DEF 14A
Table of Contents

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

Filed by the Registrant  ☒                             Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

Check the appropriate box:

 

  Preliminary Proxy Statement
  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
  Definitive Proxy Statement
  Definitive Additional Materials
  Soliciting Material Under Rule 14a-12

Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

  No fee required.
  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
  1)  

Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

 

     

  2)  

Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

 

     

  3)  

Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

 

     

  4)  

Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

 

     

  5)  

Total fee paid:

 

     

  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing:
  1)  

Amount previously paid:

 

     

  2)  

Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No:

 

     

  3)  

Filing party:

 

     

  4)  

Date Filed:

 

     

 

 

 


Table of Contents

LOGO

430 East 29th Street

New York, New York 10016

April 30, 2019

To Our Stockholders:

You are cordially invited to attend the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. to be held at 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at Apella, 450 East 29th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016.

Details regarding the meeting, the business to be conducted at the meeting, and information about Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. that you should consider when you vote your shares are described in the accompanying proxy statement.

At the annual meeting, three persons will be elected to our board of directors. In addition, we will ask stockholders to ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 and to approve the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this proxy statement. The board of directors recommends the approval of each of these proposals. Such other business will be transacted as may properly come before the annual meeting.

Under Securities and Exchange Commission rules that allow companies to furnish proxy materials to stockholders over the Internet, we have elected to deliver our proxy materials to the majority of our stockholders over the Internet. This delivery process allows us to provide stockholders with the information they need, while at the same time conserving natural resources and lowering the cost of delivery. On or about May 8, 2019, we intend to send to our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) containing instructions on how to access our proxy statement for our 2019 annual meeting of stockholders and our 2018 annual report to stockholders. The Notice also provides instructions on how to vote online or by telephone and how to receive a paper copy of the proxy materials by mail.

We hope you will be able to attend the annual meeting. Whether you plan to attend the annual meeting or not, it is important that you cast your vote either in person or by proxy. You may vote over the Internet as well as by telephone or by mail. When you have finished reading the proxy statement, you are urged to vote in accordance with the instructions set forth in the proxy statement. We encourage you to vote by proxy so that your shares will be represented and voted at the meeting, whether or not you can attend.

Thank you for your continued support of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. We look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.

Sincerely,

 

 

LOGO

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer


Table of Contents

LOGO

430 East 29th Street

New York, New York 10016

April 30, 2019

NOTICE OF 2019 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

TIME:

   10:00 a.m. local time

DATE:

   Tuesday, June 25, 2019

PLACE:

   Apella, 450 East 29th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10016
PURPOSES:   

 

1.

To elect three directors to serve three-year terms expiring in 2022;

 

2.

To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019;

 

3.

To approve by an advisory vote the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this proxy statement; and

 

4.

To transact such other business that is properly presented at the annual meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

WHO MAY VOTE:

You may vote if you were the record owner of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. common stock at the close of business on April 29, 2019. A list of stockholders of record will be available at the annual meeting and, during the 10 days prior to the annual meeting, at our principal executive offices located at 430 East 29th Street, New York, New York 10016.

All stockholders are cordially invited to attend the annual meeting. Whether you plan to attend the annual meeting or not, we urge you to vote by following the instructions in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials that you previously received and submit your proxy by the Internet, telephone or mail in order to ensure the presence of a quorum. You may change or revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted at the meeting.

 

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LOGO

Michael I. Halstead
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Important Information About The Annual Meeting And Voting

     5  

Security Ownership Of Certain Beneficial Owners And Management

     11  

Management And Corporate Governance

     14  

Compensation Discussion And Analysis

     22  

Compensation Committee Report

     36  

Risks Related To Compensation Practices And Policies

     37  

Executive Officer And Director Compensation

     38  

Equity Compensation Plan Information

     54  

Report Of Audit Committee

     55  

Section 16(A) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

     56  

Certain Relationships And Related Person Transactions

     57  

Proposal 1: Election of Three Class  3 Directors to Hold Office until the 2022 Annual Meeting

     59  

Proposal 2: Ratification Of Selection Of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     60  

Proposal 3: Advisory Vote On Approval Of Executive Compensation As Disclosed In This Proxy Statement

     62  

Code Of Conduct And Ethics

     63  

Other Matters

     64  

Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for Director

     64  

 

i


Table of Contents

INTRA-CELLULAR THERAPIES, INC.

430 East 29th Street

New York, NY 10016

PROXY STATEMENT FOR INTRA-CELLULAR THERAPIES, INC.

2019 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JUNE 25, 2019

This proxy statement, along with the accompanying notice of 2019 annual meeting of stockholders, contains information about the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., including any adjournments or postponements of the annual meeting. We are holding the annual meeting at 10:00 a.m., local time, on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at Apella, 450 East 29th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016.

In this proxy statement, we refer to Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. as “ITI,” “the Company,” “we” and “us.”

This proxy statement relates to the solicitation of proxies by our board of directors for use at the annual meeting.

On or about May 8, 2019, we intend to begin sending to our stockholders the Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials containing instructions on how to access our proxy statement for our 2019 annual meeting of stockholders and our 2018 annual report to stockholders.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 25, 2019

This proxy statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 are available for viewing, printing and downloading at www.envisionreports.com/ITCI if you are a holder of record (or www.edocumentview.com/ITCI if you hold your shares in street name). To view these materials please have your 12-digit control number(s) available that appears on your Notice or proxy card. On this website, you can also elect to receive future distributions of our proxy statements and annual reports to stockholders by electronic delivery.

Additionally, you can find a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which includes our financial statements, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, at www.sec.gov, or in the “Financials and Filings” section of the “Investors” section of our website at www.intracellulartherapies.com. You may also obtain a printed copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements, free of charge, from us by sending a written request to: Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016. Exhibits will be provided upon written request and payment of an appropriate processing fee.

 

1


Table of Contents

PROXY SUMMARY

This summary highlights information described in more detail elsewhere in this proxy statement and is provided for your convenience only. It does not contain all of the information that you should consider, and you should read the entire proxy statement carefully before voting or authorizing your proxy to vote for you.

Meeting Information

 

Time and Date:    10:00 a.m. local time, Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Place:    Apella, 450 East 29th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10016
Record Date:    April 29, 2019
Voting:    Each share of our common stock that you own entitles you to one vote

Voting Matters and Board Recommendations

 

Matter

 

Board Recommendation

1.   Election three directors to serve three-year terms expiring in 2022   FOR all nominees
2.   Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent auditors for 2019   FOR
3.   Non-binding vote on the compensation of our named executive officers   FOR

Business Overview

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and clinical development of innovative, small molecule drugs that address underserved medical needs primarily in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders by targeting intracellular signaling mechanisms within the central nervous system, or CNS. Lumateperone (also known as ITI-007) is our lead product candidate with mechanisms of action that, we believe, may represent an effective treatment across multiple therapeutic indications.

In our preclinical and clinical trials to date, lumateperone combines potent serotonin 5- HT2A receptor antagonism, dopamine receptor phosphoprotein modulation, or DPPM, glutamatergic modulation, and serotonin reuptake inhibition into a single drug candidate for the treatment of acute and residual schizophrenia and for the treatment of bipolar disorder, including bipolar depression. At dopamine D2 receptors, lumateperone has been demonstrated to have dual properties and to act as both a pre-synaptic partial agonist and a postsynaptic antagonist. Lumateperone has also been demonstrated to have affinity for dopamine D1 receptors and indirectly stimulate phosphorylation of glutamatergic NMDA GluN2B receptors in a mesolimbic specific manner. We believe that this regional selectivity in brain areas thought to mediate the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs, together with serotonergic, glutamatergic, and dopaminergic interactions, may result in efficacy for a broad array of symptoms associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with improved psychosocial function. The serotonin reuptake inhibition potentially allows for antidepressant activity in the treatment of schizoaffective disorder, other disorders with co-morbid depression, and/or as a stand-alone treatment for major depressive disorder, or MDD. We believe lumateperone may also be useful for the treatment of other psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, particularly behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, autism, and other CNS diseases.

We are also utilizing our phosphodiesterase (PDE) platform and other proprietary chemistry platforms to develop drugs for the treatment of CNS and other disorders. The lead molecule in our PDE1 portfolio, ITI-214, is in development for the treatment of symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease and for the treatment of heart failure.

 

2


Table of Contents

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, accepted for review our new drug application, or NDA, for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia, and assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, target action date of September 27, 2019. Lumateperone is also in Phase 3 clinical development as a novel treatment for bipolar depression.

Election of Directors

Please see page 14 of this proxy statement for additional information about our Board of Directors. Independence as noted below is determined by the Board of directors in accordance with the applicable Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards.

Director Nominees

 

Name

   Age    Independent?   Committee
Memberships
   Board
Recommendation

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

   66    No (CEO)   —      FOR

Rory B. Riggs

   66    Yes   AC, CC    FOR

Robert L. Van Nostrand

   62    Yes   AC    FOR

AC = Audit Committee

CC = Compensation Committee

Directors Continuing in Office

 

Name

   Age    Independent?    Committee
Memberships

Christopher Alafi, Ph.D.

   55    Yes    CC, NGC

Richard Lerner, M.D.

   80    Yes    AC, NGC

Joel S. Marcus

   71    Yes    CC, NGC

AC = Audit Committee

CC = Compensation Committee

NGC = Nominating and Governance Committee

Executive Compensation Highlights

Please see page 22 of this proxy statement for our Compensation Discussion and Analysis, which discusses our executive compensation program in detail. Our named executive officers for this proxy statement are:

 

   

Sharon Mates, Ph.D., our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

   

Lawrence J. Hineline, our Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

 

   

Michael I. Halstead, our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

   

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D., our Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer

 

   

Kimberly Vanover, Ph.D., our Senior Vice President, Early Stage Clinical Development and Translational Medicines

We are asking our stockholders to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers. Our Board of Directors recommends a FOR vote because we believe our compensation program aligns

 

3


Table of Contents

the interests of our named executive officers with those of our stockholders in both the short- and long-term. Although stockholder votes on executive compensation are non-binding, the Board of Directors and the compensation committee consider the results when reviewing whether changes should be made to our compensation program and policies. As discussed in more detail in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this proxy statement, recent changes to our compensation and governance practices include:

 

   

Introduction of performance-based equity awards;

 

   

Reduction in value of equity awards to align with stock price performance;

 

   

Enhanced disclosure with respect to the performance metrics evaluated by our compensation committee when determining annual bonuses;

 

   

Introduction of a new compensation peer group in 2017 based on new parameters that continued to apply in 2018; and

 

   

Appointment of a lead independent director.

We believe that our executive compensation program aligns the interests of our named executive officers with those of our stockholders in both the short- and long-term by, among other things, rewarding our management team based on both individual performance as well as Company performance. As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, our performance achievements are primarily related to specific strategic goals, including advancing our development programs, research function, clinical activities, pre-commercialization activities and certain corporate and financial goals, which we believe will create long-term value for stockholders.

Specifically, for 2018, our compensation committee took into account that, notwithstanding our meaningful accomplishments in 2018, our stock price declined in 2018 and in order to reinforce our commitment to align executive pay with the Company’s performance and the interests of our stockholders for near- and long-term performance, our compensation committee determined that it would reduce, or not increase in the case of Dr. Mates, the percentage of each named executive officer’s target bonus opportunity payable for 2018 performance. In addition, our compensation committee determined to reduce the aggregate grant date value of each named executive officer’s 2018 annual equity grant award, other than in the case of Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanover in recognition of their significant contributions in advancing our development programs, in particular with respect to our lead product candidate lumateperone.

 

4


Table of Contents

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING

Why is the Company Soliciting My Proxy?

Our board of directors is soliciting your proxy to vote at the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders to be held at Apella, 450 East 29th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016 on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. local time and any adjournments or postponements of the meeting, which we refer to as the annual meeting. The proxy statement, along with the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, summarizes the purposes of the meeting and the information you need to know to vote at the annual meeting.

We have made available to you on the Internet or have sent you this proxy statement, the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the proxy card and a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 because you owned shares of our common stock on the record date. We intend to commence distribution of the Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials, which we refer to throughout this proxy statement as the Notice, and, if applicable, proxy materials to stockholders on or about May 8, 2019.

Why Did I Receive a Notice in the Mail Regarding the Internet Availability of Proxy Materials Instead of a Full Set of Proxy Materials?

As permitted by the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, we may furnish our proxy materials to our stockholders by providing access to such documents on the Internet, rather than mailing printed copies of these materials to each stockholder. Most stockholders will not receive printed copies of the proxy materials unless they request them. We believe that this process should expedite stockholders’ receipt of proxy materials, lower the costs of the annual meeting and help to conserve natural resources. If you received a Notice by mail or electronically, you will not receive a printed or email copy of the proxy materials, unless you request one by following the instructions included in the Notice. Instead, the Notice instructs you as to how you may access and review all of the proxy materials and submit your proxy on the Internet. If you requested a paper copy of the proxy materials, you may authorize the voting of your shares by following the instructions on the proxy card, in addition to the other methods of voting described in this proxy statement.

Who Can Vote?

Only stockholders who owned our common stock at the close of business on April 29, 2019 are entitled to vote at the annual meeting. On this record date, there were 55,134,625 shares of our common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Our common stock is our only class of voting stock.

You do not need to attend the annual meeting to vote your shares. Shares represented by valid proxies, received in time for the annual meeting and not revoked prior to the annual meeting, will be voted at the annual meeting. For instructions on how to change or revoke your proxy, see “May I Change or Revoke My Proxy?” below.

How Many Votes Do I Have?

Each share of our common stock that you own entitles you to one vote.

How Do I Vote?

Whether you plan to attend the annual meeting or not, we urge you to vote by proxy. All shares represented by valid proxies that we receive through this solicitation, and that are not revoked, will be voted in accordance with your instructions on the proxy card or as instructed via the Internet or telephone. You may specify whether your shares should be voted for or withheld for each nominee for director and whether your shares should be voted for, against or abstain with respect to each of the other proposals. If you properly submit a proxy without

 

5


Table of Contents

giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the board of directors’ recommendations as noted below. Voting by proxy will not affect your right to attend the annual meeting. If your shares are registered directly in your name through our stock transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., or you have stock certificates registered in your name, you may vote:

 

   

By Internet or by telephone. Follow the instructions included in the Notice or, if you received printed materials, in the proxy card to vote by Internet or telephone.

 

   

By mail. If you received a proxy card by mail, you can vote by mail by completing, signing, dating and returning the proxy card as instructed on the card. If you sign the proxy card but do not specify how you want your shares voted, they will be voted in accordance with the board of directors’ recommendations as noted below.

 

   

In person at the meeting. If you attend the meeting, you may deliver a completed proxy card in person or you may vote by completing a ballot, which will be available at the meeting.

Telephone and Internet voting facilities for stockholders of record will be available 24 hours a day and will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 24, 2019.

If your shares are held in “street name” (held in the name of a bank, broker or other holder of record), you will receive instructions from the holder of record. You must follow the instructions of the holder of record in order for your shares to be voted. Telephone and Internet voting also will be offered to stockholders owning shares through certain banks and brokers. If your shares are not registered in your own name and you plan to vote your shares in person at the annual meeting, you should contact your broker or agent to obtain a legal proxy or broker’s proxy card and bring it to the annual meeting in order to vote.

How Does the Board of Directors Recommend That I Vote on the Proposals?

The board of directors recommends that you vote as follows:

 

   

FOR” the election of the nominees for director;

 

   

FOR” the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2019; and

 

   

FOR” the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this proxy statement.

If any other matter is presented at the annual meeting, your proxy provides that your shares will be voted by the proxy holder listed in the proxy in accordance with his or her best judgment. At the time this proxy statement was first made available, we knew of no matters that needed to be acted on at the annual meeting, other than those discussed in this proxy statement.

May I Change or Revoke My Proxy?

If you give us your proxy, you may change or revoke it at any time before the annual meeting. You may change or revoke your proxy in any one of the following ways:

 

   

if you received a proxy card, by signing a new proxy card with a date later than your previously delivered proxy and submitting it as instructed above;

 

   

by re-voting by Internet or by telephone as instructed above;

 

   

by notifying our Corporate Secretary, Michael I. Halstead, in writing before the annual meeting that you have revoked your proxy; or

 

   

by attending the annual meeting in person and voting in person. Attending the annual meeting in person will not in and of itself revoke a previously submitted proxy. You must specifically request at the annual meeting that it be revoked.

 

6


Table of Contents

Your most current vote, whether by telephone, Internet or proxy card, is the one that will be counted.

What if I Receive More Than One Notice or Proxy Card?

You may receive more than one Notice or proxy card if you hold shares of our common stock in more than one account, which may be in registered form or held in street name. Please vote in the manner described above under “How Do I Vote?” for each account to ensure that all of your shares are voted.

Will My Shares be Voted if I Do Not Vote?

If your shares are registered in your name or if you have stock certificates, they will not be counted if you do not vote as described above under “How Do I Vote?” If your shares are held in street name and you do not provide voting instructions to the bank, broker or other nominee that holds your shares as described above, the bank, broker or other nominee that holds your shares has the authority to vote your unvoted shares only on the ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 2) without receiving instructions from you. Therefore, we encourage you to provide voting instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee. This ensures your shares will be voted at the annual meeting and in the manner you desire. A “broker non-vote” will occur if your broker cannot vote your shares on a particular matter because it has not received instructions from you and does not have discretionary voting authority on that matter or because your broker chooses not to vote on a matter for which it does have discretionary voting authority.

Your bank, broker or other nominee does not have the ability to vote your uninstructed shares in the election of directors. Therefore, if you hold your shares in street name, it is critical that you cast your vote if you want your vote to be counted for the election of directors (Proposal 1). In addition, your bank, broker or other nominee is prohibited from voting your uninstructed shares on any matters related to executive compensation (Proposal 3). Thus, if you hold your shares in street name and you do not instruct your bank, broker or other nominee how to vote in the election of directors or on matters related to executive compensation, no votes will be cast on these proposals on your behalf.

 

7


Table of Contents

What Vote is Required to Approve Each Proposal and How are Votes Counted?

