bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLUE) today announced that the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors approved an inducement grant of stock options to purchase a total of 300,000 shares of common stock to its chief financial officer, James Sterling, with a grant date of July 1, 2024.

The stock options approved under the Inducement Plan have an exercise price per share equal to $0.98, the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The stock options vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the one-year anniversary of the grant date and 1/36 of the remaining shares vesting monthly thereafter, subject to Mr. Sterling’s continued service with the Company on each such date. The stock options have a 10-year term and are subject to the terms and conditions of the stock option agreement.

The Company granted the stock options as inducement materials to James Sterling entering into employment with bluebird bio, Inc. in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About bluebird bio, Inc.

bluebird bio is pursuing curative gene therapies to give patients and their families more bluebird days.

Founded in 2010, bluebird has been setting the standard for gene therapy for more than a decade—first as a scientific pioneer and now as a commercial leader. bluebird has an unrivaled track record in bringing the promise of gene therapy out of clinical studies and into the real-world setting, having secured FDA approvals for three therapies in under two years. Today, we are proving and scaling the commercial model for gene therapy and delivering innovative solutions for access to patients, providers, and payers.

With a dedicated focus on severe genetic diseases, bluebird has the largest and deepest ex-vivo gene therapy data set in the field, with industry-leading programs for sickle cell disease, β-thalassemia and cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. We custom design each of our therapies to address the underlying cause of disease and have developed in-depth and effective analytical methods to understand the safety of our lentiviral vector technologies and drive the field of gene therapy forward.

bluebird continues to forge new paths as a standalone commercial gene therapy company, combining our real-world experience with a deep commitment to patient communities and a people-centric culture that attracts and grows a diverse flock of dedicated birds.

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