Form 8-K

8-K — SmartKem, Inc.

Accession: 0001104659-26-109357

Filed: 2026-09-21

Period: 2026-09-16

CIK: 0001817760

SIC: 3674 (SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES)

Item: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

Documents

8-K — tm2625841d1_8k.htm (Primary)

XML — IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT (R1.htm)

8-K — FORM 8-K

8-K (Primary)

Filename: tm2625841d1_8k.htm · Sequence: 1

false

0001817760

2026-09-16

iso4217:USD

xbrli:shares

iso4217:USD

xbrli:shares

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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): September 16, 2026

SmartKem, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

001-42115

85-1083654

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

3 Germay Drive, Unit 4 #1029

Wilmington, DE, 19804

(Address of principal executive offices, including

zip 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 exchange on which

registered

Common Stock, par value

$0.0001 per share

SMTK

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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).

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 4, 2026, the Compensation

Committee of SmartKem, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) recommended, and on September 16, 2026, the Board of

Directors of the Company approved, a transaction retention bonus plan for the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial

Officer, and independent directors.

The transaction retention bonus

plan is structured to promote retention and incentivize efforts through the consummation of the Company’s previously announced

transaction with Ferrox Critical Mineterals, Ltd. (the “Ferrox Transaction”) and the filing of the Registration Statement

on Form S-4, including the proxy statement/prospectus contained therein (the “Form S-4”), in connection therewith.

The aggregate amount of the retention

bonuses is up to $750,000. Half of the retention amount (Tranche 1) became payable upon approval of the transaction retention bonus plan

by the Board of Directors, and the balance (Tranche 2) will become payable upon the filing of the Form S-4. The retention amounts are

subject to a 100% clawback for any recipient who resigns before the earlier of the closing of the Ferrox Transaction or June 30, 2027.

The retention amount for each

recipient is as follows:

Recipient

Retention

Bonus

Tranche

Ian Jenks, Chief Executive Officer

$ 200,000

$ 100,000

Barbra Keck, Chief Financial Officer

$ 150,000

$ 75,000

Steven DenBaars, Independent Director

$ 100,000

$ 50,000

Melisa Denis, Independent Director

$ 100,000

$ 50,000

Klaas de Boer, Independent Director

$ 100,000

$ 50,000

Sri Peruvemba, Independent Director

$ 100,000

$ 50,000

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.

SMARTKEM, INC.

Dated: September 21, 2026

By:

/s/ Barbra C. Keck

Barbra C. Keck

Chief Financial Officer

XML — IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT

XML

Filename: R1.htm · Sequence: 6

v3.26.3

Cover

Sep. 16, 2026

Cover [Abstract]

Document Type

8-K

Amendment Flag

false

Document Period End Date

Sep. 16, 2026

Entity File Number

001-42115

Entity Registrant Name

SmartKem, Inc.

Entity Central Index Key

0001817760

Entity Tax Identification Number

85-1083654

Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code

Entity Address, Address Line One

3 Germay Drive

Entity Address, Address Line Two

Unit 4 #1029

Entity Address, City or Town

Wilmington

Entity Address, Country

Entity Address, Postal Zip Code

19804

Written Communications

false

Soliciting Material

false

Pre-commencement Tender Offer

false

Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer

false

Title of 12(b) Security

Common Stock, par value

$0.0001 per share

Trading Symbol

SMTK

Security Exchange Name

NASDAQ

Entity Emerging Growth Company

false

- Definition

Boolean flag that is true when the XBRL content amends previously-filed or accepted submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_AmendmentFlag

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:booleanItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Cover page.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_CoverAbstract

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:stringItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

For the EDGAR submission types of Form 8-K: the date of the report, the date of the earliest event reported; for the EDGAR submission types of Form N-1A: the filing date; for all other submission types: the end of the reporting or transition period. The format of the date is YYYY-MM-DD.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:dateItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

The type of document being provided (such as 10-K, 10-Q, 485BPOS, etc). The document type is limited to the same value as the supporting SEC submission type, or the word 'Other'.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_DocumentType

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:submissionTypeItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Address Line 1 such as Attn, Building Name, Street Name

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:normalizedStringItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Address Line 2 such as Street or Suite number

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:normalizedStringItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Name of the City or Town

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:normalizedStringItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityAddressCountry

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:countryCodeItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Code for the postal or zip code

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:normalizedStringItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

A unique 10-digit SEC-issued value to identify entities that have filed disclosures with the SEC. It is commonly abbreviated as CIK.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 12

-Subsection b-2

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityCentralIndexKey

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:centralIndexKeyItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Indicate if registrant meets the emerging growth company criteria.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 12

-Subsection b-2

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:booleanItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Commission file number. The field allows up to 17 characters. The prefix may contain 1-3 digits, the sequence number may contain 1-8 digits, the optional suffix may contain 1-4 characters, and the fields are separated with a hyphen.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityFileNumber

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:fileNumberItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Two-character EDGAR code representing the state or country of incorporation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:edgarStateCountryItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

The exact name of the entity filing the report as specified in its charter, which is required by forms filed with the SEC.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 12

-Subsection b-2

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityRegistrantName

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:normalizedStringItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

The Tax Identification Number (TIN), also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), is a unique 9-digit value assigned by the IRS.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 12

-Subsection b-2

+ Details

Name:

dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:employerIdItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Boolean flag that is true when the Form 8-K filing is intended to satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant as pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 13e

-Subsection 4c

+ Details

Name:

dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:booleanItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Boolean flag that is true when the Form 8-K filing is intended to satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant as pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 14d

-Subsection 2b

+ Details

Name:

dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:booleanItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Title of a 12(b) registered security.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 12

-Subsection b

+ Details

Name:

dei_Security12bTitle

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:securityTitleItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Name of the Exchange on which a security is registered.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 12

-Subsection d1-1

+ Details

Name:

dei_SecurityExchangeName

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:edgarExchangeCodeItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Boolean flag that is true when the Form 8-K filing is intended to satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant as soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Exchange Act

-Number 240

-Section 14a

-Subsection 12

+ Details

Name:

dei_SolicitingMaterial

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:booleanItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Trading symbol of an instrument as listed on an exchange.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:

dei_TradingSymbol

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

dei:tradingSymbolItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration

- Definition

Boolean flag that is true when the Form 8-K filing is intended to satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant as written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Securities Act

-Number 230

-Section 425

+ Details

Name:

dei_WrittenCommunications

Namespace Prefix:

dei_

Data Type:

xbrli:booleanItemType

Balance Type:

Period Type:

duration