 

Proposal 1: Elect Directors    The nominees for director who receives the most votes (also known as a “plurality” of the votes cast) will be elected. You may vote either FOR all of the nominees, WITHHOLD your vote from all of the nominees or WITHHOLD your vote from any one or more of the nominees. Votes that are withheld will not be included in the vote tally for the election of the directors. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for the election of the directors. As a result, any shares not voted by a customer will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.
Proposal 2: Ratify Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm    The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares cast affirmatively or negatively for this proposal is required to ratify the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm. Abstentions will have no effect on the results of this vote. Brokerage firms have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name on this proposal. If a broker does not exercise this authority, such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote. We are not required to obtain the approval of our stockholders to appoint our independent registered public accounting firm. However, if our stockholders do not ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019, the audit committee of our board of directors will reconsider its appointment.
Proposal 3: Approve an Advisory Vote on the Compensation of our Named Executive Officers    The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares cast affirmatively or negatively for this proposal is required to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in this proxy statement. Abstentions will have no effect on the results of this vote. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name on this proposal. As a result, any shares not voted by a customer will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote. Although the advisory vote is non-binding, the compensation committee and the board of directors will review the voting results and take them into consideration when making future decisions regarding executive compensation.

Is Voting Confidential?

We will keep all the proxies, ballots and voting tabulations private. We only let our Inspector of Election, a representative of Computershare Trust Company, N.A., examine these documents. Management will not know how you voted on a specific proposal unless it is necessary to meet legal requirements. We will, however, forward to management any written comments you make on the proxy card or that you otherwise provide.

Where Can I Find the Voting Results of the Annual Meeting?

The preliminary voting results will be announced at the annual meeting, and we will publish preliminary results, or final results if available, in a Current Report on Form 8-K within four business days of the annual meeting. If final results are unavailable at the time we file the Form 8-K, then we will file an amended report on Form 8-K to disclose the final voting results within four business days after the final voting results are known.

 

8


Table of Contents

What Are the Costs of Soliciting these Proxies?

We will pay all of the costs of soliciting these proxies. Our directors and employees may solicit proxies in person or by telephone, fax or email. We will pay these employees and directors no additional compensation for these services. We will ask banks, brokers and other institutions, nominees and fiduciaries to forward these proxy materials to their principals and to obtain authority to execute proxies. We will then reimburse them for their expenses.

What Constitutes a Quorum for the Annual Meeting?

The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of our common stock entitled to vote at the annual meeting is necessary to constitute a quorum at the annual meeting. Votes of stockholders of record who are present at the annual meeting in person or by proxy, abstentions, and broker non-votes are counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum exists.

Attending the Annual Meeting

The annual meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at Apella, 450 East 29th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016. When you arrive at the meeting site, signs will direct you to the appropriate meeting rooms. You need not attend the annual meeting in order to vote.

Householding of Annual Disclosure Documents

SEC rules concerning the delivery of annual disclosure documents allow us or your broker to send a single Notice or, if applicable, a single set of our proxy materials to any household at which two or more of our stockholders reside, if we or your broker believe that the stockholders are members of the same family. This practice, referred to as “householding,” benefits both you and us. It reduces the volume of duplicate information received at your household and helps to reduce our expenses. The rule applies to our Notices, annual reports, proxy statements and information statements. Once you receive notice from your broker or from us that communications to your address will be “householded,” the practice will continue until you are otherwise notified or until you revoke your consent to the practice. Stockholders who participate in householding will continue to have access to and utilize separate proxy voting instructions.

If your household received a single Notice or, if applicable, a single set of proxy materials this year, but you would prefer to receive your own copy, please contact our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., by calling their toll free number, 1-877-373-6374.

If you do not wish to participate in “householding” and would like to receive your own Notice or, if applicable, set of our proxy materials in future years, follow the instructions described below. Conversely, if you share an address with another stockholder and together both of you would like to receive only a single Notice or, if applicable, set of proxy materials, follow these instructions:

 

   

If your shares are registered in your own name, please contact our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., and inform them of your request by calling them at 1-877-373-6374 or writing them at P.O. BOX 505000, Louisville, KY 40233-5000.

 

   

If a broker or other nominee holds your shares, please contact the broker or other nominee directly and inform them of your request. Be sure to include your name, the name of your brokerage firm and your account number.

Electronic Delivery of Company Stockholder Communications

Most stockholders can elect to view or receive copies of future proxy materials over the Internet instead of receiving paper copies in the mail.

 

9


Table of Contents

You can choose this option and save us the cost of producing and mailing these documents by:

 

   

following the instructions provided on your Notice or proxy card;

 

   

following the instructions provided when you vote over the Internet; or

 

   

going to www-us.computershare.com/investor and following the instructions provided.

Description of the Merger

On August 29, 2013, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., or ITI, completed a reverse merger, referred to throughout this proxy statement as “the Merger,” with a public shell company named Oneida Resources Corp., or Oneida. As a result of the Merger and related transactions, ITI survived as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oneida, Oneida changed its name to Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. and we began operating ITI and its business, and therefore ceased being a shell company.

 

10


Table of Contents

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned as of April 15, 2019 by (i) each of our directors, director nominee and named executive officers, (ii) all of our current executive officers and directors as a group, and (iii) each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Except as indicated in footnotes to this table, we believe that the stockholders named in this table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown to be beneficially owned by them based on information provided to us by these stockholders, subject to community property laws, where applicable. Percentage of ownership is based on 55,131,125 shares of common stock outstanding on April 15, 2019. Unless otherwise noted below, the address of each stockholder below is c/o Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., 430 East 29th Street, New York, New York 10016.

 

     Shares Beneficially Owned(1)  

Name and Address

       Number              Percent      

Directors and Named Executive Officers

     

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.(2)

     1,989,513        3.6

Michael I. Halstead(3)

     295,925        *  

Lawrence J. Hineline(4)

     272,023        *  

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.(5)

     229,749        *  

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D. (6)

     254,298        *  

Christopher Alafi, Ph.D.(7)

     5,316,504        9.6

Richard Lerner, M.D.(8)

     229,469        *  

Joel S. Marcus(9)

     1,371,569        2.5

Rory B. Riggs(10)

     367,917        *  

Robert L. Van Nostrand(11)

     105,433        *  

All directors and current executive officers as a group (10 persons)(12)

     10,489,233        18.2

Other 5% or More Stockholders

     

Alafi Capital Company, LLC(13)

     3,953,270        7.2

8 Admiral Drive, Suite 324

Emeryville, CA 94608

     

BlackRock, Inc.(14)

     4,004,666        7.3

55 East 52nd Street

New York, NY 10055

     

Entities affiliated with Fidelity Investments(15)

     8,208,949        14.9

245 Summer Street

Boston, MA 02210

     

The Vanguard Group, Inc.(16)

     3,933,930        7.1

100 Vanguard Blvd.

Malvern, PA 19355

     

 

*

Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding shares of our common stock.

(1)

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with SEC rules, and includes any shares as to which the stockholder has sole or shared voting power or investment power, and also any shares which the stockholder has the right to acquire within 60 days of April 15, 2019, whether through the vesting of restricted stock units or the exercise or conversion of any stock option, convertible security, warrant or other right. The indication herein that shares are beneficially owned is not an admission on the part of the stockholder that he, she or it is a direct or indirect beneficial owner of those shares.

(2)

Includes 850,806 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019.

(3)

Includes 292,817 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019.

 

11


Table of Contents
(4)

Includes 246,791 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019.

(5)

Includes 185,760 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019.

(6)

Includes 227,230 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019.

(7)

Consists of 3,953,270 shares of common stock held by Alafi Capital Company, LLC, or Alafi Capital, 503,753 shares of common stock held by a trust for the benefit of members of the Alafi family, 750,106 shares of common stock held by Dr. Alafi individually and 109,375 shares issuable upon exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019. Dr. Alafi is a managing partner of Alafi Capital and has shared voting and investment power with respect to the shares owned by Alafi Capital and full voting and investment power with respect to shares owned by the trust. Does not include 503,776 shares held by two other trusts for the benefit of members of the Alafi family for which Dr. Alafi does not have voting or investment control.

(8)

Consists of 11,430 shares of common stock held by Dr. Lerner individually, 68,039 shares of common stock held by the Lerner Family Trust UAD 11/14/94, or the Lerner Family Trust, and 150,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019, held by the Lerner Family Trust. Dr. Lerner shares voting and investment control with respect to the shares held by the Lerner Family Trust.

(9)

Consists of 1,191,156 shares of common stock held by Alexandria Equities, LLC, 78,742 shares of common stock held by the Joel S. Marcus and Barbara A. Marcus Family Trust, 21,671 shares of common stock held by Mr. Marcus individually and 80,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019. Mr. Marcus is the Executive Chairman and Founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., which is the managing member of Alexandria Equities, LLC, which has full voting and investment power with respect to the shares owned by Alexandria Equities, LLC. As the Executive Chairman of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., Mr. Marcus may be deemed to have voting and investment power with respect to the shares owned by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Alexandria Equities, LLC. Mr. Marcus disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Alexandria Equities, LLC, except to the extent of his underlying pecuniary interest therein.

(10)

Consists of 41,247 shares of common stock held by Mr. Riggs individually, 226,670 shares of common stock held by New Ventures I, LLC, and 100,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019. Mr. Riggs is Managing Member of New Ventures I, LLC and has voting and investment control with respect to the shares held by New Ventures I, LLC.

(11)

Consists of 5,433 shares of common stock held by Mr. Van Nostrand and 100,000 shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019.

(12)

See footnotes 2 through 4 and 6 through 11. Also includes 56,833 shares issuable upon the exercise of options, which are exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019, held by Andrew Satlin, M.D., our Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

(13)

Consists of 3,953,270 shares of common stock held by Alafi Capital. Christopher Alafi, Ph.D., one of our directors, is a managing partner of Alafi Capital and has voting and investment power with respect to the shares owned by Alafi Capital.

(14)

Based on the Schedule 13G/A filed by BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates with the SEC on February 4, 2019. Includes shares beneficially owned by BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association, BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd., BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC. The filing noted that BlackRock, Inc. is a parent holding company or control person and claims sole dispositive power for 4,004,666 shares and sole voting power for 3,897,813 shares.

 

12


Table of Contents
(15)

Based on the Schedule 13G/A filed by FMR LLC and its affiliates with the SEC on February 13, 2019. Abigail P. Johnson is a Director, the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of FMR LLC. Members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, are the predominant owners, directly or through trusts, of Series B voting common shares of FMR LLC, representing 49% of the voting power of FMR LLC. The Johnson family group and all other Series B shareholders have entered into a shareholders’ voting agreement under which all Series B voting common shares will be voted in accordance with the majority vote of Series B voting common shares. Accordingly, through their ownership of voting common shares and the execution of the shareholders’ voting agreement, members of the Johnson family may be deemed, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, to form a controlling group with respect to FMR LLC. Neither FMR LLC nor Abigail P. Johnson has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of the shares owned directly by the various investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act (“Fidelity Funds”) advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company (“FMR Co”), a wholly owned subsidiary of FMR LLC, which power resides with the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. FMR Co carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees.

(16)

Based on the Schedule 13G/A filed by The Vanguard Group, Inc. with the SEC on February 13, 2019. The filing noted that Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company (“VFTC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group, Inc., is the beneficial owner of 63,695 shares of common stock as a result of its serving as investment manager of collective trust accounts and that Vanguard Investments Australia, Ltd. (“VIA”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group, Inc., is the beneficial owner of 8,400 shares of common stock as a result of its serving as investment manager of Australian investment offerings.

 

13


Table of Contents

MANAGEMENT AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

The Board of Directors

Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that our business is to be managed by or under the direction of our board of directors. Our board of directors is divided into three classes for purposes of election. One class is elected at each annual meeting of stockholders to serve for a three-year term. Our board of directors currently consists of six members, classified into three classes as follows: (1) Sharon Mates, Ph.D., Rory B. Riggs and Robert L. Van Nostrand constitute a class with a term ending at the 2019 annual meeting; (2) Richard Lerner, M.D. constitutes a class with a term ending at the 2020 annual meeting; and (3) Christopher Alafi, Ph.D. and Joel S. Marcus constitute a class with a term ending at the 2021 annual meeting.

On March 5, 2019, our board of directors accepted the recommendation of the nominating and governance committee and voted to nominate Sharon Mates, Ph.D., Rory B. Riggs and Robert L. Van Nostrand for election at the annual meeting for a term of three years to serve until the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors have been elected and qualified.

Set forth below are the names of the persons nominated as directors and directors whose terms do not expire this year, their ages, their offices in the Company, if any, their principal occupations or employment for at least the past five years, the length of their tenure as directors and the names of other public companies in which such persons hold or have held directorships during the past five years, as of April 15, 2019. Additionally, information about the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led to our board of directors’ conclusion at the time of filing of this proxy statement that each person listed below should serve as a director is set forth below:

 

Name

   Age     

Position(s) with the Company

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

     66      Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Christopher Alafi, Ph.D.(2)(3)

     55      Director

Richard Lerner, M.D.(1)(3)

     80      Director

Joel S. Marcus(2)(3)

     71      Director

Rory B. Riggs(1)(2)

     66      Director

Robert L. Van Nostrand(1)(4)

     62      Director

 

(1)

Member of our audit committee

(2)

Member of our compensation committee

(3)

Member of our nominating and governance committee

(4)

Lead independent director

Sharon Mates, Ph.D. has been Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since the Merger in August 2013 and has been the Chairman of the board of directors, President and Chief Executive Officer of ITI since June 2002. Dr. Mates co-founded ITI in May 2002. Prior to co-founding ITI, Dr. Mates was a co-founder of Functional Genetics, and served as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from December 2000 until August 2003. From 1989 to 1998, Dr. Mates was the President and a board member of North American Vaccine Inc. and its predecessor companies. Dr. Mates serves on the board of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), emerging companies section. Dr. Mates has also served on the Advisory Council of the Center for Society and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, the Board of Visitors of the Biotechnology Institute of the University of Maryland and the board of directors of Gilda’s Club of New York. Earlier in her career, Dr. Mates spent several years as a research analyst and investment banker, and as an advisor to the life sciences industry. Dr. Mates received her B.S. from the Ohio State University and her Ph.D. from the University of Washington, and completed her postdoctoral fellowships at The Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

We believe that Dr. Mates possesses specific attributes that qualify her to serve as chairman of our board of directors, including the perspective and experience she brings as the co-founder, President and Chief Executive

 

14


Table of Contents

Officer of ITI, which brings historic knowledge, operational expertise and continuity to our board of directors, and her industry expertise, including over 25 years of experience leading both private and public companies.

Christopher Alafi, Ph.D. became a director of the Company following the Merger that occurred in August 2013 and has served on the board of directors of ITI since January 2013. Dr. Alafi has been a General Partner of Alafi Capital Company, LLC, a venture capital firm and a principal stockholder of the Company, since 1995. He was previously a Physiology and Anatomy teacher at Santa Monica College, a visiting scholar in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University and a researcher at DNAX. Dr. Alafi previously served as a director of ISTO Technologies, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc., CyberGold, Inc. and Stereotaxis, Inc. Dr. Alafi received a B.A. in Biology from Pomona College and a D.Phil. in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford.

We believe that Dr. Alafi possesses specific attributes that qualify him to serve as a member of our board of directors, including the perspective and experience he brings as a General Partner of Alafi Capital Company, LLC.

Richard Lerner, M.D. became a director of the Company following the Merger that occurred in August 2013 and has served on the board of directors of ITI since 2002. Dr. Lerner served as President of the Scripps Research Institute, a private, non-profit biomedical research organization from 1986 to January 2012, and since then has served and continues to serve as Institute Professor. Dr. Lerner received the Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 1994, the California Scientist of the Year Award in 1996, the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize in 2003, and the Prince of Asturias Award in 2012 for his achievements in the development of catalytic antibodies and combinatorial antibody libraries. Dr. Lerner is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Dr. Lerner previously served as a director of Kraft Foods, Inc. and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and currently serves as a director of Opko Health, Inc., Zebra Biologics, Cognos Therapeutics and Interex, Inc. Dr. Lerner received his M.D. from Stanford Medical School.

We believe that Dr. Lerner possesses specific attributes that qualify him to serve as a member of our board of directors, including his service as a director of other public companies and his business acumen and judgment, which provide our board of directors with valuable scientific and operational expertise and leadership skills.

Joel S. Marcus, J.D., CPA became a director of the Company following the Merger that occurred in August 2013 and has served on the board of directors of ITI since April 2006. Mr. Marcus is the Executive Chairman and Founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE), or Alexandria, an urban office REIT focused on world-class collaborative life science and technology campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations. Mr. Marcus co-founded Alexandria in 1994 with a business plan and $19 million in seed capital and has led its growth into an S&P 500 company. Alexandria has a significant market presence in key locations, including Greater Boston, San Francisco, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle Park. In 1996, Mr. Marcus also founded Alexandria Venture Investments, the company’s strategic venture capital arm. Prior to co-founding Alexandria, Mr. Marcus had an extensive legal career specializing in corporate finance and capital markets, venture capital, and mergers and acquisitions, with expertise in the biopharmaceutical industry. He was also a practicing certified public accountant and tax manager with Arthur Young & Co., where he focused on the financing and taxation of REITs. Mr. Marcus was one of the original architects and co-founders of Accelerator Corporation and AgTech Accelerator, for which he serves on the board of directors. He also serves on the boards of Applied Therapeutics Inc., Boragen, Inc., Frequency Therapeutics, MeiraGTx Holdings plc and Yumanity Therapeutics. Mr. Marcus previously served as a director of Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. Mr. Marcus is a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Los Angeles—Real Estate). He was awarded his undergraduate and Juris Doctor degrees at the University of California, Los Angeles.

We believe that Mr. Marcus possesses specific attributes that qualify him to serve as a member of our board of directors, including his many years of experience in the life sciences industry and his extensive experience serving as a director and an executive officer of other public companies.

