Form 8-K
8-K — Pasithea Therapeutics Corp.
Accession: 0001213900-26-051681
Filed: 2026-05-04
Period: 2026-05-01
CIK: 0001841330
SIC: 2834 (PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS)
Item: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
Item: Regulation FD Disclosure
Item: Financial Statements and Exhibits
Documents
8-K — ea0288864-8k_pasithea.htm (Primary)
EX-10.1 — EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, DATED APRIL 3, 2026, BY AND BETWEEN PASITHEA THERAPEUTICS CORP. AND KARTIK KRISHNAN, M.D., PH.D (ea028886401ex10-1.htm)
EX-99.1 — PRESS RELEASE DATED MAY 4, 2026 (ea028886401ex99-1.htm)
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UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date
of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 1, 2026
Pasithea
Therapeutics Corp.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
001-40804
85-1591963
(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS
Employer
Identification
No.)
1111
Lincoln Road, Suite 500
Miami
Beach, Florida
33139
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(Zip
Code)
(786)
977-3380
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former
name or former address, if changed since last report.)
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:
☐
Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐
Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name
of each exchange on which registered
Common
Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
KTTA
The
Nasdaq Capital Market
Warrants
to purchase shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
KTTAW
The
Nasdaq Capital Market
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405)
or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
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.
Appointment
of Chief Medical Officer
On
May 4, 2026, Pasithea Therapeutics Corp. (the “Company”) announced the appointment of Kartik Krishnan, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief
Medical Officer of the Company, effective May 1, 2026. Dr. Krishnan will oversee all clinical development and medical strategy as the
Company advances PAS-004 through the clinic for the treatment of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-associated plexiform and cutaneous neurofibromas.
Dr.
Krishnan, age 55, has over 20 years of experience in clinical development, pharmacovigilance, clinical operations, regulatory affairs,
and R&D strategy. Prior to joining the Company, Dr. Krishnan served as Chief Executive Officer at OncoNano Medicines, a privately
held company developing anti-cancer assets. Prior to that, Dr. Krishnan served as Chief Medical Officer at Arcus Biosciences, a discovery
and clinical development company focusing on combination therapies in immuno-oncology. Earlier in his career, Dr. Krishnan held various
clinical development and medical director roles of increasing responsibility at companies including Astex Pharmaceuticals, Genentech,
Five Prime Therapeutics, BioMarin, and Amgen. While at Genentech, Dr. Krishnan was an integral part of the clinical team for cobimetinib
(Cotellic™), contributing to its approval in the United States and Europe in 2015 for the treatment of BRAF V600E-mutant or BRAF
V600K-mutant melanoma in combination with vemurafenib (Zelboraf™), and worked to establish development opportunities for this MEK
inhibitor beyond melanoma. Prior to joining industry, Dr. Krishnan held a faculty position in the Department of Pediatrics at the University
of Arizona, with both clinical and primary research responsibilities.
Dr.
Krishnan received his B.A. in History (with Distinction) from the University of Virginia. He completed his M.D. and Ph.D. in Cellular,
Molecular and Biophysical Studies at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, where his Ph.D. studies were completed
in the lab of Dr. John Krolewski, focusing on JAK/STAT signaling in the interferon pathway. Dr. Krishnan trained in pediatrics at UCLA
and in pediatric hematology and oncology at Johns Hopkins University and the National Cancer Institute.
There
are no arrangements or understandings between Dr. Krishnan and any other person pursuant to which he was selected as the Company’s
Chief Medical Officer. There are no family relationships between Dr. Krishnan and any of the Company’s directors or executive officers,
and there are no transactions requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Employment
Agreement
In
connection with Dr. Krishnan’s appointment, the Company and Dr. Krishnan entered into an Executive Employment Agreement, dated
April 3, 2026 (the “Employment Agreement”). Pursuant to the Employment Agreement, Dr. Krishnan will receive an initial annual
base salary of $500,000 and will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus of up to 40% of his base salary, with the amount (if any)
to be determined by the compensation committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) in its sole discretion
based on objectives and milestones determined by the Board. Dr. Krishnan will also be eligible to participate in the Company’s
employee benefit programs in accordance with their terms. In connection with the commencement of Dr. Krishnan’s employment on May
1, 2026, the Board agreed to grant him the stock options described below under “–Option Awards to Certain Executive Officers,
Employees and Non-Employee Directors.”
Dr.
Krishnan’s employment is at-will. The Employment Agreement provides for severance benefits in specified circumstances.
The
foregoing description of the principal terms of the Employment Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Employment
Agreement, a copy of which is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
1
Stock
Option Awards
On
May 1, 2026, the Board approved the following stock option awards for the Company’s executive officers, certain employees and non-employee
directors. The stock option awards are intended to bring the Company’s equity incentive structure more in line with other industry
comparables, adequately incentivize its executive officers and employees and reflect the ownership impact of certain recent capital raises
on the Company’s incentive structure.
Executive
Officers and Employees
The
Board approved the following stock option awards, each of which has an exercise price of $0.841 per share, the closing price of the Company’s
common stock (“Common Stock”) as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) on May 1, 2026 (the “Grant
Date”), in accordance with the terms of the Company’s 2023 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”): Dr.
Tiago Reis Marques, options to purchase 1,756,069 shares of Common Stock; Daniel Schneiderman, options to purchase 1,129,323 shares of
Common Stock; Dr. Krishnan, options to purchase 1,129,323 shares of Common Stock; and certain employees options to purchase an aggregate
of 1,239,323 shares of Common Stock. Each such option award will vest as to 33% of the shares subject thereto on the one year anniversary
of the Grant Date, and the remaining shares will vest in equal quarterly installments thereafter for the next two years, subject to continued
service; provided, that the shares underlying such options will fully vest upon a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan).
Non-Employee
Directors
The
Board approved annual stock option awards for fiscal year 2026 to each of the Company’s non-employee directors, Prof. Lawrence
Steinman, Dr. Emer Leahy, Simon Dumesnil and Alfred Novak, each of which entitles such individuals to purchase 152,783 shares of Common
Stock each, and each of which has an exercise price of $0.841 per share, the closing price of the Common Stock as reported on Nasdaq
on the Grant Date, in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Each such option award will vest in full on the one year anniversary of
the Grant Date, subject to continued service; provided, that the shares underlying such options will fully vest upon a Change in Control
(as defined in the Plan).
Unless
otherwise noted, the equity awards described above are subject to the terms of the Plan and the applicable award agreements.
Item
7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.
