Quote: "...or have the execs buy some shares on the open market..."
The equivalent to buying shares on the open market is to watch what Dr. Missling does after he converts his options into shares this July.
I assume that he'll have to sell some of them to cover the taxes...but he should hold on to the remainder if he believes in the company's future. It's no different than him buying the shares on the open market.
This could be a big boost to the share price if the market is paying attention.
Sounds like biotech may not be a suitable investment if the focus is on short term cash needs versus ability to watch the story develop. However, you do make some interesting point and speculations.
From my point of view, it is much easier to be patient when your cost basis is low.