 

15


Table of Contents

Rory B. Riggs has served on our board of directors since January 2014. He is co-founder and chairman of Royalty Pharma, the largest acquiror of drug royalties, and Cibus Global Ltd, the leading company in gene editing in agriculture. In addition, he sits on the following other boards of directors: FibroGen, Inc., Nuredis, Inc., GeneNews, Ltd. and eReceivables, LLC (Chair). Since June 2006, Mr. Riggs also serves as Managing Member of New Ventures, a venture fund focused on biotechnology and healthcare. Since 2010, Mr. Riggs serves as founder and Chief Executive Officer of Locus Analytics, LLC, a data analytics company that organizes and analyzes financial and economic data using a new class of information system. Locus is the parent of Syntax Indices, which has contracted with major index providers to provide diversified variants of their major benchmarks, such as S&P 500, MSCI EAFE and the Wilshire 5000. Mr. Riggs served as the President of Biomatrix, Inc., a biomedical company, from 1996 until 2000. From 1991 to 1995, he was Chief Executive Officer of RF&P Corporation, an investment company owned by the Virginia Retirement System. He was also Managing Director of PaineWebber and Company, a stock brokerage and asset management firm, in the mergers and acquisitions field. Mr. Riggs holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.

We believe that Mr. Riggs possesses specific attributes that qualify him to serve as a member of our board of directors, including his financial expertise, extensive knowledge of the life sciences industry, and many years of experience as a developer (founder), executive officer and director of successful companies (both public and private) in the life sciences and healthcare industries.

Robert L. Van Nostrand has served on our board of directors since January 2014. Mr. Van Nostrand has been a self-employed advisor and investor since 2010, as well as a member of various public and private company boards of directors. Mr. Van Nostrand was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Aureon Biosciences, Inc., a private pathology life science company, from January 2010 to July 2010. Prior to joining Aureon Biosciences, Mr. Van Nostrand served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of AGI Dermatics, Inc., a private biotechnology company, from July 2007 to September 2008 when the company was acquired. From May 2005 to July 2007, Mr. Van Nostrand served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., then a publicly-traded biotechnology company, where he previously served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from December 1996 through May 2005 and as Vice President, Finance and Administration prior to that. He also served as OSI’s Treasurer from March 1992 to May 2005 and Secretary from March 1995 to January 2004. Mr. Van Nostrand joined OSI as Controller and Chief Accounting Officer in September 1986. Prior to joining OSI, Mr. Van Nostrand served in a managerial position with the accounting firm, Touche Ross & Co., currently Deloitte. Mr. Van Nostrand serves as chairman of the board of directors of Yield10 Bioscience, Inc., a publicly-traded agricultural bioscience company, as well as chairman of its audit committee and a member of its compensation committee. Mr. Van Nostrand also serves on the board of directors of Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly-traded biotechnology company, where he serves as chairman of the audit committee and a member of the compensation committee. He also serves on the board of Sellas Life Sciences Group, Inc., a publicly-traded biotechnology company, where he serves as chairman of the compensation committee and a member of the audit committee. From December 2014 until May 2018, Mr. Van Nostrand served on the Board of Directors of Enumeral Biomedical Holdings, Inc., a publicly-traded biotechnology company. Mr. Van Nostrand is the former chairman of, and serves on, the board of the New York Biotechnology Association and serves on the Foundation Board of Farmingdale University. Previously, Mr. Van Nostrand served on the board of directors of Apex Bioventures, Inc., a special purpose acquisition company focused on life sciences. Mr. Van Nostrand holds a B.S. in Accounting from Long Island University, New York. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

We believe that Mr. Van Nostrand possesses specific attributes that qualify him to serve as a member of our board of directors, including his many years of experience in the life sciences industry, as well as his expertise in financial operations, transaction structuring and risk management.

There are no family relationships between or among any of our directors or nominee. The principal occupation and employment during the past five years of each of our directors and nominee was carried on, in

 

16


Table of Contents

each case except as specifically identified above, with a corporation or organization that is not a parent, subsidiary or other affiliate of us. There is no arrangement or understanding between any of our directors or nominee and any other person or persons pursuant to which he or she is to be selected as a director or nominee.

There are no legal proceedings to which any of our directors is a party adverse to us or any of our subsidiaries or in which any such person has a material interest adverse to us or any of our subsidiaries.

Director Independence

Our board of directors has reviewed the materiality of any relationship that each of our directors has with Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., either directly or indirectly. Based upon this review, our board has determined that all of our directors other than Dr. Mates, our chief executive officer, are “independent directors” as defined by The Nasdaq Stock Market. In making such determinations, the board of directors considered the relationships that each such non-employee director or director nominee has with our Company and all other facts and circumstances the board of directors deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director. In addition, our board of directors considered the association of certain of our directors with the holders of more than 5% of our common stock as well as the effect of each of the transactions described in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions” below.

Committees of the Board of Directors and Meetings

Meeting Attendance. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, there were four meetings of our board of directors, four meetings of the audit committee, three meetings of the compensation committee and one meeting of the nominating and governance committee. No director attended fewer than 75% of the total number of meetings of the board of directors and of committees of the board on which he or she served during fiscal 2018. The board of directors has adopted a policy under which each member of our board of directors is strongly encouraged but not required to attend each annual meeting of our stockholders. Four of our directors attended the annual meeting of our stockholders held in 2018.

Our board of directors has established an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and governance committee. Each committee operates under a charter approved by our board of directors. Copies of each committee’s charter are posted on the Investors section of our website, which is located at www.intracellulartherapies.com, under the caption “Corporate Governance.” The composition and function of each of these committees are described below.

Audit Committee. This committee currently has three members, Mr. Van Nostrand (Chairman), Dr. Lerner and Mr. Riggs. Our audit committee’s role and responsibilities are set forth in the audit committee’s written charter and include the authority to retain and terminate the services of our independent registered public accounting firm. In addition, the audit committee reviews the annual financial statements, considers matters relating to accounting policy and internal controls and reviews the scope of annual audits. All members of the audit committee satisfy the current independence standards promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and by The Nasdaq Stock Market, as such standards apply specifically to members of audit committees. The board of directors has determined that Mr. Van Nostrand and Mr. Riggs are “audit committee financial experts,” as the Securities and Exchange Commission has defined that term in Item 407 of Regulation S-K. Please also see the report of the audit committee set forth elsewhere in this proxy statement.

Compensation Committee. This committee currently has three members, Mr. Marcus (Chairman), Dr. Alafi and Mr. Riggs. Our compensation committee’s role and responsibilities are set forth in the compensation committee’s written charter and include reviewing, approving and making recommendations regarding our compensation policies, practices and procedures to ensure that legal and fiduciary responsibilities of the board of directors are carried out and that such policies, practices and procedures contribute to our success. Our compensation committee also administers our 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2018 Plan. The compensation

 

17


Table of Contents

committee is responsible for the determination of the compensation of our chief executive officer. All members of the compensation committee qualify as independent under the definition promulgated by The Nasdaq Stock Market.

Our compensation committee makes all compensation decisions regarding our executive officers and directors, after which it makes a recommendation to our full board of directors. Our board of directors then approves the compensation for our executive officers and directors.

Nominating and Governance Committee. Our nominating and governance committee has three members, Dr. Alafi (Chairman), Dr. Lerner and Mr. Marcus. The nominating and governance committee’s role and responsibilities are set forth in the nominating and governance committee’s written charter and include evaluating and making recommendations to the full board of directors as to the size and composition of the board of directors and its committees, evaluating and making recommendations as to potential candidates, and evaluating current board members’ performance. All members of the nominating and governance committee qualify as independent under the definition promulgated by The Nasdaq Stock Market.

If a stockholder wishes to nominate a candidate for director who is not to be included in our proxy statement, it must follow the procedures described in our restated bylaws and in “Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for Director” at the end of this proxy statement.

In addition, under our current corporate governance policies, the nominating and governance committee may consider candidates recommended by stockholders as well as from other sources such as other directors or officers, third party search firms or other appropriate sources. Once identified, the nominating and governance committee will evaluate a candidate’s qualifications in accordance with our nominating and governance committee policy regarding qualifications of directors appended to our nominating and governance committee’s written charter. For all potential candidates, the nominating and governance committee may consider all factors it deems relevant, such as a candidate’s personal integrity and sound judgment, business and professional skills and experience, independence, knowledge of the biotechnology industry, possible conflicts of interest, diversity, the extent to which the candidate would fill a present need on the board of directors, and concern for the long-term interests of the stockholders. Our nominating and governance committee has not adopted a formal diversity policy in connection with the consideration of director nominations or the selection of nominees. However, the nominating and governance committee considers issues of diversity among its members in identifying and considering nominees for director, and will strive where appropriate to achieve a diverse balance of backgrounds, perspectives, experience, age, gender, ethnicity and country of citizenship on the board of directors and its committees.

If a stockholder wishes to propose a candidate for consideration as a nominee for election to our board of directors, it must follow the procedures described in our restated bylaws and in “Stockholder Proposals and Nominations For Director” at the end of this proxy statement. In general, persons recommended by stockholders will be considered in accordance with our Policy on Stockholder Recommendation of Candidates for Election as Directors appended to our nominating and governance committee’s written charter. Any such recommendation should be made in writing to the Nominating and Governance Committee, care of our Corporate Secretary at our principal office, and should be accompanied by the following information concerning each recommending stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made:

 

   

the name and address of such stockholder and such beneficial owner;

 

   

certain share ownership and similar information about such stockholder and such beneficial owner;

 

   

all information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement;

 

   

a description of certain arrangements and understandings between the proposing stockholder and beneficial owner and any other person in connection with such stockholder nomination; and

 

18


Table of Contents
   

a statement whether or not either such stockholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of voting shares sufficient to carry the proposal.

The recommendation must also be accompanied by the following information concerning the proposed nominee:

 

   

certain biographical information concerning the proposed nominee;

 

   

all information concerning the proposed nominee required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors;

 

   

certain information about any other security holder of the Company who supports the proposed nominee;

 

   

a description of all relationships between the proposed nominee and the recommending stockholder or any beneficial owner, including any agreements or understandings regarding the nomination; and

 

   

additional disclosures relating to stockholder nominees for directors, including completed questionnaires and disclosures required by our restated bylaws.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

Our compensation committee has three members, Mr. Marcus (Chairman), Dr. Alafi and Mr. Riggs. In 2018, none of our executive officers served on the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that had one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors or compensation committee. There are no family relationships between or among the members of our board of directors or executive officers. Mr. Marcus is founder, Executive Chairman and a director of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., which is the parent company to the landlord under the lease for our headquarters. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Lease Agreement.”

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

Our board of directors does not have a policy regarding the separation of the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of directors, as our board of directors believes it is in the best interest of the Company to make that determination based on the position and direction of the Company and the membership of the board of directors. Our board of directors has determined that having an employee director serve as Chairman is in the best interest of our stockholders at this time because of the efficiencies achieved in having the role of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman combined, and because the detailed knowledge of our day-to-day operations and business that the Chief Executive Officer possesses greatly enhances the decision-making processes of our board of directors as a whole. We have a strong governance structure in place, including independent directors, to ensure the powers and duties of the dual role are handled responsibly. Mr. Van Nostrand serves as our lead independent director.

The Chairman of the board of directors, our lead independent director and the other members of the board of directors work in concert to provide oversight of our management and affairs. Our board of directors encourages communication among its members and between management and the board of directors to facilitate productive working relationships. Working with the other members of the board of directors, Dr. Mates also strives to ensure that there is an appropriate balance and focus among key board responsibilities such as strategic development, review of operations and risk oversight.

Stockholder Communications to the Board

Generally, stockholders who have questions or concerns should contact our Investor Relations department at 646-440-9333. However, any stockholder who wishes to address questions regarding our business directly with

 

19


Table of Contents

the board of directors, or any individual director, should direct his or her questions in writing to the Chairman of the board of directors at Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., Attention: Chairman of the Board, 430 East 29th Street, New York, New York 10016. Communications will be distributed to the board, or to any individual director or directors as appropriate, depending on the facts and circumstances outlined in the communications. Items that are unrelated to the duties and responsibilities of the board of directors may be excluded, such as: junk mail and mass mailings, resumes and other forms of job inquiries, surveys and solicitations or advertisements.

In addition, any material that is unduly hostile, threatening, or illegal in nature may be excluded, provided that any communication that is filtered out will be made available to any outside director upon request.

Executive Officers

The following table sets forth certain information, as of April 15, 2019, regarding our executive officers who are not also directors. We have employment agreements with all of our executive officers, and all of our executive officers are at-will employees.

 

Name

   Age   

Position(s) with the Company

Lawrence J. Hineline    62    Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
Andrew Satlin, M.D.    64    Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Mark Neumann    56    Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer
Michael I. Halstead    46    Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Lawrence J. Hineline, CPA has served as Senior Vice President of Finance of the Company since January 2019 and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company since the Merger in August 2013. He also served as Vice President of Finance of the Company from the Merger in August 2013 to December 2018. He has served as Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of ITI since June 2002. Mr. Hineline also served as the Secretary of the Company from August 2013 until September 2014. From December 2000 to November 2003, Mr. Hineline was the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Functional Genetics, Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Hineline served as the Vice President of Finance of North American Vaccine, Inc. and its predecessor companies from 1993 to 2000, and he served as Corporate Controller from 1989 to 1993. During this time, Mr. Hineline oversaw the growth of the accounting function and its systems for the company that emerged as a start-up and was later acquired by Baxter Health Care. Mr. Hineline is a licensed CPA in the State of Maryland and received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Andrew Satlin, M.D. has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Company since November 2017. From July 2008 to November 2017, Dr. Satlin served in a number of leadership positions at Eisai, Inc., most recently serving as Executive Vice President, Global Head of Medicine Creation Strategy, Neurology Business Group. Before joining Eisai, from 1997 to 2008, he served at Novartis in positions of increasing responsibility, including leadership of the Neurosciences regulatory group. Prior to joining Novartis, Dr. Satlin was an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Satlin was also the Director of Geriatric Psychiatry and established a dementia clinic at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts. Dr. Satlin received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his residency in psychiatry and fellowship in geriatric psychiatry at McLean Hospital. Dr. Satlin received his Bachelor’s Degree from Yale University.

Mark Neumann has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer of the Company since October 2018. From June 2014 to October 2018, Mr. Neumann served in leadership positions at Amgen, most recently serving as Vice President, Global Marketing. Before Amgen, from February 2014 to June 2014 Mr. Neumann served in a leadership position at AstraZeneca. Before joining AstraZeneca, from June 1988 to February 2014, he served at Bristol Myers Squibb Company in positions of increasing responsibility, including commercial leadership roles. Mr. Neumann is a licensed CPA (inactive) and received his bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College.

 

20


Table of Contents

Michael I. Halstead has served as Executive Vice President of the Company since January 2019, General Counsel of the Company since July 2014 and Secretary of the Company since September 2014. He also served as Senior Vice President of the Company from July 2014 to December 2018. From July 2005 until December 2013, Mr. Halstead served in a number of leadership positions at Warner Chilcott plc. Most recently he was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Warner Chilcott where he directed the company’s corporate development, legal and human resources functions. Prior to that, Mr. Halstead was an attorney at the firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell. Mr. Halstead received his bachelor’s degree from Boston University and his Juris Doctor degree from Villanova University School of Law.

Medical Advisory Board

We have a Medical Advisory Board which is chaired by Carol A. Tamminga, M.D. Dr. Tamminga is the Chair of the Psychiatry Department at the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine. She holds the McKenzie Foundation Chair in Psychiatry, the Communities Foundation of Texas, Inc. Chair in Brain Science and is the Chief of Translational Neuroscience Research in Schizophrenia.

 

21


Table of Contents

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

This section discusses the principles underlying our policies and decisions with respect to the compensation of our executive officers who are named in the Summary Compensation Table below, or our “named executive officers,” and all material factors relevant to an analysis of these policies and decisions. Our named executive officers are:

 

   

Sharon Mates, Ph.D., our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

   

Lawrence J. Hineline, our Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary

 

   

Michael I. Halstead, our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

   

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D., our Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer

 

   

Kimberly Vanover, Ph.D., our Senior Vice President, Early Stage Clinical Development and Translational Medicines

Executive Summary and Corporate Background

Business Strategy

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and clinical development of innovative, small molecule drugs that address underserved medical needs primarily in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders by targeting intracellular signaling mechanisms within the CNS. Lumateperone (also known as ITI-007) is our lead product candidate with mechanisms of action that, we believe, may represent an effective treatment across multiple therapeutic indications.

In our preclinical and clinical trials to date, lumateperone combines potent serotonin 5- HT2A receptor antagonism, dopamine receptor phosphoprotein modulation, or DPPM, glutamatergic modulation, and serotonin reuptake inhibition into a single drug candidate for the treatment of acute and residual schizophrenia and for the treatment of bipolar disorder, including bipolar depression. At dopamine D2 receptors, lumateperone has been demonstrated to have dual properties and to act as both a pre-synaptic partial agonist and a postsynaptic antagonist. Lumateperone has also been demonstrated to have affinity for dopamine D1 receptors and indirectly stimulate phosphorylation of glutamatergic NMDA GluN2B receptors in a mesolimbic specific manner. We believe that this regional selectivity in brain areas thought to mediate the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs, together with serotonergic, glutamatergic, and dopaminergic interactions, may result in efficacy for a broad array of symptoms associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with improved psychosocial function. The serotonin reuptake inhibition potentially allows for antidepressant activity in the treatment of schizoaffective disorder, other disorders with co-morbid depression, and/or as a stand-alone treatment for major depressive disorder, or MDD. We believe lumateperone may also be useful for the treatment of other psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, particularly behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, autism, and other CNS diseases.

We are also utilizing our PDE platform and other proprietary chemistry platforms to develop drugs for the treatment of CNS and other disorders. The lead molecule in our PDE1 portfolio, ITI-214, is in development for the treatment of symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease and for the treatment of heart failure.

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, accepted for review our new drug application, or NDA, for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia, and assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, target action date of September 27, 2019. Lumateperone is also in Phase 3 clinical development as a novel treatment for bipolar depression.

