Synaptogenix Inc
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Apr 1, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Apr 1, 2024
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Item 11. Executive Compensation
This section describes both the current compensation practices of Synaptogenix as well as the historical compensation practices of Neurotrope.
The following table sets forth information concerning the total compensation paid or accrued by Synaptogenix during the last two fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 to (i) all individuals that served as our principal executive officer or acted in a similar capacity for us at any time during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023; (ii) the two most highly compensated executive officers other than the principal executive officer who were serving as executive officers at December 31, 2023; and (iii) up to two additional individuals for whom disclosure would have been required pursuant to clause (ii) above but for the fact that the individual was not serving as an executive officer at December 31, 2023 (collectively, the “named executive officers”).
The Compensation Committee of the Board is responsible for determining executive compensation (1).
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · · · · · · Non- · · | ||||||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Qualified | | | | |
| | | Fiscal Year | | | | | | | | | | Non-Equity | | Deferred | | All Other | | |
| | | Ended | | | | | | Stock | | Options | | Incentive Plan | | Compensation | | Compensation | | |
| Name & Principal Position | | December 31 | | Salary ($) | | Bonus ($)(1) | | Awards ($) | | Awards ($)(3) | | Compensation | | Earnings | | (3)(4) | | Total ($) |
| Dr. Alan J. Tuchman Chief Executive Officer | 2023 | 222,000 | 75,000 | — | — | — | — | 6,347 | 303,347 | |||||||||
| | 2022 | 222,000 | 150,000 | — | 374,847 | — | — | 2,795 | 749,642 | |||||||||
| Robert Weinstein CFO, Secretary and Executive Vice President | 2023 | 339,548 | 150,000 | — | — | — | — | 79,370 | 568,918 | |||||||||
| | 2022 | 318,830 | 150,000 | — | 362,461 | — | — | 52,053 | 883,344 | |||||||||
| Daniel L. Alkon MD President and CSO | 2022 | 300,000 | 75,000 | — | — | — | — | — | 375,000 | |||||||||
| | 2022 | 300,000 | 150,000 | — | 362,461 | — | — | — | 812,461 | |||||||||
| (1) | $150,000 paid in 2024 for 2023 for Mr. Weinstein and $75,000 paid in 2024 for 2023 for each of Drs. Tuchman and Alkon. $150,000 paid in March 2023 for 2022 for each of Mr. Weinstein and Drs. Tuchman and Alkon. |
| (2) | Mr. Weinstein and Dr. Tuchman’s 2022 and 2023 amounts reflect healthcare payments and insurance premiums paid on their behalf. |
| (3) | These amounts represent the aggregate grant date fair value of options granted to each named executive officer in 2023 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. |
Executive Employment Arrangements
We have no plans in place and have never maintained any plans that provide for the payment of retirement benefits or benefits that will be paid primarily following retirement including, but not limited to, tax qualified deferred benefit plans, supplemental executive retirement plans, tax-qualified deferred contribution plans and nonqualified deferred contribution plans.
Except as indicated below, we have no contracts, agreements, plans or arrangements, whether written or unwritten, that provide for payments to the named executive officers listed above.
Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table and Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table
Alan J. Tuchman, MD. Synaptogenix is party to an offer letter as of December 7, 2020 with Alan J. Tuchman, MD (as amended, the “Tuchman Agreement”), pursuant to which Dr. Tuchman serves as Synaptogenix’s Chief Executive Officer. Under the terms of the Tuchman Agreement, Dr. Tuchman receives an initial annual base salary of $222,000, with an annual discretionary bonus of up to 50% of his base salary then in effect. Dr. Tuchman also received an initial equity grant of options to purchase a number of shares of Common Stock equal to at least 1% of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately following the Spin-Off. As of December 7, 2021, such options are fully vested. The original term of Dr. Tuchman’s employment pursuant to the Tuchman Agreement was one year, and it has been subsequently extended through amendment. As of June 7, 2023, the term of Dr. Tuchman’s employment was extended through June 7, 2024, at which point the term shall be extended automatically for one month periods unless either party gives timely written notice within seven (7) days prior to the end of the applicable term. Pursuant to the Tuchman Agreement, if Dr. Tuchman is terminated without Cause, Dr. Tuchman shall be entitled to severance equal to six months of Dr. Tuchman’s annual base salary.
