Option shall have been exercised pursuant to its terms, (ii) the Company shall have issued and delivered to the Participant the Option Shares and (iii) the Participant’s name shall have been entered as a stockholder of record with respect to such Option Shares on the books of the Company. The Company shall cause the actions described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of the preceding sentence to occur promptly following settlement as contemplated by this Agreement, subject to compliance with applicable laws.

7. Compliance with Legal Requirements.

(a) Generally. The granting and exercising of the Option, and any other obligations of the Company under this Agreement, shall be subject to all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, all applicable non-U.S. laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required. The Participant agrees to take all steps the Committee or the Company determines are reasonably necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of U.S. federal and state securities law and, to the extent applicable, non-U.S. securities law in exercising the Participant’s rights under this Agreement.

 

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(b) Tax Withholding. Any exercise of the Option shall be subject to the Participant satisfying any applicable U.S. federal, state and local tax withholding obligations and, to the extent applicable, non-U.S. tax withholding obligations. The Company shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any amounts payable to the Participant in connection with the Option or otherwise the amount of any required withholding taxes in respect of the Option, its exercise or any payment or transfer of the Option or under the Plan and to take any such other action as the Committee or the Company deem necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes. The Committee may in its sole discretion permit the Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the tax obligations by withholding shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be received upon exercise of the Option with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability (but no more than the minimum required statutory withholding liability).

8. Clawback. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may cancel the Option award if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, has engaged in or engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Affiliate while employed by or providing services to the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, or violates a noncompetition, nonsolicitation, nondisparagement or nondisclosure covenant or agreement with the Company or any Affiliate, as determined by the Committee. In such event, the Participant will forfeit any compensation, gain or other value realized thereafter on the vesting or exercise of the Option, the sale or other transfer of the Option, or the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of the Option and must promptly repay such amounts to the Company. If the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of the Option for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then the Participant shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company. In addition to the foregoing, to the extent required by applicable law and/or the rules and regulations of Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or if so required pursuant to a written policy adopted by the Company, the Option shall be subject (including on a retroactive basis) to clawback, forfeiture or similar requirements (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Agreement). The Participant acknowledges and agrees that no recovery of compensation under any such clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right of the Participant to voluntarily terminate the Participant’s employment or other service upon a “resignation for good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates.

9. Restrictive Covenants. In the event that the Participant violates any restrictive covenants applicable to the Participant, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Option shall be forfeited effective as of the date on which such violation first occurs, unless otherwise determined by the Committee. The foregoing rights and remedies are in addition to any other rights and remedies that may be available to the Company and shall not prevent (and the Participant shall not assert that they shall prevent) the Company from bringing one or more actions in any applicable jurisdiction to recover damages as a result of the Participant’s breach of such restrictive covenants.

 

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10. Miscellaneous.

(a) Transferability. The Option may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered (a “Transfer”) by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or as otherwise permitted under Section 5(e) of the Plan. Any attempted Transfer of the Option contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution, attachment or similar process upon the Option, shall be null and void and without effect.

(b) Waiver. Any right of the Company contained in this Agreement may be waived in writing by the Committee. No waiver of any right hereunder by any party shall operate as a waiver of any other right, or as a waiver of the same right with respect to any subsequent occasion for its exercise, or as a waiver of any right to damages. No waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement shall be held to constitute a waiver of any other breach or a waiver of the continuation of the same breach.

(c) Section 409A. The Option is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if any provision of the Plan or this Agreement contravenes Section 409A of the Code or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A of the Code, or to avoid the incurrence of taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A of the Code, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A of the Code. This Section 10(c) does not create an obligation on the part of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the Option or the Option Shares will not be subject to interest and penalties under Section 409A. In no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on the Participant by Section 409A of the Code or damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

(d) Notices. Any notices provided for in this Agreement or the Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given if either hand delivered or if sent by fax, PDF/email or overnight courier, or by postage paid first class mail. Notices sent by mail shall be deemed received three (3) business days after mailing but in no event later than the date of actual receipt. Notices shall be directed, if to the Participant, at the Participant’s address indicated by the Company’s records, or if to the Company, to the attention of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company at the Company’s principal executive office.

(e) Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, and each other provision of this Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

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(f) No Rights to Employment or Service. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Participant any right to be retained, in any position, as an employee, consultant or director of the Company or its Affiliates or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company or its Affiliates, which are hereby expressly reserved, to remove, terminate or discharge the Participant at any time for any (or no) reason whatsoever.

(g) Beneficiary. The Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of a beneficiary on such form as may be prescribed by the Committee and may, from time to time, amend or revoke such designation.

(h) Successors. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns, and of the Participant and the beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs and successors of the Participant.

(i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Plan contain the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersede all prior communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto. No change, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same be in writing and signed by the parties hereto, except for any changes permitted without consent under Sections 9 or 10 of the Plan.

(j) Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction which could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

(i) Dispute Resolution; Consent to Jurisdiction. All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with the Plan, this Agreement or the Option shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States Federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Agreement not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.

(ii) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

 

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(k) Headings. The headings of the Sections hereof are provided for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction, and shall not constitute a part, of this Agreement.

(l) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts (including via facsimile and electronic image scan (PDF)), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

(m) Electronic Signature and Delivery. This Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation. By accepting this Agreement, the Participant consents to the electronic delivery of prospectuses, annual reports and other information required to be delivered by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules (which consent may be revoked in writing by the Participant at any time upon three (3) business days’ notice to the Company, in which case subsequent prospectuses, annual reports and other information will be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

(n) Electronic Participation in Plan. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed by the Company and the Participant as of the day first written above.

 

VTV THERAPEUTICS INC.
By:    
Name:  
Title:  
PARTICIPANT
 

 

###PARTICIPANT_NAME###
EX-4.3

Exhibit 4.3

vTv THERAPEUTICS INC.

2026 EQUITY INDUCEMENT PLAN

ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: March 5, 2026 (“Adoption Date”)

1. GENERAL.

(a) Purpose of the Plan. The purpose of this Plan is to attract the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility by providing a material inducement to key individuals’ entering into employment with vTv Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), or any Subsidiary of the Company and to encourage stock ownership by such individuals, thereby aligning their interests with those of the stockholders of the Company. This Plan is intended to comply with Rule 5635(c)(4) of the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules (the “Listing Rule”), which provides an exception to the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules’ shareholder approval requirement for the issuance of securities with regards to grants to employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries as an inducement material to such individuals entering into employment with the Company or its Subsidiaries, and shall be administered and interpreted consistent with such intent. The Plan permits the grant of Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Stock Units and Performance Shares.

