Zai Lab Ltd

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant ☒ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant☐

Check the appropriate box:☐

(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

This document shall also serve as a circular to holders of the ordinary shares of Zai Lab Limited for purposes of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“HK Listing Rules”).

Warning: The contents of this document have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. If you are in doubt about any of the contents of this document, you should obtain independent professional advice.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange” or “HKSE”) take no responsibility for the contents of this circular, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this circular.

This document, for which the directors of Zai Lab Limited collectively and individually accept full responsibility, includes particulars given in compliance with the HK Listing Rules for the purpose of giving information with regard to Zai Lab Limited. The directors, having made all reasonable inquiries, confirm that to the best of their knowledge and belief the information contained in this document is accurate and complete in all material respects and not misleading or deceptive, and there are no other matters the omission of which would make any statement herein or this document misleading.

899 Halei Road

Building B

Pudong, Shanghai, China 201203

314 Main Street

4th Floor, Suite 100

Cambridge, MA, 02142

(Nasdaq Trading Symbol: ZLAB; HKEx Stock Code: 9688)

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Notice is hereby given that the 2026 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Zai Lab Limited (the “Company” or “us”) will be held:

The purpose of the meeting is to consider and vote on the following matters:

1. An ordinary resolution to re-elect Samantha (Ying) Du to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until her successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to her earlier resignation or removal;

2. An ordinary resolution to re-elect John D. Diekman to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal;

3. An ordinary resolution to re-elect Richard Gaynor to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal;

4. An ordinary resolution to re-elect Nisa Leung to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until her successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to her earlier resignation or removal;

5. An ordinary resolution to re-elect William Lis to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal;

6. An ordinary resolution to re-elect Scott Morrison to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal;

7. An ordinary resolution to re-elect Leon O. Moulder Jr. to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal;

8. An ordinary resolution to re-elect Michel Vounatsos to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal;

9. An ordinary resolution to re-elect Peter Wirth to serve as a director until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to his earlier resignation or removal;

10. An ordinary resolution to approve the appointment of KPMG LLP and KPMG as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firms and auditors to audit our consolidated financial statements to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for the year ending December 31, 2026, respectively;

11. An ordinary resolution to authorize the Board of Directors to fix auditor compensation for 2026;

12. An ordinary resolution to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement;

13. An ordinary resolution to approve a general mandate to the Board of Directors to allot and issue ordinary shares and/or ADSs and/or resell treasury shares of up to 10% of the total number of issued ordinary shares of the Company (excluding treasury shares) as of the date of the Annual Meeting until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders;

14. An ordinary resolution to approve a general mandate to repurchase ordinary shares and/or ADSs of up to 10% of the total number of issued ordinary shares of the Company (excluding treasury shares) as of the date of the Annual Meeting until the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders; and

15. To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

The record date for the Annual Meeting is April 16, 2026 (ordinary share record date). Only shareholders of record as of 4:30 p.m. (Shanghai and Hong Kong Time) on April 16, 2026 are entitled to receive notice of, and to attend and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof. The latest date and time for lodging a share transfer in order to be registered as a shareholder on the record date is 4:30 p.m. (Shanghai and Hong Kong Time) on April 16, 2026.

Your vote is important to us. Whether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote your shares as soon as possible. The manner in which you hold your shares will dictate how you can vote:

Shareholders of Ordinary Shares

•If you are a shareholder of record of our ordinary shares registered on our Hong Kong register or Cayman Islands register as of the record date, you may vote your shares by submitting your proxy throughwww.proxyvote.com no later than 11:59 p.m. on June 14, 2026 (U.S. Eastern Time) / 11:59 a.m. on June 15, 2026 (Shanghai and Hong Kong Time), or if you received printed proxy materials, you may submit your vote by completing, signing and dating each proxy card received and returning it in the prepaid envelope or returning it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. Sign your name exactly as it appears on the proxy card. Proxy cards submitted by mail must be received no later than 11:59 a.m. (U.S. Eastern Time) / 11:59 p.m. (Shanghai and Hong Kong Time) on June 16, 2026, to be voted at the Annual Meeting.

•If you are a beneficial owner of ordinary shares registered on the record date in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other financial institution, you should have received information containing voting instructions from that organization rather than from us. Simply follow the voting instructions so that your vote is counted. To vote at the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy or broker’s proxy card from your broker, bank, or other agent. Follow the instructions from your broker or bank included with these proxy materials or contact your broker or bank to request a proxy form.

ADS Holders

•If you are a holder of record of our ADSs, each representing ten of our ordinary shares, as of 4:30 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Time) on April 16, 2026 who wishes to exercise your voting rights for the underlying ordinary shares, you must act through the depositary of the ADSs, Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”), to vote the ordinary shares represented by your ADSs. Citibank will distribute information to ADS holders as of 4:30 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Time) on April 16, 2026 describing how voting instructions may be delivered to Citibank by ADS holders.

•If you are a beneficial owner of ADSs registered as of 4:30 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Time) on April 16, 2026 in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other financial institution, you should have received information containing voting instructions from that organization rather than from Citibank. Simply follow the voting instructions so that your vote is counted.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

Samantha (Ying) Du

Director, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, and Chief Executive Officer

April 28, 2026

PROXY STATEMENT FOR

2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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