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 *   Talarico Ernest III 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 11/10/2011 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NEWLINK GENETICS CORP [NLNK] (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O NEWLINK GENETICS CORP., 2503 SOUTH LOOP DR., SUITE 5100 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) AIMES, 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 11,904 D Â

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)	10/18/2002(1)	10/17/2012	Common Stock	2,380	$ 0.53	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	02/01/2008(1)	12/13/2017	Common Stock	14,285	$ 2.1	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	06/09/2003(1)	07/15/2018	Common Stock	3,571	$ 2.1	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	01/30/2004(1)	07/15/2018	Common Stock	28,571	$ 2.1	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	02/01/2007(1)	08/05/2018	Common Stock	7,142	$ 2.1	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	01/04/2010(2)	12/03/2019	Common Stock	3,205	$ 1.95	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	01/04/2010(1)	12/03/2019	Common Stock	2,564	$ 1.95	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	03/03/2010(1)	03/02/2020	Common Stock	23,809	$ 3.07	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	03/03/2011(3)	03/02/2020	Common Stock	23,809	$ 3.07	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	01/01/2012(3)	12/08/2020	Common Stock	11,904	$ 10.02	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	12/09/2011(3)	12/08/2020	Common Stock	2,380	$ 10.02	D	Â
Series E Preferred Stock	  (4)	  (4)	Common Stock	1,732	$ (4)	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Talarico Ernest III C/O NEWLINK GENETICS CORP. 2503 SOUTH LOOP DR., SUITE 5100 AIMES, IA 50010	  X	Â	Â	Â

Signatures

/s/ Ernest J. Talarico III		11/09/2011
**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)	Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Issuer's 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The option is fully vested.
(2)	Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Plan. The option vests in equal monthly installments over a 24 month period, 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.
(3)	Grant to the Reporting Person of a stock option under the Plan. The option vests over a two-year period, with 50% of such option vesting on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date and the remaining 50% of such option vesting in equal monthly installments over the next 12 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.
(4)	Every one share of Series E Preferred Stock will automatically convert at a price equal to (1) the product of (A) the price at which the shares of common stock are sold to the public in Issuer's initial public offering and (B) 0.85 (as adjusted to reflect any adjustments to the Series E conversion price occurring prior to any such adjustment occurring in connection with the Issuer's initial public offering if it closes on or before December 31, 2011, or (2) $6.25 per common share under any other conversion scenario.

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