(b) Eligible Award Recipients. Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Unit Awards, and Performance Stock Awards may be granted to Employees so long as the following requirements are met:

(i) The Employee was not previously an Employee or Director, or the Employee became employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries following a bona-fide period of non-employment or non-service; and

(ii) The grant of the Stock Award or Stock Awards to the Employee was an inducement material to the Employee’s entering into employment with the Company (or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable) in accordance with the Listing Rule.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Employee may be granted a Stock Award in connection with a merger or acquisition to the extent permitted by Listing Rule 5636(c).

(c) Available Stock Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of the following types of Stock Awards: (i) Options, (ii) Stock Appreciation Rights, (iii) Restricted Stock Awards, (iv) Restricted Stock Unit Awards, and (v) Performance Stock Awards.

2. ADMINISTRATION.

(a) Administration by Board. The Board will administer the Plan. The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, as provided in Section 2(c).


(b) Powers of Board. The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(i) To determine (A) prospective Employees who will be granted Stock Awards in accordance with the Listing Rule; (B) when and how each Stock Award will be granted; (C) what type of Stock Award will be granted; (D) the provisions of each Stock Award (which need not be identical), including when a person will be permitted to exercise or otherwise receive cash or Common Stock under the Stock Award; (E) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to, or the cash value of, a Stock Award; and (F) the Fair Market Value applicable to a Stock Award. In accordance with the Listing Rule, any exercise of the Board’s authority under this Section 2(b)(i) must be exercised solely by the Board’s independent Directors within the meaning of Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules.

(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Stock Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for administration of the Plan and Stock Awards. The Board, in the exercise of these powers, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Stock Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it will deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan or Stock Award fully effective.

(iii) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Stock Awards granted under it.

(iv) To accelerate, in whole or in part, the time at which a Stock Award may be exercised or vest (or the time at which cash or shares of Common Stock may be issued in settlement thereof).

(v) To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time.

(vi) To amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable, including, without limitation, by adopting amendments relating to certain nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code and/or ensuring that the Plan or Stock Awards are exempt from or compliant with the requirements for nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, subject to limitations, if any, of applicable law.

(vii) To submit any amendment to the Plan for stockholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments to the Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of Rule 16b-3.

(viii) To approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan and to amend the terms of any one or more Stock Awards, including, but not limited to, amendments to provide terms more favorable to the Participant than previously provided in the Award Agreement, subject to any specified limits in the Plan that are not subject to Board discretion; provided however, that a Participant’s rights under any Stock Award will not be impaired by any such amendment unless (A) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (B) such Participant consents in writing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) a Participant’s rights will not be deemed to have been impaired by any such amendment if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the amendment, taken as a whole, does not materially impair the Participant’s rights, and (2) subject to the limitations of applicable law, if any, the Board may amend the terms of any one or more Stock Awards without the affected Participant’s consent (A) to clarify the manner of exemption from, or to bring the Stock Award into compliance with, Section 409A of the Code or (B) to comply with other applicable laws or listing requirements.

 

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(ix) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or Stock Awards.

(x) To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by Employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States (provided that Board approval will not be necessary for immaterial modifications to the Plan or any Stock Award Agreement that are required for compliance with the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction).

(xi) If required by applicable law or listing requirements, and except as provided in Section 8 relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the Company will seek stockholder approval of any amendment of this Plan, to effect, (A) the reduction of the exercise, purchase or strike price of any outstanding Stock Award, (B) the cancellation of any outstanding Stock Award and the grant in substitution therefor of a new (1) Option or SAR, (2) Restricted Stock Award, (3) Restricted Stock Unit Award, (4) cash and/or (5) other valuable consideration determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, with any such substituted award (x) covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock as the cancelled Stock Award and (y) granted under the Plan or another equity or compensatory plan of the Company; or (C) any other action that is treated as repricing under generally accepted accounting principles.

(c) Delegation to Committee.

(i) General. The Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, except that the Board’s authority under Section 2(b)(i) above may only be delegated to the Compensation Committee of the Board. If administration of the Plan is delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to a subcommittee of the Committee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board will thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee, as applicable). The Committee may, at any time, abolish the subcommittee and/or revest in the Committee any powers delegated to the subcommittee. The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated.

(ii) Rule 16b-3 Compliance. The Committee may consist solely of two or more Directors, in accordance with Rule 16b-3. If it is later determined that one or more members of the Committee do not so qualify, actions taken by the Committee prior to such determination shall be valid despite such failure to qualify.

(d) Delegation to an Officer. The Board, or Committee if applicable, may delegate to one or more Officers the authority to do one or both of the following (i) designate Employees who are not Officers to be recipients of Options and SARs (and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, other Stock Awards) and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the terms of such Stock Awards, and (ii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to such Stock Awards granted to such Employees; provided, however, that the Board or Committee resolutions regarding such delegation will specify the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to the Stock Awards granted by such Officer and that such Officer may not grant a Stock Award to himself or herself.

 

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(e) Effect of Boards Decision. All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

(f) Indemnification. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Company, each officer or employee of the Company or any Affiliate and member or former member of the Committee or the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against any cost or expense (including reasonable fees of counsel reasonably acceptable to the Committee) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the approval of the Committee), and advanced amounts necessary to pay the foregoing at the earliest time and to the fullest extent permitted, arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the administration of the Plan, except to the extent arising out of such officer’s, employee’s, member’s or former member’s own fraud or bad faith. Such indemnification shall be in addition to any right of indemnification the employees, officers, directors or members or former officers, directors or members may have under applicable law or under the Certificate of Incorporation or bylaws of the Company or any Affiliate. Notwithstanding anything else herein, this indemnification will not apply to the actions or determinations made by an individual with regard to Stock Awards granted to such individual under the Plan.

3. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

(a) Share Reserve. Subject to Section 8(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan pursuant to Stock Awards will not exceed 250,000 shares (the “Share Reserve”).

For clarity, the Share Reserve in this Section 3(a) is a limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the Plan. Accordingly, this Section 3(a) does not limit the granting of Stock Awards. Shares may be issued in connection with a merger or acquisition as permitted by NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c) or, if applicable, NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08, AMEX Company Guide Section 711 or other applicable rule, and such issuance will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan.

(b) Reversion of Shares to the Share Reserve. If a Stock Award or any portion thereof

(i) expires or otherwise terminates or is cancelled for any reason without all of the shares covered by such Stock Award having been issued or (ii) is settled in cash (i.e., the Participant receives cash rather than stock), such expiration, cancellation, termination or settlement will not reduce (or otherwise offset) the number of shares of Common Stock that may be available for issuance under the Plan. If any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a Stock Award are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required to vest such shares in the Participant, then the shares that are forfeited or repurchased will revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan. Any shares reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations on a Stock Award or as consideration for the exercise or purchase price of a Stock Award will again become available for issuance under the Plan.

