Lisa R. Johnson-Pratt, M.D.
ASSEMBLY BIOSCIENCESAbout Lisa R. Johnson‑Pratt, M.D.
Independent director at Assembly Biosciences since May 2021 (age 61), with 25+ years in pharma commercial strategy and therapeutic program leadership. Currently Executive Vice President, Therapeutic Program Lead at Aspen Neurosciences (since Oct 2024); prior senior roles at Ionis (SVP, Commercial), Akcea (SVP), GSK (Pipeline/Oncology Commercial Strategy; Global Franchise Ops), Stiefel (Global Marketing), and Merck (Business Unit Director). Education: B.S. (Howard), M.D. (Howard), Diploma of Pharmaceutical Medicine (Royal College of Physicians). The Board has affirmatively determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules; tenure on ASMB board is four years.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Senior Vice President, Commercial | Nov 2020 – May 2022 | Led commercial strategy across RNA therapeutics portfolio |
| Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. | Senior Vice President | Mar 2020 – Oct 2020 | Senior leadership through Ionis acquisition |
| GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) | Head, Pipeline & Oncology Commercial Strategy; Vice President, Global Franchise Operations | 2015 – Jul 2019; Jan 2018 – Jul 2019 | Portfolio commercialization and franchise operations |
| Stiefel Laboratories, Inc. | Global Marketing Director | 2013 – 2015 | Global marketing leadership in dermatology |
| Merck & Co., Inc. | Business Unit Director (Mature Brands) and prior roles | 2004 – 2013 | Progressive commercial leadership across therapeutic areas |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspen Neurosciences | Executive Vice President, Therapeutic Program Lead | Oct 2024 – present | Previously SVP, Therapeutic Program Lead (Jan–Oct 2024) |
| Ananias Ventures | Founder; Strategic Commercial Advisor (Biotech, Cell & Gene Therapy) | Founder since Sep 2019; Advisor since Jun 2020 | Advisory on CGT commercialization |
| TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Director (public company) | Mar 2021 – Jul 2024 | Past public board service; no current public boards |
Board Governance
- Independence and role: Independent director; not a Gilead designee; participates in independent executive sessions. Independent directors met in executive session four times in 2024; Board held six meetings and all directors attended at least 75% of Board/committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating & Governance Committee (4 meetings in 2024); Member, Science & Technology Committee (1 meeting in 2024; cadence restored to twice/year starting 2025). She is not a committee chair.
- Board structure: Independent Chair (William R. Ringo, Jr.); ten‑member board; Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Governance committees are fully independent.
- Governance policies: Majority voting in uncontested elections; proxy access; special meeting rights; no poison pill.
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned (Cash) | Option Awards (Grant‑date fair value) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $50,000 | $31,751 | $81,751 |
Director cash fee schedule (2024):
- Non‑employee director retainer: $40,000; Nominating & Governance or Science & Technology member fee: $5,000; committee chair fees: $10,000 (N&G/S&T), $15,000 (Compensation), $20,000 (Audit); Audit/Compensation committee member fees: $10,000 / $7,500; Chair of the Board: $80,000. No per‑meeting fees.
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Date Context | Number of Options | Exercise Price | Term | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual non‑employee director option (re‑elected) | Granted on date of 2024 Annual Meeting | 2,750 | Fair market value at grant | 10 years | Vests in full at earlier of first anniversary or next Annual Meeting |
Notes:
- New non‑employee directors receive 5,500 options vesting ratably over 3 years.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Status | Committee Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Former director (public) | Not disclosed | Served Mar 2021 – Jul 2024; currently no other public boards (matrix shows 0). |
Board‑level interlocks context:
- Gilead Sciences holds ~28.9% of ASMB and designates two non‑independent directors (Tomas Cihlar, Ph.D.; Robert D. Cook II). Lisa Johnson‑Pratt is independent and not a Gilead designee.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Physician‑executive with deep commercial leadership across Merck, GSK, Ionis/Akcea; founder/advisor in CGT; currently program lead at Aspen Neurosciences.
- Education and professional credentials include M.D. (Howard) and Diploma of Pharmaceutical Medicine (Royal College of Physicians).
- Board skills matrix indicates experience in strategic planning, pharma industry, operations, and public board experience.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Total Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa R. Johnson‑Pratt, M.D. | 8,582 | <1% | Includes shares acquirable within 60 days via options; non‑employee directors held 8,582 unexercised options (as of 12/31/2024). |
Additional alignment and risk indicators:
- Hedging and pledging prohibited by Insider Trading Policy; no pledging arrangements disclosed that could lead to change of control.
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Lisa’s dual committee membership (N&G and S&T) aligns with her commercial/medical background and supports board oversight of governance and R&D strategy; independence under Nasdaq strengthens unbiased oversight.
- Attendance and engagement: Company reports all directors met ≥75% attendance and attended Annual Meeting—consistent with engagement expectations.
- Compensation and alignment: Director pay is modest and balanced between cash and annual option grants with straightforward vesting; no per‑meeting fees or special perqs.
- Conflicts/related‑party exposure: No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Lisa; Audit Committee pre‑approves related‑party transactions; broader board context includes significant Gilead ownership and two designees, but Lisa is independent.
- Shareholder signals: Prior Say‑on‑Pay support ~99% indicates general investor confidence in compensation governance (NEO‑focused but directional for overall governance).
RED FLAGS to monitor
- Concentrated shareholder influence: Gilead’s 28.9% stake and two board designees warrant ongoing vigilance for potential conflicts in collaboration decisions; however, Lisa is not affiliated with Gilead.
- Science & Technology Committee cadence: Only one meeting in 2024 due to schedule change, with return to twice‑yearly in 2025—ensure sustained technical oversight as pipeline advances.