On
May 4, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Dr. Krishnan as Chief Medical Officer of the Company, effective
May 1, 2026. A copy of this press release is furnished with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by
reference.
The
information in this Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the information contained in Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished
and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the 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, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference
into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by a specific
reference in such filing.
Item
9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits.
Exhibit
Number
Description
10.1
Executive Employment Agreement, dated April 3, 2026, by and between Pasithea Therapeutics Corp. and Kartik Krishnan, M.D., Ph.D.
99.1
Press Release Dated May 4, 2026
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).
2
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.
PASITHEA
THERAPEUTICS CORP.
Date:
May 4, 2026
By:
/s/
Tiago Reis Marques
Name:
Tiago
Reis Marques
Title:
Chief
Executive Officer
3
EX-10.1 — EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, DATED APRIL 3, 2026, BY AND BETWEEN PASITHEA THERAPEUTICS CORP. AND KARTIK KRISHNAN, M.D., PH.D
EX-10.1
Filename: ea028886401ex10-1.htm · Sequence: 2
Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Executive
Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated as of 3 April 2026, made between Pasithea Therapeutics Corp., (the “Company”)
and Dr. Kartik Krishnan (the “Executive”) (collectively, the “Parties”).
WHEREAS,
the Company desires for Executive to provide services to the Company, and wishes to provide Executive with certain compensation and benefits
in return for such employment services; and
WHEREAS,
Executive wishes to be employed by the Company and to provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation and
benefits;
NOW, THEREFORE,
in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Employment by the Company.
1.1. Position.
Executive shall serve as the Company’s Chief Medical Officer. Executive’s employment with the Company shall begin May
1, 2026 (the “Start Date”). During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will devote Executive’s
best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved
vacation periods and other excused absence periods permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. Executive may engage
in civic and not-for-profit activities and serve as a board member on board of directors of publicly traded companies, in each case, subject
to compliance with this Agreement and the Company policies, as in effect from time to time, and so long as such activities do not conflict
with or materially interfere with, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of Executive’s duties and Executive’s
responsibilities hereunder.
1.2. Duties
and Location. Executive shall perform such duties consistent with his title. Executive shall report to the Chief Executive Officer
of the Company. Executive shall primarily work remotely from Executive’s primary residence. The Company understands that Executive
is in the process of relocating his primary residence from California to Arizona. The Company reserves the right to reasonably require
Executive to perform Executive’s duties at places other than Executive’s primary work location from time to time, and to require
reasonable business travel.
1.3. Policies
and Procedures. The employment relationship between the Parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices
of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment
policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.
2. Compensation.
2.1. Salary.
For services to be rendered hereunder, Executive shall receive a base salary at the rate of $500,000 per year, subject to standard
payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule. Executive’s base
salary may be reviewed and changed by the Company on notice to the Executive (such annual base salary, as it may be adjusted from time
to time, the “Base Salary”).
2.2. Annual Bonus.
Executive will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus of up to forty percent (40%) of Executive’s Base Salary
(the “Annual Bonus”), which will be based on a calendar year basis, unless otherwise determined by the Company
(the “Bonus Period”). Whether Executive receives an Annual Bonus for any Bonus Period, and the amount of any such
Annual Bonus, will be determined by the Company’s compensation committee thereof in its sole discretion based upon the
Company’s and Executive’s achievement of objectives and milestones to be determined on an annual basis by the Board of
Directors of the Company (the “Board”). Executive must remain an active employee in good standing through the
time the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn an Annual Bonus for the prior Bonus Period. The Annual Bonus will be paid prior to
March 15 of the year following the applicable Bonus Period. For the avoidance of doubt, Executive will not be eligible for any
Annual Bonus if Executive’s employment terminates for any reason before the end of the Bonus Period or before the Annual Bonus
is to be paid. No Annual Bonus hereunder is earned until paid. For the sake of clarity, any bonus paid for any year shall not create
any entitlement to a bonus in a future year.
3. Company
Benefits. Executive shall be eligible to participate in all employee benefit programs for which Executive is eligible under the terms
and conditions of the benefit plans that may be in effect from time to time and provided by the Company to its employees. The Company
reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans or programs it offers to its employees at any time. In addition, Executive shall
be entitled to paid time off of twenty (20) days in accordance with the Company’s policies which may change from time to time.
3.1. Medical
Insurance Benefits. The Company shall make available medical and dental insurance coverage for Executive and his immediate family.
Such benefits may be changed at the Company’s discretion from time to time provided that Executive shall be eligible for whatever
medical and dental insurance is offered by the Company to similarly situated employees.
3.2. Expense
Reimbursement and Other Benefits. The Company shall reimburse the Executive for, all reasonable, ordinary and necessary business expenses
incurred in the performance of his duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as in effect from
time to time; provided that the Executive properly accounts for all such expenses in accordance with Company policy.
4. Equity.
Subject to approval by the Board and/or the Compensation Committee thereof, and pursuant to the Pasithea Therapeutics Corp. Equity
Compensation Plan (as may be amended from time to time, the “Plan”), the Company shall grant to Executive an option
to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Options”) in an amount commensurate to option grants to
other similarly situated executives (i.e., the Chief Financial Officer) at a strike price per share equal to the then-current fair market
value of a share of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The anticipated Options will be governed by the terms and conditions
of the Plan and Executive’s option grant agreement (the “Option Agreement”). The Options shall vest in accordance
with the terms set forth in the Option Agreement, subject to Executive’s continued employment or service with the Company through
each applicable vesting date.
5. Termination of Employment; Severance
5.1. At-Will
Employment. Executive’s employment relationship is and shall continue to be at-will. This means that such employment is
not for any specified period of time and either Executive or the Company may terminate Executive’s employment relationship at
any time, with or without cause or advance notice. Executive shall, however, provide to the Company no less than ninety (90)
days’ advance written notice of any termination (the “Notice Period”). During the Notice Period, Executive
shall remain an employee of the Company, and shall continue to receive base salary, but no other compensation. The Company may elect
to have Executive not report to work for all or any portion of such Notice Period. The Company shall have the right, at its sole
discretion, to accelerate Executive’s termination date to any date subsequent to receiving written notice from Executive, and
thus conclude the Notice Period, without payment for consideration therefor. This “at-will” nature of Executive’s
employment shall remain unchanged during Executive’s tenure as an employee and may not be changed, except in an express
writing signed by Executive and a representative of the Company duly authorized by the Board.
