Jean-Pierre Bizzari
About Jean-Pierre Bizzari, M.D.
Jean-Pierre Bizzari, M.D., age 70, is an independent Class III director of Aprea Therapeutics, serving since August 23, 2023; he is a member of the Board’s Research & Development (R&D) Committee, with a distinguished oncology career spanning Celgene (Group Head Clinical Development Oncology), Sanofi‑Aventis (VP clinical development oncology), and Rhône‑Poulenc Rorer (VP clinical development oncology) . He holds a degree in mathematics, completed medical studies in Nice, France, and his oncology residency at Pitié‑Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris; he currently serves on several scientific committees and boards, and is a current public company director at ADC Therapeutics SA .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celgene | Group Head, Clinical Development Oncology | Not disclosed | Led global clinical development with 25+ Phase 3 trials; chaired Hematology Oncology development committee |
| Sanofi‑Aventis | VP, Clinical Development Oncology | Not disclosed | Led worldwide clinical development and approvals |
| Rhône‑Poulenc Rorer | VP, Clinical Development Oncology | Not disclosed | Led oncology pipeline development |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADC Therapeutics SA (Public) | Director | Not disclosed | Current public company board; oncology focus |
| NETRIS Pharma | Director | Not disclosed | Board member; oncology focus |
| Oxford BioTherapeutics Ltd | Director | Not disclosed | Board member; oncology focus |
| EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) | Board Member; Chair, New Drug Advisory Committee | Not disclosed | Drug development oversight and scientific leadership |
| National Cancer Institute (France) | Scientific Advisory Board Member | Not disclosed | Scientific advisory contributions |
Board Governance
- Independence: Determined independent under Nasdaq rules; independent directors comprise 8 of 9 (88%) of the Board .
- Committee assignment: Member, Research & Development Committee (R&D); no Audit/Compensation/NCGC roles; no chair roles .
- Attendance and engagement: Each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings in 2024; all current directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting; independent directors meet regularly without management .
- Years of service on APRE Board: Director since 2023 (Class III) .
| Governance Attribute | Status/Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent |
| Committees | R&D Committee Member |
| Chair Roles | None |
| 2024 Attendance | ≥75% of meetings; attended 2024 Annual Meeting |
| Executive Sessions | Independent directors meet without management |
| Board Class | Class III; nominee for term expiring 2028 |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Option Awards ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 44,000 | — | — | 44,000 |
| APRE Non‑Employee Director Program Element (2024) | Amount/Structure |
|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $40,000 |
| Lead Independent Director Retainer | $20,000 |
| Committee Chair Retainers | Audit $7,500; Compensation $5,000; NCGC $4,000; R&D $4,000 |
| Committee Member Retainers | Audit $7,500; Compensation $6,000; NCGC $4,000; R&D $4,000 |
| Initial Equity Grant (non‑employee directors) | Up to $185,000 targeted value in stock options; vests in three equal annual installments subject to continued service |
| Annual Equity Retainer | Up to $150,000 targeted value (80% options/20% RSUs), vests on first anniversary; 2024 calibrated to approx. $16,431 due to share usage constraints |
Notes: Dr. Bizzari received cash only in 2024 (no option/RSU awards) .
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Component | Metric/Terms | 2024 Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Equity Retainer | Target up to $150,000; 80% options / 20% RSUs; time‑based vesting at 1‑year anniversary | Program calibrated to approx. $16,431 for 2024 grants; Dr. Bizzari received no equity awards in 2024 |
| Initial Equity Grant | Up to $185,000 in options; time‑based vesting over 3 years | Applies to program design; no initial grant shown for Dr. Bizzari |
| Performance Metrics | None disclosed for director equity; grants are time‑vested | No performance metrics tied to director awards disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Committee Roles | Interlocks/Conflicts Disclosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADC Therapeutics SA | Public | Director | Not disclosed | None disclosed by APRE |
| NETRIS Pharma | Private | Director | Not disclosed | None disclosed by APRE |
| Oxford BioTherapeutics Ltd | Private | Director | Not disclosed | None disclosed by APRE |
- Compensation Committee interlocks: APRE disclosed none for 2024; none of APRE’s executive officers served on other companies’ compensation committees or boards employing APRE Compensation Committee members .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Oncology leadership and drug development credentials: Led global clinical development at Celgene (25+ Phase 3 trials; approvals for major therapies including Taxotere, Revlimid, Abraxane, Vidaza, Eloxatin, CPT‑11/Irinotecan, etc.), previously VP clinical development oncology at Sanofi‑Aventis and Rhône‑Poulenc Rorer .
- Scientific governance: Member/chair of EORTC committees; Scientific Advisory Board member for National Cancer Institute (France) .
- Education: Degree in mathematics; medical studies in Nice; oncology residency at Pitié‑Salpêtrière Hospital (Paris) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (Shares/%) | Not listed for Dr. Bizzari in the Security Ownership table as of April 10, 2025 record date; company presents a director/nominee list but does not show Bizzari’s holdings, indicating no disclosed beneficial ownership data for him in that table |
| Options Outstanding | 0 (aggregate “shares underlying option awards” shows none for Bizzari as of Dec 31, 2024) |
| RSUs Outstanding | 0 (aggregate “shares underlying RSU awards” shows none for Bizzari as of Dec 31, 2024) |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited by insider trading policy (no hedging/short sales; no pledging/margin accounts) |
Insider Trades (Section 16)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Delinquent Filings | APRE disclosed one late Form 4 in 2024 for director Marc Duey; no delinquent Section 16 filings were disclosed for Dr. Bizzari |
Governance Assessment
- Committee effectiveness and expertise: Placement on the R&D Committee aligns directly with his deep oncology development credentials, providing domain oversight on programs, milestones, and scientific merit—consistent with the committee’s remit to advise on R&D timelines, budgets, and licensing/acquisition opportunities .
- Independence and engagement: Independent under Nasdaq rules; Board maintains a strong independent majority; directors meet in executive session; attendance threshold met for 2024 meetings and annual meeting, supporting baseline engagement quality .
- Compensation and alignment signals: 2024 compensation for Dr. Bizzari was 100% cash ($44,000), with no equity awards or outstanding RSUs/options, reducing equity‑based alignment versus peers who received modest option/RSU grants due to the 2024 calibration (approx. $16,431 program value) .
- Conflicts and related parties: No related‑party transactions reported involving directors/executives in amounts exceeding thresholds; Audit Committee oversees and pre‑approves any related‑person transactions under formal policy; hedging/pledging prohibited, mitigating alignment risks from hedging/pledging practices .
- Potential risk indicators: Multi‑board service in oncology (ADC Therapeutics SA plus private boards) raises theoretical industry‑overlap risk but APRE discloses no related‑party dealings; compensation committee interlocks none; Section 16 compliance shows no issues for Bizzari in 2024 disclosures .
Implication: Dr. Bizzari strengthens APRE’s scientific governance through R&D oversight and oncology expertise; however, the absence of director equity awards/holdings in 2024 limits direct alignment with shareholder value creation relative to typical biotech board equity practices—an area to monitor if equity retainer calibrations normalize in future cycles .