IRVINE, Calif., April 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AEON Biopharma, Inc. (“AEON” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: AEON), a biopharmaceutical company advancing ABP-450 (prabotulinumtoxinA) as a biosimilar to BOTOX® (onabotulinumtoxinA) to achieve full-label U.S. market entry, today announced that, on April 2, 2026, in connection with the appointment of John Bencich as Chief Financial Officer, the Company’s Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) approved the grant of inducement awards.
The Compensation Committee approved the grant to Mr. Bencich of 754,717 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) under AEON’s 2025 Employment Inducement Incentive Award Plan (the “Inducement Plan”), which provides for the granting of equity awards to new employees of the Company. The RSUs vest over four years, 25% on each annual anniversary of March 9, 2026, which was Mr. Bencich’s employment start date. In addition, the Compensation Committee approved the grant to Mr. Bencich of 235,849 performance-based restricted stock units (“PSUs”) under the Inducement Plan. The PSUs will vest as follows: 25% will vest on the date that is six months following the date on which NYSE American notifies the Company that is has successfully regained compliance with NYSE American’s continued listing standards (the “First Vesting Date”) and an additional 25% will vest on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the First Vesting Date, subject to Mr. Bencich’s continued service through the applicable vesting date.
The awards are subject to the terms and conditions of the Inducement Plan and the terms and conditions of the RSU agreement or PSU agreement, as applicable, covering the grant. The awards are being granted as an inducement material to Mr. Bencich entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Section 711 of NYSE American LLC Company Guide.
About AEON Biopharma
AEON Biopharma is a biopharmaceutical company seeking full-label access to the U.S. therapeutic neurotoxin market via biosimilarity to BOTOX®. The U.S. therapeutic neurotoxin market exceeds $3.0 billion annually, representing a major opportunity for biosimilar entry. ABP-450 is the same botulinum toxin complex currently approved and marketed for cosmetic indications by Evolus, Inc. under the name Jeuveau®. ABP-450 is manufactured by Daewoong Pharmaceutical in a facility that has been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, and European Medicines Agency for the manufacture of botulinum toxin products. The product is approved as a biosimilar in India, Mexico, and the Philippines. AEON has exclusive development and distribution rights for therapeutic indications of ABP-450 in the United States, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and certain other international territories. To learn more about AEON, visit www.aeonbiopharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
The foregoing material may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, including without limitation statements regarding the Company’s product development and business prospects, and can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “should,” “continue” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and its current plans or expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect current plans. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ significantly from those anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended, or planned. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee future results, performance, or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, including the security laws of the United States, the Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results.
Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: (i) AEON’s ability to continue to meet continued stock exchange listing standards; (ii) the Company’s ability to comply with the NYSE American approved plan to regain compliance with continued listing standards; and (iii) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Contacts
Investor Contact:
Laurence Watts
New Street Investor Relations
+1 619 916 7620
laurence@newstreetir.com
Source: AEON Biopharma