Alkermes plc 8-K, filed Sep 16, 2026
Alkermes plc. (ALKS)
About this 8-K
Alkermes plc filed this 8-K on September 16, 2026, reporting on events of September 14, 2026.
Items reported
- Item 5.02: Director or officer change, or executive pay
- Item 7.01: Regulation FD disclosure
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
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Emerging growth company |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On September 14, 2026, the board of directors (the “Board”) of Alkermes plc (the “Company”) increased the size of the Board from ten (10) to eleven (11) directors and appointed Anne C. Whitaker to the Board, effective immediately, with an initial term expiring at the Company’s 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders. As of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K, Ms. Whitaker has not been appointed to any committee of the Board.
For her service on the Board, Ms. Whitaker will be entitled to receive an annual cash retainer and annual equity grant, both of which will be on the terms, and in the amounts, as determined in accordance with the processes described in the “Director Compensation” section of the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 6, 2026.
In addition, in connection with her appointment to the Board, Ms. Whitaker will be granted an initial new director equity award with an aggregate target value of $600,000, consisting of 50% stock options and 50% restricted stock unit awards, which will vest and, as applicable, become exercisable in three equal annual installments commencing on the first anniversary of the grant date, subject to Ms. Whitaker’s continuous service. The new director equity award is expected to be granted to Ms. Whitaker in October 2026, on the Company’s monthly new hire employee grant date. The exercise price per share of the stock options will be equal to the closing price of the Company’s ordinary shares on the date of grant, as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
In addition, the Company has entered into a deed of indemnification with Ms. Whitaker in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on April 29, 2020, and Alkermes, Inc., a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Company, has entered into an indemnification agreement with Ms. Whitaker in substantially the form filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on April 29, 2020.
Ms. Whitaker is not, nor has been since January 1, 2025, a participant in any transaction involving the Company, or a participant in any proposed transaction with the Company, in each case, required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On September 16, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing Ms. Whitaker’s appointment to the Board, a copy of which is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. This Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 furnished herewith shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
EXHIBIT INDEX
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Description |
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99.1 |
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Press release issued by Alkermes plc dated September 16, 2026. |
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Cover page interactive data file (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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ALKERMES PLC |
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Date: September 16, 2026 |
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/s/ David J. Gaffin |
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David J. Gaffin |
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Secretary |
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Exhibit 99.1
Alkermes Contacts:
For Investors: Sandy Coombs +1 781 609 6377
For Media: Katie Joyce +1 781 249 8927
Alkermes Announces Appointment of Anne C. Whitaker to Board of Directors
DUBLIN, Sept. 16, 2026 — Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS) today announced the appointment of a new independent director, Anne C. Whitaker, to the company’s Board of Directors (the Board). Ms. Whitaker is a seasoned biopharmaceutical executive and experienced board director who brings deep commercial and operational expertise, as well as a proven track record of driving growth and transformation across global pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations.
“Anne joins our Board at a defining time for Alkermes,” said Blair Jackson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alkermes. “We are building on our strong commercial performance and advancing a differentiated pipeline that we believe has the potential to address significant unmet needs in neuroscience. Anne’s experience and perspectives will be valuable assets as we execute on our strategy and work to develop new medicines for patients and create long-term value for our shareholders. I look forward to working with Anne as we build on the momentum we have established across the business.”
“Anne’s experience as an executive and CEO across organizations of varying sizes and stages, together with her extensive service on public and private company boards, gives her a unique perspective on the key decisions that drive long-term success in our industry,” said Richard Pops, Chairman of the Board of Alkermes. “We are very pleased to welcome Anne to the Alkermes Board as we continue to advance our strategic priorities.”
“I am honored to join Alkermes’ Board at such an exciting time in the company’s evolution,” said Anne Whitaker. “Alkermes has built a strong foundation through scientific innovation, disciplined execution and value creation. I look forward to working alongside the Board and management team in support of Alkermes’ commitment to improving outcomes for patients through innovative medicines.”
About Anne Whitaker
Ms. Whitaker most recently served as chief executive officer of Aerami Therapeutics, a then clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Prior to Aerami, she served as chief executive officer of Novoclem Therapeutics, Inc. and Synta Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Prior to those roles, Ms. Whitaker held a
variety of senior commercial and executive leadership positions at Bausch Heath Companies, Inc., Sanofi S.A. and GlaxoSmithKline.
Ms. Whitaker currently serves on the boards of directors of publicly-traded companies Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company and ICON plc, a healthcare intelligence and clinical research organization. She also serves on the boards of directors of private companies QurAlis LLC, Bespak, Inc., Beaconcure Technologies and Trinity Partners, LLC. She previously served on the boards of directors of publicly traded companies Nykode Therapeutics, OraSure Technologies, Inc., Ergomed plc and Faron Pharmaceuticals and several other public and private life sciences companies.
Ms. Whitaker holds a B.S. in chemistry with a minor in business administration from the University of North Alabama.
About Alkermes plc
Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS), a mid-cap growth and value equity, is a global biopharmaceutical company that seeks to develop innovative medicines in the field of neuroscience. The company has a portfolio of proprietary commercial products for the treatment of alcohol dependence, opioid dependence, schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder and narcolepsy. Alkermes’ pipeline includes late-stage clinical candidates in development for narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, and orexin 2 receptor agonists in early clinical development for other neurological disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and fatigue associated with multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Headquartered in Ireland, Alkermes also has a corporate office and research and development center in Massachusetts and a manufacturing facility in Ohio. For more information, please visit Alkermes’ website at www.alkermes.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements concerning: the company’s expectations concerning its future financial and operating performance, business plans or prospects; and the potential therapeutic and commercial value of the company’s investigational and commercial products. The company cautions that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. The forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees
and they are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Actual performance and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2025 and in subsequent filings made by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the company disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.