Christine Brennan
About Christine Brennan
Christine Brennan, Ph.D. (age 56) has served as an independent director of Boundless Bio, Inc. (BOLD) since February 2022 and is nominated for re‑election as a Class I director through the 2028 annual meeting. She is Managing Director at Vertex Ventures HC and previously held senior investing and operating roles at MRL Ventures Fund, Novartis Venture Fund, and Vitae Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Brennan holds a B.S. in Biochemistry (University of New Hampshire), a Ph.D. in Neuroscience (Dartmouth Medical School), and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Developmental Neurobiology at the NIH .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Ventures HC | Managing Director | 2022–present | Life sciences investor and board director experience |
| MRL Ventures Fund | Partner | 2017–2021 | Early-stage biotech investing |
| Novartis Venture Fund | Principal | 2013–2017 | Venture investing; prior early employee at Novartis entities (per Board bio) |
| Vitae Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Allergan) | Chief Business Officer | 2010–2013 | Corporate development leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alector, Inc. | Director | While private | Service noted during private company stage |
| Entrada Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | While private | Service noted during private company stage |
| Altimmune, Inc. | Director | While private | Service noted during private company stage |
No current public company directorships are disclosed in the proxy for Dr. Brennan beyond her role at BOLD .
Board Governance
- Committee assignments and chair roles
- Audit Committee: Member; also signatory on the Audit Committee Report .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Chair .
- Independence: Board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent under Nasdaq rules; Brennan is independent .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board met 5 times; Audit met 4 times; Compensation met 3 times; Nominating & Corporate Governance did not meet; each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate meetings of the Board and committees on which they served during their service periods .
- Board leadership: Chairman is Jonathan E. Lim, M.D.; roles of CEO and Chairman are separated; independent directors meet in executive sessions without management .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned/Paid in Cash ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 41,625 | Actual cash compensation for director service in 2024 |
Director compensation program terms (for context):
- Annual cash retainer: $40,000; Chairman/Lead Independent Director: +$30,000 .
- Committee chair retainers: Audit $15,000; Compensation $10,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance $8,000 .
- Committee member retainers: Audit $7,500; Compensation $5,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance $4,000 .
Performance Compensation
| Grant Date | Award Type | Shares (Options) | Exercise Price ($) | Vesting Schedule | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 15, 2024 | Stock Options | 13,846 | 8.19 | Equal monthly installments over 3 years, subject to service | 2018 Plan |
| Mar 2024 (IPO) | Stock Options | 26,438 | 16.00 | Equal monthly installments over 3 years, subject to service | 2024 Plan |
Non‑employee director equity awards vest fully upon a change in control or upon death/disability under the director program .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Vertex Ventures HC affiliation: Vertex Global HC Fund II Pte. Ltd. (an affiliate of Vertex Ventures HC, where Brennan is Managing Director) participated in BOLD’s April–May 2023 Series C preferred financing; all preferred converted to common at IPO. This is a potential interlock/related‑party connection through fund affiliation, though Vertex is not listed among ≥5% holders as of April 25, 2025 .
- Voting agreement: Pre‑IPO voting agreement (amended April 2023) included holders (and certain director‑affiliated entities) that designated Brennan among directors; terminated at IPO .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: B.S. Biochemistry (University of New Hampshire); Ph.D. Neuroscience (Dartmouth Medical School); postdoctoral fellowship at NIH .
- Domain expertise: Extensive biopharma venture investing and board experience; operating experience as CBO at an acquired biotech .
- Governance qualifications: Chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance; member of Audit Committee (financial oversight exposure) .
Equity Ownership
| As of Date | Direct Shares | Options Exercisable (≤60 days) | Total Beneficial Ownership | % of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2025 | 0 | 10,281 | 10,281 | <1% |
Additional context:
- Outstanding director option awards as of Dec 31, 2024: 26,438 shares (reflects cumulative grants; vesting ongoing) .
- Insider trading policy prohibits hedging transactions (e.g., collars, swaps); no pledging disclosure in proxy .
- Section 16(a) compliance: All required filings by reporting persons were timely in 2024 .
Governance Assessment
- Positives
- Independent director; chairs Nominating & Corporate Governance and serves on Audit, indicating strong governance involvement .
- Prohibition against hedging enhances alignment; clawback policy adopted (Nasdaq‑compliant) for recovery of erroneously awarded compensation .
- Separation of CEO and Chair roles; independent director executive sessions .
- Watch items / potential RED FLAGS
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee did not meet in 2024 despite Brennan’s chair role—could signal limited formal governance activity; monitor cadence post‑IPO .
- Vertex Ventures HC affiliation participated in pre‑IPO financing—while common post‑IPO, this creates a potential perceived conflict/interlock; ensure continued adherence to related‑party policies and recusal as needed .
- Company repriced employee/NEO options in Aug 2024 (not directors), which can raise pay‑practice concerns for investors; continued transparency and restraint are important .
Audit Committee report signatories include Brennan, evidencing active participation in financial oversight . Director indemnification arrangements are in place, standard for Delaware corporations .