Aptose Biosciences Inc. 8-K

What Happened Aptose Biosciences Inc. announced on its Form 8-K (filed March 23, 2026) that on March 12, 2026 it and Dr. William Rice, the Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, entered into a First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (the "First Amendment"). The First Amendment modifies Sections 4.3 and 15 and Schedule A of the original agreement dated April 29, 2024 and is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the 8-K.

Key Details

• First Amendment effective March 12, 2026; original employment agreement dated April 29, 2024.
• Confirms no deferred compensation plan was ever created, no deferred compensation was earned, and no deferred compensation benefits are owed to Dr. Rice.
• Confirms Dr. Rice is solely responsible for any individual taxes, penalties and interest on all benefits paid or payable under the original agreement and any prior agreements.
• The amendment addresses compensatory arrangement terms (Sections 4.3, 15 and Schedule A) and is reported under Item 5.02 of the 8-K.

Why It Matters This filing clarifies the company's and CEO's obligations under the employment agreement: it states there is no outstanding deferred compensation liability to Dr. Rice and shifts responsibility for any personal tax-related liabilities on benefits to the CEO. For investors, that reduces uncertainty about potential future cash obligations related to deferred compensation, though the filing does not disclose any dollar amounts. The amendment is a governance/compensation update rather than a change in leadership.