Reid Huber
About Reid Huber
Reid Huber, Ph.D., age 53, has served on the CRGX board since 2023. He is a Partner at Third Rock Ventures (since Dec 2018) and currently CEO and director of ASPEN Biosciences (since July 2024). He previously served as EVP and Chief Scientific Officer at Incyte (2011–Dec 2018), with earlier R&D roles at DuPont Pharmaceuticals and BMS; he holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Washington University School of Medicine and completed NIH pre- and post-doctoral fellowships .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incyte Corporation | EVP & Chief Scientific Officer | 2011–2018 | Led scientific strategy and R&D execution |
| DuPont Pharmaceuticals | Scientific research roles | 1997–2002 | Discovery research contributions |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) | Scientific research roles | 1997–2002 | Discovery research contributions |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third Rock Ventures | Partner | Dec 2018–present | Venture partner; TRV invested in CRGX pre‑IPO and IPO |
| ASPEN Biosciences | CEO & Director | Jul 2024–present | Operating leadership |
| Synnovation Therapeutics | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Rapport Therapeutics | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
| MOMA Therapeutics | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Terremoto Biosciences | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Asher Biotherapeutics | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Merida Biosciences | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
Board Governance
- Board class/tenure: Class I director; current term expires at the 2027 Annual Meeting .
- Independence: Board determined Huber is independent under Nasdaq rules; no family relationships among directors/executives .
- Committee memberships (current): Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member; chair is Krishnan Viswanadhan .
- Prior committee service: Served on Compensation Committee in early 2024; replaced by Jane Pritchett Henderson upon her June 2024 appointment .
- Attendance: In 2024, Board met 9x; committees met 2–6x; in 2025 YTD, each Board member attended at least 75% of meetings of the Board and committees on which they served .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in regularly scheduled executive sessions .
- Risk oversight: Audit Committee oversees major financial risks, compliance, and related‑person transactions; Compensation Committee monitors compensation risk; Nominating & Corporate Governance monitors governance guidelines .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Option Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46,629 | 331,524 | 378,153 |
Director Compensation Program – Cash Retainers:
| Role | Annual Cash Retainer ($) |
|---|---|
| Non‑employee director | 40,000 |
| Board Chair | 30,000 |
| Audit Chair | 15,000 |
| Audit Member (non‑chair) | 7,500 |
| Compensation Chair | 10,000 |
| Compensation Member (non‑chair) | 5,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair | 9,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Member (non‑chair) | 4,500 |
Performance Compensation
Director Equity Program – Grant Mechanics:
| Equity Element | Quantity | Vesting | Caps/Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Option Grant | 50,000 shares (auto) | 1/36 monthly over 3 years | Fair value capped at ≤$800,000; reduced if exceeded; full vesting on change‑in‑control |
| Annual Option Grant | 25,000 shares (auto) | Vests in full by next annual meeting or 1‑year anniversary, whichever earlier | Fair value capped at ≤$400,000; reduced if exceeded; full vesting on change‑in‑control |
Director’s Outstanding Equity (year‑end counts):
| As of Dec 31, 2024 | Shares Underlying Option Awards | Stock Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Reid Huber | 48,742 | — |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Third Rock Ventures affiliated purchases in CRGX financings and IPO; Huber designated to the CRGX board by Third Rock Ventures at IPO stage, indicating an investor‑affiliated seat historically .
- Investors’ rights and voting agreements related to pre‑IPO preferred stock terminated upon the November 2023 IPO, reducing ongoing control features .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Scientific leadership: Former CSO at Incyte; deep oncology/biopharma R&D expertise .
- Academic credentials: Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics (Washington University School of Medicine); NIH pre/post‑doctoral fellowships .
- Board/venture experience: Partner at TRV; multiple biotech board roles; governance familiarity .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Snapshot (Record Date: Apr 15, 2025) | Outstanding Shares Owned | Shares Exercisable Within 60 Days | Total Beneficial Ownership | % of Shares Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reid Huber | — | 36,936 | 36,936 | <1% |
Policy Controls:
- Insider Trading Policy prohibits short sales, derivatives, hedging, and pledging of company stock for covered individuals, including directors .
- Clawback: SEC/Nasdaq‑compliant policy to recover incentive‑based compensation upon financial restatements (applies to executive officers; directors are covered by insider trading restrictions) .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment and independence: Huber is board‑affirmed independent; currently serves on Nominating & Corporate Governance, which is fully independent; no family relationships; independent executive sessions occur—positive for board oversight .
- Engagement: Board and committees met regularly in 2024; at least 75% attendance in 2025 YTD—adequate engagement signal .
- Pay structure: Director compensation mixes modest cash with option‑based equity; Huber’s 2024 mix ($46.6k cash, $331.5k option grant) aligns director incentives to long‑term equity without meeting fees—standard for biotech boards .
- Ownership: Huber’s beneficial ownership is <1% with 36,936 options exercisable within 60 days; while absolute ownership is low, equity grants and hedging/pledging prohibitions support alignment and reduce risk of misaligned incentives .
- Committee interlocks and conflicts: Huber served on the Compensation Committee early in 2024 but stepped off when Henderson joined in June 2024—reduces potential perception of investor‑affiliated influence over pay decisions . Related‑party oversight resides with Audit Committee; prior investor control agreements were terminated at IPO—mitigating structural conflicts .
- Shareholder support: In the June 4, 2024 meeting, Huber received 24,730,659 votes for vs. 561,078 withheld—high support for his directorship .
RED FLAGS and Mitigants:
- RED FLAG: Venture affiliation—Partner at Third Rock Ventures, which invested in CRGX pre‑IPO and in the IPO; Huber was designated to the board by TRV. While common in biotech, it presents potential investor‑affiliation optics .
- Mitigants: Independence affirmed by board; related‑party transactions require Audit Committee review; prior voting/rights agreements terminated at IPO .
- No evidence of pledging/hedging by Huber; company policy prohibits both—reduces alignment risk .
- Attendance meets minimum threshold; no disclosed low attendance or meeting fee dependence .
Appendix: Election Results (Signal of Investor Support)
| Annual Meeting | Director | Votes For | Votes Withheld | Broker Non‑Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 4, 2024 | Reid Huber, Ph.D. | 24,730,659 | 561,078 | 788,788 |