WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crescent Biopharma, Inc. ("Crescent" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:CBIO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to rapidly advancing the next wave of therapies for cancer patients, today announced that the independent Compensation Committee of its Board of Directors approved the grant of options to purchase an aggregate of 24,600 shares of the Company's ordinary shares to two non-executive employees as equity inducement awards under the Crescent Biopharma, Inc. 2025 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan, as amended (the "Inducement Plan"). The options were approved on February 17, 2026 and were material to each employee's acceptance of employment with Crescent, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

The options were granted with a 10-year term and an exercise price equal to $9.33, the closing price per share of Crescent's ordinary shares as reported by Nasdaq on February 17, 2026. The options granted to each employee shall vest and become exercisable as to one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares subject to the respective options on the first anniversary of the employee's start date, and one-forty-eighth (1/48th) of the shares subject to the respective options shall vest and become exercisable monthly thereafter, in each case, subject to continuous service with Crescent through the applicable vesting dates. The options are subject to the terms of the Inducement Plan and the terms and conditions of an option agreement covering the applicable grant.

About Crescent Biopharma

Crescent Biopharma's vision is to build a world leading oncology company bringing the next wave of therapies for cancer patients. The Company's clinical-stage pipeline includes its lead program, a PD-1 x VEGF bispecific antibody, as well as novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). By leveraging multiple modalities and established targets, Crescent aims to rapidly advance potentially transformative therapies either as single agents or as part of combination regimens to treat a range of solid tumors. For more information, visit www.crescentbiopharma.com and follow the Company on LinkedIn and X.

Contact

Amy Reilly

Chief Communications Officer

amy.reilly@crescentbiopharma.com

617-465-0586

Crescent Biopharma Announces Grants of Inducement Awards