Maria Fardis
CRISPR TherapeuticsAbout Maria Fardis
Independent director of CRISPR Therapeutics AG since June 2022; age 57. Former CEO of Iovance Biotherapeutics (2016–2021), currently CEO of Lassen Therapeutics (since April 2023) and venture partner at Frazier Life Sciences (since 2021). Education: Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry (UC Berkeley), B.S. summa cum laude in Chemistry (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), M.B.A. (Golden Gate University). The Board has determined she is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lassen Therapeutics | Chief Executive Officer | Apr 2023–present | Biotech leadership; current operating role . |
| Frazier Life Sciences | Venture Partner | 2021–present | Investment and portfolio support . |
| Iovance Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: IOVA) | President & CEO; Director | Jun 2016–Jun 2021 | Led cell therapy development; public company board service . |
| Acerta Pharma B.V. | Chief Operating Officer | 2015–2016 | Clinical and operational leadership . |
| Pharmacyclics, Inc. | Chief of Oncology Operations & Alliances | 2011–2014 | Oncology program operations and partnerships . |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. | Medicinal Chemistry; project/portfolio management (increasingly senior roles) | 2001–2011 | Early-stage R&D and portfolio management . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lassen Therapeutics | CEO | Apr 2023–present | Operating role; private company . |
| Frazier Life Sciences | Venture Partner | 2021–present | Investor role . |
| Iovance Biotherapeutics | Director (prior) | 2016–2021 | Prior public board; no current public boards disclosed . |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Audit Committee chaired by John T. Greene; audit committee met 4 times in 2024 .
- Independence: Board determined Maria Fardis is independent under Nasdaq/SEC rules .
- Attendance: Board held 5 formal meetings in 2024; each director then in office attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings .
- Board leadership: CEO serves as Chair; Lead Independent Director is Douglas A. Treco, with explicit responsibilities including presiding over executive sessions and shareholder engagement .
| Governance Metric (2024) | Value |
|---|---|
| Board meetings held | 5 |
| Audit Committee meetings held | 4 |
| Director attendance threshold achieved | ≥75% (each director) |
| Independence status | Independent |
| Lead Independent Director | Douglas A. Treco |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash fees earned | $57,926 |
| Equity (option awards; grant-date fair value) | $409,680 |
| Total | $467,606 |
Director compensation policy (applicable to non-employee directors):
- Annual cash fee: $50,000 ($65,000 for Board chair) .
- Audit Committee: $10,000 member; $20,000 chair .
- Compensation Committee: $7,500 member; $15,000 chair .
- Nominating Committee: $5,000 member; $10,000 chair .
- Lead Independent Director stipend: $15,000 .
- Equity: initial option grant 26,000 shares at first election; annual option grant 13,000 shares; vesting monthly; exercise price = FMV; 10-year term; acceleration on death/disability/sale event .
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based director pay disclosed; equity awards are time-based stock options under the non-employee director policy .
| Equity Award Terms (Directors) | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial grant (new director) | Option to purchase 26,000 shares; monthly vesting over 3 years . |
| Annual grant (returning director) | Option to purchase 13,000 shares; 12 equal monthly vesting; vests fully by next AGM . |
| Exercise price | Fair market value on grant date; 10-year expiration . |
| Acceleration | Upon death, disability, or sale event . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Prior public board: Iovance Biotherapeutics (2016–2021) .
- No related person transactions disclosed involving Maria Fardis during 2024–2025; related-person section lists offerings and purchases by ARK, Capital Research, SR One (affiliated with another director) but none naming Fardis .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep scientific and development expertise (organic chemistry Ph.D.; extensive drug development across Gilead, Pharmacyclics, Acerta; CEO experience in cell therapy). Board cites strong scientific background and executive experience as qualifications for CRSP board service .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of Mar 15, 2025) | 49,333 shares (underlying options exercisable or RSUs vesting within 60 days); <1% of outstanding . |
| Options held (as of Dec 31, 2024) | Options to purchase 41,667 shares . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Company policy prohibits directors from hedging or pledging Company securities . |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; active Audit Committee membership; board and committee engagement levels; equity-heavy director pay aligns incentives; robust policies (no hedging/pledging; related-party review; clawback for executives) bolster investor alignment .
- Watch items: Concurrent external operating role (CEO at Lassen) and venture partner role at Frazier Life Sciences imply meaningful time commitments—monitor attendance and Audit Committee workload; Board reports ≥75% attendance across directors in 2024 . Not designated as an Audit Committee financial expert (Board designated Greene and Mahatme), suggesting reliance on committee peers for technical accounting oversight .
- Conflicts: No related-person transactions disclosed involving Fardis; policies require Audit Committee approval for any such transactions .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Fardis (no pledging/hedging, no related-party transactions, attendance threshold met). Continue monitoring for any future related-party interactions given external affiliations; none reported in the latest proxy .