 

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4. PROVISIONS RELATING TO OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

Each Option or SAR will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. No Option will be an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. The provisions of separate Options or SARs need not be identical; provided, however, that each Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(a) Term. No Option or SAR will be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date of its grant or such shorter period specified in the Award Agreement.

(b) Exercise Price. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the exercise or strike price of each Option or SAR will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option or SAR on the date the Stock Award is granted.

(c) Purchase Price for Options. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable law and as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, by any combination of the methods of payment set forth below. The Board will have the authority to grant Options that do not permit all of the following methods of payment (or otherwise restrict the ability to use certain methods) and to grant Options that require the consent of the Company to use a particular method of payment. The permitted methods of payment are as follows:

(i) by cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company;

(ii) by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock;

(iii) for Options, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price; provided, however, that the Company will accept a cash or other payment from the Participant to the extent of any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued. Shares of Common Stock will no longer be subject to an Option and will not be exercisable thereafter to the extent that (A) shares issuable upon exercise are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (B) shares are delivered to the Participant as a result of such exercise, and (C) shares are withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations; or

(iv) in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board and specified in the applicable Award Agreement.

(d) Exercise and Payment of a SAR. To exercise any outstanding SAR, the Participant must provide written notice of exercise to the Company in compliance with the provisions of the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement evidencing such SAR. The appreciation distribution payable on the exercise of a SAR will be not greater than an amount equal to the excess

 

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of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the exercise of the SAR) of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Common Stock equivalents in which the Participant is vested under such SAR, and with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date, over (B) the aggregate strike price of the number of Common Stock equivalents with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date. The appreciation distribution may be paid in Common Stock, in cash, in any combination of the two or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the Board and contained in the Award Agreement evidencing such SAR.

(e) Transferability of Options and SARs. The Board may, in its sole discretion, impose such limitations on the transferability of Options and SARs as the Board will determine. In the absence of such a determination by the Board to the contrary, the following restrictions on the transferability of Options and SARs will apply:

(i) Restrictions on Transfer. An Option or SAR will not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or pursuant to subsections (ii) and

(iii) below), and will be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. The Board may permit transfer of the Option or SAR in a manner that is not prohibited by applicable tax and securities laws. Except as explicitly provided herein, neither an Option nor a SAR may be transferred for consideration.

(ii) Domestic Relations Orders. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, an Option or SAR may be transferred pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(b)(2).

(iii) Beneficiary Designation. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, a Participant may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company (or the designated broker), designate a third party who, on the death of the Participant, will thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, upon the death of the Participant, the executor or administrator of the Participant’s estate will be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. However, the Company may prohibit designation of a beneficiary at any time, including due to any conclusion by the Company that such designation would be inconsistent with the provisions of applicable laws.

(f) Vesting Generally. The total number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option or SAR may vest and become exercisable in periodic installments that may or may not be equal. The Option or SAR may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may or may not be exercised (which may be based on the satisfaction of Performance Goals or other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options or SARs may vary. The provisions of this Section 4(f) are subject to any Option or SAR provisions governing the minimum number of shares of Common Stock as to which an Option or SAR may be exercised.

 

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(g) Termination of Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability), the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Stock Award as of the date of termination of Continuous Service) within the period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date that is three (3) months following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the applicable Award Agreement) and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR (as applicable) within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR will terminate without any further action of the Company whatsoever.

(h) Extension of Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company, if the exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of shares of Common Stock would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a total period of time (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of such registration requirements, and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. In addition, unless otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, if the sale of any Common Stock received on exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause) would violate the Company’s insider trading policy, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a period of months (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post-termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the sale of the Common Stock received upon exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of the Company’s insider trading policy, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

(i) Disability of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of termination of Continuous Service), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12) months following such termination of Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement) and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate without any further action of the Company whatsoever.

 

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(j) Death of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if (i) a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s death, or (ii) the Participant dies within the period (if any) specified in the Award Agreement for exercisability after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service for a reason other than death, then the Option or SAR may be exercised (to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of death) by the Participant’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option or SAR by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the Option or SAR upon the Participant’s death, but only within the period ending on the earlier of (i) the date eighteen (18) months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement) and (ii) the expiration of the term of such Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after the Participant’s death, the Option or SAR is not exercised within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate without any further action of the Company whatsoever.

(k) Termination for Cause. Except as explicitly provided otherwise in a Participant’s Award Agreement or other individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, if a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the entire Option or SAR will terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from exercising any portion of his or her Option or SAR from and after the time of such termination of Continuous Service.

5. PROVISIONS OF STOCK AWARDS OTHER THAN OPTIONS AND SARS.

(a) Restricted Stock Awards. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. To the extent consistent with the Company’s bylaws, at the Board’s election, shares of Common Stock may be (x) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award lapse; or (y) evidenced by a certificate, which certificate will be held in such form and manner as determined by the Board. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(i) Consideration. A Restricted Stock Award may be awarded in consideration for (A) cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company, (B) future services to the Company or an Affiliate, or (C) any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board, in its sole discretion, and permissible under applicable law.

(ii) Vesting. Shares of Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement may be subject to forfeiture to the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board.

(iii) Termination of Participants Continuous Service. If a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, the Company may receive through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of termination of Continuous Service under the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.

 

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(iv) Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, as the Board will determine in its sole discretion, so long as Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement remains subject to the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.

(v) Dividends. A Restricted Stock Award Agreement may provide that any dividends paid on Restricted Stock will be subject to the same vesting and forfeiture restrictions as apply to the shares subject to the Restricted Stock Award to which they relate.

(b) Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(i) Consideration. At the time of grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board will determine the consideration, if any, to be paid by the Participant upon delivery of each share of Common Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Unit Award. The consideration to be paid (if any) by the Participant for each share of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award may be paid in any form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board, in its sole discretion, and permissible under applicable law.

(ii) Vesting. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board may impose such restrictions on or conditions to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit Award as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.

(iii) Payment. A Restricted Stock Unit Award may be settled by the delivery of shares of Common Stock, their cash equivalent, any combination thereof or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.

(iv) Additional Restrictions. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board, as it deems appropriate, may impose such restrictions or conditions that delay the delivery of the shares of Common Stock (or their cash equivalent) subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award to a time after the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit Award.

(v) Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents may be credited in respect of shares of Common Stock covered by a Restricted Stock Unit Award, as determined by the Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement. At the sole discretion of the Board, such dividend equivalents may be converted into additional shares of Common Stock covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award in such manner as determined by the Board. Any additional shares covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award credited by reason of such dividend equivalents will be subject to all of the same terms and conditions of the underlying Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement to which they relate.

