Arthur Levin
About Arthur A. Levin
Arthur A. Levin, Ph.D., is a Class II director of Avidity Biosciences (RNA), serving on the board since February 2023; he is not independent under Nasdaq rules due to his recent employment with the company . He previously served as Distinguished Scientist and Strategic Leader (Feb 2023–Dec 2024), Chief Scientific Officer (Oct 2019–Feb 2023), and EVP R&D (Oct 2013–Oct 2019) . Levin holds a Ph.D. in Toxicology from the University of Rochester and a B.S. in Biology from Muhlenberg College; his career includes senior roles at miRagen Therapeutics, Santaris Pharma, and Ionis Pharmaceuticals . As of April 2025, his beneficial ownership was 415,361 shares (<1%), reflecting continued equity alignment .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avidity Biosciences | EVP, Research & Development | Oct 2013–Oct 2019 | Led R&D; extensive oligonucleotide development |
| Avidity Biosciences | Chief Scientific Officer | Oct 2019–Feb 2023 | Senior R&D leadership |
| Avidity Biosciences | Distinguished Scientist & Strategic Leader | Feb 2023–Dec 2024 | Strategic scientific advisory |
| miRagen Therapeutics | Executive Vice President | Apr 2012–Jan 2014 | Drug development leadership |
| Santaris Pharma A/S Corp. | Senior management positions | Prior to 2012 | Oligonucleotide development |
| Ionis Pharmaceuticals | Senior management positions | Prior to 2012 | RNA therapeutics development |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stoke Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Since Sep 2015 | Board-level oversight; industry interlock potential |
Board Governance
- Independence: Not independent (Board determined only Ms. Boyce and Dr. Levin are non-independent) .
- Committee assignments: No current committee membership or chair roles listed for Levin in 2024–2025 committee charts .
- Board meeting attendance: Each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings in 2024 .
- Annual meeting attendance: 8 of 9 directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Years of service: Director since February 2023; Class II term nominated to expire at 2028 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Terms |
|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer (non-Chair) | $50,000 (2025 NED Program) |
| Board Chair annual cash retainer | $85,000 (2025 NED Program) |
| Audit Chair | $20,000 (annual) |
| Human Capital Management Chair | $15,000 (annual) |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair | $10,000 (annual) |
| Audit Committee member | $10,000 (annual) |
| Human Capital Management Committee member | $7,500 (annual) |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member | $5,000 (annual) |
| 2024 director compensation | Levin did not receive additional director compensation while a non-executive employee; eligible under the 2025 NED program beginning 2025 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | Grant Value | Vesting | Change-of-Control Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial director option award | $375,000 Black-Scholes value | Monthly over 3 years; service-based | All director equity vests upon CoC |
| Initial director RSU award | $375,000 value (price-based) | Annual over 3 years; service-based | All director equity vests upon CoC |
| Annual director option award | $225,000 Black-Scholes value | Vests at 1-year or next annual meeting; service-based | All director equity vests upon CoC |
| Annual director RSU award | $225,000 value (price-based) | Vests at 1-year or next annual meeting; service-based | All director equity vests upon CoC |
Note: No director-specific performance metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) are tied to director equity; awards vest time-based with single-trigger CoC acceleration .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Stoke Therapeutics director since 2015; Edward M. Kaye (RNA Class III director) served as Stoke CEO (2017–Mar 2025) and director since 2017, creating an interlock that could influence information flow across boards .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Toxicology (University of Rochester); B.S. in Biology (Muhlenberg College) .
- Three decades of drug development experience including oligonucleotides; senior roles at Ionis, Santaris, miRagen .
- Board experience at Stoke Therapeutics (RNA therapeutics peer) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 529,673 | 453,118 | 488,983 | 415,361 |
| Ownership (%) | 1.1% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging, short sales, margin purchases, and pledging by directors; an exception was granted to another director (Dr. Wilson) for pledged shares; no pledging disclosed for Levin .
Employment & Contracts (transition details relevant to conflicts)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employment status | Distinguished Scientist & Strategic Leader (Feb 2023–Dec 31, 2024) |
| Base salary (2024) | $260,000 |
| Discretionary bonus (2024) | $50,000 |
| Other 2024 benefits | Life insurance $1,291; 401(k) match $13,800; WFH stipend $1,800 |
| Employee option grant | 13,489 options on June 13, 2024; vest on first anniversary or next annual meeting; service-based |
| Severance | Not entitled to severance under agreement |
| Equity CoC treatment | Outstanding equity eligible for acceleration upon change of control (as defined in the 2020 Plan) |
| Transition to director compensation | Eligible under 2025 NED Compensation Program as a non-employee director from 2025 onward |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Independence: Not independent as of 2025 due to recent employment (under Nasdaq 3-year cooling-off), which can affect perceived board oversight of management .
- Single-trigger CoC equity acceleration for directors: All NED equity vests upon change of control, which can be shareholder-sensitive; note this is disclosed as policy .
- Section 16 compliance: Levin filed a late Form 4 for August 2022 option exercises and sales; administrative oversight noted .
- Related party exposure: Employment arrangement overlapped with board service through Dec 31, 2024; no severance; equity eligible for CoC acceleration; no other related-party transactions involving Levin disclosed .
Compensation Peer Group & Shareholder Feedback (context)
- Compensation peer group for 2024 includes Stoke Therapeutics among 20 biopharma peers, indicating market benchmarking alignment and potential network ties .
- Say-on-pay (2024) received ~98.5% approval, signaling broad investor support for compensation framework and governance practices .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Levin brings deep RNA/oligonucleotide development expertise and historical continuity at Avidity, beneficial for clinical strategy oversight .
- Independence/committees: Non-independent status and no committee roles reduce formal governance leverage; may warrant monitoring until independence threshold lapses .
- Engagement: Met attendance requirements; broad board participation at annual meeting supports engagement norms .
- Alignment: Material personal shareholdings (<1%) and eligibility for standard NED equity from 2025 provide ongoing alignment; hedging/pledging prohibitions strengthen alignment (no Levin pledging disclosed) .
- Conflicts: Prior employment while on board and CoC equity acceleration are disclosed; no related-party transactions beyond employment terms .
- External interlocks: Stoke Therapeutics overlap with another RNA director (Kaye) enhances network information flow; monitor for conflicts in overlapping strategic domains .