 

22


Table of Contents

2018 Clinical Development and Business Achievements

In 2018, we made important progress in advancing our mission to develop innovative treatments to improve the lives of individuals suffering from neuropsychiatric and neurologic disorders. In particular, in the fourth quarter of 2018, the FDA accepted for review our NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia, representing a major milestone in the development of our lead product candidate. We also made significant progress in building our commercial infrastructure in preparation for potential commercial launch of lumateperone, including the hiring of our commercial senior leadership team. In addition, we continued to advance our clinical and preclinical development programs, including lumateperone for bipolar depression, ITI-214 for Parkinson’s disease and heart failure and ITI-333 for substance-use disorders, pain and psychiatric comorbidities. We are encouraged by our prospects and continue to strengthen our leadership team. Our accomplishments in 2018 included the following:

 

   

In March 2018, we had a positive pre-NDA meeting with the FDA and reached agreement on the timing and content of a rolling NDA submission for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia.

 

   

In June 2018, we initiated the rolling submission of our NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia.

 

   

In June 2018, we commenced patient enrollment in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of escalating single doses of ITI-214 to evaluate hemodynamic effects and safety in patients with systolic heart failure.

 

   

In July 2018, we announced a publication highlighting the ITI-214 mechanism of action and describing positive results in preclinical models of heart failure.

 

   

In September 2018, we completed the rolling submission of our NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia to the FDA.

 

   

In October 2018, we presented the results of our Phase 1/2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple rising dose clinical trial to evaluate ITI-214, our PDE1 inhibitor, in patients with Parkinson’s disease and announced the favorable safety profile for ITI-214.

 

   

In December 2018, the FDA accepted for review our NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia.

 

   

In December 2018, we announced favorable results from our long-term open-label safety switching study with lumateperone in patients with schizophrenia. In this study, lumateperone, administered for up to one year, was generally well tolerated and exhibited statistically significant improvements from baseline on key safety measures of body weight, cardiometabolic and endocrine parameters, without motor side effects often associated with other antipsychotic medications.

 

   

In December 2018, we reported preclinical data on our ITI-333 product development candidate. ITI-333, acts simultaneously as a 5-HT2A and D1 receptor antagonist and a µ-opioid partial agonist. ITI-333 exhibits potent analgesia in animal models of acute and inflammatory pain but is not associated with dependence and abuse liability, effects commonly associated with opioid use in animals. ITI-333 is designed as a potential treatment for substance-use disorders, pain and psychiatric comorbidities, including depression and anxiety.

 

   

We completed patient enrollment in one of our bipolar depression studies, Study 401 in the United States, evaluating lumateperone as monotherapy in bipolar depression.

 

   

We continued to expand our infrastructure, systems and workforce in connection with the progress of our development programs and in preparation for the commercialization of our products, including the expansion of our leadership team through the addition of our Chief Commercial Officer and senior clinical and regulatory positions.

 

23


Table of Contents

Key Features of Our Executive Compensation Program

 

What We Do

  

What We Don’t Do

✓ Design executive compensation to align pay with performance

 

✓ Emphasize at-risk compensation

 

✓ Reevaluate and adjust our program annually based on stockholder feedback and market developments

 

✓ Discourage inappropriate risk-taking

 

✓ Hire an independent compensation consultant who reports directly to the compensation committee

 

✓ Have 100% independent directors on the compensation committee

  

X No excessive change in control or severance payments

 

X No repricing of underwater stock options without stockholder approval

 

X No guaranteed bonuses or base salary increases

 

X No hedging or pledging Company stock

2018 Pay-for-Performance Overview

As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, our performance achievements are primarily related to specific strategic goals, including advancing our development programs, research function, clinical activities, pre-commercialization activities and certain corporate and financial goals, which we believe will create long-term value for stockholders.

Our compensation committee considers the Company’s performance when determining the size of annual equity incentive awards and the annual bonus payouts for named executive officers and no amounts are guaranteed. Specifically, for 2018, our compensation committee took into account that, notwithstanding our meaningful accomplishments in 2018, our stock price declined in 2018 and in order to reinforce our commitment to align executive pay with the Company’s performance and the interests of our stockholders for near- and long-term performance, our compensation committee determined that it would reduce, or not increase in the case of Dr. Mates, the percentage of each named executive officer’s target bonus opportunity payable for 2018 performance. In addition, our compensation committee determined to reduce the aggregate grant date value of each named executive officer’s 2018 annual equity grant, other than in the case of Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanover in recognition of their significant contributions in advancing our development programs, in particular with respect to our lead product candidate lumateperone.

 

24


Table of Contents

A significant portion of target compensation for our CEO and other named executive offices is structured in the form of “at-risk” compensation, consisting of annual performance bonus and equity incentive awards, with the performance bonus payouts dependent upon our Company performance. This aligns our executives’ interests with those of our stockholders for near- and long-term performance. Target total compensation for 2018, as shown below, reflects annual base salary paid, annual target performance bonus and the grant date fair value of equity awards granted during the year as reported in the Summary Compensation Table.

 

LOGO

Compensation Principles and Objectives

Our overall compensation program is structured to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified executive officers by paying them competitively, consistent with our success and their contribution to that success. Our ability to excel depends on the skill, creativity, integrity and teamwork of our employees. Given the long product development cycles in our business, we believe that compensation should be structured to ensure that a portion of compensation opportunity will be related to factors that directly and indirectly influence long-term stockholder value. Our compensation philosophy has been driven by a number of factors that are closely linked with our broader strategic objectives.

Our compensation committee believes that compensation paid to our named executive officers should be aligned with our performance on both a short-term and long-term basis, linked to results intended to create value for stockholders, and that such compensation should assist us in attracting and retaining key executives critical to our long-term success.

In establishing compensation for executive officers, the following are the compensation committee’s objectives:

 

   

align executive compensation with our business objectives and corporate performance;

 

   

attract and retain executive officers who contribute to our Company’s long-term success;

 

   

reward and motivate executive officers who contribute to our operating and financial performance; and

 

25


Table of Contents
   

link executive officer compensation and stockholder interests through the grant of long-term incentives via equity awards.

Determining and Setting Executive Compensation

Role of Our Compensation Committee and Executive Officers

Our compensation committee is responsible for overseeing the total compensation of our executive officers. In this capacity, our compensation committee designs, implements, reviews and recommends to our board of directors the approval of all compensation for our Chief Executive Officer and our other named executive officers.

To aid the compensation committee in making its determination, our Chief Executive Officer provides recommendations annually to the compensation committee regarding the compensation of all other executive officers (other than herself) based on the overall corporate achievements during the period being assessed and her knowledge of the individual contributions to our success by each of the named executive officers. The overall performance of our named executive officers as a team is reviewed annually by the compensation committee.

Role of the Independent Compensation Consultant

To assist with the analysis of executive compensation for fiscal year 2018, the compensation committee engaged Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc., or FW Cook, an independent compensation consultant. FW Cook reports directly to the compensation committee, and the compensation committee has the sole authority to hire, fire and direct the work of FW Cook. For fiscal year 2018, FW Cook advised the compensation committee on a variety of compensation-related issues, including:

 

   

identifying an updated market framework (including a peer group of companies) for formal compensation benchmarking purposes;

 

   

gathering data on our executive officer cash and equity compensation relative to competitive market practices;

 

   

gathering data on peer group short- and long-term incentive practices;

 

   

gathering data on peer group equity use and dilution; and

 

   

developing a market-based framework for potential changes to our compensation program for the compensation committee’s review and input.

After review and consultation with FW Cook, our compensation committee determined that FW Cook is independent, and that there is no conflict of interest resulting from retaining FW Cook currently or during fiscal year 2018. In reaching these conclusions, our compensation committee considered the factors set forth in the SEC rules and the Nasdaq listing standards. Other than services provided to our compensation committee, FW Cook did not perform any other work for us.

Defining and Comparing Compensation to Market Benchmarks

Because we aim to attract and retain the most highly qualified executive officers in an extremely competitive market, our compensation committee believes that it is important when making its compensation decisions to be informed as to the current practices of comparable public companies with which we compete for top talent. To this end, the compensation committee reviews market data for each named executive officer’s position, compiled by FW Cook as described below, including information relating to the mix and levels of compensation for executive officers in the life sciences industry, with a focus on target total compensation in line with the compensation committee’s holistic approach to executive compensation.

 

26


Table of Contents

Each year, our compensation committee, using information provided by FW Cook, establishes a peer group of publicly traded, national and regional companies in the biopharmaceutical industries that is generally selected based on a balance of the following criteria:

 

   

companies whose number of employees, stage of development and relative complexity of clinical trials are similar to ours;

 

   

biopharmaceutical companies that are pre-revenue;

 

   

companies with market values of approximately .25 times to four times our market capitalization at the time;

 

   

companies against which we believe we compete for executive talent; and

 

   

public companies based in the United States whose compensation and financial data are available in proxy statements or through widely available compensation surveys.

Determination of 2018 Peer Group

In November 2017, our compensation committee conducted its annual review of our peer group with the assistance of FW Cook. Guided by the criteria described above, FW Cook evaluated the existing peer group and recommended removing one peer company that had been acquired and removing a company that had experienced a material reduction in its market value. FW Cook also recommended expanding the peer group and, in that regard, it evaluated large pool of potential peer companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industries. It then removed companies with market capitalizations less than .25 times or greater than four times our market capitalization at that time and within those companies with comparable market caps, concentrated on those companies that were pre-revenue. The remaining companies were examined to identify those focusing on drugs for CNS, psychiatric, or neurological indications with at least phase III clinical trials and companies in other similarly complex therapeutic areas, such as oncology.

FW Cook made recommendations regarding four potential additional peer companies to the compensation committee and consistent with those recommendations, our compensation committee determined that our group for 2018 would include the following companies: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., Acceleron Pharma, Inc., Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Alder Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc., FibroGen, Inc., MacroGenics, Inc., Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. PTC Therapeutics, Inc., Puma Biotechnology, Inc., Sage Therapeutics, Inc., Spark Therapeutics, Inc., Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. (the “2018 Peer Group”).

Use of Market Data

Our compensation committee reviews target total compensation, comprising both target total cash compensation and equity compensation, against the market data described above primarily to ensure that our executive compensation program, as a whole, is positioned competitively to attract and retain the highest caliber of executive officers and that the total compensation opportunity for the executive officer group is aligned with our corporate objectives and strategic needs. Our compensation committee does not have a specific target compensation level for the named executive officers and does not otherwise use a formulaic approach to setting pay at a particular positioning within the market data; rather, the compensation committee reviews a range of market data reference points (generally at the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles of the market data) as one factor before making compensation determinations.

Our compensation committee believes that over-reliance on benchmarking can result in compensation that is unrelated to the value delivered by our executive officers because compensation benchmarking does not take into account company to company variations among actual roles with similar titles or the specific performance of the

 

27


Table of Contents

executive officers. Additionally, notwithstanding the similarities of the peer companies to our Company, due to the nature of our business, we compete for executive talent with many public companies that are larger and more established than we are or that possess greater resources than we do, and with smaller private companies that may be able to offer greater equity compensation potential, as well as with prestigious academic and non-profit institutions.

Key Factors Used in Determining Executive Compensation

Our compensation committee generally considers criteria, with input from our Chief Executive Officer, including market factors, the experience level of the executive and the executive’s performance against established corporate goals, the compensation committee members’ collective understanding of compensation practices in the biopharmaceutical industry and such members’ experiences as seasoned executives, consultants, board and compensation committee members, or investors in similar biotechnology and specialty pharmaceutical industry companies, in determining executive compensation.

As the biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by a very long product development cycle, including a lengthy research and development period and a rigorous approval phase involving human testing and governmental regulatory approval, many of the traditional benchmarking metrics, such as product sales, revenues and profits are inappropriate for a development-stage biopharmaceutical company, such as our Company. Instead, the specific performance factors our compensation committee considers when determining the compensation of our named executive officers include:

 

   

initiation and progress of preclinical development and clinical trials for our product candidates;

 

   

achievement of regulatory milestones;

 

   

establishment and maintenance of key strategic relationships and new business initiatives including financings; and

 

   

development of organizational capabilities and managing our growth.

These performance factors are considered by our compensation committee in connection with our annual performance reviews described below and are a critical component in the determination of annual cash bonus and equity incentive awards for our executives.

2018 Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation

At our 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, our stockholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, as disclosed in the proxy statement for that meeting pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC. The compensation committee reviewed the final vote results for the proposal, and, given the significant level of stockholder support (approximately 99% of total votes cast with respect to the advisory proposal), concluded that our compensation program continues to provide a competitive pay-for-performance package that effectively incentivizes the named executive officers and encourages long-term retention. Accordingly, the compensation committee and our board of directors, determined not to make any significant changes to our executive compensation policies or decisions as a result of the vote. Our compensation committee and our board of directors will continue to consider the outcome of our say-on-pay votes and our stockholders’ views when making future compensation decisions for the named executive officers.

As our Company continues to grow, we will also continue to consider feedback from our stockholders. The recent changes we have made to our compensation and governance practices include:

 

   

Introduction of performance-based equity awards;

 

   

Reduction in value of 2018 equity awards (other than Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanover) to align with stock price performance;

 

   

Enhanced disclosure with respect to the performance metrics evaluated by our compensation committee when determining annual bonuses;

 

28


Table of Contents
   

Introduction of a new compensation peer group in 2017 based on new parameters that continued to apply in 2018; and

 

   

Appointment of a lead independent director.

Elements of Executive Compensation

The primary components of our executive compensation program are base salary, annual cash bonus awards and stock-based awards. We believe that these components, along with our other benefits and our commitment to career development, foster a productive, team-oriented work environment that offers our employees the flexibility and opportunity to thrive in a collaborative atmosphere and to receive meaningful rewards and recognition for their contributions to our growth and success. We view these components of compensation as related but distinct. That is, we do not believe that significant compensation derived from one component of compensation should negate or reduce compensation from other components. We determine the appropriate level for each compensation component based in part, but not exclusively, on individual performance, Company performance, competitive compensation information in light of our recruiting and retention goals, and our view of internal equity and consistency. We believe that, as is common in the biopharmaceutical industry, stock-based awards, salary, and cash bonuses are all necessary to attract and retain employees. To date, we have not adopted any formal policies or guidelines for allocating compensation between long-term and short-term compensation, or between cash and non-cash compensation.

Base Salaries

Dr. Mates and Mr. Hineline have been executive officers since ITI was launched in 2002 and Dr. Vanover joined ITI in 2007 to lead our clinical development function. Their compensation was initially established to reflect their positions when they joined ITI, and has evolved as we have grown. Mr. Halstead and Dr. Davis joined us as executive officers after we became a publicly-traded company, and their initial compensation was the result of arms-length negotiations.

Base salaries of our named executive officers (other than our Chief Executive Officer) are recommended and reviewed periodically by our Chief Executive Officer, and the base salary for each named executive officer is recommended by our compensation committee and approved by our board of directors. Adjustments to base salaries are based on the scope of an executive’s responsibilities, individual contribution, experience and sustained performance. Decisions regarding salary increases may take into account the named executive officer’s current salary, equity ownership and the amounts paid to individuals in comparable positions at our peer companies. No formulaic or guaranteed base salary increases are provided to our named executive officers. This strategy is consistent with our intent of offering compensation that is cost-effective, competitive and contingent on the achievement of performance objectives.

In December 2017, at the recommendation of the compensation committee, our board of directors approved base salary increases of approximately 3%, representing a cost-of-living adjustment, for each of our named executive officers. The following table shows each named executive officer’s 2018 annual base salary:

 

Name

   2018 Annual Base
Salary ($)
 

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

     722,800  

Lawrence J. Hineline

     424,400  

Michael I. Halstead

     469,000  

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

     424,400  

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

     405,600  

 

29


Table of Contents

Annual Bonus Program and 2018 Target Amounts

Cash bonuses are intended to provide incentives to drive Company-wide performance. Each of our named executive officers is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus, none of which are guaranteed. The determination of the amount of annual bonuses paid to our named executive officers generally reflects a number of considerations by the compensation committee acting in its judgment, including, among other things, the performance of the Company and its evaluation of the individual contribution and performance of each named executive officer. In exercising its judgment, the compensation committee performs a holistic review, taking into account competitive market dynamics as well as the macro-economic environment.

Holistic Approach to Compensation Supports Strategic Objectives. Our compensation committee generally believes that a formulaic or purely quantitative approach to executive compensation is not the best way to foster long-term success for us as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Our compensation committee believes that our performance is measured generally by our ability to advance product candidates into and through the clinic toward the market and to secure capital to fund our programs and to operate our business efficiently, and our overall success requires interdisciplinary contribution across our executive management team. Our compensation committee utilizes specific strategic goals, including advancing our development programs, research function, clinical activities, pre-commercialization activities and certain corporate and financial goals, to determine compensation only when it determines that such metrics neither encourage excessive risk-taking nor discourage innovative development activities and when such metrics fall primarily within the control of our executive management. Otherwise, the compensation committee takes a holistic approach, using its judgment and advice from its independent compensation consultant, focusing primarily on our overall Company performance, each named executive officer’s performance and qualitative factors, such as competitive market dynamics, the business environment in which the results were achieved and any unplanned positive or negative events.

No Increases to Annual Cash Bonus Targets for 2018. The target levels for annual cash bonuses for each executive officer are set by the compensation committee as a percentage of each executive officer’s base salary. The percentages that were approved by our compensation committee were derived from peer group data that the compensation committee then interpreted to match the level of qualification and experience of the executive at the Company as well as based on internal comparisons. For 2018, the compensation committee determined that target percentages for our named executive officers would remain constant from 2017, as set forth in the following table.

 

Name

   2018 Bonus Target  

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

     60

Lawrence J. Hineline

     40

Michael I. Halstead

     40

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

     40

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

     40

2018 Bonus Decisions

In determining the amount of 2018 bonus payments, our compensation committee considered the important progress made in the development of our lead product candidate, lumateperone, as well as in the development of our other product candidates including ITI-214, ITI-333 and additional programs and the expansion of our commercial and other infrastructure including the following accomplishments:

 

   

Positive pre-NDA meeting with the FDA, for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia.

