James Kastenmayer
About James Kastenmayer
James P. Kastenmayer, J.D., Ph.D., is General Counsel and Secretary of ArriVent BioPharma (AVBP) since September 2023; age 53 as of April 28, 2025, with a background spanning Aeglea BioTherapeutics (GC/Corp Sec; interim CEO), Viela Bio (GC, advised FDA approval and launch of Uplizna and Horizon acquisition), AstraZeneca (global legal director and senior patent director), MedImmune (IP counsel), and early-career IP boutique experience . He holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, a Ph.D. in biochemistry and cell and molecular biology from Michigan State University, and a B.A. in biology from the University of Virginia; he is a registered patent attorney . Company-level TSR, revenue growth, and EBITDA growth are not disclosed in relation to his tenure in the reviewed filings.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc. | General Counsel & Corporate Secretary; Interim CEO | Jul 2021–Mar 2023; Interim CEO Aug–Nov 2022 | Led legal/compliance; interim stewardship during CEO transition |
| Viela Bio, Inc. | General Counsel | Jan 2020–Mar 2021 | Advised FDA approval and launch of Uplizna; advised on acquisition by Horizon Therapeutics plc |
| AstraZeneca | Global Legal Director; Senior Patent Director | May 2012–Dec 2019 | Advised commercialization and market access strategies, collaborations, legal proceedings; accountable for global IP estates |
| MedImmune | IP Counsel | Earlier career | IP portfolio development and protection |
| IP boutique firm | Associate | Earlier career | IP litigation/prosecution experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed | — | — | No external public company directorships disclosed in reviewed filings |
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Fiscal Year/Date | Amount/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | Offer letter; start scheduled Sep 5, 2023 | $400,000 annualized (paid $16,666.67 semi-monthly) |
| Target Bonus % | Offer letter | 40% of base; actual awards at company discretion; payable by Mar 15 following year; contingent on continued employment at payout |
| Employment Status | Ongoing | At-will employment; terms may be changed by the company |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant/Eligibility | Units/Value | Strike/Expiration | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Options (eligibility at hire) | Following satisfaction of employment conditions and Board approval | Eligible to receive option to purchase 1,000,000 shares at FMV on grant date (subject to award agreement and plan) | Not disclosed for individual grant | Company option awards generally vest 25% on first anniversary, then monthly over 36 months under the Plans |
| Equity Plan Framework | 2021 Plan; 2024 Plan | Plans authorize stock options, RSUs, restricted stock, other stock-based awards | Plan expirations: 2021 Plan expires June 9, 2031; 2024 Plan Oct 12, 2033 | Standard vesting per plan for options (25% + 36 monthly installments) |
Notes:
- Filings do not disclose James Kastenmayer’s specific option grant date, strike price, or expiration; vesting reflects plan-wide terms .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| As-of Date | Common Shares Owned | Options Exercisable or Vesting within 60 days | Hedging/Pledging Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 21, 2025 | 7,386 shares | 40,409 shares underlying options | Insider trading policy prohibits short sales, margin accounts, pledging, and transactions involving puts/calls/straddles/collars; pre-clearance by General Counsel required for directors/senior management |
Additional governance/trading controls:
- Rule 10b5-1 trading plan policy with cooling-off periods (90–120 days for officers/directors) and one-plan limits; GC acknowledgment required before plan effectiveness .
Employment Terms
| Term | Status/Details |
|---|---|
| Role & Start | General Counsel & Secretary since September 2023 |
| Employment Agreement | Company states executive officers have employment agreements; all are at-will |
| Severance/Change-in-Control | Executive Severance Plan described for named executive officers and CFO: 1.25× base + pro-rated target bonus (non-CIC) for certain roles; 1.5× or 2× base + target bonus (CIC) depending on role; full equity acceleration on CIC termination; COBRA and outplacement included . Filings do not explicitly list the General Counsel as a Severance Plan participant; eligibility defined by title in Exhibit A (not reproduced) . |
| Clawbacks/Ownership Guidelines | No executive clawback or stock ownership multiple-of-salary guidelines disclosed in reviewed filings; insider trading policy governs conduct |
| Benefits | Eligible for standard employee benefit programs; company 401(k) match: 100% of salary deferrals up to 4% of pay per payroll period |
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Modest direct share ownership (7,386 shares) and a pool of options exercisable/vesting within 60 days (40,409 shares) tie compensation to equity value; prohibition on hedging/pledging strengthens alignment and reduces adverse trading behaviors .
- Selling pressure and liquidity: Near-term vesting/exercisable options increase potential tradable float, though trades are constrained by blackouts, pre-clearance, and 10b5-1 cooling-off rules; as General Counsel, policy requires GC pre-clearance for covered persons’ transactions .
- Retention and severance: At-will status and lack of explicit Severance Plan participation disclosure for the General Counsel reduce visibility into change-of-control economics; by contrast, named executive officers and the CFO have defined severance/CIC terms including equity acceleration, which can influence retention dynamics across the leadership team .
- Execution track record: Prior legal leadership through an FDA approval and product launch (Uplizna) and corporate acquisition at Viela, plus broad IP/commercial legal stewardship at AstraZeneca/MedImmune, indicate strong regulatory, IP, and transaction execution experience in biopharma contexts .