John Lewicki
About John Lewicki
Dr. John Lewicki, age 73, serves as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Mereo BioPharma, a role he has held since July 2020, following senior leadership roles at OncoMed Pharmaceuticals and Scios Inc. He earned a PhD from the University of California, San Diego, has co-authored over 80 papers and is co-inventor on over 30 issued U.S. patents, including the co-discovery of BNP leading to Natrecor approval; he previously served as President/CEO and a board member at OncoMed in 2018–2019 and held VP of Research at Scios . Company performance context during his tenure: pay-versus-performance shows TSR rising and net losses increasing as pipeline investment continued .
Company performance during Lewicki’s tenure:
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Value of $100 TSR | $308.00 | $466.67 |
| Net Loss ($USD '000) | $29,466 | $43,253 |
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| OncoMed Pharmaceuticals | President & CEO; Board Member | Mar 2018–Apr 2019 | Led oncology R&D; transitioned programs into Mereo via merger |
| OncoMed Pharmaceuticals | EVP, Research & Development | 2016 | Oversaw portfolio and development execution |
| OncoMed Pharmaceuticals | Executive VP & Chief Scientific Officer | 2009 | CSO leadership in translational and clinical biomarker programs |
| OncoMed Pharmaceuticals | SVP, Research & Development | 2004 | Built R&D capabilities; advanced etigilimab (anti-TIGIT) |
| Scios Inc. | Vice President of Research | Not disclosed | Co-discovery of BNP; contributed to Natrecor approval |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| OncoMed Pharmaceuticals | Board Member | Mar 2018–Apr 2019 | Governance and CEO leadership during pre-merger period |
Fixed Compensation
- Employment agreement (Mereo) established an initial annual base salary of $216,000 upon his July 1, 2020 start and eligibility for a discretionary performance-based annual bonus; current salary updates are not disclosed in 2024/2025 proxies .
- Cash bonus framework exists company-wide; specifics for Lewicki’s targets and payouts are not individually disclosed .
| Component | 2020 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($USD) | $216,000 | Set at start of employment (July 1, 2020) |
| Target Bonus (%) | — | Eligible for discretionary performance-based bonus; percent not disclosed |
| Actual Bonus Paid | — | Not disclosed for Lewicki in proxies |
Performance Compensation
- Company annual bonus mechanics: measured against company-wide targets (pipeline milestones, manufacturing/clinical/compliance, finance/business development, IP) and personal objectives; detailed metrics/weightings/payouts are considered commercially sensitive and not disclosed for individual executives .
- Equity incentive framework: Mereo favors stock options with four-year vesting to align executives with shareholders; Lewicki’s individual grant details are not disclosed in the 2024/2025 proxy tables .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | Not individually disclosed for Lewicki in 2024/2025 proxies | NEOs and Directors table omits CSO; only CEO/GC/CFO listed among executives |
| Hedging/pledging of company stock | Prohibited by Insider Trading Policy for officers/directors/employees | Policy bans speculative trading and hedging/short sale transactions |
| Equity award vesting for Lewicki | Accelerated vesting upon covered termination post-change-in-control (Mereo employment agreement) | Employment terms state accelerated vesting and payments in such scenarios |
Employment Terms
- Start date and role: Appointed CSO on July 1, 2020; serves as an executive officer of Mereo .
- Termination & restrictive covenants (Mereo): Either party can terminate at any time, with or without cause; non-solicitation of key employees for one year following termination .
- Change-of-control (Mereo): Employment agreement provides for accelerated vesting of share options and payments upon a covered termination following a change in control; multiples are not disclosed in the proxies .
- Historical change-of-control economics (OncoMed, pre-merger): Double-trigger severance of 24 months base salary and 24 months target bonus, up to 24 months healthcare, and 100% equity vesting acceleration; plus $50,000 merger-related performance bonus contingent on net cash threshold .
OncoMed golden parachute detail (for context):
| Component | Amount ($USD) |
|---|---|
| Cash (24 months base + 24 months target bonus) | $1,387,110 |
| Equity awards (accelerated vesting value) | $36,412 |
| Perquisites/benefits (healthcare coverage) | $61,729 |
| Other (merger performance bonus) | $50,000 |
| Total | $1,535,251 |
| Base salary severance component | $924,740 |
| Target bonus severance component | $462,370 |
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Company policy prohibits hedging/pledging; equity incentives are structured via options with multi-year vesting, supporting long-term alignment for executives like Lewicki .
- Retention and change-of-control risk: Current Mereo agreement includes accelerated vesting and payments upon change-of-control termination (details not fully disclosed), while historical OncoMed double-trigger terms were generous; investors should monitor any updated severance multiples in future filings .
- Execution track record: Lewicki’s scientific leadership includes co-discovery of BNP/Natrecor and advancing anti-TIGIT etigilimab; this deep R&D pedigree reduces execution risk in late-stage programs but does not guarantee commercialization outcomes .
- Trading signals and selling pressure: Individual Form 4 activity for Lewicki is not presented in the proxies; absence of pledging mitigates forced-sale risk, but investors should track future insider transaction filings around catalytic events .
Notes
- Executive-specific compensation and ownership figures for Dr. Lewicki are limited in the 2024/2025 DEF 14A; where not disclosed, items are omitted per your instruction .
- Historical (OncoMed) severance and golden parachute values are provided for context on prior compensation structures .