2
5.2. Termination Without Cause. The Company
may terminate Executive’s employment with the Company at any time without Cause (as defined below).
a) In
the event that the Executive is terminated by the Company without Cause after the nine (9) month anniversary of the Start Date, then,
in addition to the Accrued Obligations (as defined below), subject to Executive’s execution and delivery to the Company and non-revocation
(if applicable) of a Separation Agreement (as defined below) and Executive’s continued compliance with the terms and conditions
of this Agreement, the Company shall pay Executive, as cash severance, the equivalent of six (6) months of Executive’s Base Salary
in effect as of the date of Executive’s employment termination, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings (the “Severance”).
The Severance will be paid in accordance with Company’s regular payroll schedule, beginning no later than the first regularly-scheduled
payroll date following the effectiveness of the Separation Agreement or such later period as may be required by applicable law. The Severance
is in lieu of, and not in addition to, any benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any Company severance plan, policy
or program, and Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive shall have no rights or entitlements to any benefits or payments under
any such plan, policy or program.
b) For
purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” will mean any of the following: (a) Executive’s commission of any felony or crime
involving dishonesty or moral turpitude (whether or not a felony); (b) any action by Executive involving fraud, breach of the duty of
loyalty, malfeasance, willful misconduct, or negligence, (c) the failure or refusal by Executive to perform any material duties hereunder
or to follow any lawful and reasonable direction of the Company; (d) Executive’s intentional damage to any property of the Company;
(e) chronic neglect or absenteeism in the performance of Executive’s duties; (f) Executive’s willful misconduct, or other
material violation of Company policy or code of conduct; (g) Executive’s breach of any written agreement with the Company (including
this Employment Agreement and Exhibit A); (h) repeatedly (i.e., on more than one occasion) being under the influence of drugs or alcohol
(other than over-the-counter or prescription medicine or other medically-related drugs to the extent they are taken in accordance with
their directions or under the supervision of a physician) which interferes with the performance of the Executive’s duties to the
Company, or, while under the influence of such drugs or alcohol, engaging in inappropriate conduct during the performance of a Executive’s
duties to the Company;
(i) Executive’s
violation of any U.S. federal securities laws, rules or regulations; (j) failure to perform at a level of effort or results commensurate
with Executive’s role or responsibilities; (k) Executive engaging in any act or discrimination or harassment or any unwelcome sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature; or (l) any action that in the reasonable
belief of the Company shall or potentially shall subject the Company to negative adverse publicity or effects. With respect to clauses
(b), (c), (e), (f), (g), (j) or (l), Executive will be given thirty (30) days to cure such event or condition giving rise to such termination
for Cause (to the extent the Company deems such event or condition curable).
5.3.
Termination for Any Other Reason.
a) Upon a termination for
any reason, (i) except as expressly required by law or as specifically provided herein, upon Executive’s termination date, all
compensation and benefits from the Company to Executive hereunder will terminate immediately as of such termination date and
Executive will not be entitled to any severance (other than as provided in Section 5.2(a) without Cause); and (ii) Executive (or
Executive’s estate, as applicable) shall be entitled to receive: (1) Executive’s Base Salary earned through the
termination date, but not yet paid to Executive; (2) any expenses owed to Executive pursuant to Section 3.2 above; and (3) any
amounts owed to Executive with respect any vested employee benefit plans, programs, arrangements or policies of the Company, which
amounts shall be payable in accordance with the terms and conditions of such plans, programs, arrangements, policies or other
agreements (collectively, the “Accrued Obligations”).
3
b) Upon
a termination of employment for any reason, the Option shall be treated as expressly provided in the Plan and the Option Agreements, respectively.
c) In
the event of termination for any reason. Executive shall be deemed to resign from all positions and terminate any relationships as an
employee, advisor, officer or director with the Company and any of its affiliates, each effective on the date of termination.
6. Conditions to Receipt of Severance.
6.1. In
order to receive any Severance: (i) the termination of Executive’s employment must constitute a “separation from service”
(as defined under Treasury Regulation Section §1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “Separation
from Service”); (ii) Executive must be in compliance with the terms of this Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement, and
(iii) Executive must timely sign and not revoke a separation agreement and release of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the
Company (the “Separation Agreement”) that becomes effective no later than sixty (60) days following the date of termination
(“Separation Agreement Expiration Date”). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no Severance
will be paid or provided until and unless the Separation Agreement becomes effective.
7. Representations.
Executive represents and warrants that the execution of this Employment Agreement, Executive’s employment by the Company, and the
performance of Executive’s duties hereunder will not violate or be a breach of any agreement with a former employer, client or
any other person or entity, nor does Executive know of any other reason why he would not be able to perform his duties as set forth herein.
Further, Executive agrees to indemnify the Company for, and hold the Company harmless from, and against, all claims, including, but not
limited to, attorneys’ fees and expenses of investigation, by any such third party that such third party may now have or may hereafter
come to have against the Company based upon or arising out of any noncompetition agreement, invention or secrecy agreement between Executive
and such third party which was in existence as of the date of this Agreement. The Company reserves the right to rescind this offer immediately
and, if applicable, terminate Executive’s employment, without any further obligation to Executive if before or during Executive’s
employment the Company learns that Executive provided false information or made any misrepresentations in connection with Executive’s
application for employment with the Company.
8. Section 409A.
8.1. General. It
is intended that all of the Severance and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the
exemptions from the application of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code Section
409A”) provided under Treasury Regulations §§1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A- 1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9), and this
Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt,
this Agreement (and any definitions or ambiguities hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Code Section 409A. If
the Company determines that any provision of this Agreement would cause Executive to incur any additional tax or interest under Code
Section 409A, the Company may (but is not obligated to), take commercially reasonable efforts to reform such provision to try to
comply with or be exempt from Code Section 409A to the minimum extent reasonably appropriate to conform with Code Section 409A.
4
8.2. Installments.
For purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A- 2(b)(2)(iii)), Executive’s
right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated
as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered
a separate and distinct payment.
8.3. Specified
Employee. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed by the Company at the time of Executive’s
Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments
upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,”
then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under
Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to Executive prior
to the earliest of (i) the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of Executive’s Separation from Service with
the Company, (ii) the date of Executive’s death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Code Section 409A without the imposition
of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all
payments deferred pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive (or Executive’s estate or beneficiaries),
and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on
any amounts so deferred.
