v3.26.1
Share-based Compensation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Share-based Compensation Share-based Compensation
Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc Stock Option and Incentive Plan
Remaining shares available for future grants as of March 31, 2026 under the 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) were 17,152,838.

Share-based Compensation Expense
The Company recorded share-based compensation expense in the following expense categories in the unaudited interim consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss (amounts in thousands):
Three Months Ended
March 31, 2026
Three Months Ended
March 31, 2025
Research and development$4,085 $4,157 
General and administrative6,480 3,726 
$10,565 $7,883 

    The Company recognized $2.7 million of non-cash share-based payment expense due to modifications of certain options and RSUs during the three months ended March 31, 2026, all of which were recorded in general and administrative expense.
Stock Options
The following table summarizes stock option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2026:
Number of SharesWeighted-Average Exercise Price Per ShareWeighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
(in millions)
Balance at January 1, 2026
19,683,162 $10.11 7.1 years
Granted2,301,600 $25.24 
Exercised(5,296,060)$6.44 
Forfeited(1,259,949)$13.64 
Balance at March 31, 2026
15,428,753 $13.34 7.7 years$407.0 
Exercisable at March 31, 2026
7,579,852 $9.36 6.4 years$230.1 
Vested and expected to vest at March 31, 2026
15,428,753 $13.34 7.7 years$407.0 
The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted was $16.46 per share for the three months ended March 31, 2026. As of March 31, 2026, the total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock option awards was $84.0 million, which the Company expects to recognize over a weighted-average period of 3.3 years.
Based on the trading price of $39.72 per ADS, which is the closing price as of March 31, 2026, the aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding options as of March 31, 2026 was $407.0 million.
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, the fair value of each option was estimated on the date of grant under the Black-Scholes option pricing model using the weighted average assumptions in the table below:
Expected term6.1 years
Expected stock price volatility69.1 %
Risk-free interest rate3.9 %
Expected dividend yield%

Restricted Share Units
The following table summarizes ordinary share activity related to the restricted stock programs for the three months ended March 31, 2026:
Restricted Stock Units
Number of SharesWeighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share
Unvested at January 1, 2026
984,059 $7.53 
Granted650,200 $25.19 
Vested(351,988)$6.79 
Forfeited(127,950)$6.69 
Unvested at March 31, 2026
1,154,321 $17.79 
Unrecognized compensation expense
 at March 31, 2026 (in thousands)
$19,403 
Expected weighted average recognition period3.4 years
Employee Share Purchase Plan
As of March 31, 2026, no shares have been purchased or issued under the 2021 Employee Share Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) and remaining shares reserved for the ESPP were 2,708,615.