 

   

Initiation of the rolling submission of NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia.

 

   

Positive results in ITI-214 preclinical models of heart failure.

 

   

Submission of a NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia.

 

30


Table of Contents
   

Results of our Phase 1/2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple rising dose clinical trial to evaluate ITI-214, our PDE1 inhibitor, in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

 

   

Demonstrated a favorable safety profile for ITI-214.

 

   

FDA acceptance of our NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia.

 

   

Obtained favorable results from our long-term open-label safety switching study with lumateperone in patients with schizophrenia.

 

   

Continued expansion of our infrastructure, systems and workforce in connection with the progress of our development programs and in preparation for the commercialization of our products, including the expansion of our leadership team through the addition of our Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer and other senior clinical and regulatory employees.

To determine each named executive officer’s 2018 bonus payment, our compensation committee considered each individual’s contributions toward the accomplishments noted above, including the acceptance of our first NDA for lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia, our progress in building our commercial infrastructure in preparation for potential launch, including the hiring of our commercial senior leadership team and the continued advancement of our clinical and preclinical development programs, as follows:

 

   

Dr. Mates: our compensation committee determined that because of Dr. Mates’ involvement with and responsibility for development program execution and outcomes and the filing and acceptance of the company’s first NDA with the FDA, she would receive a slightly higher bonus payout relative to her target percentage. Our compensation committee also considered Dr. Mates’ leadership role in the expansion of the Company’s workforce and infrastructure including senior leadership additions in the commercial, clinical and regulatory groups.

 

   

Mr. Hineline: our committee considered Mr. Hineline’s role leading the finance organization’s expansion, ensuring the implementation and maintenance of effective internal controls, maintaining an accurate financial forecast for planning purposes and working effectively with the Audit Committee.

 

   

Mr. Halstead: our committee considered Mr. Halstead’s role successfully supporting our compliance and regulatory initiatives including in connection with the filing of our NDA with the FDA, ensuring timely filing of all SEC-required disclosures and effectively managing all Board interactions as corporate secretary.

 

   

Dr. Davis: our compensation committee considered the extensive support provided by Dr. Davis to the clinical and regulatory efforts in connection with the filing and acceptance of our NDA with the FDA and his leadership with the progress of our preclinical development programs including ITI-333.

 

   

Dr. Vanover: our compensation committee considered the extensive support provided by Dr. Vanover to the clinical and regulatory efforts in connection with the filing and acceptance of our NDA with the FDA and her leadership with the progress of our clinical programs including bi-polar depression and ITI-214 for Parkinson’s disease and heart failure.

The board of directors, as recommended by the compensation committee, awarded the following cash bonuses to our named executive officers for performance during fiscal 2018:

 

Name

   2018 Annual
Bonus
     2018 Annual Bonus
As a Percentage of
2018 Annual Base
Salary
    2018 Annual Bonus
As a Percentage of
2018 Annual
Target Bonus
 

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

   $ 585,500        81     135

Lawrence J. Hineline

   $ 203,700        48     120

Michael I. Halstead

   $ 225,100        48     120

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

   $ 203,700        48     120

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

   $ 202,800        50     125

 

31


Table of Contents

Equity Awards

The goals of our long-term, equity-based incentive awards are to align the interests of our named executive officers with the interests of our stockholders. Because vesting is based on continued service, our equity-based incentives also encourage the retention of our named executive officers during the award vesting period. In determining the size of the long-term equity incentives to be awarded to our named executive officers, we take into account a number of factors, such as the relative job scope, the value of existing stockholdings and long-term incentive awards, individual performance history, Company performance, retention considerations and the size of prior grants.

To reward and retain our named executive officers in a manner that aligns their interests with stockholders’ interests, we use stock options both in the form of initial stock option grants in connection with the commencement of employment and additional annual stock option grants. We also compensate our named executive officers with annual grants of time-based restricted stock units, and, in certain years, grants of performance based restricted stock units. The use of restricted stock unit awards reduces the dilutive effect of the incentive equity awards made to management and provides additional retention incentive. We have not established a formula or program for determining the size of any equity award, including any annual stock option grants or restricted stock unit awards, and our compensation committee retains discretion to make such awards to employees at any time, including in connection with the promotion of an employee, to reward an employee, for retention purposes or in other circumstances recommended by management.

Equity grants are made in the year following the year of performance, but shown in the “Summary Compensation Table” for the year of grant in accordance with the rules for disclosing equity compensation. Based on the recommendations of FW Cook with respect to market and peer company practices; the achievement of 2017 corporate performance accomplishments, including the progress made in advancing our development programs for our product candidates, including lumateperone for the treatment of schizophrenia and bi-polar depression, our total stockholder returns; an evaluation of each named executive officer’s performance, position, tenure, experience, expertise and leadership; and 2017 individual performance accomplishments, each named executive officer was granted equity awards for the number of shares set forth below in the “2018 Fiscal Year Grants of Plan-Based Awards” table on page 39. As reflected in this table, except in the case of Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanover in recognition of their significant contributions in advancing our development programs, in particular with respect to our lead product candidate lumateperone, our compensation committee determined to reduce the 2018 equity grants to each executive officer as compared to the 2017 equity grants.

In order to reinforce our commitment to align executive pay with the Company’s performance and the interests of our stockholders for near- and long-term performance, our compensation committee determined it would grant approximately half of each annual grant in the form of stock options and half in the form of restricted stock unit awards, each vesting over a three-year period.

 

Name

   Grant Date
Value of
2018 Stock
Option
     Grant Date
Value of
2018 Time-
Based
Restricted
Stock Unit
Award
     Aggregate
Grant Date
Value of
2018 Annual
Grant
     Aggregate
Grant Date
Value of
2017 Annual
Grant
     % of 2018
Aggregate
Grant Date
Value as
compared
to 2017
Aggregate
Grant Date
Value
 

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

   $ 1,556,410      $ 1,593,735      $ 3,150,145      $ 3,730,147        -16

Lawrence J. Hineline

   $ 732,430      $ 749,986      $ 1,482,416      $ 1,716,957        -14

Michael I. Halstead

   $ 732,430      $ 749,986      $ 1,482,416      $ 1,716,957        -14

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

   $ 732,430      $ 749,986      $ 1,482,416      $ 1,356,071        9

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

   $ 732,430      $ 749,986      $ 1,482,416      $ 1,356,071        9

 

32


Table of Contents

With respect to long-term performance-based compensation, the compensation committee annually considers the appropriate mix of equity awards and incorporates performance-based equity awards when it determines that important milestones should form the basis of a performance-based equity grant and that such a grant would not promote excessive risk taking that could adversely impact the Company or its research or development of pharmaceutical products. The compensation committee considered grants of performance-based restricted stock units in 2018, but decided that since the majority of the milestones under the performance-based restricted stock unit awards granted in 2017 remain outstanding, it would not to grant additional performance-based restricted stock unit awards in 2018.

With respect to the 2017 performance-based restricted stock units, one-third of each award vested in 2018 and two-thirds of each award will vest only upon the achievement of certain milestones, including the approval of an NDA by the FDA and achievement of certain comparative stockholder returns against our peers measured over a three-year period ending on December 31, 2019 based on the following schedule.

 

3 Year Total Stockholder Return vs. Peer Group Companies

 

Resulting Shares Earned (% of Target)

71st percentile or above

  150%

51st to 70th percentile

  100%

31st to 50th percentile

  50%

Severance and Change in Control Arrangements

Each of the employment agreements of our named executive officers provides that the named executive officer is eligible to receive severance payments and benefits upon an involuntary termination of employment or a termination for good reason within three months before or 12 months following a change in control of our Company. We believe that this protection serves to encourage continued attention and dedication to duties without distraction arising from the possibility of a change in control, and provides the business with a smooth transition in the event of such a termination of employment in connection with a transaction. This severance and change in control arrangement is designed to retain our named executive officers in these key positions as we compete for talented executives in the marketplace where such protections are commonly offered.

For a detailed description of the severance provisions contained in our named executive officers’ employment agreements, see “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change-in-Control” below.

Section 280G of the Code

Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, disallows a tax deduction with respect to excess parachute payments to certain executives of companies which undergo a change in control. In addition, Section 4999 of the Code imposes a 20% excise tax on the individual with respect to the excess parachute payment. Parachute payments are compensation linked to or triggered by a change in control and may include, but are not limited to, bonus payments, severance payments, certain fringe benefits, and payments and acceleration of vesting from long-term incentive plans including stock options and other equity-based compensation. Excess parachute payments are parachute payments that exceed a threshold determined under Section 280G of the Code based on the executive’s prior compensation.

Under each of their employment agreements, Dr. Mates and Mr. Hineline are entitled to a gross-up payment that will make her or him whole in the event that any parachute payment excise taxes are imposed on her or him. This arrangement has been in place since we were a private company. We provide this protection to Dr. Mates and Mr. Hineline to help ensure that they will be properly incentivized in the event of a potential change in control of the Company to maximize stockholder value in a transaction without concern for potential consequences of the transaction to her or him. Based on the assumptions described below under “Executive Officer and Director Compensation—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change-in-Control,” upon a

 

33


Table of Contents

termination of employment or a change of control as of December 31, 2018, Dr. Mates and Mr. Hineline would not be entitled to any tax gross-up payment. Mr. Halstead, Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanover’s employment agreements include a Section 280G “best after tax” provision, meaning, if any payments due under their employment agreements would otherwise constitute parachute payments within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and would be subject to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code, the payments will be reduced by the amount required to avoid the excise tax if such a reduction would give the grantee a better after-tax result than if the grantee received the payments in full.

Other Elements of Compensation and Perquisites

Our named executive officers are also entitled to additional benefits and perquisites that are also available to all of our full-time employees. All of our full-time employees, including our named executive officers, are eligible to participate in our 401(k) plan. For all of our full-time employees, in 2018 we made a matching contribution of up to 100% on the first 6% of contributions made by participants. We also pay the premiums of a term life insurance policy to benefit each of our full-time employees, including our named executive officers, with a face value of $150,000. In addition, all of our full-time employees, including our named executive officers, benefit from participation in our health and welfare plans.

Additional Compensation Information

Equity Grant Timing

Historically, annual equity grants to all employees, including management, are made in January in an effort to link employees’ compensation more closely to the recently completed fiscal year. Annual equity grants for 2018 were granted in January 2019.

Accounting and Tax Considerations

Under ASC 718, the Company is required to estimate and record an expense for each award of equity compensation (including stock options and RSUs) over the vesting period of the award. We record share-based compensation expense on an ongoing basis according to FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, or ASC 718. The compensation committee has considered, and may in the future consider, the grant of performance-based or other types of stock awards to executive officers in lieu of or in addition to stock option and time-based RSU grants in light of the accounting impact of ASC 718 and other considerations.

Under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 162(m)”), compensation paid to any publicly held corporation’s “covered employees” that exceeds $1 million per taxable year for any covered employee is generally non-deductible.

Prior to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Section 162(m) provided a performance-based compensation exception, pursuant to which the deduction limit under Section 162(m) did not apply to any compensation that qualified as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m). Pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) was repealed with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, except that certain transition relief is provided for compensation paid pursuant to a written binding contract which was in effect on November 2, 2017 and which is not modified in any material respect on or after such date.

Compensation paid to each of the Company’s “covered employees” in excess of $1 million per taxable year generally will not be deductible unless it qualifies for the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) pursuant to the transition relief described above. Because of certain ambiguities and uncertainties

 

34


Table of Contents

as to the application and interpretation of Section 162(m), as well as other factors beyond the control of the compensation committee, no assurance can be given that any compensation paid by the Company will be eligible for such transition relief and be deductible by the Company in the future. Although the compensation committee will continue to consider tax implications as one factor in determining executive compensation, the compensation committee also looks at other factors in making its decisions and retains the flexibility to provide compensation for the Company’s named executive officers in a manner consistent with the goals of the Company’s executive compensation program and the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, which may include providing for compensation that is not deductible by the Company due to the deduction limit under Section 162(m). The compensation committee also retains the flexibility to modify compensation that was initially intended to be exempt from the deduction limit under Section 162(m) if it determines that such modifications are consistent with the Company’s business needs.

Insider Trading Policy and Hedging and Pledging Prohibitions

We maintain an Insider Trading Policy that prohibits our officers, directors, employees and consultants from, among other things, engaging in speculative transactions in our securities, including by way of the purchase or sale of “put” or “call” options or other derivative securities directly linked to our equity; short sales of our equity; the use of our equity as a pledge or as collateral in a margin account; and trading in straddles, equity swaps, or other hedging transactions directly linked to our equity, even if such persons do not possess material, nonpublic information.

 

35


Table of Contents

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The compensation committee of our board of directors has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K, which appears elsewhere in this proxy statement, with our management. Based on this review and discussion, the compensation committee has recommended to the board of directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in our proxy statement.

Members of the Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.

Compensation Committee

Joel S. Marcus (Chairman)

Christopher Alafi, Ph.D.

Rory B. Riggs

 

36


Table of Contents

RISKS RELATED TO COMPENSATION PRACTICES AND POLICIES

Consistent with SEC disclosure requirements, we have assessed our compensation policies, practices and awards, and have concluded that our compensation policies, practices and awards do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company. Our management assessed our compensation and benefits programs to determine if the programs’ provisions and operations create undesired or unintentional risk of a material nature. We do not have any programs where the ability of a participant may directly affect variability or timing of payout. Rather, our compensation programs include a combination of fixed base salaries, cash bonuses, long-term incentive awards, and employee retirement plans that are generally uniform in design and operation throughout the Company and with all levels of employees. The compensation policies and practices are substantially the same.

Based on the foregoing, we believe that our compensation policies, practices and awards do not create risks that are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company as a whole. We also believe that our incentive compensation arrangements provide incentives that do not encourage risk-taking beyond the organization’s ability to effectively identify and manage significant risks, are compatible with our effective internal controls and our risk management practices, and are supported by the oversight and administration of the compensation committee with regard to executive compensation programs.

 

37


Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

The following table shows the total compensation paid or accrued during the last three fiscal years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, to our President and Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer and our three other most highly compensated executive officers. These executive officers are referred to as our “named executive officers” in this proxy statement.

 

Name and Principal Position

  Year     Salary
($)
    Bonus
($)
    Stock
Awards
($)(1)
    Option
Awards
($)(2)
    All Other
Compensation
($)(3)
    Total($)  

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

    2018       722,800       585,500       1,593,735       1,556,410       18,024       4,476,469  

Chairman, President and

    2017       701,700       568,400       2,136,401       1,593,746       16,992       5,017,239  

Chief Executive Officer

    2016       681,283       408,800       1,062,464       3,187,495       8,742       5,348,784  

Lawrence J. Hineline

    2018       424,400       203,700       749,986       732,430       17,292       2,127,808  

Senior Vice President of Finance,

    2017       412,000       206,000       966,961       749,996       16,992       2,351,949  

Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer

and Assistant Secretary

    2016       400,000       160,000       499,992       1,499,998       8,742       2,568,732  

Michael I. Halstead

    2018       469,000       225,100       749,986       732,430       16,680       2,193,196  

Executive Vice President,

    2017       455,300       227,700       966,961       749,996       16,320       2,416,277  

General Counsel and Secretary

    2016       442,000       176,800       499,992       1,499,998       8,070       2,626,860  

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

    2018       424,400       203,700       749,986       732,430       18,024       2,128,540  

Senior Vice President and

    2017       412,000       222,500       981,079       374,992       17,724       2,008,295  

Chief Scientific Officer

    2016       400,000       160,000       —         —         9,474       569,474  

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

    2018       405,600       202,800       749,986       732,430       16,776       2,107,592  

Senior Vice President, Early Stage

    2017       386.300       208,600       981,079       374,992       16,476       1,967,447  

Clinical Development and

Translational Medicines

    2016       375,000       150,000       749,999       249,969       8,226       1,533,194  

 

(1)

The amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards granted during 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, computed in accordance with ASC 718. The weighted average grant date fair values of stock awards granted during these years are included in footnote 4 “Share-Based Compensation” to our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 included in our Annual Report. The grant date fair value of each time-based restricted stock unit award is measured based on the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant. The value of the performance-vesting restricted stock unit awards granted in 2017 to each of Dr. Mates, Mr. Hineline, Mr. Halstead, Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanover based upon the then-probable outcome of the performance conditions, as computed in accordance with ASC 718, was $1,605,152, $716,964, $716,964, $856,088 and $856,088 for each award, respectively. Assuming that the maximum level of performance will be achieved, and assuming the $14.16 closing price of our shares on the date of grant, the value of such performance-vesting restricted stock unit awards is $2,407,742; $1,075,446; $1,075,446, $1,284,133, and $1,284,133, respectively. These amounts do not necessarily correspond to the actual value recognized or that may be recognized by the named executive officers.

(2)

The options granted in 2018 to Dr. Mates, Mr. Hineline, Mr. Halstead, Dr. Davis, and Dr. Vanover were for such named executive officers’ performance in 2017. The options granted in 2017 to Dr. Mates, Mr. Hineline, Mr. Halstead, Dr. Davis, and Dr. Vanover were for such named executive officers’ performance in 2016. The options granted in 2016 to Dr. Mates, Mr. Hineline, Mr. Halstead and Dr. Vanover were for each named executive officer’s performance in 2015. Dr. Davis became employed by the Company on November 4, 2015 and did not receive a 2016 option grant for 2015 service. Dr. Davis was granted options in 2015 in connection with the commencement of his employment and in recognition of his

 

38


Table of Contents
  prior services. These amounts represent the aggregate grant date fair value of the option awards granted to our named executive officers, computed in accordance with ASC 718, using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and excluding the effect of estimated forfeitures. See Note 4 to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for details as to the assumptions used to calculate the fair value of the option awards. See also our discussion of stock-based compensation under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(3)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, consists of $1,524 for Dr. Mates, $792 for Mr. Hineline, $180 for Mr. Halstead, $1,524 for Dr. Davis and $276 for Dr. Vanover in life insurance premiums we paid for a term life insurance policy to benefit the named executive officer with a face value of $150,000, and the balance in matching contributions under our 401(k) plan.