8.4. Expense
Reimbursement. To the extent that any reimbursements under this Agreement are subject to Code Section 409A, any such reimbursements
payable to Executive shall be paid to Executive no later than December 31st of the year following the year in which the expense
was incurred; provided, that Executive submits Executive’s reimbursement request in accordance with applicable Company policies
as in effect from time to time (if any), the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year shall not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement
in any subsequent year, other than medical expenses referred to in Section 105(b) of the Code, and Executive’s right to reimbursement
under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
8.5. Release.
In any case where Executive’s termination date and the Separation Agreement Expiration Date (and any applicable revocation period)
plus the first regularly scheduled payroll date thereafter fall in two separate taxable years, any payments required to be made to Executive
that are conditioned on the Separation Agreement and are treated as nonqualified deferred compensation for purposes of Code Section 409A
shall be made in the later taxable year. To the extent that any payments of nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of
Code Section 409A) due under this Agreement as a result of Executive’s termination of employment are delayed pursuant to this Section
8.3, such amounts shall be paid in a lump sum on the first payroll date following the date that Executive executes and does not revoke
the Separation Agreement (and the applicable revocation period has expired).
9. Proprietary Information
Obligations. As a condition of employment, Executive shall execute and abide by the Company’s standard form of Employee Nondisclosure,
Confidential Information, and Non-solicitation Agreement attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A (the “Confidentiality
Agreement”). In Executive’s work for the Company, Executive shall not use or disclose any confidential information, including
trade secrets, of any former employer or other person to whom Executive has an obligation of confidentiality. Rather, Executive will
be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to Executive’s
own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed
by the Company. Executive agrees not to bring onto Company premises any unpublished documents or property belonging to any former employer
or other person to whom Executive has an obligation of confidentiality.
5
10. Governing Law; Dispute
Resolution. The interpretation and application of this Employment Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida
without regard to principles of conflict of laws, other than laws which violate a fundamental public policy of the state of employ, in
which case such state’s laws shall govern with regard to such policies. Except for claims under Exhibit A requesting injunctive
relief, any dispute or claim arising out of, in connection with, or relating to this Agreement (including without limitation its subject
matter, interpretation, or formation) or to Executive’s employment or relationship with the Company shall be resolved by binding
arbitration to be held in Miami, Florida, before three (3) arbitrators selected by the American Arbitration Association, conducted in
accordance with the then-prevailing Employment Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. A
copy of these rules can be accessed through the American Arbitration Association’s website (www.adr.org). The prevailing party
shall be entitled to the payment of its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. The arbitrators’ decision will be final and
binding in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction. The arbitrators will
not have the right to modify or change any of the terms of this Employment Agreement. The arbitrators, and not any court, shall have
exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability or formation of this Employment
Agreement including any claim that all or any part of this Agreement is void or voidable. The parties agree that the arbitrators may
provide all appropriate remedies at law and equity and will have the power to summarily adjudicate claims and/or enter summary judgment
in appropriate cases. In any arbitration proceeding conducted pursuant to this paragraph, the parties shall have the right to discovery,
to call witnesses, and to cross-examine the other party’s witnesses. The arbitrator shall render a final decision in writing, setting
forth the reasons for the arbitration award. Both parties are bound by this agreement to arbitrate, but it does not include disputes,
controversies or differences which may not by law be arbitrated. The parties agree that the arbitration proceedings described in this
Section are to be treated as confidential, and that the parties will act to protect the confidentiality of the documents, facts, and
proceedings related to the arbitration. The parties waive their right to have any such dispute, claim or controversy decided by a judge
or jury in a court. The parties also agree that each may bring claims against the other only in their individual capacities, and not
as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or collective proceeding. The parties also agree that each may not bring claims
against the other in any purported representative action, except to the extent this statement is unenforceable under the law.
11. Parachute Payments.
11.1. Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement between the Parties, in the event that any payment or benefit by the
Company or otherwise to or for the benefit of Executive, whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement or otherwise (all such payments and benefits, including the payments and benefits under Section 4 above,
being hereinafter referred to as the “Total Payments”), would be subject (in whole or in part) to the excise tax
imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”) or would not be deductible by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates pursuant to Section 280G of the Code (the “Deduction Loss”), then the Total Payments
shall be reduced (in the order provided in Section 11.2 below) to the minimum extent necessary to avoid the imposition of the Excise
Tax on the Total Payments and the Deduction Loss, but only if (i) the net amount of such Total Payments, as so reduced (and after
subtracting the net amount of federal, state and local income and employment taxes on such reduced Total Payments), is greater than
or equal to (ii) the net amount of such Total Payments without such reduction (but after subtracting the net amount of federal,
state and local income and employment taxes on such Total Payments and the amount of the Excise Tax to which Executive would be
subject in respect of such unreduced Total Payments). Executive shall execute any waiver or other documentation and take all other
actions requested by the Company to acknowledge the reduction pursuant to this Section 11.1.
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11.2. The
Total Payments shall be reduced in the following order: (i) reduction on a pro-rata basis of any cash severance payments that are exempt
from Code Section 409A, (ii) reduction on a pro-rata basis of any non-cash severance payments or benefits that are exempt from Code Section
409A, (iii) reduction on a pro-rata basis of any other payments or benefits that are exempt from Code Section 409A, and (iv) reduction
of any payments or benefits otherwise payable to Executive on a pro-rata basis or such other manner that complies with Code Section 409A;
provided, in case of subclauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), that reduction of any payments attributable to the acceleration of vesting
of Company equity awards shall be first applied to Company equity awards that would otherwise vest last in time.
11.3. The
Company will make all determinations regarding the application of this Section 11, which determinations shall be final, binding and conclusive
the Company, Executive, and all other interested persons.
11.4. In
the event it is later determined that to implement the objective and intent of this Section 11, (i) a greater reduction in the Total Payments
should have been made, the excess amount shall be returned promptly by Executive to the Company or (ii) a lesser reduction in the Total
Payments should have been made, the excess amount shall be paid or provided promptly by the Company to Executive, except to the extent
the Company reasonably determines would result in imposition of a penalty tax under Section 409A.
12. General Provisions.
12.1. Notices.
Any notices provided must be in writing and will be deemed effective upon the earlier of personal delivery, email, or the next day
after sending by overnight carrier, to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at the address as listed on the Company
payroll.
12.2. Severability.
Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable
law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or
rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction,
but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of
the parties.
12.3. Waiver.
Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to
have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.
12.4. Complete
Agreement. This Agreement, together with Exhibit A, constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard
to this subject matter and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the Parties’ agreement with regard to this subject
matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly
contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises, warranties or representations. It is entered into without reliance on any
promise or representation other than those expressly contained herein, and it cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed
by a duly authorized officer of the Company.
12.5. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but
all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.
7
12.6. Headings.
The headings of the paragraphs hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to
affect the meaning thereof.
