Abeona Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ABEO) held its 2026 annual meeting of stockholders virtually, with shareholders approving most of the proposals presented by management but rejecting a proposed governance amendment.
Vish Seshadri, Abeona’s president and chief executive officer, opened the meeting by noting that the company had filed a current report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier in the day disclosing the resignation of Michael Amoroso from the board of directors, effective the previous day.
As a result of the resignation, Amoroso’s name was withdrawn from nomination for re-election at the meeting, and votes cast for him were not counted. Seshadri said the board determined it would not nominate a replacement director for election at the annual meeting.
Shareholders Elect Two Directors
Shareholders voted to elect Keith A. Goldan and Bernhardt G. Zeiher, M.D., as Class I directors. Each will hold office for a three-year term and until their successors are elected and qualified, according to the meeting materials described by Seshadri.
The company said a quorum was present, with no less than a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock represented via webcast and by proxy. The record date for stockholders entitled to vote was April 15, 2026, and meeting materials were mailed on or about April 27, 2026.
Executive Pay and Auditor Ratification Approved
Stockholders also approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of Abeona’s named executive officers as described in the company’s proxy statement.
In addition, shareholders ratified the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as Abeona’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2026.
Equity Incentive Plan Increase Passes
Another proposal approved by shareholders increased the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Second Amended and Restated Abeona Therapeutics Inc. 2023 Equity Incentive Plan from 8.4 million to 11.5 million.
The board had recommended that shareholders vote in favor of each of the proposals presented at the meeting, including the equity incentive plan increase.
Governance Amendment Fails
One proposal did not receive shareholder approval. Seshadri said an amendment to Abeona’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to remove the advance notice provision for director nominations was not approved.
No shareholder questions relevant to the business of the meeting were received during the general question-and-answer portion, according to Seshadri. He said the company would report final voting results in a current report on Form 8-K to be filed after the meeting.
The meeting was then adjourned, with Seshadri thanking shareholders on behalf of the board of directors and executive team.
About Abeona Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ABEO)
Abeona Therapeutics is a clinical‐stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of gene and cell therapies for severe, life‐threatening rare diseases and oncology indications. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Abeona leverages proprietary viral and non‐viral delivery platforms to correct or compensate for underlying genetic deficiencies. The company’s research efforts target pediatric neurodegenerative disorders as well as debilitating dermatologic conditions with high unmet medical need.
The company’s lead clinical programs include separate AAV‐based gene therapies for CLN1 and CLN3 forms of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, alongside an ex vivo autologous cell therapy for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.
