Christopher Haqq
Executive Vice President, Head of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer at Elicio Therapeutics
Executive
About Christopher Haqq
Christopher Haqq, M.D., Ph.D., age 59, is Executive Vice President, Head of Research & Development, and Chief Medical Officer at Elicio Therapeutics (ELTX), serving in the role since June 1, 2023; he previously held the same role at Former Elicio from October 2019 until the merger . He brings 20+ years of drug development leadership, including serving as EVP R&D and Chief Scientific Officer at Atara Biotherapeutics (2017–2019) and its first Chief Medical Officer (2012–2017), and as lead medical monitor for the pivotal Zytiga trial at Cougar Biotechnology (2007–2011); earlier roles include Amgen and Assistant Adjunct Professor in Hematology/Oncology at UCSF . Education: B.S. (Stanford), M.D. and Ph.D. (Harvard Medical School) . Executive compensation is structured around achievement of corporate and individual goals; specific financial performance metrics (e.g., TSR, revenue/EBITDA growth) are not enumerated in proxies .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atara Biotherapeutics | EVP R&D & Chief Scientific Officer | 2017–2019 | Led T‑cell immunotherapy programs, including Ebvallo; oversaw R&D |
| Atara Biotherapeutics | First Chief Medical Officer | 2012–2017 | Built clinical programs and medical organization |
| Cougar Biotechnology (acquired by J&J) | Lead Medical Monitor | 2007–2011 | Led pivotal trial resulting in Zytiga approval |
| Amgen | Drug development roles | Prior to 2007 | Clinical development responsibilities (biotech large cap) |
| UCSF (Hematology/Oncology) | Assistant Adjunct Professor | Prior to 2007 | Ran translational science laboratory |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consonance‑HFW Acquisition Corp. | Director | Nov 2020–Apr 2021 | SPAC board oversight |
| Private real estate rental company | Board member | Jul 2019–Jul 2022 | Oversight of private operating entity |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 (set) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $488,276 | $507,807 | $528,100 (effective Jan 1, 2025) |
| Target Bonus (% of Base) | 40% | 40% | 40% |
| Actual Bonus Paid ($) | $185,545 (paid Mar 2024) | $213,280 (paid Feb 2025) | N/A (2025 bonus not disclosed) |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive | Metric(s) | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout Timing | Vesting/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2023 Annual Bonus | Corporate and individual goals (not itemized) | Not disclosed | 40% of base | 90% of target; $185,545 | March 2024 | Discretionary based on pre‑established criteria |
| FY 2024 Annual Bonus | Corporate and individual goals (not itemized) | Not disclosed | 40% of base | 105% of target; $213,280 | February 2025 | Discretionary based on pre‑established criteria |
Equity Awards and Vesting
| Grant Date | Instrument | Shares | Exercise Price | Vesting Schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2022 | Stock Option | 9,050 (converted) | $13.81 | 25% at 1‑yr; then monthly over 36 months | Outstanding at 12/31/2024: 794 exercisable / 2,826 unexercisable |
| Nov 28, 2022 | Stock Option | 99,891 (converted) | $3.86 | Monthly over 36 months | Outstanding at 12/31/2024: 69,375 exercisable / 30,516 unexercisable |
| Feb 1, 2024 | Stock Option | 28,200 | $4.50 | 25% at 1‑yr; then monthly over 36 months | First tranche vests Feb 1, 2025 |
| Sep 30, 2024 | Stock Option | 28,200 | $5.03 | 50% at 1‑yr; 50% at 2‑yr | Tranches vest Sep 30, 2025 and Sep 30, 2026 |
| Feb 2025 | Stock Option | 44,000 | Not disclosed | 25% at 1‑yr; then monthly over 36 months | First tranche vests Feb 2026 |
| Oct 2019 | RSUs | Initial grant; share count not disclosed | N/A | Accelerated and vested in full at merger closing | Settled in common stock immediately prior to merger |
Outstanding equity at FY2024 year-end:
| Award | Exercisable (#) | Unexercisable (#) | Exercise Price | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option (3/31/2022) | 794 | 2,826 | $13.81 | 3/31/2032 |
| Option (11/28/2022) | 69,375 | 30,516 | $3.86 | 11/28/2032 |
| Option (2/1/2024) | — | 28,200 | $4.50 | 2/1/2034 |
| Option (9/30/2024) | — | 28,200 | $5.03 | 9/30/2034 |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Direct shares owned (as of Mar 24, 2025) | 31,981 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days (as of Mar 24, 2025) | 83,921 |
| Total beneficial ownership | 115,902 |
| Shares outstanding (record date Mar 24, 2025) | 15,936,461 |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | ~0.73% (115,902 / 15,936,461) |
| Pledging/Hedging policy | Company policy prohibits pledging, margin accounts, short sales, options, and hedging transactions for employees and directors |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Not disclosed in proxy |
Employment Terms
- Employment start: EVP, Head of R&D and CMO at Former Elicio in Oct 2019; continues in same role at ELTX since June 1, 2023 .
- Apartment allowance: Annual allowance for rental/purchase of an apartment near headquarters; taxable; per offer letter .
- Severance (non‑CIC): If terminated without cause, cash severance equal to 9 months of base salary; health benefits continuation during severance period .
- Severance (Change‑in‑Control period): If terminated without cause or resigns for good reason during CIC period, lump sum equal to 12 months of base salary plus current target bonus; health benefits continuation; full vesting of unvested equity awards .
- Clawback: Company adopted clawback policy compliant with SEC/Nasdaq to recover excess incentive compensation after an accounting restatement .
- Insider trading controls: Pre‑clearance, blackout windows, prohibition of short‑term/speculative transactions and publicly traded derivatives; director/officer transactions subject to policy .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Pay mix includes meaningful multi‑year option grants with 4‑year and 2‑year vesting, tying value realization to stock performance; annual cash incentives reference corporate and individual goals, but specific financial KPIs are not disclosed, limiting visibility into pay‑for‑performance rigor .
- Retention: Severance plan provides 9 months base pay if terminated without cause and enhanced 12 months base plus target bonus and full equity acceleration in CIC scenarios, reducing voluntary departure risk but creating standard CIC protection economics common in biotech .
- Ownership: Beneficial ownership is <1% (~0.73%), suggesting modest direct “skin‑in‑the‑game”; however, sizable outstanding options and scheduled vesting provide ongoing retention hooks and potential upside alignment .
- Governance/controls: Robust clawback and insider trading policies (no pledging/hedging) mitigate misalignment and trading‑related risks for insiders .