12.7. Successors
and Assigns. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive and the Company, and their
respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company may freely assign this Agreement, without Executive’s
prior written consent. Executive may not assign any of his duties hereunder and he may not assign any of his rights hereunder without
the written consent of the Company.
12.8. Background
Check and Ability to Work. This offer of employment is contingent upon verification of Executive’s identity and authorization
to legally work in the United States, a background and reference check, and all other Company practices and procedures as reasonably requested
by the Company in accordance with applicable law.
12.9. Tax
Withholding. All payments and awards contemplated or made pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to withholdings of applicable
taxes in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations of all appropriate government authorities. Executive acknowledges and agrees
that the Company has neither made any assurances nor any guarantees concerning the tax treatment of any payments or awards contemplated
by or made pursuant to this Agreement. Executive has had the opportunity to retain a tax and financial advisor and fully understands the
tax and economic consequences of all payments and awards made pursuant to the Agreement.
12.10. Whistleblower Protections.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) nothing in this Agreement prohibits Executive from reporting possible
violations of federal law or regulation to any United States governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and
rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or any
other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulation (including the right to receive an award for
information provided to any such government agencies), and (ii) this Agreement is not intended to, and shall not, in any way
prohibit, limit or otherwise interfere with Executive’s protected rights under federal, state or local law to, without notice
to the Company: (A) communicate or file a charge with or provide information to a government regulator, such as, by way of example
and not limitation, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), or any other
self-regulatory organization; (B) participate in an investigation or proceeding conducted by a government regulator; (C) receive an
award paid by a government regulator for providing information; or (D) otherwise engage in activity protected by applicable
whistleblower laws.
12.11. Recoupment of
Erroneously Awarded Compensation. In accordance with the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange listing standards and
the requirements thereunder, the Company has adopted a clawback policy (the “Clawback Policy”). Executive
acknowledges and agrees that as set forth in such Clawback Policy: (i) Executive shall be bound by and abide by the terms of the
Clawback Policy as it currently exists, if any; (ii) if no Clawback Policy in currently in place, one may be adopted in the future
and the Executive shall be bound by and abide by such terms of the Clawback Policy as adopted, (iii) the Clawback Policy may be
amended or restated from time to time, and Executive shall be bound by and abide by the terms of the Clawback Policy as it may
change over time; (iv) Executive shall cooperate and shall promptly return any incentive-based compensation that the Company
determines is subject to recoupment under the Clawback Policy; and (v) any incentive-based or other compensation paid to Executive
under any agreement or arrangement with the Company which is subject to recovery under any law, government regulation or stock
exchange listing requirement will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required by such law, government regulation
or stock exchange listing requirement. The Board will make any determination for clawback or recovery in its sole discretion and in
accordance with any applicable law or regulation.
***
[Signature Page Follows]
8
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE
AND AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT AND YOU VOLUNTARILY AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED
HEREIN.
WE LOOK FORWARD
TO YOU JOINING THE COMPANY. IF YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT, PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN TO ME THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT AND THE EXHIBIT
A ATTACHED BY NO LATER THAN 10 APRIL 2026, OR THIS OFFER SHALL EXPIRE.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on the day and year first written above.
PASITHEA THERAPEUTICS CORP.
By:
/s/ Tiago Reis Marques
Tiago Reis Marques
CEO
EXECUTIVE
By:
/s/ Kartik Krishnan
Kartik Krishnan
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Exhibit A
NON-DISCLOSURE,
NON-COMPETITION, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION,
AND NON-SOLICITATION AGREEMENT
This Non-Disclosure,
Non-Competition, Confidential Information, and Non- Solicitation Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of 3 April, 2026 (the
“Effective Date”), is a legal agreement between Dr. Kartik Krishnan (the “Employee” or “you”)
and Pasithea Therapeutics Corp. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”). Please read it carefully.
By accepting the Company’s offer of employment and/or by continuing your employment with the Company, you will be expressly affirming
that you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree to be bound by this Agreement.
RECITALS
A. The
Employee has received an offer of employment from the Company and/or is currently working for the Company.
B. As
an employee of the Company, the Employee will become exposed to Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company and clients
of the Company, and the Company has a legitimate, business interest in preventing unauthorized use or transfer of such Confidential Information.
Employee acknowledges that maintaining complete privacy and avoiding disclosure of Confidential Information is critically important to
the Company and its clients.
C. The
Employee is required, as a condition of his or her employment and continued employment, to sign this Agreement.
D. The Employee desires to enter into this Agreement in order to satisfy such condition.
E. The
consideration for the Employee’s entering into this Agreement consists of the offer of employment with the Company; continued employment
with the Company; and the compensation, benefits, and opportunities that the Employee will receive by virtue of such employment and/or
continued employment.
NOW, THEREFORE, the
parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Consideration For Agreement
The Employee acknowledges
and agrees that the execution of this Agreement is a condition precedent to his or her employment and/or continued employment with the
Company.
2. Restrictive Covenants: Competition and Clients
The Employee acknowledges
and agrees that solely by reason of employment by the Company, the Employee has and will come into contact with a significant number of
the Company’s customers and prospective customers and have access to Confidential Information (as defined below) and trade secrets
relating thereto, including those regarding the Company’s clients, prospective clients, proprietary business models and strategies,
and related information.
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Consequently, the Employee
covenants and agrees that he or she will not, for a period of twelve (12) months following the end of his or her employment or
service with the Company for any reason, whether voluntary or involuntary (the “Restricted Period”), directly or
indirectly: (i) enter into the employ of or render similar services to the services that Employee provided to the Company during the
three years preceding the separation of Employee’s employment to any person, firm, or corporation, which is engaged, in any
part, in a Competitive Business (as defined below) or where it is reasonably likely I would use Confidential Information or the
Company’s customer relationships; (ii) engage in any directly Competitive Business for his own account; (iii) become
associated with or interested in through retention or by employment any Competitive Business as an individual, partner, shareholder,
creditor, director, officer, principal, agent, employee, trustee, consultant, advisor, or in any other relationship or capacity;
(iv) initiate contact with, or respond to inquiries from, customers the Company for the purpose of providing products or services of
the type provided by the Employee while employed by the Company; (v) encourage investors, clients or prospective investors or
clients of the Company to terminate, cancel, not renew, or not place business with the Company, or to place business with another
company which is similar to the business of the Company; or (vi) perform or supervise the performance of services or provision of
products of the type sold or provided by the Employee while he or she was employed by the Company on behalf of any customers or
prospective customers of the Company. These restrictions shall apply only to those customers of the Company with which the Employee
had contact or about which the Employee obtained or had access to Confidential Information or trade secrets during the last two (2)
years of his or her employment with the Company. For the purposes of this Section 2, the term “contact” means
interaction between the Employee and the customer which takes place to further the business relationship, or making (or assisting or
supervising the making of) sales to or performing or providing (or assisting or supervising the performance or provision of)
services or products for the customer on behalf of the Company. For purposes of this Section 2, the term “contact” with
respect to a “prospective” customer means interaction between the Employee and a potential customer of the Company which
takes place to obtain the business of the customer on behalf of the Company. For purposes of this Section 2, “Competitive
Business” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean any business or enterprise: (a) which engages in the research and
development of treatments for Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)and MEK inhibitors for use outside of oncology indications, or (b) in
which the Company engages in or has made material steps to engage in during your employment or service pursuant to a determination
of the Board and from which the Company derives a material amount of revenue or in which the Company has made a material capital
investment. Nothing in this Agreement shall preclude Employee from investing his personal assets in the securities or any
Competitive Business if such securities are traded on a national stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market and if such
investment does not result in his beneficially owning, at any time, more than one percent (1%) of the publicly-traded equity
securities of such Competitive Business.