2018 Fiscal Year Grants of Plan-Based Awards

The following table shows information regarding grants of equity awards that we made during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 to each of our named executive officers. We did not grant any non-equity incentive plan awards during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

 

     Grant
Date
     All Other Stock
Awards: Number
of Shares of
Stock or Units
(#)
     All Other Option
Awards: Number
of Securities
Underlying
Options (#)
     Exercise or
Base Price
of Option
Awards
($/sh)(1)
     Grant Date
Fair Value of
Stock and
Option Awards
($)(2)
 

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

     1/3/2018        —          138,473        15.47        1,556,410  
     1/3/2018        103,021        —          —          1,593,735  

Lawrence J. Hineline

     1/3/2018        —          65,164        15.47        732,430  
     1/3/2018        48,480        —          —          749,986  

Michael I. Halstead

     1/3/2018        —          65,164        15.47        732,430  
     1/3/2018        48,480        —          —          749,986  

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

     1/3/2018        —          65,164        15.47        732,430  
     1/3/2018        48,480        —          —          749,986  

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

     1/3/2018        —          65,164        15.47        732,430  
     1/3/2018        48,480        —          —          749,986  

 

(1)

The exercise price is equal to the fair market value of our common stock, which is the closing price per share of our common stock as reported by the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the grant date.

(2)

These amounts represent the aggregate grant date fair value for option awards and restricted stock unit awards granted to our named executive officers, computed in accordance with ASC 718. See Note 4 to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for details as to the assumptions used to calculate the fair value of the option awards. The grant date fair value of each time-based restricted stock unit award is measured based on the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant. See also our discussion of stock-based compensation under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table and Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

We entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Mates in February 2008, who has been our President and Chief Executive Officer since 2002. The agreement provides for an annual salary review and adjustment in the discretion of our board of directors, and that Dr. Mates is eligible for bonus payments and stock options as may be awarded by our board of directors. Effective January 1, 2019, her annual base salary was increased from $722,800 to $744,500. In addition, her employment agreement provides that we will pay the premium on a life

 

39


Table of Contents

insurance policy in an amount equal to one and one half times her base salary; however, we paid a premium on a life insurance policy with a face value of $150,000, to which she assented. The employment agreement also provides that Dr. Mates is entitled to participate in our benefit plans on the same basis as other executive level employees as well as long-term disability insurance and reimbursement for reasonable business expenses. The initial term of the agreement was three years and will be renewed for successive one year terms, unless we or Dr. Mates provides notice that we or she, as the case may be, does not wish to renew the agreement or wishes to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in the agreement.

Dr. Mates is entitled to certain benefits in connection with a termination of her employment or a change of control as discussed below under “—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control.”

Lawrence J. Hineline

We entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Hineline in February 2008, who has been our Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since 2019 and was our Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from 2002 until 2018 and was our Secretary from 2002 to 2014. The agreement provides for an annual salary review and adjustment in the discretion of our board of directors, and that Mr. Hineline is eligible for bonus payments and stock options as may be awarded by our board of directors. Effective January 1, 2019, his annual base salary was increased from $424,400 to $449,900. In addition, his employment agreement provides that we will pay the premium on a life insurance policy in an amount equal to one and one half times his base salary; however, we paid a premium on a life insurance policy with a face value of $150,000, to which he assented. The employment agreement also provides that Mr. Hineline is entitled to participate in our benefit plans on the same basis as other executive level employees as well as long-term disability insurance and reimbursement for reasonable business expenses. The initial term of the agreement was three years and will be renewed for successive one year terms, unless we or Mr. Hineline provides notice that we or he, as the case may be, does not wish to renew the agreement or wishes to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in the agreement.

Mr. Hineline is entitled to certain benefits in connection with a termination of his employment or a change of control as discussed below under “—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control.”

Michael I. Halstead

We entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Halstead in August 2015, who has been our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since 2019 and our Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from 2014 until 2018. The agreement provides for an annual salary review and adjustment in the discretion of our board of directors, and that Mr. Halstead is eligible for bonus payments and equity grants as may be awarded by our board of directors. Effective January 1, 2019, his annual base salary was increased from $469,000 to $497,100. In addition, his employment agreement provides that we will pay the premium on a life insurance policy in an amount of $150,000. The employment agreement also provides that Mr. Halstead is entitled to participate in our benefit plans on the same basis as other executive level employees as well as long-term disability insurance and reimbursement for reasonable business expenses. The initial term of the agreement is three years and will be renewed for successive one year terms, unless we or Mr. Halstead provides notice that we or he, as the case may be, does not wish to renew the agreement or wishes to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in the agreement.

Mr. Halstead is entitled to certain benefits in connection with a termination of his employment or a change of control as discussed below under “—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control.”

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

We entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Davis in November 2015, when he became our Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. Prior to that, Dr. Davis was a consultant to the Company since 2005.

 

40


Table of Contents

The agreement provides for an annual salary review and adjustment in the discretion of our board of directors, and that Dr. Davis is eligible for bonus payments and equity grants as may be awarded by our board of directors. Effective January 1, 2019, his annual base salary was increased from $424,400 to $437,100. In addition, his employment agreement provides that we will pay the premium on a life insurance policy in an amount of $150,000. The employment agreement also provides that Dr. Davis is entitled to participate in our benefit plans on the same basis as other executive level employees as well as long-term disability insurance and reimbursement for reasonable business expenses. The initial term of the agreement is three years and will be renewed for successive one year terms, unless we or Dr. Davis provides notice that we or he, as the case may be, does not wish to renew the agreement or wishes to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in the agreement.

Prior to joining us as Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer in November 2015, Dr. Davis received cash consulting compensation of $20,000 per month in 2015 and has received discretionary equity grants since 2005.

Dr. Davis is entitled to certain benefits in connection with a termination of his employment or a change of control as discussed below under “—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control.”

Kimberly Vanover, Ph.D.

We entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Vanover in November 2015 who has served as Senior Vice President, Clinical Development since November 2015 and joined ITI in March 2007. The agreement provides for an annual salary review and adjustment in the discretion of our board of directors, and that Dr. Vanover is eligible for bonus payments and equity grants as may be awarded by our board of directors. Effective January 1, 2019, her annual base salary was increased from $405,600 to $417,800. In addition, her employment agreement provides that we will pay the premium on a life insurance policy in an amount of $150,000. The employment agreement also provides that Dr. Vanover is entitled to participate in our benefit plans on the same basis as other executive level employees as well as long-term disability insurance and reimbursement for reasonable business expenses. The initial term of the agreement is three years and will be renewed for successive one year terms, unless we or Dr. Vanover provides notice that we or she, as the case may be, does not wish to renew the agreement or wishes to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in the agreement.

Dr. Vanover is entitled to certain benefits in connection with a termination of her employment or a change of control as discussed below under “—Potential Payments upon Termination or Change of Control.”

Pursuant to their respective proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreements, Dr. Mates, Mr. Hineline, Mr. Halstead, Dr. Davis and Dr. Vanover have agreed to not (i) solicit customers, consultants, contractors or employees of ours for a period of one year after the termination of her or his employment or (ii) compete with us for a period of one year after the later of the termination of her or his employment or the date a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order enforcing the non-competition provision.

 

41


Table of Contents

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding equity awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2018.

 

     Option Awards      Stock Awards  

Name

   Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
    Option
Exercise Price
($)
     Option
Expiration
Date(1)
     Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested (#)
    Market Value
of Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested ($)(2)
 

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

     50,000        0       2.74        6/10/2020       
     50,000        0       2.74        12/21/2020       
     50,000        0       2.84        4/30/2022       
     50,000        0       3.26        5/31/2023       
     200,000        0       16.86        6/30/2024       
     228,380        0       17.57        1/2/2025       
     57,336        28,667 (3)      53.63        1/4/2026       
     45,133        90,266 (4)      15.73        1/3/2027       
     0        138,473 (5)      15.47        1/3/2028       
                6,604 (6)      75,220  
                22,516 (7)      256,457  
                103,021 (8)      1,173,409  

Lawrence J. Hineline

     10,000        0       2.74        6/10/2020       
     10,000        0       2.74        12/21/2020       
     10,000        0       2.84        4/30/2022       
     10,000        0       3.26        5/31/2023       
     50,000        0       16.86        6/30/2024       
     72,120        0       17.57        1/2/2025       
     26,982        13,490 (3)      53.63        1/4/2026       
     21,239        42,478 (4)      15.73        1/3/2027       
     0        65,164 (5)      15.47        1/3/2028       
                3,108 (6)      35,400  
                10,596 (7)      120,688  
                48,480 (8)      552,187  

Michael I. Halstead

     100,000        0       13.86        7/29/2024       
     88,146        0       17.57        1/2/2025       
     26,982        13,490 (3)      53.63        1/4/2026       
     21,239        42,478 (4)      15.73        1/3/2027       
     0        65,164 (5)      15.47        1/3/2028       
                3,108 (6)      35,400  
                10,596 (7)      120,688  
                48,480 (8)      552,187  

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

     5,000        0       2.74        6/10/2020       
     5,000        0       2.74        12/21/2020       
     5,000        0       2.84        4/30/2022       
     5,000        0       3.26        5/31/2023       
     75,000        0       16.86        6/30/2024       
     25,571        0       17.57        1/2/2025       
     22,230        0       56.90        1/3/2026       
     10,619        21,239 (4)      15.73        1/3/2027       
     0        65,164 (5)      15.47        1/3/2028       
                5,298 (7)      60,344  
                48,480 (8)      552,187  

 

42


Table of Contents
     Option Awards      Stock Awards  

Name

   Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
     Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
    Option
Exercise Price
($)
     Option
Expiration
Date(1)
     Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested (#)
    Market Value
of Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested ($)(2)
 

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

     3,500        0       2.74        6/10/2020       
     7,500        0       2.74        12/21/2020       
     10,000        0       2.84        4/30/2022       
     10,000        0       3.26        5/31/2023       
     100,000        0       16.86        6/30/2024       
     72,120        0       17.57        1/2/2025       
     13,491        6,745  (3)      53.63        1/3/2026       
     10,619        21,239  (4)      15.73        1/3/2027       
     0        65,164  (5)      15.47        1/3/2028       
                1,544  (6)      17,700  
                5,298  (7)      60,344  
                48,480  (8)      552,187  

 

(1)

All options have a ten year term from the date of grant.

(2)

The market value of the stock awards is based on the closing price of our common stock of $11.39 per share at December 31, 2018.

(3)

Each option to purchase our common stock that expires on January 4, 2026 vested as to 1/3 of the shares on January 4, 2017, 1/3 of the shares on January 4, 2018 and 1/3 of the shares on January 4, 2019.

(4)

Each option to purchase our common stock that expires on January 3, 2027 vested as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2018, 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2019 and will vest as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2020.

(5)

Each option to purchase our common stock that expires on January 3, 2028 vested as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2019 and will vest as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2020 and 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2021.

(6)

These restricted stock units vested as to 1/3 of the shares on January 4, 2017, 1/3 of the shares on January 4, 2018 and 1/3 of the shares on January 4, 2019.

(7)

These restricted stock units vested as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2018, 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2019 and will vest as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2020.

(8)

These restricted stock units vested as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2019 and will vest as to 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2020 and 1/3 of the shares on January 3, 2021.

 

43


Table of Contents

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2018

The following table shows information regarding exercises of options to purchase our common stock and the vesting of restricted stock units held by each of our named executive officers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

 

     Option Awards      Stock Awards  

Name

   Number of
Shares
Acquired
on Exercise
(#)
     Value Realized
on Exercise
($) (1)
     Number of
Shares
Acquired
on Vesting
(#)
     Value Realized
on Vesting
($)(2)
 

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

     50,000        692,000        35,339        487,734  

Lawrence J. Hineline

     —          —          16,212        224,759  

Michael I. Halstead

     —          —          16,212        224,759  

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

     —          —          13,728        173,372  

Kimberly E. Vanover, Ph.D.

           13,524        174,089  

 

(1)

The value realized on exercise is based on the difference between the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the date of exercise and the applicable exercise price of those options and does not represent actual amounts received by the individual as a result of the option exercises.

(2)

The value realized on vesting is calculated by multiplying the number of vested shares by the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the applicable vesting date.

Pension Benefits

We do not have any qualified or non-qualified defined benefit plans.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

We do not have any nonqualified defined contribution plans or other deferred compensation plans.

Potential Payments upon Termination or Change-in-Control

We have agreed to provide severance and change of control payments and benefits to our named executive officers under specified circumstances, as described below:

Sharon Mates, Ph.D.

If Dr. Mates employment is terminated for any reason, she will be entitled to compensation and benefits through the last day of her employment, including accrued but untaken vacation. If her employment is terminated due to her death or disability, we will also pay her or her estate the compensation which would otherwise have been payable to her through the end of the month in which such termination occurs as well as payment for any accrued but untaken vacation. If her employment is terminated without cause by us or she terminates her employment for good reason, she will receive the following severance benefits following her employment termination, on condition that she executes a general release in our favor: (a) payment of 12 months of her then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus she was awarded for the previous year, if any, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the date the general release she executes becomes effective; (b) payment for 12 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to her termination; and (c) all of her unvested stock options will become fully vested and exercisable. Dr. Mates will also be entitled to such severance benefits if we elect not to renew her employment agreement for reasons other than death, disability or cause, but (i) such severance benefits are conditioned on Dr. Mates executing a general release in favor of us, returning all our property, and complying with her employment agreement, proprietary

 

44


Table of Contents

information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release and (ii) Dr. Mates will not be eligible for such severance benefits if she or we wish to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in her employment agreement. In the event of a change of control, all of her unvested stock options will immediately vest. If her employment is terminated for reasons other than death or disability within three months before or 12 months following a change of control, she terminates her employment for good reason during such period, or she terminates her employment for any reason within one month following a change of control, she will be eligible for the following severance benefits following her employment termination: (a) payment of 18 months of her then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus she was awarded for the previous year, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the eighth day following the effective date of the general release, and (b) payment for 18 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to her termination. In addition, we have agreed to pay a tax gross-up to Dr. Mates if any amounts payable by us (or a successor) to her become subject to excise taxes under Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. Such severance benefits following a change of control are payable on condition that she executes a general release in favor of us, returns all our property and complies with her post-termination obligations under her employment agreement, her proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and her general release.

The following table sets out the estimated potential payments upon termination or a change in control for Dr. Mates, based on the assumptions discussed above and assuming such event occurred on December 31, 2018:

 

Dr. Mates

   Termination by
the Company
without
Cause or by the
Executive for
Good Reason
Absent a Change
in Control ($)
     Acceleration
of Vesting upon a
Change in Control
without
Termination ($)
     Termination by
the Company (Other than for Death or
Disability) or by the Executive  for Good
Reason Within 3 Months Before or
12 Months Following a Change in Control
or by Executive for any Reason Within
One Month
Following a Change in
Control ($)
 

Severance benefits:

        

Lump sum payment(1)

     1,783,708        —          2,429,308  

Healthcare benefits

     14,866        —          22.299  

Acceleration of equity awards:

        

Market value of equity vesting on termination(2)

     —          —          —    

280G Tax Gross-Up(3)

     —          —          —    

Total Payment

     1,798,574      $ —        $ 2,451,607  

 

(1)

Includes $492,508 of accrued but untaken vacation. In the event of a voluntary termination, termination for cause, non-renewal of her employment agreement or termination due to death or disability effective December 31, 2018, Dr. Mates would be entitled to accrued vacation of $492,508.

(2)

As of December 31, 2018, all stock options were under-water. Information about all stock options and other unvested equity awards held by Dr. Mates as of December 31, 2018 is included in the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End” table.

(3)

Based on these assumptions, Dr. Mates’ payments would not result in a tax gross-up payment to her. However, the amount of the tax gross-up, if any, that would arise would depend upon the facts and circumstances at the time of a change in control and any related employment termination.

Lawrence J. Hineline

If Mr. Hineline’s employment is terminated for any reason, he will be entitled to compensation and benefits through the last day of his employment, including accrued but untaken vacation. If his employment is terminated due to his death or disability, we will also pay him or his estate the compensation which would otherwise have been payable to him through the end of the month in which such termination occurs as well as payment for any

 

45


Table of Contents

accrued but untaken vacation. If his employment is terminated without cause by us or he terminates his employment for good reason, he will receive the following severance benefits following his employment termination, on condition that he executes a general release in our favor: (a) payment of 12 months of his then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus he was awarded for the previous year, if any, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the date the general release he executes becomes effective; (b) payment for 12 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to his termination; and (c) all of his unvested stock options will become fully vested and exercisable. Mr. Hineline will also be entitled to such severance benefits if we elect not to renew his employment agreement for reasons other than death, disability or cause, but (i) such severance benefits are conditioned on Mr. Hineline executing a general release in our favor, returning all our property, and complying with his employment agreement, proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release and (ii) Mr. Hineline will not be eligible for such severance benefits if he or we wish to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in his employment agreement. In the event of a change of control, all of his unvested stock options will immediately vest. If his employment is terminated for reasons other than death or disability within three months before or 12 months following a change of control, he terminates his employment for good reason during such period, or he terminates his employment for any reason within one month following a change of control, he will be eligible for the following severance benefits following his employment termination: (a) payment of 18 months of his then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus he was awarded for the previous year, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the eighth day following the effective date of the general release, and (b) payment for 18 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to his termination. In addition, we have agreed to pay a tax gross-up to Mr. Hineline if any amounts payable by us (or a successor) to him become subject to excise taxes under Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. Such severance benefits following a change of control are payable on condition that he executes a general release in favor of us, returns all our property and complies with his post-termination obligations under his employment agreement, his proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and his general release.

