Stanley R. Frankel, M.D.
About Stanley R. Frankel, M.D.
Stanley R. Frankel, M.D. is an independent Class II director at Precision BioSciences (DTIL), serving since April 2021; he is age 66 and chairs the Board’s Science & Technology Committee . A hematologist-oncologist with ~35 years of clinical and industry experience, he has led development programs for multiple FDA‑approved therapies in hematologic malignancies, and previously held senior roles at Celgene and Bristol‑Myers Squibb . He holds a B.A. in Applied Sciences (Biomechanics) from Harvard and an M.D. from Northwestern, with residency at Mount Sinai and fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering (Chief Fellow); he is a licensed physician and adjunct associate professor at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cytovia Therapeutics, Inc. | Chief Medical Officer | Apr 2021 – Oct 2022 | Led clinical R&D for multi‑specific NK cell engagers and iPSC‑derived NK therapeutics |
| Bristol‑Myers Squibb Co. | SVP, Global Drug Development, Cellular Therapy | Nov 2019 – Oct 2020 | Leadership in cellular therapy development |
| Celgene Corp. | Corporate VP, Head of Immuno‑Oncology & Cellular Therapy, Clinical R&D | Apr 2015 – Nov 2019 | Led IO and cell therapy clinical development; multiple FDA‑approved programs in heme malignancies |
| Amgen; Roche; Merck | Roles of increasing responsibility | Not disclosed | Senior R&D leadership across large biopharma |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Myeloid Therapeutics | Independent Director | Current per proxy |
| Advesya | Independent Director | Current per proxy |
| Adagene; Immunai; Sutro Biopharma; Deka Biosciences; cTRL Therapeutics; Chimeric Therapeutics | Scientific Advisory Board member | Current per proxy |
- No public company directorships are identified for Dr. Frankel in the proxy; Myeloid Therapeutics and Advesya are listed without public/private status .
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined Dr. Frankel is independent under Nasdaq rules |
| Committee assignments | Chair, Science & Technology Committee; not on Audit, Compensation, or Nominating & Governance |
| Committee activity | Science & Technology Committee met 6x in FY2024 |
| Board activity | Board met 7x in FY2024 |
| Attendance | Each incumbent director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings during their service in FY2024 |
| Executive sessions | Independent directors meet in executive session regularly |
Implications: As S&T Chair with deep cell/gene therapy expertise, Frankel is positioned to strengthen R&D oversight without compensation/audit conflicts. Independence and at‑least‑75% attendance support governance effectiveness .
Fixed Compensation (Director Fees)
| Component | DTIL Policy | Dr. Frankel 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non‑chair directors) | $40,000 | $40,000 (implied within fees) |
| Science & Technology Committee – Chair fee | $12,250 | $12,250 (implied within fees) |
| Meeting fees | Not specified (quarterly installments; no separate per‑meeting fee) | — |
| Total cash fees | — | $52,250 |
- Policy: Chair of Board $72,500; Committee member fees—Audit Chair $15,000 (members $7,500); Compensation Chair $12,250 (members $6,000); S&T Chair $12,250 (members $6,000); Nominating Chair $8,250 (members $4,500). Fees paid quarterly; initial/annual equity also provided (see below) .
Performance Compensation (Director Equity)
| Grant/Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2024 RSUs granted (non‑employee directors) | 9,826 RSUs to Dr. Frankel |
| 2024 grant date fair value | $129,998 |
| Vesting | Annual director RSUs vest in a single installment on the earlier of the day before the next annual meeting or the first anniversary of the grant |
| Change‑in‑control (director awards) | All unvested director stock options and RSUs vest in full upon a change in control |
| Performance metrics | None disclosed for director equity; time‑based RSUs |
Mix & alignment: In 2024 Dr. Frankel’s director compensation was equity‑heavy ($129,998 equity vs. $52,250 cash), consistent with alignment to shareholder outcomes .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Potential Interlock Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myeloid Therapeutics | Not disclosed (proxy) | Independent Director | No DTIL related‑party transaction disclosed – |
| Advesya | Not disclosed (proxy) | Independent Director | No DTIL related‑party transaction disclosed – |
- Additional affiliations (SAB): Adagene, Immunai, Sutro Biopharma, Deka Biosciences, cTRL Therapeutics, Chimeric Therapeutics . The proxy does not disclose any DTIL transactions with these entities nor any conflicts tied to Dr. Frankel –.
Expertise & Qualifications
| Area | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Clinical oncology and cell/gene therapy | Hematologist‑oncologist; led multiple FDA‑approved hematologic malignancy programs; senior IO/cell therapy leadership at Celgene/BMS |
| R&D governance | Chairs DTIL’s Science & Technology Committee overseeing R&D strategy, IP, KPIs, and risk management |
| Academic credentials | B.A. Harvard (Applied Sciences, Biomechanics); M.D. Northwestern; residency Mount Sinai; fellowship MSKCC (Chief Fellow); adjunct associate professor at Columbia VP&S |
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (3/20/2025) | 11,593 shares (<1% of outstanding) – |
| Direct/common shares | 4,252 shares |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 7,341 shares |
| RSUs outstanding (12/31/2024) | 9,826 unvested RSUs (annual director grant) |
| Shares pledged | None disclosed; company prohibits hedging transactions in its Insider Trading Policy |
Note: Companywide anti‑hedging policy prohibits transactions that hedge or offset decreases in equity value; pledging is not specifically referenced in the excerpt, and no pledging is disclosed for Dr. Frankel –.
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent director with high‑relevance domain expertise (IO/cell therapy) leading the S&T Committee; attendance threshold met; board and committee cadence (7 board, 6 S&T meetings in 2024) indicates active oversight .
- Conflicts/related parties: Proxy discloses policies for related‑party review; no related‑party transactions involving Dr. Frankel are disclosed. He is not on the Audit or Compensation Committees, reducing pay/financial reporting conflict risk –.
- Compensation alignment: Director pay structure is equity‑weighted (annual RSUs) with change‑in‑control vesting; cash fees tied to role (S&T Chair). 2024 total: $182,248 ($52,250 cash; $129,998 equity) .
- Independence and engagement: Board affirmed independence; executive sessions of independent directors are held regularly, supporting robust independent oversight .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Dr. Frankel (no related‑party transactions, no attendance issues, not on compensation/audit). General note: Aon served both as independent compensation consultant and as D&O insurance broker in 2024 (potential optics), but this was evaluated and approved; not tied to Dr. Frankel individually .