v3.25.2
Share-Based Compensation
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Share-Based Compensation

4. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

The Wave Life Sciences Ltd. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders and went into effect on August 10, 2021 and was amended effective as of August 9, 2022, August 1, 2023, and August 6, 2024 (as amended, the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan serves as the successor to the Wave Life Sciences Ltd. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2014 Plan”), such that outstanding awards granted under the 2014 Plan continue to be governed by the terms of the 2014 Plan, but no awards may be made under the 2014 Plan after August 10, 2021. The aggregate number of ordinary shares authorized for issuance of awards under the 2021 Plan was originally 5,450,000 ordinary shares, and was subsequently increased to 11,450,000, 17,950,000, and 22,950,000 in August 2022, August 2023, and August 2024, respectively, plus the number of ordinary shares underlying any awards under the 2014 Plan that are forfeited, cancelled or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation) on or after August 10, 2021.

The 2021 Plan authorizes (and the 2014 Plan previously authorized) the Company’s board of directors or a committee of the board of directors to, among other things, grant non-qualified share options, restricted awards, which include restricted shares and restricted share units (“RSUs”), and performance awards to eligible employees and directors of the Company. The Company accounts for grants to its board of directors as grants to employees.

Options generally vest over periods of one to four years, and options that are forfeited or cancelled are available to be granted again. The contractual life of options is generally five or ten years from the grant date. RSUs can be time-based or performance-based. Time-based RSUs generally vest over a period of one to four years. Vesting of the performance-based RSUs is contingent on the occurrence of certain regulatory or commercial milestones. Any RSUs that are forfeited are available to be granted again.

During the six months ended June 30, 2025, the Company granted an aggregate of 3,942,375 options and 1,092,390 time-based RSUs to employees and non-employee directors.

As of June 30, 2025, 2,403,076 ordinary shares remained available for future grant under the 2021 Plan.

The table below shows the options and RSUs outstanding as of June 30, 2025 and 2024.

 

 

 

As of June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Options to purchase ordinary shares

 

 

22,043,539

 

 

 

20,574,934

 

RSUs

 

 

1,827,750

 

 

 

660,750

 

 

The Wave Life Sciences Ltd. 2019 Employee Share Purchase Plan, as amended (the “ESPP”), allows full-time and certain part-time employees to purchase the Company’s ordinary shares at a discount to fair market value. Eligible employees may enroll in a six-month offering period beginning every January 15th and July 15th. Ordinary shares are purchased at a price equal to 85% of the lower of the fair market value of the Company’s ordinary shares on the first business day or the last business day of an offering period. The aggregate number of ordinary shares authorized for issuance under the ESPP was originally 1,000,000 and was subsequently increased to 3,000,000 in August 2023. During the six months ended June 30, 2025, 86,752 ordinary shares were issued under the ESPP. As of June 30, 2025, there were 2,227,250 ordinary shares available for issuance under the ESPP.