 

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(vi) Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, such portion of the Restricted Stock Unit Award that has not vested will be forfeited upon the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service without any further action of the Company whatsoever.

(c) Performance Awards.

(i) Performance Stock Awards. A Performance Stock Award is a Stock Award that is payable (including that may be granted, may vest or may be exercised) contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain Performance Goals. A Performance Stock Award may, but need not, require the Participant’s completion of a specified period of Continuous Service. The length of any Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period, and the measure of whether and to what degree such Performance Goals have been attained will be conclusively determined by the Board or Committee, in its sole discretion. In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law and the applicable Award Agreement, the Board or the Committee may determine that cash may be used in payment of Performance Stock Awards.

(ii) Board Discretion. The Board retains the discretion to adjust or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for a Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Stock Award Agreement.

6. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

(a) Securities Law Compliance. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan, as necessary, such authority as may be required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of the Stock Awards; provided, however, that this undertaking will not require the Company to register under the Securities Act or other securities or applicable laws, the Plan, any Stock Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Stock Award. If, after reasonable efforts and at a reasonable cost, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary or advisable for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of such Stock Awards unless and until such authority is obtained. A Participant will not be eligible for the grant of a Stock Award or the subsequent issuance of cash or Common Stock pursuant to the Stock Award if such grant or issuance would be in violation of any applicable securities law.

(b) No Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes. The Company will have no duty or obligation to any Participant to advise such holder as to the tax treatment or time or manner of exercising such Stock Award. Furthermore, the Company will have no duty or obligation to warn or otherwise advise such holder of a pending termination or expiration of a Stock Award or a possible period in which the Stock Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences of a Stock Award to the holder of such Stock Award.

 

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7. MISCELLANEOUS.

(a) Corporate Action Constituting Grant of Awards. Corporate action constituting a grant by the Company of a Stock Award to any Participant will be deemed completed as of the date of such corporate action, unless otherwise determined by the Board, regardless of when the instrument, certificate, or letter evidencing the Stock Award is communicated to, or actually received or accepted by, the Participant. In the event that the corporate records (e.g., Board consents, resolutions or minutes) documenting the corporate action approving the grant contain terms (e.g., exercise price, vesting schedule or number of shares) that are inconsistent with those in the Award Agreement or related grant documents as a result of a clerical error in the papering of the Award Agreement or related grant documents, the corporate records will control and the Participant will have no legally binding right to the incorrect term in the Award Agreement or related grant documents.

(b) Stockholder Rights. No Participant will be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to a Stock Award unless and until (i) such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of, or the issuance of shares of Common Stock under, the Stock Award pursuant to its terms, and (ii) the issuance of the Common Stock subject to such Stock Award has been entered into the books and records of the Company.

(c) No Employment or Other Service Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, none of the Plan, any Stock Award Agreement or the grant of any Option or other Stock Award hereunder shall give any Employee any right with respect to the continuance of employment by the Company or any Affiliate, nor shall there be a limitation in any way on the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate an Employee’s employment at any time and for any or no reason.

(d) Withholding Obligations. Unless prohibited by the terms of an Award Agreement, the Company may, in its sole discretion, satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to a Stock Award by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing the Participant to tender a cash payment; (ii) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to the Participant in connection with the Stock Award; provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding the maximum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such lesser amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of the Stock Award as a liability for financial accounting purposes); (iii) withholding cash from a Stock Award settled in cash; (iv) withholding payment from any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant; or (v) by such other method as may be set forth in the Award Agreement.

(e) Electronic Delivery. Any reference herein to a “written” agreement or document will include any agreement or document delivered electronically, filed publicly at www.sec.gov (or any successor website thereto) or posted on the Company’s intranet (or other shared electronic medium controlled by the Company to which the Participant has access).

 

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(f) Deferrals. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board, in its sole discretion, may determine that the delivery of Common Stock or the payment of cash, upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of all or a portion of any Stock Award may be deferred and may establish programs and procedures for deferral elections to be made by Participants. Deferrals by Participants will be made in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Consistent with Section 409A of the Code, the Board may provide for distributions while a Participant is still an employee or otherwise providing services to the Company. The Board is authorized to make deferrals of Stock Awards and determine when, and in what annual percentages, Participants may receive payments, including lump sum payments, following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and implement such other terms and conditions consistent with the provisions of the Plan and in accordance with applicable law.

(g) Clawback/Recovery. All Stock Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. In addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Common Stock or other cash or property upon the occurrence of an event constituting Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntarily terminate employment upon a “resignation for good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.

(h) Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in an Award Agreement, the Plan and Award Agreements will be interpreted to the greatest extent possible in a manner that makes the Plan and the Stock Awards granted hereunder exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and, to the extent not so exempt, in compliance with Section 409A of the Code. If the Board determines that any Stock Award granted hereunder is not exempt from and is therefore subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Stock Award will incorporate the terms and conditions necessary to avoid the consequences specified in Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code, and to the extent an Award Agreement is silent on terms necessary for compliance, such terms are hereby incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement. The Company shall have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if a Stock Award that is intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A of the Code is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Board or the Company and, in the event that any amount or benefit under the Plan becomes subject to penalties under Section 409A of the Code, responsibility for payment of such penalties shall rest solely with the affected Participants and not with the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan (and unless the Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise), if the shares of Common Stock are publicly traded, and if a Participant holding a Stock Award that constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, no distribution or payment of any amount that is due because of a “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code without regard to alternative definitions thereunder) will be issued or paid before the date that is six (6) months following the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death, unless such distribution or payment can be made in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code, and any amounts so deferred will be paid in a lump sum on the day after such six (6) month period elapses, with the balance paid thereafter on the original schedule.

 

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8. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; OTHER CORPORATE EVENTS.

(a) Capitalization Adjustments. In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will, in its sole discretion, as it determines is equitably required to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights granted to, or available for, Participants under the Plan, appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a), and (ii) the class(es) and number of securities and price per share of stock subject to outstanding Stock Awards. The Board will make such adjustments, and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive.

(b) Dissolution. Except as otherwise provided in the Stock Award Agreement, in the event of a Dissolution of the Company, all outstanding Stock Awards (other than Stock Awards consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to a forfeiture condition or the Company’s right of repurchase) will terminate immediately prior to the completion of such Dissolution, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the Company’s repurchase rights or subject to a forfeiture condition may be repurchased or reacquired by the Company notwithstanding the fact that the holder of such Stock Award is providing Continuous Service; provided, however, that the Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Stock Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer subject to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Stock Awards have not previously expired or terminated) before the Dissolution is completed but contingent on its completion.

