John H. Johnson
AxogenAbout John H. Johnson
Independent director at Axogen (AXGN) since July 2021; age 67. Currently Executive Chairman of Applied Therapeutics and serves on the boards of Xeris (Nasdaq: XERS) and Verastem (Nasdaq: VSTM). He previously held CEO and senior leadership roles at Strongbridge Biopharma, Melinta Therapeutics, and Dendreon, and senior positions at Eli Lilly, ImClone Systems, Johnson & Johnson, and Centocor Ortho Biotech. Education: Bachelor of Science (as reported: “University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg”). Independence affirmed by the Board under Nasdaq rules.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Therapeutics | Executive Chairman | Current | Governance/executive oversight |
| Strongbridge Biopharma plc | Executive Chairman | Mar 2015–Nov 2019 | Led rare disease portfolio strategy |
| Strongbridge Biopharma plc | Chief Executive Officer | Jul 2020–Oct 2021 | CEO leadership |
| Melinta Therapeutics | Chief Executive Officer | 2018–2020 | Commercial-stage antibiotics focus |
| Dendreon Corporation | Chairman & CEO | 2012–2014 | Led turnaround and commercialization |
| Eli Lilly; ImClone; Johnson & Johnson; Centocor Ortho Biotech | Senior positions | Prior roles (dates not specified) | Large-cap pharma/biotech leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Xeris (Nasdaq: XERS) | Director | Current |
| Verastem (Nasdaq: VSTM) | Director | Current |
| Applied Therapeutics | Executive Chairman | Current |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence status | Independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) |
| Board/committee attendance | Board met 6 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings; all then-current directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting telephonically |
| Committee memberships | Compensation Committee (member); Quality, Compliance & Portfolio Management Committee (Chair) |
| Committee scopes | Compensation: executive/director pay and plan oversight; Quality/Compliance: FDA and regulatory compliance, product quality/safety, innovation portfolio |
| Board leadership | Independent Chairman (Paul Thomas); Lead Independent Director no longer needed post-August 2024 |
| Overboarding policy | Directors must limit other boards to ensure sufficient time; notify Governance Committee before accepting new roles |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees | $67,500 | Quarterly board and committee retainers |
| Stock awards (RSUs) | $75,000 | Annual director grant (reelection) |
| Option awards | $74,999 | Annual director grant (reelection) |
| Total | $217,499 | 2024 director compensation total |
Director retainer and equity framework:
- Quarterly cash retainers: Board Member $12,500; Audit Chair $5,000; Audit Member $2,500; Compensation Chair $3,750; Compensation Member $1,875; Governance Chair $2,500; Governance Member $1,250; Quality/Compliance Chair $2,500; Quality/Compliance Member $1,250 (2024/2025) .
- Annual equity grants: Reelected directors $150,000; New directors $250,000; Chairman $50,000; 2024 grants split half options/half RSUs vesting in one year; beginning 2025 grants issued as RSUs vesting in one year .
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Definition | Weight | Disclosure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director equity performance metrics | None disclosed; annual director grants time-based vesting (one-year) | N/A | No director-specific performance metrics disclosed; 2024 split options/RSUs; 2025 RSUs only |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | Xeris (XERS), Verastem (VSTM) |
| Compensation Committee interlocks | None of AXGN’s executive officers serve on boards/comp committees of entities with AXGN executives on AXGN’s Compensation Committee |
| Related-party transactions | No related-party transactions disclosed involving Johnson; company disclosed contributions to Global Nerve Foundation due to other executives’ board service |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance/Risk Management; Global Experience; Healthcare Marketing; Innovation/Technology; Operating/Manufacturing; Public Board Experience; Public Policy/Government Relations; QA/Regulatory/Compliance; Senior Leadership; Strategy/M&A (board skills matrix) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | RSUs/PSUs (vest/settle within 60 days) | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|---|
| John H. Johnson | 78,248 | 59,885 | <1% (*) |
Ownership alignment and policies:
- Non-employee director equity ownership guideline: ≥3x annual retainer; compliance required within 5 years; as of Dec 31, 2024, each non-employee director meets the guideline .
- Anti-hedging and pledging policy: Directors prohibited from hedging or pledging AXGN securities .
- Security ownership table notes shares shown are not subject to any pledge unless otherwise noted .
Governance Assessment
- Committee leadership: As Chair of Quality, Compliance & Portfolio Management, Johnson oversees FDA/regulatory compliance, product quality/safety, and innovation portfolio—critical areas for AXGN’s BLA approval and ongoing compliance posture .
- Compensation oversight: As a Compensation Committee member, he helps align executive/director pay with performance; the committee engages an independent consultant (Aon) and affirmed consultant independence .
- Shareholder alignment: 2024 say-on-pay support was ~70%; AXGN increased use of multi-year, performance-based equity (revenue CAGR, relative TSR) in 2025 following investor outreach—indicative of responsiveness to shareholder feedback .
- Independence & attendance: Board affirmed Johnson’s independence; directors met attendance expectations, supporting effective oversight continuity .
- Conflicts & red flags: No related-party transactions disclosed involving Johnson; prohibitions on hedging/pledging reduce misalignment risk; overboarding protections and independence standards are in place. Potential exposure from multiple external boards should be monitored against AXGN’s overboarding policy; no interlocks disclosed .
Overall signal: Johnson’s regulatory and operating background and leadership of the Quality/Compliance committee are positives for oversight of FDA/BLA milestones. Compensation governance appears robust with independent advice and recent shareholder-informed changes. No disclosed conflicts or pledging; monitor external board load against AXGN policy and any evolving relationships with XERS/VSTM.