Abhinav Shukla
About Abhinav Shukla
Abhinav Shukla, Ph.D., is Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Shattuck Labs (STTK), serving since June 2021; age 52 as of May 21, 2025 . He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an undergraduate degree from IIT Delhi . His remit has included building technical operations and manufacturing capabilities; 2022 corporate bonus payouts for NEOs were based on clinical milestones for SL-279252 and SL-172154, R&D progression, and manufacturing expansion, with performance assessed at 95% of target for the year . STTK prohibits executive hedging and has adopted a Rule 10D‑1 clawback policy for excess incentive-based compensation after restatements .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redpin Therapeutics | Chief Technical Operations Officer | Mar 2020 – Jun 2021 | Led process, analytical and formulation development and cGMP manufacturing |
| CRISPR Therapeutics AG | Vice President of Manufacturing | Apr 2019 – Nov 2019 | Senior leadership across manufacturing operations |
| Shire plc | Vice President & Head of Biologics Process Development | Jun 2018 – Apr 2019 | Led biologics process development |
| KBI Biopharma Inc. | Senior VP, Process Development & Manufacturing | Nov 2011 – Jun 2018 | Helped build foundation for contract process development and manufacturing business |
| Bristol‑Myers Squibb | Senior role commercializing biologics | 2006 – 2011 | Supported commercialization of multiple biologic therapies |
| Amgen Inc. | Senior technical role | 2000 – 2006 | Senior technical contributions in biopharma |
External Roles
- No current external public-company directorships disclosed for Dr. Shukla in STTK’s executive officer biographies .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Base Salary ($) | Target Bonus % of Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 406,000 | 40% | Target bonus amount $162,400 |
| 2023 (effective Jan 1) | 422,037 | 40% | Employment agreement at‑will; eligibility for annual performance bonus |
Performance Compensation
| Year | Program | Target Bonus ($) | Actual Payout ($) | Corporate Achievement | Key Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Annual Bonus | 162,400 | 154,280 | 95% of target | Clinical milestones for SL‑279252 and SL‑172154; R&D advancement; manufacturing expansion; BD objectives; individual performance considered |
2022 Equity Grants and Grant-Date Fair Value
| Year | Equity Type | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Stock Options | 466,048 | ASC 718 grant-date valuation; value realization depends on stock performance and vesting |
| 2022 | RSUs | 165,875 | ASC 718 grant-date valuation; vests in 4 annual installments |
Outstanding Equity Awards (as of Dec 31, 2022)
| Grant Date | Type | Exercisable (#) | Unexercisable (#) | Exercise Price ($) | Expiration | Unvested RSUs (#) | RSU Market Value ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/1/2021 | Stock Options | 30,000 | 50,000 | 27.57 | 6/1/2031 | — | — |
| 1/10/2022 | Stock Options | — | 89,300 | 7.43 | 1/10/2032 | — | — |
| 1/10/2022 | RSUs | — | — | — | — | 22,325 | 51,348 |
Vesting mechanics: options typically vest 25% at 1-year anniversary then equal installments over next 36 months; RSUs vest in four annual tranches, subject to continued service .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial Ownership and Selling Activity (S‑3 Registration, Sept 18, 2025)
| Holder | Shares Owned Pre‑Offering | % Outstanding | Shares to be Sold | Shares Owned Post‑Offering | % Outstanding | Composition Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhinav Shukla, Ph.D. | 270,444 | <1% | 10,244 | 260,200 | <1% | 32,435 common; 227,765 options exercisable within 60 days; 5,122 common purchased; 5,122 shares issuable upon common warrants purchased |
- Plan of distribution permits selling by stockholders and their donees, pledgees, transferees or successors‑in‑interest at market or negotiated prices .
- Insider trading policy prohibits hedging, short sales, and trading in publicly traded options on Company securities; policy designed to promote compliance with insider trading laws . Pledging restrictions are not disclosed in cited materials.
Employment Terms
| Term | Base Case (No Change‑in‑Control) | Change‑in‑Control (Double Trigger: 30 days before to 12 months after) |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Status | At‑will; either party may terminate; 30 days’ notice by executive | Same |
| Cash Severance | 1x annual base salary | 1.5x multiplier applied to both annual base salary and target annual bonus |
| Bonus Treatment | Earned but unpaid prior‑year bonus; pro‑rata current‑year bonus based on actual performance | Same, subject to multiplier application |
| Equity Vesting | Accelerated vesting of all unvested equity awards granted on or prior to Dec 1, 2020 (performance awards at target) | Full acceleration of all outstanding equity awards regardless of grant date |
| COBRA Premiums | Up to 12 months | Up to 18 months |
| Definitions | Good Reason: nonpayment/reduction of salary/bonus, title/duty diminution, relocation >25 miles (with cure right) . Cause: felony or crime of moral turpitude, willful misconduct, fraud, material breach . Change‑in‑Control: >50% voting stock change; asset transfer; merger/reorg unless pre‑deal holders retain >50% voting . | |
| 280G Treatment | Best‑net cutback: receive either full payments or cut to $1 below 3x “base amount,” whichever yields greater after‑tax outcome; no tax gross‑ups | |
| Clawback | Rule 10D‑1 compliant clawback for excess incentive‑based compensation over prior 3 fiscal years upon restatement | |
| Hedging/Short Sales | Prohibited for employees, officers, directors and consultants (short‑term trading, short sales, publicly traded options, hedging) |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: 2022 bonus paid at 95% of target with defined clinical/manufacturing KPIs, indicating linkage of cash incentives to execution milestones; target bonus set at 40% of salary under employment agreement . Equity compensation includes options and RSUs with multi‑year vesting, aligning wealth with sustained performance .
- Retention and severance economics: Base severance at 1x salary with pro‑rata bonus and COBRA; double‑trigger CIC elevates cash to 1.5x salary+target bonus with full equity acceleration—attractive in sale scenarios, potentially increasing change‑of‑control payout sensitivity .
- Insider selling pressure/ownership: As of Sept 2025, Shukla’s beneficial ownership is <1% with a small sale of 10,244 shares under an S‑3 (remaining 260,200 shares including options/warrants), suggesting limited direct selling pressure from his holdings .
- Governance risk mitigants: No tax gross‑ups (280G best‑net cutback) and a Rule 10D‑1 clawback reduce shareholder-unfriendly features; anti‑hedging policy strengthens alignment. Pledging restrictions are not disclosed, representing a diligence point for potential collateralization risk .