(c) Change in Control. The following provisions will apply to Stock Awards in the event of a Change in Control unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing the Stock Award or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board at the time of grant of a Stock Award. In the event of a Change in Control, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Board may take one or more of the following actions with respect to Stock Awards, contingent upon the closing or completion of the Change in Control:

(i) arrange for the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) to assume or continue the Stock Award or to substitute a similar stock or cash award for the Stock Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire the same consideration or value paid to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to the Change in Control);

(ii) arrange for the assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Stock Award to the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company);

 

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(iii) accelerate the vesting, in whole or in part, of the Stock Award (and, if applicable, the time at which the Stock Award may be exercised) to a date prior to the effective time of such Change in Control as the Board determines (or, if the Board does not determine such a date, to the date that is five days prior to the effective date of the Change in Control), with such Stock Award terminating if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the Change in Control; provided, however, that the Board may require Participants to complete and deliver to the Company a notice of exercise before the effective date of a Change in Control, which exercise is contingent upon the effectiveness of such Transaction;

(iv) arrange for the lapse, in whole or in part, of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to the Stock Award;

(v) cancel or arrange for the cancellation of the Stock Award, to the extent not vested or not exercised prior to the effective time of the Transaction, in exchange for such cash consideration, if any, as the Board, in its sole discretion, may consider appropriate; provided, however, that in the discretion of the Board, any cash or other consideration payable upon the purchase of any Stock Award may be subjected to (x) vesting terms substantially identical to those that applied to the Stock Award immediately prior to the Change in Control or (y) earn-out, escrow, indemnification, holdback or similar arrangements, to the extent such arrangements are applicable to consideration paid to other equity holders of the Company in connection with the Change in Control; and

(vi) make a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the value of the property the Participant would have received upon the exercise of the Stock Award immediately prior to the effective time of the Change in Control, over (B) any exercise price payable by such holder in connection with such exercise; provided that, this payment may be $0 if the value of the property is equal to or less than the exercise price, and in any such event, cancel the applicable Stock Award. Payments under this provision may be delayed to the same extent that payment of consideration to the holders of the Company’s Common Stock in connection with the Change in Control is delayed as a result of escrows, earn outs, holdbacks or any other contingencies.

The Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to all Stock Awards or portions thereof or with respect to all Participants. The Board may take different actions with respect to the vested and unvested portions of a Stock Award.

(d) A Stock Award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a Change in Control as may be provided in the Stock Award Agreement for such Stock Award or as may be provided in any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant.

9. PLAN TERM; EARLIER TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.

No Stock Awards under the Plan may be made after the tenth anniversary of the Adoption Date. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.

10. CHOICE OF LAW.

The laws of the State of Delaware will govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to that state’s conflict of laws rules.

 

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11. DEFINITIONS. As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:

(a) Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “subsidiary” of the Company as such terms are defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The Board will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “parent” or “subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition.

(b)Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award.

(c) Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d)Capital Stock” means each and every class of common stock of the Company, regardless of the number of votes per share.

(e)Capitalization Adjustment” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Stock Award after the Adoption Date without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.

(f)Cause” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in any written agreement between the Participant and the Company or its Affiliate defining such term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with respect to a Participant, the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) such Participant’s commission of any felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof; (ii) such Participant’s attempted commission of, or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company; (iii) such Participant’s intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates or of any statutory duty owed to the Company or any of its Affiliates; (iv) such Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s or any of its Affiliates’ confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) such Participant’s willful misconduct or gross negligence. The determination that a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause shall be made by the Company, in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous Service of a Participant was terminated with or without Cause for the purposes of outstanding Stock Awards held by such Participant shall have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company or such Participant for any other purpose.

 

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(g)Change in Control” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

(i) any Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control will not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly from the Company, (B) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company through the issuance of equity securities or (C) solely because the level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “Subject Person”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control will be deemed to occur;

(ii) there is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Company and, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not Own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; provided, however, that a merger, consolidation or similar transaction will not constitute a Change in Control under this prong of the definition if the outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the surviving entity or its parent are owned by an executive officer or a Director (either, an “ Investor”) and/or any entity in which an Investor has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting rights or participation in profits or capital contributions) of more than 50% (collectively, the “Entities”);

(iii) there is consummated a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to an entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are Owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition; provided, however, that a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries will not constitute a Change in Control under this prong of the definition if the outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the acquiring entity or its parent are owned by the Entities;

 

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(iv) the stockholders of the Company approve or the Board approves a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or a complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company will otherwise occur, except for a liquidation into a parent corporation; or

(v) individuals who, on the date hereof, are members of the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board; provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent Board then still in office, such new member will, for purposes of this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board.

Notwithstanding the foregoing definition or any other provision of the Plan, the term Change in Control will not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company and the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant will supersede the foregoing definition with respect to Stock Awards subject to such agreement; provided, however, that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition will apply. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Stock Award that is characterized as “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, an event shall not be considered to be a Change in Control under the Plan for purposes of payment of such Stock Award unless such event is also a “change in ownership,” a “change in effective control” or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets” of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

(h)Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.

(i)Committee” means a committee of one or more Directors to whom authority has been delegated by the Board in accordance with Section 2(c).

(j)Common Stock” means the Class A common stock of the Company, having one vote per share.

(k)Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered a “Consultant” for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities to such person.

 

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(l)Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Consultant or Director or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s Continuous Service; provided, however, that if the entity for which a Participant is rendering services ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered to have terminated on the date such entity ceases to qualify as an Affiliate. To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the chief executive officer of the Company, in that party’s sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service will be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board or chief executive officer, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave, or (ii) transfers between the Company, an Affiliate, or their successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a leave of absence will be treated as Continuous Service for purposes of vesting in a Stock Award only to such extent as may be provided in the Company’s leave of absence policy, in the written terms of any leave of absence agreement or policy applicable to the Participant, or as otherwise required by law.

(m) Director” means a member of the Board.

(n)Disability” means, with respect to a Participant, the inability of such Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as provided in Sections 22(e)(3) and 409A(a)(2)(c)(i) of the Code, and will be determined by the Board on the basis of such medical evidence as the Board deems warranted under the circumstances.

(o)Dissolution” means when the Company, after having executed a certificate of dissolution with the State of Delaware (or other applicable state), has completely wound up its affairs. Conversion of the Company into a Limited Liability Company (or any other pass-through entity) will not be considered a “Dissolution” for purposes of the Plan.

(p)Employee” means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate (provided that any such employee also meets the eligibility requirements for employees specified in the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act). However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.

(q)Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(r) Exchange Act Person” means any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that “Exchange Act Person” will not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to a registered public offering of such securities, (iv) an Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of stock of the Company; or (v) any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act) that, as of the date hereof, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 20% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities.

 

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(s)Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in a source the Board deems reliable.