3. Restrictive Covenants: Employees
The Employee acknowledges
and agrees that solely as a result of employment with the Company, and in light of the broad responsibilities of such employment which
include working with other employees of the Company, the Employee has and will come into contact with and acquire Confidential Information
and trade secrets regarding the Company’s other employees and its principals. Accordingly, the Employee covenants and agrees that
both during his or her employment with the Company and during the Restricted Period, the Employee will not, either on the Employee’s
own account or on behalf of any person, company, corporation, or other entity, directly or indirectly, (a) solicit, hire, encourage, or
assist others to solicit or to hire any individual who worked for the Company during the last two (2) years of Employee’s employment
with the Company; or (b) encourage any such individuals to terminate their employment or other working relationship with the Company,
or to breach their obligations to the Company.
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4. Restrictive Covenants: Confidentiality And Non-Disparagement
The Employee agrees that he
or she will not, during his or her employment with the Company or at any time after such employment ends for any reason (whether
voluntary or involuntary), use for his or her own or another’s purposes, or disclose to any other person or entity (other than
in the proper course of employment with the Company) any Confidential Information. This Section 4(a) shall not apply to any part of
such Confidential Information that comes into the public domain otherwise than by reason of an unauthorized disclosure, or that is
disclosed to the Employee on a non-confidential basis by a third party who is not bound by a duty of confidentiality.
“Confidential Information” shall be given its broadest possible interpretation and shall mean any and all
information of the Company, its affiliates, subsidiaries, and parents(collectively, “Company Entities”),
including without limitation: (i) financial and business information relating to any Company Entity, such as information with
respect to costs, fees, profits, revenues, markets, mailing/client lists, strategies and plans for future business, new business,
product or other development, potential acquisitions or divestitures and new marketing ideas; (ii) product and technical information
relating to any Company Entity, such as software, software codes, computer models and research and development projects; (iii)
customer or investor information, such as the identity of any Company Entity’s clients or investors, the names of
representatives of Company Entity customer or investors responsible for entering into contracts with a Company Entity, the amounts
paid by such investors or customers to any Company Entity, specific customer or investor needs and requirements, specific customer
or investor risk characteristics, and specific customer or investor preferences; (iv) personnel information, such as the identity
and number of any Company Entity’s other employees and officers, their salaries, bonuses, benefits, skills, qualifications,
and abilities; (v) any and all information in whatever form relating to any customer or prospective customer of a Company Entity,
including but not limited to its business, employees, operations, systems, assets, liabilities, finances, products, and marketing,
selling and operating practices; (vi) any information related to any security system of any Company Entity or any of employees,
(vii) any and all information pertaining to the business and or personal affairs of the Company’s partners, members and
employees, including but not limited to their personal lives, characteristics, opinions, ideas, conduct, habits or background or
their business or financial condition, affairs, dealings or operations or their personal database, personal photographs or
videotapes, purchases, travel itineraries, social interactions, tax information, emails, private conversations, phone calls and
correspondence; (viii) any information not included in (i) through (vii), above, which the Employee knows or should know is subject
to a restriction on disclosure or which the Employee knows or should know is considered by any Company Entity’s clients or
prospective clients to be confidential, sensitive, proprietary, or a trade secret or is not readily available to the public; or (ix)
intellectual property, including inventions and copyrightable works. Confidential Information is not generally known or available to
the general public, but has been developed, compiled, or acquired by the Company at its effort and expense. Confidential Information
can be in any form, including but not limited to verbal, written, or machine readable, including electronic files. By way of example
but not limitation of the foregoing, Confidential Information may be acquired by observing documents, things, people or events, by
direct communication with clients or others or by overhearing conversations in person or over the telephone or otherwise.
Immediately upon
the termination of employment with the Company for any reason, or at any time the Company so requests, the Employee will return to the
Company: (i) any originals and all copies of all files, notes, documents, slides (including transparencies), computer disks, printouts,
reports, lists of the Company’s clients or leads or referrals to prospective clients, and other media or property in the Employee’s
possession or control that contain or pertain to Confidential Information or trade secrets; and (ii) all property of the Company, including,
but not limited to, supplies, keys, access devices, books, identification cards, computers, telephones and other equipment. The Employee
agrees that upon completion of the obligations set forth in this subparagraph, and if requested by the Company, the Employee will execute
a statement declaring that he or she has retained no property of the Company or materials containing Confidential Information, nor has
he or she supplied the same to any person, except as required to carry out his or her duties as an employee of the Company.
12
The Employee further
agrees that, except as required by law, the Employee will not do or say (or omit to do or say) anything that is intended, or might
reasonably be expected, to harm or disparage the Company Entities, any of its or their clients or prospective clients or any of the
Company Entity’s employees or to impair the reputation of any of the foregoing, or the reputation of any of its services,
products, officers, or employees.
Employee further
agrees that Employee shall not, on Employee’s own initiative or in response to an inquiry, discuss or disclose, in any medium, any
matters affecting or concerning any Company Entity with a member of the media, unless a duly authorized representative of the affected
Company Entity has provided prior written consent. Any media inquiries regarding either of the aforementioned should be referred immediately
to Employee’s immediate superior.