The following table sets out the estimated potential payments upon termination or a change in control for Mr. Hineline, based on the assumptions discussed above and assuming such event occurred on December 31, 2018:

 

Mr. Hineline

   Termination by
the Company
without
Cause or by the
Executive for
Good Reason
Absent a
Change
in Control
($)
     Acceleration
of Vesting upon a
Change in Control
without
Termination
($)
     Termination by
the Company (Other than for Death or
Disability) or by the Executive  for Good
Reason Within 3 Months Before or
12 Months Following a Change in Control
or by Executive for any Reason Within
One Month
Following a Change in Control
($)
 

Severance benefits:

        

Lump sum payment(1)

     837,546        —          1,152,746  

Healthcare benefits

     30,349        —          45,523  

Acceleration of equity awards:

        

Market value of equity vesting on termination(2)

     —          —          —    

280G Tax Gross-Up(3)

     —          —          —    

Total Payment

     1,075,041      $ —        $ 1,198,269  

 

(1)

Includes $207,146 of accrued but untaken vacation. In the event of a voluntary termination, termination for cause, non-renewal of his employment agreement or termination due to death or disability effective December 31, 2018, Mr. Hineline would be entitled to accrued vacation of $207,146.

 

46


Table of Contents
(2)

As of December 31, 2018, all stock options were under-water. Information about all stock options and other unvested equity awards held by Mr. Hineline as of December 31, 2018 is included in the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End” table.

(3)

Based on these assumptions, Mr. Hineline’s payments would not result in a tax gross-up payment to him. However, the amount of the tax gross-up, if any, that would arise would depend upon the facts and circumstances at the time of a change in control and any related employment termination.

Michael I. Halstead

If Mr. Halstead’s employment is terminated for any reason, he will be entitled to compensation and benefits through the last day of his employment, including accrued but untaken vacation. If his employment is terminated due to his death or disability, we will also pay him or his estate the compensation which would otherwise have been payable to him through the end of the month in which such termination occurs as well as payment for any accrued but untaken vacation. If his employment is terminated without cause by us or he terminates his employment for good reason, he will receive the following severance benefits following his employment termination, on condition that he executes a general release in our favor, returns all our property, and complies with his employment agreement, proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release: (a) payment of 12 months of his then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus he was awarded for the previous year, if any, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the date the general release he executes becomes effective; (b) payment for 12 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to his termination; and (c) all of his unvested equity grants will immediately vest. Mr. Halstead will also be entitled to such severance benefits if we elect not to renew his employment agreement for reasons other than death, disability or cause, but (i) such severance benefits are conditioned on Mr. Halstead executing a general release in our favor, returning all our property, and complying with his employment agreement, proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release and (ii) Mr. Halstead will not be eligible for such severance benefits if he or we wish to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in his employment agreement. If his employment is terminated for reasons other than death or disability within three months before or 12 months following a change of control, or he terminates his employment for good reason during such period, he will be eligible for the following severance benefits following his employment termination: (a) payment of 18 months of his then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus he was awarded for the previous year, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the eighth day following the effective date of the general release, (b) payment for 18 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to his termination, and (c) all of his unvested equity grants will immediately vest. Such severance benefits following a change of control are payable on condition that he executes a general release in favor of us, returns all our property and complies with his post-termination obligations under his employment agreement, his proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and his general release.

 

47


Table of Contents

The following table sets out the estimated potential payments upon termination or a change in control for Mr. Halstead, based on the assumptions discussed above and assuming such event occurred on December 31, 2018:

 

Mr. Halstead

   Termination by
the Company
without
Cause or by the
Executive for
Good Reason
Absent a
Change
in Control
($)
     Acceleration
of Vesting
upon a
Change in
Control
without
Termination
($)
     Termination by the Company
(Other than for Death or
Disability) or by the
Executive for Good Reason
Within 3 Months Before or
12 Months Following

a Change in Control
($)
 

Severance benefits:

        

Lump sum payment

     696,700        —        $ 1,045,050  

Healthcare benefits

     42,236        —        $ 63,354  

Acceleration of equity awards:

        

Market value of equity vesting on termination(1)

     —          —          —    

Total Payment

   $ 738,936      $ —        $ 1,108,404  

 

(1)

As of December 31, 2018, all stock options were under-water. Information about all stock options and other unvested equity awards held by Mr. Halstead as of December 31, 2018 is included in the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End” table.

Robert E. Davis, Ph.D.

If Dr. Davis’ employment is terminated for any reason, he will be entitled to compensation and benefits through the last day of his employment, including accrued but untaken vacation. If his employment is terminated due to his death or disability, we will also pay him or his estate the compensation which would otherwise have been payable to him through the end of the month in which such termination occurs as well as payment for any accrued but untaken vacation. If his employment is terminated without cause by us or he terminates his employment for good reason, he will receive the following severance benefits following his employment termination, on condition that he executes a general release in our favor, returns all our property, and complies with his employment agreement, proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release: (a) payment of 12 months of his then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus he was awarded for the previous year, if any, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the date the general release he executes becomes effective; (b) payment for 12 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to his termination; and (c) all of his unvested equity grants will immediately vest. Dr. Davis will also be entitled to such severance benefits if we elect not to renew his employment agreement for reasons other than death, disability or cause, but (i) such severance benefits are conditioned on Dr. Davis executing a general release in our favor, returning all our property, and complying with his employment agreement, proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release and (ii) Dr. Davis will not be eligible for such severance benefits if he or we wish to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in his employment agreement. If his employment is terminated for reasons other than death or disability within three months before or 12 months following a change of control, or he terminates his employment for good reason during such period, he will be eligible for the following severance benefits following his employment termination: (a) payment of 18 months of his then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus he was awarded for the previous year, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the eighth day following the effective date of the general release, (b) payment for 18 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to his termination, and (c) all of his unvested equity grants will immediately vest. Such severance benefits following a change of control are payable on condition that he executes a general release in favor of us, returns all our property and complies with his post-termination obligations under his employment agreement, his proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and his general release.

 

48


Table of Contents

The following table sets out the estimated potential payments upon termination or a change in control for Dr. Davis, based on the assumptions discussed above and assuming such event occurred on December 31, 2018:

 

Dr. Davis

   Termination by
the Company
without
Cause or by the
Executive for
Good Reason
Absent a Change
in Control
($)
     Acceleration
of Vesting upon a
Change in
Control without
Termination
($)
     Termination by
the Company
(Other than for
Death or Disability)
or by the Executive
for Good Reason
Within 3 Months
Before or
12 Months Following
a Change in Control
($)
 

Severance benefits:

        

Lump sum payment(1)

     680,362        —          1,003,812  

Healthcare benefits

     —          —       

Acceleration of equity awards:

        

Market value of equity vesting on termination(2)

     —          —          —    

Total Payment

     680,362      $ —          1,003,812  

 

(1)

Includes $33,462 of accrued but untaken vacation. In the event of a voluntary termination, termination for cause, non-renewal of his employment agreement or termination due to death or disability effective December 31, 2018, Dr. Davis would be entitled to accrued vacation of $33,462.

(2)

As of December 31, 2018, all stock options were under-water. Information about all stock options and other unvested equity awards held by Dr. Davis as of December 31, 2018 is included in the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End” table.

Kimberly Vanover, Ph.D.

If Dr. Vanover’s employment is terminated for any reason, he will be entitled to compensation and benefits through the last day of her employment, including accrued but untaken vacation. If her employment is terminated due to her death or disability, we will also pay her or her estate the compensation which would otherwise have been payable to him through the end of the month in which such termination occurs as well as payment for any accrued but untaken vacation. If her employment is terminated without cause by us or she terminates her employment for good reason, she will receive the following severance benefits following her employment termination, on condition that he executes a general release in our favor, returns all our property, and complies with her employment agreement, proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release: (a) payment of 12 months of her then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus she was awarded for the previous year, if any, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the date the general release she executes becomes effective; (b) payment for 12 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to her termination; and (c) all of her unvested equity grants will immediately vest. Dr. Vanover will also be entitled to such severance benefits if we elect not to renew her employment agreement for reasons other than death, disability or cause, but (i) such severance benefits are conditioned on Dr. Vanover executing a general release in our favor, returning all our property, and complying with her employment agreement, proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and the general release and (ii) Dr. Vanover will not be eligible for such severance benefits if she or we wish to renew the agreement on different terms than those contained in her employment agreement. If her employment is terminated for reasons other than death or disability within three months before or 12 months following a change of control, or she terminates she employment for good reason during such period, she will be eligible for the following severance benefits following her employment termination: (a) payment of 18 months of her then current base salary and the pro rata portion of an amount equal to the bonus she was awarded for the previous year, which severance payments will be paid in one lump sum on the eighth day following the effective date of the general release, (b) payment for 18 months of the portion of the COBRA premiums that we paid prior to her

 

49


Table of Contents

termination, and (c) all of her unvested equity grants will immediately vest. Such severance benefits following a change of control are payable on condition that she executes a general release in favor of us, returns all our property and complies with her post-termination obligations under her employment agreement, her proprietary information, inventions, and non-competition agreement, and her general release.

The following table sets out the estimated potential payments upon termination or a change in control for Dr. Vanover, based on the assumptions discussed above and assuming such event occurred on December 31, 2018:

 

Dr. Vanover

   Termination by
the Company
without
Cause or by the
Executive for
Good Reason
Absent a
Change
in Control
($)
     Acceleration of
Vesting upon a
Change in
Control
without
Termination
($)
     Termination by
the Company (Other than for
Death or Disability) or
by the Executive
for Good Reason
Within 3 Months Before or
12 Months Following a
Change in Control
($)
 

Severance benefits:

        

Lump sum payment(1)

     721,692        —          1,028,792  

Healthcare benefits

     882        —          1,323  

Acceleration of equity awards:

        

Market value of equity vesting on termination(2)

     —          —          —    

Total Payment

     722,574        —          1,030,115  

 

(1)

Includes $107,492 of accrued but untaken vacation. In the event of a voluntary termination, termination for cause, non-renewal of her employment agreement or termination due to death or disability effective December 31, 2018, Dr. Vanover would be entitled to accrued vacation of $107,492.

(2)

As of December 31, 2018, all stock options were under-water. Information about all stock options and other unvested equity awards held by Dr. Davis as of December 31, 2018 is included in the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2018 Fiscal Year-End” table.

For purposes of severance payments, “good reason” is defined as the executive resigning after the occurrence of one of the following events without the executive’s written consent:

 

   

the assignment to the executive of any duties or responsibilities which result in the material diminution of the executive’s position;

 

   

a reduction by the Company in the executive’s annual base salary of 5% or greater;

 

   

a material change in the geographic location at which the executive is required to perform services; or

 

   

material breach by the Company of any material provision of the executive’s employment agreement.

The executive must provide us with written notice within 60 days after the occurrence of a good reason event, and we have 30 days to correct the event after receipt of the notice.

For purposes of severance payments, “cause” is defined as a termination by us after the occurrence of one of the following events:

 

   

a good faith finding by the Company that the executive has engaged in gross negligence or gross misconduct that is materially injurious to the Company;

 

   

the executive’s conviction of a felony or crime involving fraud or embezzlement of Company property;

 

   

the executive’s material breach of the executive’s employment agreement which, if curable, has not been cured by the executive within 60 days after he or she receives written notice from the Company stating with reasonable specificity the nature of the breach;

 

50


Table of Contents
   

material breach of fiduciary duty; or

 

   

refusal to follow or implement a clear and reasonable directive of our board of directors as a whole, provided that such directive is ethical and legal and which refusal, if curable, has not been cured by the executive within 60 days after she or he receives written notice from the Company stating with reasonable specificity the nature of such refusal.

For purposes of severance payments, the determination of “disability” will occur when the executive is unable due to a physical or mental condition to perform the essential functions of his or her position with or without reasonable accommodation for 90 consecutive days, or 180 days in the aggregate whether or not consecutive, during any 360-day period, or based on the written certification by a licensed physician of the likely continuation of such condition for such period.

For purposes of severance payments, a “change in control” means:

 

   

a sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

 

   

a consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other corporation or other entity or person, or any other corporate reorganization, in which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such consolidation, merger or reorganization, own less than 50% of the outstanding voting power of the surviving entity (and its parent) following the consolidation, merger or reorganization; or

 

   

any transaction (or series of related transactions involving a person or entity, or a group of affiliated persons or entities) in which in excess of 50% of the Company’s outstanding voting power is transferred.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “change in control” will not be deemed to occur on account of the sale or acquisition of the Company’s capital stock by institutional investors or venture capital firms for the primary purpose of obtaining financing for the Company.

Pay Ratio Disclosure

Following is a reasonable estimate, prepared under SEC rules, of the ratio of the annual total compensation of our Chief Executive Officer to the median of the annual total compensation of our other employees. To determine our population of employees, we included all employees as of December 31, 2018. We determined our median employee from our employee population by aggregating each employee’s 2018 base salary, annual bonus paid for 2018 performance, stock-based compensation granted in 2018 (based on the grant date fair value) and other payments made in 2018 (including 401(k) employer match and group term life benefits). We annualized the compensation of employees who joined the Company during 201. The annual total compensation of our median employee (other than the Chief Executive Officer) for 2017 was $337,867. As disclosed in the Summary Compensation Table appearing on page 38, our Chief Executive Officer’s annual total compensation for 2018 was $4,476,469. Based on the foregoing, our estimate of the ratio of the annual total compensation of our Chief Executive Officer to the median of the annual total compensation of all other employees was approximately 13 to 1. Given the different methodologies that public companies will use to determine an estimate of their pay ratio, the estimated ratio reported above should not be used as a basis for comparison between companies. Neither the compensation committee nor our management used our pay ratio in making compensation decisions.

 

51


Table of Contents

Director Compensation

The following table shows the total compensation paid or accrued during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 to each of our directors, other than Dr. Mates who does not receive compensation for her service as a director.

 

Name

   Fees
Earned
or Paid
in Cash
($)(1)
     Option
Awards(2)
($)
     Stock
Awards(3)
($)
    Total
($)
 

Christopher Alafi, Ph.D.(4)

     57,967        289,318        —         347,285  

Richard Lerner, M.D.(5)

     54,977        289,318        —         344,295  

Joel S. Marcus(6)

     60,000        —          289,314 (8)      349,314  

Rory Riggs(7)

     57,967        —          289,314 (9)      347,281  

Robert L. Van Nostrand(10)

     65,370        289,318        —         354,688  

 

(1)

These amounts represent the amount of cash fees that each non-employee director elected to receive as fully vested shares of common stock as described below under “—Director Compensation Policy,” except that Mr. Van Nostrand elected to receive $21,619 of his cash fees as fully vested shares of common stock and the remainder of such fees in cash and Mr. Marcus elected to receive all of his fees in cash.

(2)

These amounts represent the aggregate grant date fair value for option awards granted to our directors, computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 4 to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for details as to the assumptions used to calculate the fair value of the option awards. See also our discussion of stock-based compensation under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(3)

These amounts represent the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards granted to our directors, computed in accordance with FASB ASC 718. See Note 4 to our audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for details as to the assumptions used to calculate the fair value of the option awards. See also our discussion of stock-based compensation under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(4)

As of December 31, 2018, Dr. Alafi held options to purchase 129,375 shares of our common stock, of which options to purchase 109,375 shares were vested.

(5)

As of December 31, 2018, Dr. Lerner, individually, held no options to purchase shares of our common stock. The Lerner Family Trust UAD 11/14/94, or the Lerner Family Trust, held options to purchase 170,000 shares of our common stock, 150,000 of which were vested. Dr. Lerner shares voting and investment control with respect to the options held by the Lerner Family Trust.

(6)

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Marcus held options to purchase 80,000 shares of our common stock, of which options to purchase all shares were vested.

(7)

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Riggs held options to purchase 100,000 shares of our common stock, of which options to purchase 80,000 shares were vested.

(8)

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Marcus held stock units which vest on June 18, 2019.

(9)

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Riggs held stock units which vest on June 18, 2019.

(10)

As of December 31, 2018, Mr. Van Nostrand held options to purchase 100,000 shares of our common stock, of which options to purchase all shares were vested.

Director Compensation Policy

In June 2014, our board of directors adopted the non-employee director compensation policy, or our director compensation policy. The policy is designed to seek to ensure that the compensation aligns our non-employee directors’ interests with the long-term interests of our stockholders, that the structure of the compensation is simple, transparent and easy for stockholders to understand and that our non-employee directors are fairly

 

52


Table of Contents

compensated. Directors who are also our employees, such as Dr. Mates, will not receive additional compensation for their services as directors.

Pursuant to our director compensation policy, in each year of a non-employee director’s tenure, the director is granted a non-qualified stock option to purchase 20,000 shares of our common stock on the date of our annual meeting of stockholders (or the number of restricted stock units having the equivalent value, as elected by the director at least 30 days prior to the date of the annual meeting of stockholders). Upon the initial election or appointment to the board of directors, new non-employee directors are granted a non-qualified stock option to purchase 20,000 shares of our common stock. All annual and initial stock option and restricted stock unit grants to our non-employee directors under the director compensation policy fully vest on the one year anniversary of the grant date and fully vest immediately prior to a change of control, as defined in our director compensation policy.

In addition, pursuant to our director compensation policy, until March 30, 2016, each non-employee director was paid an annual retainer of $30,000, or $50,000 in the case of the chairperson, for their services. Committee members received additional annual retainers as follows:

 

Committee

   Chairman      Member  

Audit Committee

   $ 15,000      $ 7,500  

Compensation Committee

     10,000        5,000  

Nominating and Governance Committee

     7,000        3,000  

On March 30, 2016, our director compensation policy was amended to increase the annual retainers as follows: each non-employee director is paid an annual retainer of $40,000, or $50,000 in the case of the chairperson or lead independent director, as applicable, for their services. Committee members receive additional annual retainers as follows:

 

Committee

   Chairman      Member  

Audit Committee

   $ 20,000      $ 10,000  

Compensation Committee

     15,000        8,000  

Nominating and Governance Committee

     10,000        5,000  

Cash fees payable to our non-employee directors are paid quarterly. Upon the initial election or appointment to the board of directors, new non-employee directors receive a pro rata portion of his or her cash fee for the quarter in which he or she was first elected or appointed. In lieu of all or a portion of the annual cash fees, each non-employee director may elect to receive fully-vested shares of common stock or a fully-vested non-qualified stock option under the 2018 Plan for the equivalent value of the cash fees due. The number of shares of fully-vested common stock will be calculated by dividing the cash fees by the fair market value of our common stock as determined under the 2018 Plan on the last business day of the applicable fiscal quarter. The number of shares of common stock underlying the stock option will be calculated by determining the number of shares that is equivalent to the cash fees due as determined using the Black-Scholes value applicable to our stock option grants calculated on the last business day of the applicable fiscal quarter.