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair Market Value will be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

(iii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner that complies with Sections 409A of the Code.

(t)Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(u)Option” means any option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan.

(v)Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(w)Optionholder” means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.

(x)Own,” “Owned,” “Owner,” “Ownership” means a person or Entity will be deemed to “Own,” to have “Owned,” to be the “Owner” of, or to have acquired “Ownership” of securities if such person or Entity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting, with respect to such securities.

(y)Participant” means a person to whom a Stock Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Stock Award.

(z)Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Board, in its sole discretion, for the Performance Period as contingencies for Performance Stock Awards to vest and/or become exercisable or distributable.

 

19


(aa)Performance Period” means the period of time selected by the Board over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment of a Stock Award. Performance Periods may be of varying and overlapping duration, at the sole discretion of the Board.

(bb) Performance Stock Award” means a Stock Award granted under the terms and conditions of Section 5(c)(i).

(cc)Plan” means this vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2026 Equity Inducement Plan.

(dd) Restricted Stock Award” means an award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5(a).

(ee) Restricted Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(ff) Restricted Stock Unit Award” means a right to receive shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5(b).

(gg) Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Unit Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Unit Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(hh) Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.

(ii)Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(jj) Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right to receive the appreciation on Common Stock that is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 4.

(kk) Stock Appreciation Right Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Stock Appreciation Right evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Appreciation Right grant. Each Stock Appreciation Right Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(ll) Stock Award” means any right to receive Common Stock granted under the Plan, including an Option, a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a Stock Appreciation Right or a Performance Stock Award.

(mm) Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

20


(nn) Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation will have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, Owned by the Company, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting or participation in profits or capital contribution) of more than 50%.

 

21

EX-4.4

Exhibit 4.4

VTV THERAPEUTICS INC.

2026 EQUITY INDUCEMENT PLAN

(4-year vest)

NONQUALIFIED OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT

THIS NONQUALIFIED OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of ###GRANT_DATE### (the “Date of Grant”), by and between vTv Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ###PARTICIPANT_NAME### (the “Participant”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein will have the meaning assigned to such terms in the vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2026 Equity Inducement Plan (the “Plan”).

WHEREAS, the Plan, pursuant to which Options may be granted, was approved by the Board or Directors of the Company (the “Board”) on or about March 5, 2026; and

WHEREAS, the Committee has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the Option provided for herein to the Participant in consideration of their acceptance of a position as an employee of the Company subject to the terms set forth herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the covenants of the parties contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, for themselves, their successors and assigns, hereby agree as follows:

1. Grant of Option.

(a) Grant. The Company hereby grants to the Participant an Option (the “Option”) to purchase ###TOTAL_AWARDS### shares of Common Stock (such shares, the “Option Shares”), on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and as otherwise provided in the Plan. The Options shall vest in accordance with Section 2 herein. The exercise price shall be $###GRANT_PRICE### per Option Share (the “Exercise Price”).

(b) Incorporation by Reference. The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and any interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations promulgated by the Committee from time to time pursuant to the Plan. The Committee shall have final authority to interpret and construe the Plan and this Agreement and to make any and all determinations under them, and its decision shall be binding and conclusive upon the Participant and the Participant’s legal representative in respect of any questions arising under the Plan or this Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and has had an opportunity to review the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of the Plan.

2. Forfeiture; Vesting. Except as may otherwise be provided herein or as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, the Options shall become vested and exercisable as follows: 25% of the Options shall vest on the 12-month anniversary of the Date of Grant with the remaining Options vesting thereafter in twelve (12) equal installments on a quarterly basis over the following three years, with the final tranche vesting on the fourth (4th) anniversary of the Date of Grant subject to the Participant’s continued employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate through each vesting date. For the avoidance of doubt, there will be no proportionate or partial vesting prior to any such vesting date and all vesting will occur only on such vesting date, subject to the Participant’s continued employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate through such vesting date.


3. Termination of Employment or Other Service. Except as otherwise provided herein or as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, if the Participant’s employment or other service with the Company and its Affiliates terminates for any reason, the unvested portion of the Option shall be cancelled immediately, and the Participant shall immediately forfeit any rights to the Option Shares subject to such unvested portion of the Option.

4. Expiration.

(a) In no event shall all or any portion of the Option be exercisable after the tenth anniversary of the Date of Grant (such ten-year period, the “Option Period”).

(b) Except as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, if, prior to the end of the Option Period, the Participant’s employment or other service with the Company and all Affiliates is terminated by the Company without Cause or by the Participant for any reason, the Option shall expire on the earlier of the last day of the Option Period or the date that is ninety (90) days after the date of such termination of employment or other service. In the event of a termination of employment or other service described in this subsection (b), the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant as described above only to the extent the Option was vested and exercisable at the time of such termination.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in an employment agreement, consulting agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates, if (x) the Participant’s employment or other service is terminated prior to the end of the Option Period on account of the Participant’s Disability, (y) the Participant dies while still in the employ of, or while providing services to, the Company or an Affiliate or (z) the Participant dies following a termination described in subsection (b) above but prior to the expiration of an Option, the Option shall expire on the earlier of the last day of the Option Period or the date that is eighteen (18) months after the date of death of the Participant or twelve (12) months after a termination of employment or other service on account of the Disability of the Participant, as applicable. In such event, the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, as applicable, as described above only to the extent the Option was vested and exercisable by the Participant at the time of such event.

(d) If the Participant ceases employment or other service with the Company or any Affiliates due to a termination for Cause or a termination for any reason at a time when grounds to terminate the Participant’s employment or other service for Cause exist, the Option (including any vested portion of the Option) shall expire immediately.

5. Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No Option Share shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of the Option until payment in full is made to the Company of the Exercise Price and an amount equal to any U.S. federal, state, local and, to the extent applicable, non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld is withheld. The Option may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designee (including a third-party administrator) in accordance with the terms hereof. The Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent (including bank or certified check or wire transfer) and/or in shares of Common Stock (or any combination of the foregoing) valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company); provided that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest; (ii) pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of the stock subject to the Option, results in either the receipt of cash (or


check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company from the sales proceeds; or (iii) by such other method as the Committee may permit, including without limitation: (A) in other property having a fair market value equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes or (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the Option Shares otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes; or (C) if an Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by means of a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay for the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes.

6. Rights as a Stockholder. The Participant shall not be deemed for any purpose to be the owner of any shares of Common Stock subject to this Option unless, until and to the extent that (i) this Option shall have been exercised pursuant to its terms, (ii) the Company shall have issued and delivered to the Participant the Option Shares and (iii) the Participant’s name shall have been entered as a stockholder of record with respect to such Option Shares on the books of the Company. The Company shall cause the actions described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of the preceding sentence to occur promptly following settlement as contemplated by this Agreement, subject to compliance with applicable laws.

