Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
HENNEMAN JOHN B III
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NEWLINK GENETICS CORP [(NLNK)]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP, Chief Financial Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O NEWLINK GENETICS CORPORATION, 2801 VIA FORTUNA, SUITE 520
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/09/2018
(Street)

AUSTIN, TX 78746
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 7.85 03/09/2018   A   122,000     (1)(2)   (3) Common Stock 122,000 $ 0 122,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
HENNEMAN JOHN B III
C/O NEWLINK GENETICS CORPORATION
2801 VIA FORTUNA, SUITE 520
AUSTIN, TX 78746
      EVP, Chief Financial Officer  

Signatures

 /s/ Ryan Trytten, attorney-in-fact   03/13/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Issuer's 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") on March 9, 2018 (the "Date of Grant"). 50% of the option vests and becomes exercisable in a series of 48 successive equal monthly installments beginning on April 1, 2018, provided that at the relevant vesting dates the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated as defined in or as determined under the Plan. The option expires ten years after the Date of Grant.
(2) The remaining 50% of the stock options vest and become exercisable as follows: (a) 25% of such shares shall vest as to 8.33%, 8.33% and 8.34% on the 1st day of the month following an increase of closing share price on Nasdaq Stock Market by at least 33.33%, 66.66% and 100%, respectively, above the exercise price of the options when measured over 30 consecutive calendar days, provided such increase occurs within four years of the Date of Grant, otherwise such options shall be cancelled; (b) 12.50% of such shares shall vest on the 1st day of the month following the hiring of a new senior operations executive to oversee the Company's chemistry and manufacturing control ("CMC") activities and clinical trials; and (c) the remaining 12.50% of such shares shall vest on the 1st day of the month following completion of a CMC formulation for indoximod for adult patients and completion of a CMC plan for a pediatric formulation of indoximod, the completion of each to be determined by the Board.
(3) Unless otherwise disclosed, the option expires ten years after the date of grant.

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