5. Inventions
Employee hereby
assigns to the Company all of Employee’s right, title and interest in and to, and shall disclose promptly to the Company, any and
all work product, trade secrets, developments, processes, inventions, ideas and discoveries, and works of authorship developed, discovered,
improved, authored, derived, invented or acquired by Employee during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company (collectively,
“Work Product”), whether or not during business hours, that are either related to the scope of Employee’s employment
by the Company or make use, in any manner, of the resources of the Company, and agrees that such Work Product shall be and shall remain
the exclusive property of the Company. Employee further agrees that all Work Product that is made by Employee (solely or jointly with
others) within the scope of and during the period of the Employee’s employment relationships constitutes “works made for hire”
(to the greatest extent permitted by applicable law) and are compensated by Employee’s salary. Employee agrees to execute any documentation
required by the Company to protect its rights hereunder and appoints the Company as attorney-in-fact to execute any documentation to protect
the Company’s rights pursuant to this Agreement should Employee be unwilling or unable to do so, and to further agrees to assist
the Company, or its designee, at its expense, in every proper way to secure the Company’s, or its designee’s, rights in the
Work Product and any copyrights, patents, trademarks, mask work rights, moral rights, or other intellectual property rights relating thereto
in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company or its designee of all pertinent information and data with respect thereto,
the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments, recordations, and all other instruments which the Company or its
designee shall deem necessary in order to apply for, obtain, maintain and transfer such rights, or if not transferable, waive such rights;
provided, however, that Employee and Company understand that Work Product shall not include any invention which qualifies fully under
the provisions of subdivision (a) of California Labor Code Section 2870, other than those stated in subsections
(1) and (2) thereof.
6. Employee’s Acknowledgment
The Employee hereby
expressly acknowledges and agrees that (a) the restrictions and obligations set forth in and imposed by Sections 1-5 will not prevent
Employee from obtaining gainful employment in Employee’s field of expertise or cause Employee undue hardship; and (b) the restrictions
and obligations imposed on Employee under Sections 1-5 are necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of the Company including
its Confidential Information, and are reasonable in view of the benefits and consideration Employee has received or will receive from
the Company. Employee agrees to provide a copy of this Agreement to any prospective employer or business partner prior to accepting employment
or entering into any other business relationship with such prospective employer or business partner.
13
7. Exceptions.
Nothing in this provision is
intended to prohibit or prevent you from participating or testifying in any administrative, legislative, or judicial proceeding,
concerning alleged criminal conduct or alleged sexual harassment if requested or required by a court or arbitrator’s order,
subpoena, or written request from and administrative agency or legislature. Nor shall anything herein bar you from reporting or
receiving any whistleblower award under any governing program.
Also, under the
federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA): (1) no individual will be held criminally or civilly liable under federal or state trade secret
law for the disclosure of a trade secret, provided the disclosure: (A) is made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government
official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected
violation of law; or, (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under
seal so that it is not made public. Additionally, an individual who pursues a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected
violation of the law may disclose the trade secret to the individual’s attorney and use the trade secret information in the court
or arbitration proceeding, provided the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal, and does not disclose the
trade secret, except as permitted by court or arbitrator’s order.
8. Equitable Relief
In recognition
of the fact that irreparable injury will result to the Company in the event of a breach by the Employee of his or her obligations under
Section 1-5 of this Agreement, that monetary damages for such breach would not be readily calculable, and that the Company would not have
an adequate remedy at law therefor, the Employee acknowledges, consents, and agrees that in the event of such breach, or the threat thereof,
the Company shall be entitled, in addition to any other legal remedies and damages available, to (a) specific performance thereof and
to temporary and permanent injunctive relief (without the necessity of posting a bond) to restrain the violation or threatened violation
of such obligations by the Employee and persons acting for or in connection with the Employee and (b) recovery of all reasonable sums
and costs, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Company in seeking to enforce the provisions of this Agreement.
9. Severability
The parties agree
they have attempted to limit the scope of the post-employment restrictions contained herein to the extent necessary to protect Confidential
Information and trade secrets, client relationships, and goodwill. It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this
Agreement shall be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and public policies. Accordingly, if any particular
portion of this Agreement shall be adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to delete therefrom
such invalid portion, and reformed to the extent valid and enforceable. Such deletion and reformation shall apply only with respect to
the operation of this Agreement in the particular jurisdiction in which such adjudication is made.
10. Other Agreements and Obligations Survive
Neither the Employee
nor the Company intends to waive or release the applicability of any other more extensive legal or contractual obligations the Employee
may owe the Company at any particular time, including under any employment agreement between the Employee and the Company whether executed
prior to this Agreement or at any time hereafter with regard to the subject matters of Sections 1-5.
The obligations of the
Employee under this Agreement shall be independent of, and unaffected by, and shall not affect, other agreements, if any, binding
the Employee that apply to the Employee’s business activities during and/or subsequent to the Employee’s employment by
the Company, including any employment agreement between the Employee and the Company whether executed prior to this Agreement or at
any time hereafter. The obligations under this Agreement also shall survive any changes made in the future to the employment terms
of the Employee, including, but not limited to, changes in salary, benefits, bonus or incentive compensation, job title, and job
responsibilities.
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11. Employment Unaltered
The Employee understands
that this Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment and does not promise or imply that his or her employment will continue
for any period of time. Unless otherwise agreed to under any employment or other agreement between the Employee and the Company whether
executed prior to this Agreement or at any time hereafter, employment with the Company is “at will” and may be terminated
either by the Employee or the Company at any time, for any or no reason, and with or without notice.
12. Binding Effect; Assignment
The Employee expressly
consents to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement for the benefit of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates to whose
employ he or she may be transferred without the necessity that this Agreement be re-signed at the time of such transfer. Further, the
rights of the Company hereunder may be assigned, without consent of the Employee, at any time, to any successor in interest of the Company,
or any portion thereof, by reason of merger, consolidation, sale, lease or other disposition of any or all of the assets or stock of the
Company.
13. Governing Law and Choice of Forum
This Agreement
shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
The parties, being desirous of having any disputes resolved in a forum having a substantial body of law and experience with the matters
contained herein, agree that any action or proceeding with respect to Paragraph 7 of this Agreement shall be brought as provided in the
Employment Agreement to which this Agreement is appended.
14. Non-Waiver
The failure of
either the Company or the Employee, whether purposeful or otherwise, to exercise in any instance any right, power, or privilege under
this Agreement or under law shall not constitute a waiver of any other right, power, or privilege, nor of the same right, power, or privilege
in any other instance. Any waiver by the Company or by the Employee must be in a written or electronic instrument signed by either the
Employee, if the Employee is seeking to waive any of his or her rights under this Agreement, or by a senior executive officer of the Employer,
if the Company is seeking to waive any of its rights under this Agreement.
