Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Kennedy Eugene P.
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
11/13/2017
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NEWLINK GENETICS CORP [(NLNK)]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O NEWLINK GENETICS CORPORATION, 2503 SOUTH LOOP DR., SUITE 5100
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Medical Officer
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

AMES, IA 50010
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 14,077 (1) (2) (3)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 05/10/2014(4) 05/09/2023 Common Stock 50,000 $ 15.33 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 01/07/2015(4) 01/06/2024 Common Stock 50,000 $ 22.85 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 03/11/2015(4) 03/10/2024 Common Stock 30,000 $ 30.48 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 01/20/2016(4) 01/19/2025 Common Stock 10,000 $ 39.05 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 06/23/2016(4) 06/22/2025 Common Stock 10,000 $ 46.73 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 02/04/2016(5) 01/03/2026 Common Stock 12,641 $ 34.73 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 09/09/2016(6) 08/08/2026 Common Stock 50,000 $ 10.78 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 02/03/2017(7) 01/02/2027 Common Stock 50,000 $ 10.55 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) 08/13/2017(8) 07/12/2027 Common Stock 1,000 $ 7.73 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Kennedy Eugene P.
C/O NEWLINK GENETICS CORPORATION
2503 SOUTH LOOP DR., SUITE 5100
AMES, IA 50010
      Chief Medical Officer  

Signatures

/s/ Ryan Trytten, attorney-in-fact 11/22/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Includes 500 restricted stock units ("RSUs") held by the Reporting Person granted under the Issuer's 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The RSUs will vest, and shares will be delivered to the Reporting Person in a series of two successive annual installments with the next installment occurring on January 20, 2018, provided in each case that the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated as defined in or as determined under the Plan.
(2) Includes 2,500 RSUs held by the Reporting Person granted under the Plan. The RSUs will vest, and shares will be delivered to the Reporting Person in a series of two successive annual installments with the next installment occurring on June 23, 2018, provided in each case that the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated as defined in or as determined under the Plan.
(3) Includes 3,314 RSUs held by the Reporting Person granted under the Plan. The RSUs will vest, and shares will be delivered to the Reporting Person in a series of three successive annual installments with the next installment occurring on January 4, 2018, provided in each case that the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated as defined in or as determined under the Plan.
(4) Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Plan. The option vests over a four-year period, with 25% of such option vesting on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date and the remaining 75% of such option vesting in equal monthly installments over the next 36 months, 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. The option expires ten years after the date of grant.
(5) Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Plan. The option vests and becomes exercisable in a series of 48 successive equal monthly installments beginning on February 4, 2016, 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. The option expires ten years after the date of grant.
(6) Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Plan. The option vests and becomes exercisable in a series of 36 successive equal monthly installments beginning on September 9, 2016, 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. The option expires ten years after the date of grant.
(7) Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Plan. The option vests and becomes exercisable in a series of 48 successive equal monthly installments beginning on February 3, 2017, 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. The option expires ten years after the date of grant.
(8) Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Plan. The option vests and becomes exercisable in a series of 48 successive equal monthly installments beginning on August 13, 2017, 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. The option expires ten years after the date of grant.

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