VANCOUVER, Wash. and NEW YORK, March 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Absci Corporation (NASDAQ:ABSI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing breakthrough therapeutics designed with generative AI, today announced that on March 3, 2026, the company granted a non-statutory stock option to purchase an aggregate of 650,000 shares of its common stock to Dr. Ransi Somaratne in connection with his employment as Absci's Chief Medical Officer. The inducement grant was previously approved by the Compensation Committee of Absci's Board of Directors pursuant to Absci's 2023 Inducement Plan (the "Inducement Plan"), and is being made as an inducement material to the new employee's acceptance of employment with the company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The stock option award has an exercise price of $2.57 per share, the closing price of Absci's common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on March 3, 2026 (the "Grant Date"). The stock option award has a 10-year term and vests over four years, with 25% of the shares subject to the option vesting and exercisable on the one-year anniversary of the Grant Date while the remaining 75% of the shares vest and become exercisable in 36 approximately equal monthly installments thereafter such that the shares underlying the option granted to Dr. Somaratne will be fully vested on the fourth anniversary of the Grant Date, subject to Dr. Somaratne's continued service with Absci on each such date (subject to the terms and conditions of the Inducement Plan and the option award agreement covering the grant).

About Absci

Absci is advancing the future of drug discovery with generative design to create better biologics for patients, faster. Our Integrated Drug Creation™ platform combines cutting-edge AI models with a synthetic biology data engine, enabling the rapid design of innovative therapeutics that address challenging therapeutic targets. Absci's approach leverages a continuous feedback loop between advanced AI algorithms and wet lab validation. Each cycle refines our data and strengthens our models, facilitating rapid innovation and enhancing the precision of our therapeutic designs. Alongside collaborations with top pharmaceutical, biotech, tech, and academic leaders, Absci is advancing its own pipeline of AI designed therapeutics including ABS-201™, a groundbreaking innovation in hair regrowth with the potential to redefine treatment possibilities for androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male and female pattern hair-loss. ABS-201 is also being investigated as a potential "best-in-class" therapeutic for endometriosis, a condition with significant unmet medical need and market potential. Absci is headquartered in Vancouver, WA, with AI Research Labs in New York City and Serbia, and an Innovation Center in Switzerland. Learn more at www.absci.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@absci), X (@Abscibio) and YouTube.

Absci^® standard character mark, ABS-201™, and Integrated Drug Creation™ are trademarks and registered trademarks of Absci Corporation.

Investor Contact

Alexander D.H. Khan

Corporate Vice President

Head of Investor Relations

investors@absci.com

Media Contact

press@absci.com

Absci Announces Inducement Grant Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)