15. Modification
No modification of
this Agreement shall be valid unless made in a written or electronic instrument signed by both parties hereto, wherein specific reference
is made to this Agreement.
16. Cooperation
Both during the
Employee’s employment with the Company and after the termination thereof for any reason, the Employee agrees to provide cooperation
as reasonably requested by the Company regarding any claim, potential claim, or regulatory matter to which the Employee has knowledge.
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17. Subpoena
In the event that
you receive a request or are required (by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar
process) to disclose all or any part of the Confidential Information you agree to (a) promptly notify the Company in writing of the existence,
terms and circumstances surrounding such request or requirement, (b) consult with the Company on the advisability of taking legally available
steps to resist or narrow such request or requirement, and (c) assist the Company in seeking a protective order or other appropriate remedy.
In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained or that the Company waives compliance with the provisions hereof,
you shall not be liable for such disclosure unless disclosure to any such tribunal was caused by or resulted from a previous disclosure
by you not permitted by this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this
Agreement on the Effective Date.
PASITHEA THERAPEUTICS CORP.
By:
/s/ Tiago Reis Marques
Tiago Reis Marques
CEO
EMPLOYEE
By:
/s/ Kartik Krishnan
Kartik Krishnan
16
EX-99.1 — PRESS RELEASE DATED MAY 4, 2026
EX-99.1
Filename: ea028886401ex99-1.htm · Sequence: 3
Exhibit 99.1
Pasithea Therapeutics Announces Appointment
of Kartik Krishnan, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Medical Officer
MIAMI, FL., May 4, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Pasithea
Therapeutics Corp. (NASDAQ: KTTA) (“Pasithea” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing
PAS-004, a next-generation macrocyclic MEK inhibitor, today announced the appointment of Kartik Krishnan, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief
Medical Officer (CMO) of the Company, effective May 1, 2026. Dr. Krishnan will oversee all clinical development and medical strategy
as the Company advances PAS-004 through the clinic for the treatment of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) associated plexiform and cutaneous
neurofibromas.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Krishnan, who is recognized
for his strategic approach to clinical development and commitment to improving patient outcomes, to our executive leadership team. Dr.
Krishnan has a proven record of advancing novel therapies from early discovery through late-stage clinical development and regulatory
approval at both global biopharmaceutical organizations and smaller biotech companies,” said Dr. Tiago Reis Marques, Chief Executive
Officer of Pasithea. “We believe his experience developing cobimetinib, a FDA-approved MEK inhibitor, is particularly relevant to
our mission, and that his expertise will directly benefit the progression of our PAS-004 program.”
Dr. Krishnan commented, “I am honored to join Pasithea at this
point in the Company’s evolution, and excited for the opportunity to lead the development of PAS-004 in NF1 and potentially for
other rare and pediatric diseases. PAS-004 has demonstrated a differentiated pharmacokinetic (PK) profile that may hit the sweet spot
between safety, tolerability and efficacy. Given my familiarity with the development of cobimetinib, I understand the broad potential
of a safe, well-tolerated MEK inhibitor for NF1 patients and other rare and pediatric diseases.”
Dr. Krishnan has over 20 years of experience in clinical development,
pharmacovigilance, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, and R&D strategy. Prior to joining Pasithea, Dr. Krishnan was Chief Executive
Officer at OncoNano Medicines, a privately held company developing anti-cancer assets. Prior to that, Dr. Krishnan was Chief Medical Officer
at Arcus Biosciences, a discovery and clinical development company focusing on combination therapies in immuno-oncology. Earlier in his
career, he held various clinical development and medical director roles of increasing responsibility at companies including, Astex
Pharmaceuticals, Genentech, Five Prime Therapeutics, BioMarin, and Amgen. Prior to joining industry, Dr. Krishnan held a faculty position
in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arizona, with both clinical and primary research responsibilities.
While at Genentech, Dr. Krishnan was an integral part of the clinical
team for cobimetanib (Cotellic™), contributing to the approval in the United States and Europe in 2015, for treatment of BRAF V600Emt
or BRAF V600Kmt melanoma in combination with vemurafenib (Zelboraf™). In addition, Dr. Krishnan worked to establish development
opportunities for this MEK inhibitor beyond melanoma, including monotherapy work in diseases such as Langerhans cell histiocytosis (for
which cobimetinib was approved in 2022) and novel combinations in breast and colon cancer.
Dr. Krishnan received his B.A. in History
(with Distinction) from the University of Virginia. He completed
his M.D. and Ph.D. in Molecular, Biochemical and Biophysical Studies at Columbia University. His Ph.D. studies were completed in the lab
of Dr. John Krolewski, focusing on JAK/STAT signaling in the interferon pathway. Dr. Krishnan trained in pediatrics at UCLA and in pediatric
hematology and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University and the National Cancer Institute.
About Pasithea Therapeutics Corp.
Pasithea is a clinical-stage biotechnology company primarily focused
on the research and development of its lead drug candidate, PAS-004, a next-generation macrocyclic MEK inhibitor intended for the treatment
of RASopathies, MAPK pathway-driven tumors, and other diseases. The Company is currently testing PAS-004 in a Phase 1 clinical trial in
patients with advanced cancer (NCT06299839), and a Phase 1/1b clinical trial in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-associated
plexiform neurofibromas with symptomatic and inoperable, incompletely resected, or recurrent PN (NCT06961565).
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking
statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements include statements regarding the Company’s ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of PAS-004 in advanced cancer patients, the
Company’s ongoing Phase 1/1b clinical trial of PAS-004 in adult NF1 patients, and the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic (PK),
pharmacodynamics (PD) and preliminary efficacy of PAS-004, as well as all other statements, other than statements of historical fact,
regarding the Company’s current views and assumptions with respect to future events regarding its business, as well as other statements
with respect to the Company’s plans, assumptions, expectations, beliefs and objectives, the success of the Company’s current
and future business strategies, product development, pre-clinical studies, clinical studies, clinical and regulatory timelines, market
opportunity, competitive position, business strategies, potential growth and financing opportunities and other statements that are predictive
in nature. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. While the
Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements,
which are based on information available to the Company on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based upon current
estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including risks that future clinical trial results may not
match results observed to date, may be negative or ambiguous, or may not reach the level of statistical significance required for regulatory
approval, as well as other factors set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q and other filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The
Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after
the date of this release, except as required by law.
Pasithea Therapeutics Contact
Patrick Gaynes
Investor Relations
pgaynes@pasithea.com
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