Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain
Officers.
On December 1, 2020, Peter P. Pfreundschuh, age 51, was appointed to to serve as
Chief Financial Officer of Frequency Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company"),
effective December 1, 2020 (the "Effective Date"). In connection with his
appointment, Mr. Pfreundschuh assumed the responsibilities as principal
financial officer and principal accounting officer of the Company from Richard
Mitrano, the Company's Vice President of Finance and Operations.
Mr. Pfreundschuh previously served as Chief Financial Officer of UroGen Pharma
Ltd. from August 2018 to October 2020. He previously served as the Chief
Financial Officer of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Sucampo") from March 2017
to February 2018. Prior to joining Sucampo, Mr. Pfreundschuh was Executive Vice
President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Immunomedics Inc.
("Immunomedics"), a biotechnology company, from September 2013 to September
2016. Before Immunomedics, Mr. Pfreundschuh was Chief Financial Officer for
CircuLite, Inc. Mr. Pfreundschuh's previous roles include leadership positions
in finance, commercial operations and business development within the
pharmaceutical industry at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, and Johnson &
Johnson. He is currently a board member of Speratus Therapeutics, Inc., and
GitBasic LLC. Mr. Pfreundschuh has also previously served as an advisor or board
member to Immunomedics Inc., CircuLite Inc., and Reproductive Medical Associates
of New Jersey, in addition to other companies and private organizations. He
holds a B.S. degree in accounting from Rutgers University School of Business, an
M.B.A in Finance from Rider University Graduate School of Business, and
completed Masters coursework in Strategic Marketing for the Healthcare Industry
at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Mr. Pfreundschuh is a
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in the State of New Jersey, and
started his career with Ernst & Young LLP.
In connection with his employment, the Company and Mr. Pfreundschuh entered into
an Employment Agreement, effective as of the Effective Date (the "Employment
Agreement"), which sets forth certain terms of Mr. Pfreundschuh's employment.
There are no other arrangements or understandings between Mr. Pfreundschuh and
any other persons pursuant to which he was selected as the Company's Chief
Financial Officer.
Pursuant to the terms of the Employment Agreement, Mr. Pfreundschuh will receive
a one-time sign-on bonus of $70,000 in order to assist with his relocation to
the greater Boston area and an initial annual base salary of $450,000. In
addition, he will be eligible to receive an annual performance bonus targeted at
up to 40% of his annual base salary, pro-rated to his start date.
The Employment Agreement further provides that, subject to the approval of the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company,
Mr. Pfreundschuh is entitled to an option to purchase 230,000 shares of the
Company's common stock under the Company's 2019 Incentive Award Plan.
Mr. Pfreundschuh will also be eligible to participate in all customary employee
benefit plans or programs of the Company generally available to the Company's
full-time employees and/or executive officers.
In the event Mr. Pfreundschuh's employment is terminated without cause or
Mr. Pfreundschuh terminates his employment for good reason, then, subject to
Mr. Pfreundschuh entering into a separation agreement with the Company, he will
be eligible to receive: (i) compensation equal to his then current base salary,
payable over twelve months, (ii) an amount equal to his target annual incentive
compensation and (iii) subject to his election of Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act ("COBRA") health continuation coverage, monthly contributions
for up to twelve months, monthly contributions until he becomes eligible for
group health coverage through other employment, or his COBRA health continuation
period, whichever ends earlier.
In the event that such termination without cause or resignation for good reason
occurs within a twelve-month period following a change of control transaction,
then Mr. Pfreundschuh shall be entitled to receive: (i) compensation in the
amount equal to the sum of his then current base salary plus his target annual
incentive compensation, (ii) 100% acceleration of all equity awards held as of
the date of termination, (iii) subject to his election of COBRA health
continuation coverage, monthly contributions for up to twelve months, monthly
contributions until he becomes eligible for group health coverage through other
employment, or his COBRA health continuation period, whichever ends earlier. All
references to "cause," "good reason" and "change in control" are as defined in
the Employment Agreement.
The foregoing description of the Employment Agreement does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such agreement, a copy
of which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K (the "Current Report")
as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
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In connection with Mr. Pfreundschuh's appointment as Chief Financial Officer,
the Company issued a press release on December 1, 2020, a copy of which is
furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1. Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto is intended to
be furnished and shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or otherwise
subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated
by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the
Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such
filing.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit
No. Description
10.1 Employment Agreement, effective December 1, 2020, by and between
Frequency Therapeutics, Inc. and Peter P. Pfreundschuh.
99.1 Press Release issued by Frequency Therapeutics, Inc., dated
December 1, 2020.
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