7. Compliance with Legal Requirements.

(a) Generally. The granting and exercising of the Option, and any other obligations of the Company under this Agreement, shall be subject to all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, all applicable non-U.S. laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required. The Participant agrees to take all steps the Committee or the Company determines are reasonably necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of U.S. federal and state securities law and, to the extent applicable, non-U.S. securities law in exercising the Participant’s rights under this Agreement.

(b) Tax Withholding. Any exercise of the Option shall be subject to the Participant satisfying any applicable U.S. federal, state and local tax withholding obligations and, to the extent applicable, non- U.S. tax withholding obligations. The Company shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any amounts payable to the Participant in connection with the Option or otherwise the amount of any required withholding taxes in respect of the Option, its exercise or any payment or transfer of the Option or under the Plan and to take any such other action as the Committee or the Company deem necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes. The Committee may in its sole discretion permit the Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the tax obligations by withholding shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be received upon exercise of the Option with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability (but no more than the minimum required statutory withholding liability).

8. Clawback. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may cancel the Option award if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, has engaged in or engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Affiliate while employed by or providing services to the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, or violates a non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure covenant or agreement with the Company or any Affiliate, as determined by the Committee. In such event, the Participant will forfeit any compensation, gain or other value realized thereafter on the vesting or exercise of the Option, the sale or other transfer of the Option, or the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of the Option and must promptly repay such amounts to the Company. If the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received


under the terms of the Option for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then the Participant shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company. In addition to the foregoing, to the extent required by applicable law and/or the rules and regulations of Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or if so required pursuant to a written policy adopted by the Company, the Option shall be subject (including on a retroactive basis) to clawback, forfeiture or similar requirements (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Agreement). The Participant acknowledges and agrees that no recovery of compensation under any such clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right of the Participant to voluntarily terminate the Participant’s employment or other service upon a “resignation for good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates.

9. Restrictive Covenants. In the event that the Participant violates any restrictive covenants applicable to the Participant, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Option shall be forfeited effective as of the date on which such violation first occurs, unless otherwise determined by the Committee. The foregoing rights and remedies are in addition to any other rights and remedies that may be available to the Company and shall not prevent (and the Participant shall not assert that they shall prevent) the Company from bringing one or more actions in any applicable jurisdiction to recover damages as a result of the Participant’s breach of such restrictive covenants.

10. Miscellaneous.

(a) Transferability. The Option may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered (a “Transfer”) by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or as otherwise permitted under Section 5(e) of the Plan. Any attempted Transfer of the Option contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution, attachment or similar process upon the Option, shall be null and void and without effect.

(b) Waiver. Any right of the Company contained in this Agreement may be waived in writing by the Committee. No waiver of any right hereunder by any party shall operate as a waiver of any other right, or as a waiver of the same right with respect to any subsequent occasion for its exercise, or as a waiver of any right to damages. No waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement shall be held to constitute a waiver of any other breach or a waiver of the continuation of the same breach.

(c) Section 409A. The Option is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if any provision of the Plan or this Agreement contravenes Section 409A of the Code or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A of the Code, or to avoid the incurrence of taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A of the Code, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A of the Code. This Section 10(c) does not create an obligation on the part of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the Option or the Option Shares will not be subject to interest and penalties under Section 409A. In no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on the Participant by Section 409A of the Code or damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code.


(d) Notices. Any notices provided for in this Agreement or the Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given if either hand delivered or if sent by fax, PDF/email or overnight courier, or by postage paid first class mail. Notices sent by mail shall be deemed received three (3) business days after mailing but in no event later than the date of actual receipt. Notices shall be directed, if to the Participant, at the Participant’s address indicated by the Company’s records, or if to the Company, to the attention of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company at the Company’s principal executive office.

(e) Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, and each other provision of this Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

(f) No Rights to Employment or Service. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Participant any right to be retained, in any position, as an employee, consultant or director of the Company or its Affiliates or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company or its Affiliates, which are hereby expressly reserved, to remove, terminate or discharge the Participant at any time for any (or no) reason whatsoever.

(g) Beneficiary. The Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of a beneficiary on such form as may be prescribed by the Committee and may, from time to time, amend or revoke such designation.

(h) Successors. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns, and of the Participant and the beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs and successors of the Participant.

(i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Plan contain the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersede all prior communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto. No change, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same be in writing and signed by the parties hereto, except for any changes permitted without consent under Sections 9 or 10 of the Plan.

(j) Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction which could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

(i) Dispute Resolution; Consent to Jurisdiction. All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with the Plan, this Agreement or the Option shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States Federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Agreement not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.


(ii) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

(k) Headings. The headings of the Sections hereof are provided for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction, and shall not constitute a part, of this Agreement.

(l) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts (including via facsimile and electronic image scan (PDF)), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

(m) Electronic Signature and Delivery. This Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation. By accepting this Agreement, the Participant consents to the electronic delivery of prospectuses, annual reports and other information required to be delivered by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules (which consent may be revoked in writing by the Participant at any time upon three (3) business days’ notice to the Company, in which case subsequent prospectuses, annual reports and other information will be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

(n) Electronic Participation in Plan. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed by the Company and the Participant as of the day first written above.

 

VTV THERAPEUTICS INC.
By:    
Name:  
Title:  
PARTICIPANT
 

 

###PARTICIPANT_NAME###
EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

May 13, 2026

vTv Therapeutics Inc.

3980 Premier Drive, Suite 110

High Point, North Carolina 27265

 

Re:

REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to vTv Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) for the purpose of registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), an aggregate of 1,115,905 shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), consisting of (i) 782,789 Shares issuable under the vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2024 Plan”), (ii) 15,616 Shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of October 19, 2021, by and between the Company and Deepa Prasad (the “Prasad Award Agreement”), (iii) 55,000 Shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of July 26, 2022, by and between the Company and Paul Sekhri (the “Sekhri Award Agreement”), (iv) 12,500 Shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2023, by and between the Company and Thomas Strack (the “Strack Award Agreement”, and, together with the Sekhri Award Agreement and Prasad Award Agreement, the “Inducement Award Agreements”), and (v) 250,000 Shares issuable under the vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2026 Equity Inducement Plan (the “Inducement Plan” and, together with the 2024 Plan, the “Plans”).

This opinion (the “Opinion”) is being furnished to the Company in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the Shares.

