Alexander Casdin
About Alexander W. Casdin
Alexander W. Casdin (age 57) has served as an independent director of Erasca since July 2018 and is Chair of the Audit Committee. He is designated the Audit Committee Financial Expert by the Board, and brings extensive biopharma finance experience. Education: B.A. in political science from Brown University and M.B.A. from Columbia Business School (Beta Gamma Sigma). He has been CEO and President of Epirium Bio Inc. since December 2024. Tenure on ERAS board: July 2018–present; Class II director, term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epirium Bio Inc. | CFO, COO; later CEO & President | CFO/COO: Oct 2020–Dec 2024; CEO & President: since Dec 2024 | Executive leadership in finance/operations; CEO stewardship |
| Reneo Capital Management LP | Founder, CEO & Portfolio Manager | Jan 2015–Oct 2020 | Healthcare investment expertise |
| Private Investor (Healthcare) | Private investor | Sep 2012–Dec 2014 | Sector investing experience |
| Sophiris Bio, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Oct 2011–Sep 2012 | Public company CFO experience |
| Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Vice President, Finance | Oct 2009–Oct 2011 | Biopharma finance leadership |
| Casdin Advisors LLC | Founder, Strategic Advisor | Prior to 2009 | Advisory to life sciences companies |
| Cooper Hill Partners, LLC | CEO & Portfolio Manager | Prior | Healthcare investment fund leadership |
| Pequot Capital; Dreyfus Corporation | Investment roles | Prior | Investment management experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status/Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epirium Bio Inc. | CEO & President | Since Dec 2024 | Biotech operating leadership |
| Ignyta, Inc. | Director | 2013–2018 | Public precision oncology company (acquired by Roche) |
| DUSA Pharmaceuticals Inc. | Director | 2009–2012 | Public urology/dermatology company |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Mr. Casdin is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules; all committee members are independent.
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair; members: Casdin (Chair), Hambleton, Liu; Casdin designated “Financial Expert.”
- Audit Committee activity: Met 4 times in 2024; oversees financial reporting, auditor independence, risk management including cybersecurity, and reviews/approves related party transactions.
- Board attendance: The Board met 6 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings.
- Board leadership: Chairman is CEO Jonathan Lim; Lead Independent Director is James A. Bristol (established 2023).
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024 Program) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (non-employee director) | $40,000 | Standard cash retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair retainer | $15,000 | Chair incremental fee |
| Total Fees Earned (Mr. Casdin, 2024) | $55,000 | Matches base + chair role |
| 2025 updates (for reference) | Committee chair/members increased: Comp ($12k/$6k), Nominating ($10k/$5k); Initial option grant increased to 240,000; Annual option grant increased to 120,000 | Program changes adopted Dec 2024 |
Performance Compensation
| Metric (2024) | Value | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Option awards (grant-date fair value) | $91,909 | Director equity compensation (options) |
| Election of cash retainer in options (incremental value) | $6,043 | Mr. Casdin elected to receive some/all retainers in options; incremental value over cash shown in total option awards |
| Options outstanding at 12/31/2024 (count) | 201,084 | Aggregate options held (exercisable + unexercisable) |
| Director equity grant terms | Initial 120,000 options; annual 60,000 options; vest at next annual meeting or 1st anniversary | Applies to non-employee directors under 2024 program |
Vesting and award structure align director incentives with shareholder outcomes; the program allows directors to elect options in lieu of cash, increasing equity alignment.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Type | Interlock/Overlap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ignyta, Inc. | Public | Casdin (Director, 2013–2018); Lim (Co-founder/CEO/Chairman, 2012–2018); Bristol (Director, 2014–2018) | Shared prior board/executive service; network ties in oncology |
| DUSA Pharmaceuticals Inc. | Public | Casdin (Director, 2009–2012) | Historical directorship |
Interlocks suggest a cohesive network among ERAS directors with prior collaboration at Ignyta, potentially enhancing board effectiveness and information flow while warranting standard independence oversight (all are currently independent at ERAS).
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial expertise: Designated Audit Committee Financial Expert; financial sophistication per Nasdaq rules.
- Biopharma finance and operations: Public company CFO (Sophiris), VP Finance (Amylin), investment leadership (Reneo, Cooper Hill).
- Governance and oversight: Audit chair responsibilities include auditor oversight, internal controls, related-party review, and cybersecurity risk oversight.
- Education: B.A. Brown; M.B.A. Columbia (Beta Gamma Sigma).
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Component (as of 4/15/2025) | Shares | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct common shares | 573,974 | <1% | Held by Mr. Casdin |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 153,116 | <1% | Vested/exercisable within 60 days |
| Spousal holdings | 93,750 | <1% | Held by Mr. Casdin’s spouse |
| Total beneficial ownership | 820,840 | <1% | Aggregate per SEC rules |
Policy prohibits pledging/hedging of company stock for directors and officers, reducing alignment risk from collateralization or derivatives.
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director and Audit Chair with formal “financial expert” designation; strong oversight of financial reporting, auditor independence, and cybersecurity risk.
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 6 times in 2024; all directors met ≥75% attendance; Audit Committee met 4 times.
- Ownership alignment: Election to receive retainers in options and meaningful outstanding option position; clear prohibition on pledging/hedging.
- Related-party oversight: Audit Committee reviews and approves related-person transactions under a formal policy.
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Potential Watch Items
- External CEO role at Epirium Bio (since Dec 2024) adds time-commitment complexity; no related-party transactions disclosed involving Mr. Casdin, but continued monitoring for overlap or conflicts is prudent.
- Board interlocks at Ignyta with other ERAS directors may concentrate networks; independence affirmed by the Board, but ongoing vigilance is appropriate.
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RED FLAGS
- None disclosed regarding hedging/pledging, tax gross-ups, or related-party transactions involving Mr. Casdin in the reporting period. Company policies explicitly prohibit hedging/pledging and set procedures for review of related-person transactions.
Overall, Mr. Casdin’s profile is governance-positive for investors: independent audit leadership, robust financial credentials, and equity-linked compensation support alignment, with standard monitoring warranted for external operating role and network interlocks.