SAN DIEGO, July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc. (NYSE:CLDI) ("Calidi"), a biotechnology company pioneering the development of targeted genetic medicine, today announced that in connection with the appointment of Sandra Gurrola as VP Finance, Controller, the Company’s Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors has approved the grant of an inducement non-qualified stock option for Ms. Gurrola for the purchase of 100,000 shares with an exercise price of $0.15, which was the closing price of the Company’s common stock on July 6, 2026, the date of grant (the "Stock Options").

The Stock Options vest over four years with 25% of the Stock Options vesting on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant, or July 6, 2027, and the remaining Stock Options vesting in equal monthly installments thereafter until July 6, 2030. The Stock Option is subject to the terms and conditions of the Stock Option Agreement. The Stock Option is being granted as an inducement material to Ms. Gurrola entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Section 711 of NYSE American LLC Company Guide.

About Calidi Biotherapeutics

Calidi Biotherapeutics (NYSE:CLDI) is a biotechnology company pioneering the development of targeted therapies with the potential to deliver genetic medicines to distal sites of disease. The company’s proprietary RedTail platform features an engineered enveloped oncolytic virus designed for systemic delivery and targeting of metastatic sites. This advanced enveloped technology is intended to shield the virus from immune clearance, allowing virotherapy to effectively reach tumor sites, induce tumor lysis, and deliver potent genetic medicine(s) to metastatic locations.

CLD-401, the lead candidate from the RedTail platform, currently in IND-enabling studies, targets non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and other tumor types with high unmet medical need. Calidi continues to advance its pipeline utilizing the RedTail platform including its novel approach to incorporate in situ T-cell engagers in solid tumors.

Calidi Biotherapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.calidibio.com or view Calidi’s Corporate Presentation here.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements for purposes of the "safe harbor" provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Terms such as "anticipates," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predicts," "project," "should," "towards," "would" as well as similar terms, are forward-looking in nature, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning key milestones, including certain pre-clinical data, planned clinical trials, and statements relating to the safety and efficacy of Calidi’s therapeutic candidates in development. Any forward-looking statements contained in this discussion are based on Calidi’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects and are subject to multiple risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth or implied in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that Calidi is not able to raise sufficient capital to support its current and anticipated clinical trials, the risk that early results of clinical trials do not necessarily predict final results and that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change following more comprehensive review of the data, and as more patient data becomes available, the risk that Calidi may not receive FDA approval for some or all of its therapeutic candidates. Other risks and uncertainties are set forth in the section entitled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in the Company’s annual report filed with the SEC on Form 10-K on March 27, 2026, as may be amended or supplemented by other reports we file with the SEC from time to time. We disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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