We have reimbursed and will continue to reimburse our non-employee directors for their reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings of our board of directors and committees of the board of directors and in connection with other business related to our board of directors.

 

53


Table of Contents

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION

The following table provides certain aggregate information with respect to all of our equity compensation plans in effect as of December 31, 2018.

 

Plan category

   Number of securities to be
issued upon exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
    Weighted-average
exercise
price of outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
     Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation
plans (excluding
securities reflected in
column (a))
 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders(1)(2)

     4,748,391 (1)    $ 18.26        4,807,323 (2) 

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

     —         —          —    

Total

     4,748,391 (1)    $ 18.26        4,807,323 (2) 

 

(1)

Consists of options to purchase 395,040 shares outstanding under the 2003 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2003 Plan, and options to purchase 4,353,351 shares outstanding under the 2018 Plan at December 31, 2018.

(2)

Consists of 4,807,323 shares reserved under the 2018 Plan as of December 31, 2018. Does not include up to an additional 395,040 shares reserved under the 2018 Plan solely after the cancellation or expiration of any unexercised stock options outstanding under the 2003 Plan that we assumed in the Merger, subject to adjustment as provided in the plan. The 2003 Plan terminated by its terms in July 2013. As a result of such termination, no additional awards may be granted under the 2003 Plan, but equity awards previously granted under the 2003 Plan will remain outstanding and continue to be governed by the terms of the 2003 Plan.

 

54


Table of Contents

REPORT OF AUDIT COMMITTEE

The audit committee of the board of directors, which consists entirely of directors who meet the independence and experience requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market, has furnished the following report:

The audit committee assists the board of directors in overseeing and monitoring the integrity of our financial reporting process, compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and the quality of internal and external audit processes. This committee’s role and responsibilities are set forth in our charter adopted by the board of directors, which is available on our website at http://ir.intracellulartherapies.com/corporate-governance. This committee reviews and reassesses our charter annually and recommends any changes to the board of directors for approval. The audit committee is responsible for overseeing our overall financial reporting process, and for the appointment, compensation, retention, and oversight of the work of Ernst & Young LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm. In fulfilling its responsibilities for the financial statements for fiscal year 2018, the audit committee took the following actions:

 

   

Reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 with management and Ernst & Young LLP;

 

   

Discussed with Ernst & Young LLP the matters required to be discussed in accordance with Auditing Standard No. 1301—Communications with Audit Committees; and

 

   

Received written disclosures and the letter from Ernst & Young LLP regarding its independence as required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding Ernst & Young LLP’s communications with the audit committee and the audit committee further discussed with Ernst & Young LLP their independence. The audit committee also considered the status of pending litigation, taxation matters and other areas of oversight relating to the financial reporting and audit process that the committee determined appropriate.

Based on the audit committee’s review of the audited financial statements and discussions with management and Ernst & Young LLP, the audit committee recommended to the board of directors that the audited financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 for filing with the SEC.

Members of the Audit Committee

Robert L. Van Nostrand, Chair

Richard Lerner, M.D.

Rory B. Riggs

 

55


Table of Contents

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our equity securities, to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of our common stock and other equity securities. Officers, directors and greater than ten percent stockholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

To our knowledge, based solely on a review of the copies of such reports furnished to us and written representations regarding the filing of required reports, we believe that all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to our directors, executive officers and greater-than-ten-percent beneficial owners with respect to fiscal 2018 were met.

 

56


Table of Contents

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

In addition to the director and executive officer compensation arrangements discussed above in “Executive Officer and Director Compensation,” since January 1, 2018, we have engaged in the following transactions in which the amount involved exceeded $120,000 and in which any director, executive officer or holder of more than 5% of our voting securities, whom we refer to as our principal stockholders, or affiliates or immediate family members of our directors, executive officers and principal stockholders, had or will have a material interest. We believe that all of these transactions were on terms as favorable as could have been obtained from unrelated third parties.

One of our directors is affiliated with one of our principal stockholders as indicated in the table below:

 

Director

  

Affiliation with Principal Stockholder

Christopher Alafi, Ph.D.    Dr. Alafi is a General Partner of Alafi Capital Company, LLC.

Indemnification Agreements

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements, our restated certificate of incorporation and our restated bylaws require us to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.

Lease Agreement

On March 31, 2014, we entered into a long-term lease, which was amended in 2015, with ARE-East River Science Park LLC for 16,753 square feet of useable laboratory and office space located at 430 East 29th Street, New York, New York 10016. In September 2018, we further amended the lease to obtain an additional 15,534 square feet of office space beginning October 1, 2018 and to extend the term of the lease for previously acquired space. The lease, as amended, has a term of 14.3 years ending in May 2029. Joel S. Marcus, one of our directors, is Chairman and Founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., which is the parent company to the landlord under the lease.

Policy for Approval of Related Person Transactions

Pursuant to the written charter of our audit committee, the audit committee is responsible for reviewing and approving, prior to our entry into any such transaction, all transactions in which we are a participant and in which any parties related to us, including our executive officers, our directors, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our securities, immediate family members of the foregoing persons and any other persons whom our board of directors determines may be considered related parties under Item 404 of Regulation S-K, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

In reviewing and approving such transactions, the audit committee will obtain, or will direct our management to obtain on its behalf, all information that the committee believes to be relevant and important to a review of the transaction prior to its approval. Following receipt of the necessary information, a discussion will be held of the relevant factors if deemed to be necessary by the committee prior to approval. If a discussion is not deemed to be necessary, approval may be given by written consent of the committee. This approval authority may also be delegated to the chair of the audit committee in some circumstances. No related party transaction will be entered into prior to the completion of these procedures.

The audit committee or its chair, as the case may be, will approve only those related party transactions that are determined to be in, or not inconsistent with, the best interests of us and our stockholders, taking into account

 

57


Table of Contents

all available facts and circumstances as the committee or the chair determines in good faith to be necessary in accordance with principles of Delaware law generally applicable to directors of a Delaware corporation. These facts and circumstances will typically include, but not be limited to, the benefits of the transaction to us; the impact on a director’s independence in the event the related party is a director, an immediate family member of a director or an entity in which a director is a partner, stockholder or executive officer; the availability of other sources for comparable products or services; the terms of the transaction; and the terms of comparable transactions that would be available to unrelated third parties or to employees generally. No member of the audit committee will participate in any review, consideration or approval of any related party transaction with respect to which the member or any of his or her immediate family members has an interest.

 

58


Table of Contents

PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF THREE CLASS 3 DIRECTORS TO HOLD OFFICE UNTIL THE 2022 ANNUAL MEETING

On March 5, 2019, our board of directors nominated Sharon Mates, Ph.D., Rory B. Riggs and Robert L. Van Nostrand for election at the annual meeting. The board of directors currently consists of six members, classified into three classes as follows: (1) Sharon Mates, Ph.D., Rory B. Riggs and Robert L. Van Nostrand constitute a class with a term ending at the 2019 annual meeting; (2) Richard Lerner, M.D. constitutes a class with a term ending at the 2020 annual meeting; and (3) Christopher Alafi, Ph.D. and Joel S. Marcus constitute a class with a term ending at the 2021 annual meeting. At each annual meeting of stockholders, directors are elected for a full term of three years to succeed those directors whose terms are expiring.

The board of directors has voted to nominate Sharon Mates, Ph.D., Rory B. Riggs and Robert L. Van Nostrand for election at the annual meeting for a term of three years to serve until the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders, and until their respective successors are elected and qualified. The Class 1 director (Richard Lerner, M.D.) and Class 2 directors (Christopher Alafi, Ph.D. and Joel S. Marcus) will serve until the annual meetings of stockholders to be held in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and until their respective successors have been elected and qualified.

Unless authority to vote for any of these nominees is withheld, the shares represented by the enclosed proxy will be voted FOR the election of Sharon Mates, Ph.D., Rory B. Riggs and Robert L. Van Nostrand as directors. In the event that any nominee becomes unable or unwilling to serve, the shares represented by the enclosed proxy will be voted for the election of such other person as the board of directors may recommend in the nominee’s place. We have no reason to believe that any nominee will be unable or unwilling to serve as a director.

A plurality of the shares voted “FOR” each nominee at the annual meeting is required to elect each nominee as a director.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THE ELECTION OF SHARON MATES, PH.D., RORY B. RIGGS AND ROBERT L. VAN NOSTRAND AS DIRECTORS, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR THEREOF UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER HAS INDICATED OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.

 

59


Table of Contents

PROPOSAL 2

RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The audit committee has appointed Ernst & Young LLP, as our independent registered public accounting firm, to audit our financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. The board of directors proposes that the stockholders ratify this appointment. Ernst & Young LLP audited our financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. We expect that representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the annual meeting, will be able to make a statement if they so desire, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

In deciding to appoint Ernst & Young LLP, the audit committee reviewed auditor independence issues and existing commercial relationships with Ernst & Young LLP and concluded that Ernst & Young LLP has no commercial relationship with the Company that would impair its independence for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019.

The following table presents fees for professional audit services rendered by Ernst & Young LLP for the audit of our annual financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, and fees billed for other services rendered by Ernst & Young LLP during those periods.

 

     2018      2017  

Audit Fees(1)

   $ 915,576      $ 947,861  

Audit-Related Fees

     —          —    

Tax Fees(2)

   $ 158,000      $ 604,850  

All Other Fees

     —          —    

Total

   $ 1,073,576      $ 1,552,711  

 

(1)

Audit fees consisted of audit work performed in the preparation of financial statements and services in connection with our periodic and current SEC filings and registration statements, as well as work generally only the independent registered public accounting firm can reasonably be expected to provide, such as statutory audits.

(2)

Tax fees consist principally of assistance with matters related to federal, state, local and foreign tax consulting, compliance and reporting.

Policy on Audit Committee Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-audit Services of Independent Public Accountant

Consistent with SEC policies regarding auditor independence, the audit committee has responsibility for appointing, setting compensation and overseeing the work of our independent registered public accounting firm. In recognition of this responsibility, the audit committee has established a policy to pre-approve all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm.

Prior to engagement of an independent registered public accounting firm for the next year’s audit, management will submit an aggregate of services expected to be rendered during that year for each of four categories of services to the audit committee for approval.

1. Audit services include audit work performed in the preparation of financial statements, as well as work that generally only an independent registered public accounting firm can reasonably be expected to provide, including comfort letters, statutory audits, and attest services and consultation regarding financial accounting and/or reporting standards.

2. Audit-Related services are for assurance and related services that are traditionally performed by an independent registered public accounting firm, including due diligence related to mergers and acquisitions, employee benefit plan audits, and special procedures required to meet certain regulatory requirements.

 

60


Table of Contents

3. Tax services include all services performed by an independent registered public accounting firm’s tax personnel except those services specifically related to the audit of the financial statements, and include fees in the areas of tax compliance, tax planning, and tax advice.

4. Other Fees are those associated with services not captured in the other categories. We generally do not request such services from our independent registered public accounting firm.

Prior to engagement, the audit committee pre-approves these services by category of service. The fees are budgeted and the audit committee requires our independent registered public accounting firm and management to report actual fees versus the budget periodically throughout the year by category of service. During the year, circumstances may arise when it may become necessary to engage our independent registered public accounting firm for additional services not contemplated in the original pre-approval. In those instances, the audit committee requires specific pre-approval before engaging our independent registered public accounting firm.

The audit committee may delegate pre-approval authority to one or more of its members. The member to whom such authority is delegated must report, for informational purposes only, any pre-approval decisions to the audit committee at its next scheduled meeting.

In the event the stockholders do not ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm, the audit committee will reconsider its appointment.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares cast affirmatively or negatively at the annual meeting is required to ratify the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH RATIFICATION UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER INDICATES OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.

 

61


Table of Contents

PROPOSAL 3

ADVISORY VOTE ON APPROVAL OF EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AS DISCLOSED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT

We are seeking your advisory vote as required by Section 14A of the Exchange Act on the approval of the compensation of our named executive officers as described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables and related material contained in this proxy statement. Because your vote is advisory, it will not be binding on our compensation committee or our board of directors. However, the compensation committee and the board of directors will review the voting results and take them into consideration when making future decisions regarding executive compensation. We have determined to hold an advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers annually, and the next such advisory vote will occur at the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders.

Our overall compensation program is structured to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified executive officers by paying them competitively, consistent with our success and their contribution to that success. Our ability to excel depends on the skill, creativity, integrity and teamwork of our employees. Given the long product development cycles in our business, we believe that compensation should be structured to ensure that a portion of compensation opportunity will be related to factors that directly and indirectly influence long-term stockholder value. Our compensation philosophy has been driven by a number of factors that are closely linked with our broader strategic objectives.

Stockholders are urged to read the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this proxy statement, which discusses how our compensation policies and procedures implement our compensation philosophy. The compensation committee and the board of directors believe that these policies and procedures are effective in implementing our compensation philosophy and in achieving our goals.

In accordance with the rules of the SEC, the following resolution, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” vote, is being submitted for a stockholder vote at the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders:

“RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to the named executive officers of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables and the related material disclosed in this proxy statement, is hereby APPROVED.”

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares cast affirmatively or negatively for this proposal is required to approve, on an advisory basis, this resolution.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF SUCH APPROVAL UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER INDICATES OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.

 

62


Table of Contents

CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS

We have adopted a code of conduct and ethics that applies to all of our employees, including our chief executive officer and chief financial and accounting officers. The text of the code of conduct and ethics is posted on our website at http://ir.intracellulartherapies.com/corporate-governance. Disclosure regarding any amendments to, or waivers from, provisions of the code of conduct and ethics that apply to our directors, principal executive officer or principal financial officer will be included in a Current Report on Form 8-K within four business days following the date of the amendment or waiver, unless website posting or the issuance of a press release of such amendments or waivers is then permitted by the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market.

 

63


Table of Contents

OTHER MATTERS

The board of directors knows of no other business which will be presented to the annual meeting. If any other business is properly brought before the annual meeting, proxies will be voted in accordance with the judgment of the persons named therein.

STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTOR

To be considered for inclusion in the proxy statement relating to our 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, we must receive stockholder proposals (other than for director nominations) no later than January 9, 2020. To be considered for presentation at the 2020 annual meeting, although not included in the proxy statement, proposals (including director nominations that are not requested to be included in our proxy statement) must be received no earlier than February 26, 2020 and no later than March 27, 2020. Proposals that are not received in a timely manner will not be voted on at the 2020 annual meeting. If a proposal is received on time, the proxies that management solicits for the meeting may still exercise discretionary voting authority on the proposal under circumstances consistent with the proxy rules of the SEC. All stockholder proposals should be marked for the attention of Corporate Secretary, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., 430 East 29th Street, New York, New York 10016.

New York, New York

April 30, 2019

 

64


Table of Contents

 

LOGO

  LOGO
 

Your vote matters – here’s how to vote!

You may vote online or by phone instead of mailing this card.

  LOGO  

 

Votes submitted electronically must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on June 24, 2019.

  LOGO  

 

Online

Go to www.envisionreports.com/ITCI or scan the QR code – login details are located in the shaded bar below.

      LOGO  

 

Phone

Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the USA, US territories and Canada

Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas.

  LOGO     LOGO  

 

Save paper, time and money!

Sign up for electronic delivery at www.envisionreports.com/ITCI

 

LOGO

q IF VOTING BY MAIL, SIGN, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. q

— — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 

 

 A    The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of the Directors listed in Proposal 1 and FOR Proposals 2 and 3.  

 

1.   Election of Directors:   LOGO         
         For   Withhold     For   Withhold      For   Withhold  
  01 - Sharon Mates, Ph.D.       02 - Rory B. Riggs        03 - Robert L. Van Nostrand      

 

 

     For    Against    Abstain                For    Against    Abstain
2.   To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019.               3.   To approve by an advisory vote the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed in the proxy statement.         

 

 

 B    Authorized Signatures – This section must be completed for your vote to count. Please date and sign below.

 

Please sign exactly as name(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, corporate officer, trustee, guardian, or custodian, please give full title.

Date (mm/dd/yyyy) – Please print date below.

 

        

Signature 1 – Please keep signature within the box.

 

        

Signature 2 – Please keep signature within the box.

 

     
         /        /                     

 

LOGO


Table of Contents

2019 Annual Meeting Admission Ticket

2019 Annual Meeting of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. Stockholders

June 25, 2019, 10:00 A.M. Local Time

ApellaTM

450 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016

Upon arrival, please present this admission ticket and photo identification at the registration desk.

 

Important notice regarding the Internet availability of proxy materials for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

The material is available at: www.envisionreports.com/ITCI

 

     
LOGO  

Small steps make an impact.

 

  LOGO   
  Help the environment by consenting to receive electronic
 

delivery, sign up at www.envisionreports.com/ITCI

 

q IF VOTING BY MAIL, SIGN, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. q

— — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 

LOGO

Notice of 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

To be held at ApellaTM, 450 East 29th Street, New York, NY

Proxy Solicited by Board of Directors for Annual Meeting – June 25, 2019

Michael I. Halstead and Lawrence J. Hineline (the “Proxies”), or any of them, each with the power of substitution, are hereby authorized to represent and vote the shares of the undersigned, with all the powers which the undersigned would possess if personally present, at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. to be held on June 25, 2019 or at any postponement or adjournment thereof.

Shares represented by this proxy will be voted by the stockholder. If no such directions are indicated, the Proxies will have authority to vote FOR the election of the Directors listed in Proposal 1 and FOR Proposals 2 and 3.

In their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or at any postponement or adjournment thereof.

(Items to be voted appear on reverse side)

 

 

  C     Non-Voting Items

 

Change of Address – Please print new address below.     Comments – Please print your comments below.   

 

Meeting Attendance

Mark box to the right if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting.

 

          

 

 

LOGO