Vincent Aurentz
Inhibikase TherapeuticsAbout Vincent Aurentz
Vincent Aurentz, age 57, is an independent, non-employee director of Inhibikase Therapeutics (IKT) who joined the board in February 2025. He serves on the Audit Committee and the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee; he is not a committee chair. He holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Villanova University and brings extensive biopharma business development and corporate strategy leadership from roles at Arena Pharmaceuticals, Epirus, HemoShear, Merck KGaA/Merck Serono, Quintiles, and consulting firms.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arena Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Pfizer) | EVP & Chief Business Officer | Aug 2016 – Mar 2022 | Led BD and portfolio strategy during late-stage development and company sale to Pfizer |
| Epirus Biopharmaceuticals | Chief Business Officer | Nov 2015 – Aug 2016 | CBO during later stage of company operations |
| HemoShear Therapeutics, LLC | President; Director | Jul 2013 – Nov 2015 | Ran operations and strategy at preclinical platform company |
| Merck KGaA / Merck Serono S.A. | Executive VP; Executive Management Board member (Merck Serono) | ~2004 – ~2013 (nearly a decade) | Directed R&D programs, portfolio strategy, deals & ventures |
| Quintiles (now IQVIA) | Executive Vice President | Prior to Merck KGaA tenure | Global life sciences services leadership |
| CSC Healthcare (Computer Sciences Corp.) | Partner | Prior to Quintiles | Strategy consulting for life sciences |
| Andersen Consulting (Accenture) | Consultant | Early career (8 years) | Systems/process and strategy consulting |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward Therapeutics, Inc. (biopharma) | Director | Since Dec 2024 | Private company board service |
| Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (public until acquisition) | Director | Aug 2016 – Dec 2024 | Company acquired by Lundbeck A/S in Dec 2024 |
Board Governance
- Classification/term: Aurentz is a Class I director; Class I terms expire at the 2027 annual meeting. The board is staggered across three classes.
- Independence: The board determined all non-employee directors, including Aurentz, are independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules; only the CEO (Iwicki) is not independent.
- Committee assignments:
- Audit Committee member (Chair: Arvind Kush; members: Kush, Aurentz, Berman). Responsibilities include auditor appointment, pre-approval, review of financials and controls, related-party oversight, and risk oversight.
- Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee member (Chair: Roberto Bellini; members: Bellini, Canner, Aurentz). Responsibilities include board/committee composition, director nominations, governance practices, and board evaluations.
- Attendance context: The board held 16 meetings in 2024; every then-serving director attended at least 75% of board and applicable committee meetings. (Aurentz joined in 2025.)
- Related-party transactions: The company reports no related-party transactions since Jan 1, 2023 involving directors, officers, 5% holders, or their immediate family members.
Fixed Compensation
Policy-effective cash retainers for non-employee directors (as of Jan 1, 2025):
| Component | Amount (USD) | Basis/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer | $60,000 | For all non-employee directors |
| Audit Committee Member (non-chair) | $12,000 | Additional, for members (Chair receives $24,000) |
| Corporate Governance & Nominating Member (non-chair) | $6,000 | Additional, for members (Chair receives $12,000) |
| Total expected retainer for Aurentz (roles held) | $78,000 | Sum of board+$12k audit member+$6k CGN member, paid quarterly in arrears |
Performance Compensation
- Director equity program: New non-employee directors are granted an initial stock option award to purchase 60,000 shares, vesting 50% on each of the first two anniversaries; ongoing annual option awards of 30,000 shares vest in full by the next annual meeting or one year, whichever is earlier. Vesting is contingent on continued board service.
- Performance metrics: No performance metrics are tied to director compensation (options are time-based under the program).
| Equity Metric | Program Detail |
|---|---|
| New Director Initial Option Grant | 60,000 options; 50% vest at each of first two anniversaries |
| Annual Option Grant | 30,000 options; vests fully by next annual meeting or one year |
| Director Annual Equity Value Cap | Max grant-date fair value $750,000 per director per calendar year (plan limit) |
Note: The 10/9/2024 option repricing to $1.26 affected certain legacy director options and was approved by shareholders on 1/3/2025; Aurentz joined in 2025. Repricing of director options can be viewed as a governance risk by some investors.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Relationship | Detail | Governance Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Prior overlap with IKT Chair Amit Munshi | Both served at Arena Pharmaceuticals (Munshi CEO 2016–2022; Aurentz EVP/CBO 2016–2022) and overlapped at Epirus (Munshi CEO 2012–2016; Aurentz CBO 2015–2016). | Potential network interlock that may influence board dynamics; independence affirmed by board under Nasdaq/SEC standards. |
| External boards | Forward Therapeutics (current, private); Longboard Pharmaceuticals (public until Dec 2024 acquisition). | No disclosed conflicts with IKT; continue monitoring for related-party dealings (none reported). |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Core expertise: Corporate development, portfolio strategy, licensing/M&A, venture investments; executive leadership at global pharma and biotech (Merck Serono executive management board; Quintiles EVP).
- Audit oversight: Serves on Audit Committee; the committee’s designated financial expert is Chair Arvind Kush.
- Education: B.S. in Mathematics, Villanova University.
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (common shares) | 893,544 shares (held of record) |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | “*” (Company disclosure indicates less than 1%) |
| Vested/unvested/options detail | Not disclosed for Aurentz; line item reflects common shares held of record |
Shares outstanding at the 5/1/2025 record date were 74,341,540 (context for ownership percentages).
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent director with deep biopharma BD/strategy experience; sits on Audit and Governance committees, supporting board oversight in financial reporting and governance practices.
- Meaningful personal ownership of 893,544 shares indicates alignment (company table reports his % as less than 1%).
- No related-party transactions disclosed involving Aurentz; board independence affirmed under Nasdaq/SEC standards.
-
Watch items / potential RED FLAGS
- Option repricing: The board repriced outstanding director and executive options on 10/9/2024 (to $1.26), approved by shareholders on 1/3/2025. While pre-dating Aurentz’s appointment, option repricing for directors is often viewed as shareholder-unfriendly unless exceptionally justified.
- Classified board: IKT maintains a staggered board (Class I/II/III), which can entrench directors and delay changes favored by shareholders.
- Equity plan evergreen and extension: 2020 Plan amended to add a 4% annual “evergreen” and extend to 2035, increasing potential dilution; director annual equity value capped at $750,000. Monitoring share usage and burn rate is advisable.
- Interlocks: Prior close working relationships with the current Chair (Amit Munshi) at both Arena and Epirus; while independence is board-affirmed, investors may monitor for groupthink risks.
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Director compensation structure
- Cash: Expected ~$78,000 in annual retainers based on roles (board + audit member + governance member).
- Equity: Eligibility for standard director option program (initial 60,000; annual 30,000), time-based vesting; no performance metrics disclosed for directors.
No insider trading activity for Aurentz is disclosed in the proxy; related-party transaction review indicates none involving him since 1/1/2023.