Susan Moran
About Susan Moran
Susan Moran, M.D., M.S.C.E. (age 55) is an independent director of Tyra Biosciences and Chair of the Compensation Committee, serving since May 2024; she also sits on the Science and Technology Committee . She is a board-certified internist with extensive oncology drug development experience, previously CMO at RayzeBio (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in February 2024) and QED Therapeutics (led infigratinib to FDA approval as Truseltiq), and held senior clinical roles at Puma Biotechnology contributing to Nerlynx approval . Her education includes a B.A. from the University of Virginia, M.D. from Duke University, and M.S. in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; she has held academic appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Medical School .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| RayzeBio, Inc. | Chief Medical Officer | Jul 2021 – May 2024 | Company acquired by BMS in Feb 2024; led clinical development programs |
| QED Therapeutics, Inc. (BridgeBio affiliate) | Chief Medical Officer | Mar 2018 – Jun 2021 | Oversaw infigratinib development → FDA approval of Truseltiq |
| Puma Biotechnology, Inc. | Senior Medical Director → VP & Head of Clinical Development | 2014 – Feb 2018 | Contributed to approval of Nerlynx |
| University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine | Faculty (Medicine) | Prior roles | Academic appointment |
| Harvard Medical School | Faculty (Medicine) | Prior roles | Academic appointment |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioAtla, Inc. | Director | Dec 2020 | Current public company board |
| Crescent Biopharma, Inc. | Director | Nov 2024 | Current board role |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent under Nasdaq rules; Moran is independent .
- Committees: Chair—Compensation; Member—Science & Technology; not on Audit or Nominating .
- Attendance: In 2024 the Board met 6 times and each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings; most directors attended the 2024 annual meeting (one exception, not named) .
- Governance policies: Insider trading policy prohibits pledging, hedging, margin accounts, short sales, and derivatives on Company stock; executive clawback policy adopted Oct 2023 per Nasdaq standards .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Structure/Amount | 2024 Actual (Moran) | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | Increased to $40,000 effective May 2024 (from $35,000) | $32,527 fees earned in 2024 (prorated post-appointment) | Cash; paid over service period |
| Committee chair fee (Compensation) | $10,000 annually | Included in fees earned total | Cash |
| Committee membership fees | Compensation member $5,000; Science & Tech member $5,000 | Included in fees earned total | Cash |
| Initial option grant (directors) | 37,200 options upon election (increased from 29,000) | 37,200 options outstanding at 12/31/2024 | Vests over 3 years |
| Annual option grant (directors) | 18,600 options annually (increased from 14,500) | N/A in 2024 (joined mid-year) | Vests monthly over ~12 months; accelerates at next annual meeting if earlier |
| Director option award valuation (2024) | FASB ASC 718 grant-date fair value | $514,279 option awards in 2024 | Exercise price = closing price on grant date; change-in-control vesting per policy |
Performance Compensation
| Metric Type | Target/Structure | Actual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance-based metrics tied to director pay | None disclosed; director compensation comprises cash retainers and time-based options | N/A | No TSR/operational/ESG metrics for director compensation disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to TYRA | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BioAtla, Inc. | External board | No TYRA-related transactions disclosed with BioAtla in related-party section |
| Crescent Biopharma, Inc. | External board | No TYRA-related transactions disclosed with Crescent in related-party section |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Clinical development leader across oncology with multiple FDA approvals (Truseltiq, Nerlynx) and broad post-marketing support exposure .
- Board-certified internist; academic experience at leading institutions (UPenn and Harvard) .
- Education: B.A. University of Virginia; M.D. Duke; M.S. in Clinical Epidemiology University of Pennsylvania .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Date/Status |
|---|---|---|
| Options outstanding | 37,200 options | As of 12/31/2024 |
| Beneficial ownership (exercisable within 60 days) | 12,400 shares via options | As of 3/31/2025; <1% of outstanding |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Prohibited by Company policy | Policy prohibits pledging/hedging/margin usage |
Insider Trades
| Person | 2024 Section 16 Compliance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Susan Moran | No delinquent filings reported | Company disclosed one late Form 4 for a different director (Kaplan); otherwise compliant |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with relevant clinical development expertise; chairs Compensation and serves on Science & Technology, aligning skills with committee oversight .
- Compensation Committee uses independent consultant Aon; independence affirmed with no conflicts, and committee met 4 times in 2024; no interlocks/insider participation reported .
- Attendance robust (≥75% threshold met), and governance policies prohibit pledging/hedging; clawback policy in place .
- Ownership alignment via time-based option grants; beneficial ownership reported and within policy boundaries .
- Potential watch items:
- Multiple external board seats (BioAtla, Crescent) increase time commitments; monitor attendance and committee effectiveness given added workload—no specific concerns disclosed in 2024 .
- No director stock ownership guidelines disclosed in proxy; investors may prefer explicit director ownership minimums—none cited here .
- Conflicts/related-party:
- No related-party transactions involving Moran disclosed; related financings involved other investors and directors but not Moran .