Greg Pyszczymuka
Evoke PharmaAbout Greg Pyszczymuka
Independent Class I director at Evoke Pharma (EVOK), age 46, appointed February 20, 2025 with a term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting; the Board determined he is independent under Nasdaq rules . He is Chief Commercial Officer at Aytu Biopharma (Nasdaq: AYTU) since January 2022, and holds a B.S. from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. from Argosy University . Appointed pursuant to nominating rights granted to Nantahala Capital Management (investor nominee), he signed the company’s standard indemnification agreement .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neos Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NEOS) | VP, Commercial | Jun 2020–Mar 2021 | Commercial leadership through merger into Aytu |
| Aytu Biopharma | EVP, Commercial Operations | Mar 2021–Jan 2022 | Integration following Neos merger |
| Aqua Pharmaceuticals (Almirall) | Leadership roles (commercial) | Not disclosed | Sales/marketing experience |
| Iroko Pharmaceuticals | Leadership roles (commercial) | Not disclosed | Commercial operations |
| Zogenix | Leadership roles (commercial) | Not disclosed | Commercial strategy |
| Endo Pharmaceuticals | Leadership roles (commercial) | Not disclosed | Distribution/managed markets |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Start | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aytu Biopharma (AYTU) | Chief Commercial Officer | Jan 2022 | Public company operating role (not a directorship) |
Board Governance
- Board and committee independence: All directors other than the CEO are independent; Pyszczymuka was determined independent upon appointment .
- Committee assignments:
- Compensation Committee member; chair: Todd C. Brady, M.D., Ph.D.; members: Brady, Malcolm R. Hill, Pharm.D., Greg Pyszczymuka .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member; chair: Malcolm R. Hill, Pharm.D.; members: Hill, Kenneth J. Widder, M.D., Greg Pyszczymuka .
- Board meeting cadence and attendance baseline (pre-appointment): Board met 6 times in 2024; each director (serving in 2024) attended ≥75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; all board members attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Committee activity baseline (2024): Audit (4 meetings); Compensation (2 meetings); Nominating & Corporate Governance (0 meetings) .
Fixed Compensation
- Cash compensation: The company states he “will receive cash compensation for his service on the Board in accordance with the Company’s non‑employee director compensation program” (specific dollar retainer/fees not disclosed). In 2024 (before his appointment), directors voluntarily forewent all cash compensation .
- Indemnification: Entered standard form indemnification agreement for directors .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Vehicle | Grant Date | Shares/Options | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non‑employee director stock option | Feb 20, 2025 | 5,833 options | Vest in equal annual installments on each of the first three anniversaries of grant (Feb 20, 2026/2027/2028), subject to continued service | Granted on appointment under director program |
- Director equity program parameters (annual meeting grants): Each non‑employee director receives 1,000 option shares; audit chair +250; compensation chair +187; nom/gov chair +125; audit committee members +125; compensation committee members +93; nom/gov committee members +62; all annual grants vest on the first anniversary of grant .
- Option repricing/cancellations: In Nov 2024, non‑employee directors voluntarily cancelled 15,785 out‑of‑the‑money options (exercise prices $25.44–$925.92); this predates Pyszczymuka’s appointment .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | No other public company directorships disclosed . |
- Appointment via investor nominating rights: He was appointed pursuant to a letter agreement granting nominating rights to Nantahala Capital Management, LLC (a significant EVOK investor). The Board affirmed his independence and disclosed no Item 404(a) related‑party transactions involving him .
Expertise & Qualifications
- 20+ years of commercial leadership spanning sales, marketing, operations, managed markets, distribution, and new product planning; sector experience across specialty pharma and biotech .
- Academic credentials: B.S. Rutgers University; M.B.A. Argosy University .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Total Beneficial Shares | % Outstanding | Direct vs Indirect | Options (Exercisable) | Options (Unexercisable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Pyszczymuka | 0 | <1% | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 5,833 (appointment grant; vesting over 3 years) |
- Pledging/Hedging: No pledging disclosed; company maintains insider trading compliance policy .
- Ownership guidelines: Not disclosed in proxy .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths
- Independent director with deep commercial expertise relevant to EVOK’s commercialization priorities; active membership on Compensation and Nominating/Governance committees enhances board effectiveness .
- Transparent appointment via disclosed investor nominating rights, with explicit independence determination and no related‑party transactions under Item 404(a) .
- Equity‑based director pay aligns incentives; annual committee‑linked grants reinforce accountability in key governance functions .
- Watch items / potential conflicts
- Investor‑nominated director (Nantahala) can raise perceived alignment concerns; continued disclosure and performance on independent committees mitigates risk .
- Minimal current share ownership (beneficially 0) reduces “skin in the game”; option grants provide some alignment but are time‑based rather than performance‑based .
- Dual role as CCO at Aytu Biopharma may create time‑commitment considerations; no conflicts disclosed, but monitoring attendance/engagement in 2025–2026 advisable .
Summary: Appointment adds commercially savvy, independent oversight to EVOK’s board and key governance committees. The investor‑nominated pathway and low current share ownership warrant monitoring, but committee roles and option‑based compensation provide alignment signals, with no related‑party exposures disclosed to date .