SAN DIEGO, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TRACON Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TCON), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel targeted therapeutics for cancer, wet age-related macular degeneration and fibrotic diseases, announced today that it has issued inducement awards to two new non-executive employees.

TRACON issued the awards on October 17, 2016 and October 19, 2016. The inducement awards consist of options to purchase an aggregate of 25,740 shares of the Company's common stock and a restricted stock unit award for an aggregate of 9,750 shares of the Company's common stock, and were granted in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) under the TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2015 Plan”).  Each option has an exercise price per share equal to the closing price of one TRACON share on the Nasdaq Global Market on the dates of grants. The options vest over four years, with 25% of the option shares vesting on the first anniversary of the date of grant and the remaining 75% of the option shares vesting in monthly installments over the three years thereafter. The options have a ten-year term, and are subject to the terms and conditions of the 2015 Plan and applicable stock option agreement.  The restricted stock unit vests over four years, with 25% of the shares vesting on the first four anniversary dates of the date of grant.  The restricted stock unit is subject to the terms and conditions of the 2015 Plan and applicable restricted stock unit agreement.

About TRACON

TRACON develops targeted therapies for cancer, ophthalmic and fibrotic diseases. The Company’s clinical-stage pipeline includes: TRC105, an endoglin antibody that is being developed for the treatment of multiple cancers; DE-122, the ophthalmic formulation of TRC105 that is being developed in wet AMD through a collaboration with Santen Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.; and TRC102, a small molecule that is being developed for the treatment of lung cancer and glioblastoma. To learn more about TRACON and its product candidates, visit TRACON's website at www.traconpharma.com.

Company Contact:
Casey Logan
Chief Business Officer
(858) 550‐0780 ext. 236
clogan@traconpharma.com

Investor Contact:
Andrew McDonald
LifeSci Advisors LLC
646-597-6987
Andrew@lifesciadvisors.com