As your counsel, we have examined such documents and such matters of fact and law that we have deemed necessary for the purpose of rendering the Opinion expressed herein. In connection with this Opinion, we have examined originals or copies (in each case signed, certified or otherwise proven to our satisfaction to be genuine) of: (i) the Plans, (ii) the Inducement Award Agreements, (iii) the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect (the “Charter”), (iv) the Company’s Bylaws, as currently in effect, and (v) resolutions approving the corporate action of the Company authorizing the issuance and sale of the Shares.

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as original documents, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies, the legal capacity of natural persons who are signatories to the documents examined by us, and the legal power and authority of all persons signing on behalf of parties (other than the Company) to all documents.

In rendering the Opinion expressed below, we have assumed that prior to the issuance of any of the Shares, there will exist under the Charter the requisite number of authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock. In addition, we have assumed (i) the resolutions authorizing the Company to issue the Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plans and the Inducement Award Agreements will remain in effect and unchanged at all times during which the Shares are issued by the Company and (ii) the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto, at the time of issuance of the Shares, will continue to be effective under the Securities Act.

Based on the foregoing, we advise you that, in our opinion, as of the date hereof, when the Shares shall have been duly registered on the books of the transfer agent and registrar therefor in the name or on behalf of the holder and have been issued by the Company against payment therefor (not less than par value) in the circumstances contemplated by the Plans and the Inducement Award Agreements, assuming in each case that the individual issuances, grants or awards under the Plans and the Inducement Award Agreements are duly issued and granted or awarded and exercised in accordance with the requirements of law and the Plans and the Inducement Award Agreements (and the agreements and awards duly adopted thereunder and in accordance therewith), the issue and sale of the Shares will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.


We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing Opinion is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

We hereby consent to the filing of this Opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Dechert LLP

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan and 2026 Equity Inducement Plan, of our report dated March 10, 2026, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of vTv Therapeutics Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Detroit, Michigan

May 13, 2026

EX-FILING FEES
S-8 S-8 EX-FILING FEES 0001641489 vTv Therapeutics Inc. N/A Fees to be Paid Fees to be Paid Fees to be Paid Fees to be Paid Fees to be Paid 0001641489 2026-05-13 2026-05-13 0001641489 1 2026-05-13 2026-05-13 0001641489 2 2026-05-13 2026-05-13 0001641489 3 2026-05-13 2026-05-13 0001641489 4 2026-05-13 2026-05-13 0001641489 5 2026-05-13 2026-05-13 iso4217:USD xbrli:pure xbrli:shares

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

S-8

vTv Therapeutics Inc.

Table 1: Newly Registered Securities

Security Type

Security Class Title

Fee Calculation Rule

Amount Registered

Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit

Maximum Aggregate Offering Price

Fee Rate

Amount of Registration Fee

1 Equity Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, reserved for future issuance under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan Other 286,408 $ 31.30 $ 8,964,570.40 0.0001381 $ 1,238.01
2 Equity Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, issuable pursuant to outstanding awards under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan Other 488,969 $ 36.47 $ 17,832,699.43 0.0001381 $ 2,462.70
3 Equity Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, reserved for future issuance under the 2026 Equity Inducement Plan Other 206,500 $ 31.30 $ 6,463,450.00 0.0001381 $ 892.60
4 Equity Inducement Stock Option Awards - Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, issued pursuant to the 2026 Equity Inducement Plan Other 43,500 $ 32.69 $ 1,422,015.00 0.0001381 $ 196.38
5 Equity Inducement Stock Option Awards - Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share Other 83,116 $ 34.09 $ 2,833,424.44 0.0001381 $ 391.30

Total Offering Amounts:

$ 37,516,159.27

$ 5,180.99

Total Fee Offsets:

$ 0.00

Net Fee Due:

$ 5,180.99

Offering Note

1

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") shall also cover any additional shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of vTv Therapeutics Inc. (the "Registrant") that become issuable in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant's receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of the Registrant's Common Stock. (2) Represents (i) 286,408 additional shares of Common Stock that were automatically added to the shares authorized for issuance under the Registrant's 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the "2024 Plan"), on January 1, 2025, pursuant to an annual "evergreen" increase provision contained in the 2024 Plan and (ii) 496,381 additional shares of Common Stock that were automatically added to the shares authorized for issuance under the 2024 Plan on January 1, 2026, pursuant to such annual "evergreen" increase provision. (3) Estimated in accordance with Rules 457(c) and (h) of the Securities Act, solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per share of $31.30 was computed by averaging the high and low prices of a share of the Registrant's Common Stock as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market on May 8, 2026.

2

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") shall also cover any additional shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of vTv Therapeutics Inc. (the "Registrant") that become issuable in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant's receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of the Registrant's Common Stock. (4) Calculated solely for purposes of determining the registration fee for this offering under Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act and based on the weighted average exercise price of the outstanding options issued under the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.

3

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") shall also cover any additional shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of vTv Therapeutics Inc. (the "Registrant") that become issuable in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant's receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of the Registrant's Common Stock. (3) Estimated in accordance with Rules 457(c) and (h) of the Securities Act, solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per share of $31.30 was computed by averaging the high and low prices of a share of the Registrant's Common Stock as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market on May 8, 2026. (5) Represents 206,500 shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the vTv Therapeutics Inc. 2026 Equity Inducement Plan (the "2026 Inducement Plan").

4

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") shall also cover any additional shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of vTv Therapeutics Inc. (the "Registrant") that become issuable in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant's receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of the Registrant's Common Stock. (6) Represents 43,500 shares of Common Stock subject to awards outstanding under the 2026 Inducement Plan. (7) Calculated solely for purposes of determining the registration fee for this offering under Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act and based on the weighted average exercise price of the applicable outstanding awards.

5

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") shall also cover any additional shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of vTv Therapeutics Inc. (the "Registrant") that become issuable in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant's receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of the Registrant's Common Stock. (8) Represents (i) 15,616 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of October 19, 2021, by and between the Registrant and Deepa Prasad, (ii) 55,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of July 26, 2022, by and between the Registrant and Paul Sekhri, and (iii) 12,500 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted pursuant to the Inducement Award Nonqualified Option Award Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2023, by and between the Registrant and Thomas Strack (together, the "Inducement Awards"). (9) Calculated solely for purposes of determining the registration fee for this offering under Rule 457(h) of the Securities Act and based on the weighted average exercise price of the Inducement Awards.

Table 2: Fee Offset Claims and Sources ☑Not Applicable
Registrant or Filer Name Form or Filing Type File Number Initial Filing Date Filing Date Fee Offset Claimed Security Type Associated with Fee Offset Claimed Security Title Associated with Fee Offset Claimed Unsold Securities Associated with Fee Offset Claimed Unsold Aggregate Offering Amount Associated with Fee Offset Claimed Fee Paid with Fee Offset Source
Rule 457(p)
Fee Offset Claims
Fee Offset Sources