SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Vahanian Nicholas N. (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O NEWLINK GENETICS CORPORATION 2503 SOUTH LOOP DR., SUITE 5100 (Street) AMES IA 50010 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NEWLINK GENETICS CORP [ (NLNK) ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) President
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 07/31/2019
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$10.55	07/31/2019		D			312,500	(1)	(2)	Common Stock	312,500	(3)	0	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		48,828		(4)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	48,828	(3)	48,828	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		25,820		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	25,820	(3)	25,820	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		19,532		(4)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	19,532	(3)	19,532	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		19,532		(4)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	19,532	(3)	19,532	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		19,531		(4)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	19,531	(3)	19,531	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		19,531		(4)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	19,531	(3)	19,531	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		3,477		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	3,477	(3)	3,477	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$7.85	07/31/2019		D			126,500	(6)	(2)	Common Stock	126,500	(3)	0	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		10,542		(4)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	10,542	(3)	10,542	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		14,926		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	14,926	(3)	14,926	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		7,907		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	7,907	(3)	7,907	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		7,907		(4)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	7,907	(3)	7,907	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		6,158		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	6,158	(3)	6,158	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		5,275		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	5,275	(3)	5,275	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		5,269		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	5,269	(3)	5,269	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		5,269		(5)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	5,269	(3)	5,269	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$1.77	07/31/2019		A		100,000(7)		(8)	07/31/2026	Common Stock	100,000	$0	100,000	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. The option provided that 50% of the option grant would vest in a series of 48 successive equal monthly installments beginning on February 3, 2017 and the remaining 50% would vest upon specified performance objectives, in each case, provided that at the relevant vesting dates the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated as defined in or as determined under the Plan.

2. Unless otherwise disclosed, the option expires ten years after the date of grant.

3. On July 31, 2019, the issuer cancelled this option grant pursuant to the issuer's option exchange program. In exchange, for every two cancelled options, the reporting person received a replacement option having an exercise price of $1.77 per share.

4. The option vests as to 50% on the first anniversary of grant date and the remaining 50% on the second anniversary of grant date.

5. The option vests as to 50% on the second anniversary of grant date and the remaining 50% on the third anniversary of grant date.

6. The option provided that 50% of the option grant would vest in a series of 48 successive equal monthly installments beginning on April 9, 2018 and the remaining 50% would vest upon specified performance objectives, in each case, provided that as the relevant vesting dates the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated as defined in or as determined under the Plan.

7. This option grant was detailed in the proxy statement and approved by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting on May 9, 2019.

8. The option vests as to 50% on the second anniversary of grant date, 25% on the third anniversary of grant date and the remaining 25% on the fourth anniversary of grant date.

Remarks:

	/s/ Ryan Trytten, attorney-in-fact	08/02/2019
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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