Robert Weinstein. Upon the Spin-Off, Synaptogenix assumed Robert Weinstein’s employment agreement with Neurotrope, dated as of October 1, 2013 (the “Weinstein Agreement”), pursuant to which Mr. Weinstein serves as the Synaptogenix’s Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President. Neurotrope agreed to pay Mr. Weinstein a discretionary annual bonus of up to 50% of his annual base salary for all years beginning January 1, 2015, to be earned and payable based upon attainment of annual performance goals as determined by the Neurotrope board of directors or a committee thereof. Mr. Weinstein was not paid a bonus in 2017 or in 2018. Mr. Weinstein’s annual bonus opportunity may be periodically reviewed and increased at the discretion of the Board or a committee thereof. Mr. Weinstein is also eligible to participate in all Synaptogenix benefits generally available to the Synaptogenix’s officers in accordance with the terms of those benefit plans and all retirement, life, disability, medical and dental plan benefits generally available to the Synaptogenix’s officers in accordance with the terms of those plans.
If Mr. Weinstein’s employment is terminated by Synaptogenix for a reason other than cause or by him for good reason, and subject to his compliance with other terms of Mr. Weinstein’s employment agreement, and certain other conditions, then Synaptogenix will pay him a severance amount equal to his annual base salary, payable in a single lump sum. In addition, if he elects health care continuation coverage under COBRA, Synaptogenix will pay for such health insurance coverage for a period of 18 months following the termination of his employment, as the same rate as it pays for health insurance coverage for its active employees (with Mr. Weinstein required to pay for any employee-paid portion of such coverage). If Mr. Weinstein’s employment is terminated by non-renewal or due to his death or disability, he will be entitled to any unpaid prorated annual bonus for the year in which his employment terminates. Subject to earlier termination by Mr. Weinstein’s death or disability, or by Synaptogenix for cause, the term of Mr. Weinstein’s employment agreement is four years and will be extended automatically for successive one-year periods, unless either party gives written notice of termination to the other party at least 90 days prior to the end of the then-current term.
Daniel L. Alkon, M.D. Effective September 23, 2016, Neurotrope appointed Dr. Daniel Alkon, M.D., as President of Neurotrope. Dr. Alkon continues to serve as Synaptogenix’s Chief Scientific Officer following the Spin-Off. On January 4, 2017, Neurotrope agreed to compensate Dr. Alkon with compensation of $25,000 per month until May 31, 2017. Since that time, Dr. Alkon has received annual compensation of $300,000.
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 plan.
Potential Payments upon Termination or Change-In-Control
Employment Agreements
Pursuant to the Tuchman Agreement, if Dr. Tuchman is terminated without Cause, Dr. Tuchman shall be entitled to severance equal to six months of Dr. Tuchman’s annual base salary.
Pursuant to the Weinstein Agreement, if Mr. Weinstein’s employment is terminated by the Company for a reason other than cause or by him for good reason, and subject to his compliance with other terms of the Weinstein Agreement and certain other conditions, then Neurotrope will pay him a severance amount equal to his annual base salary, payable in a single lump sum. In addition, if he elects health care continuation coverage under COBRA, the Company will pay for such health insurance coverage for a period of 18 months following the termination of his employment, as the same rate as it pays for health insurance coverage for its active employees (with Mr. Weinstein required to pay for any employee-paid portion of such coverage). If Mr. Weinstein’s employment is terminated by non-renewal or due to his death or disability, he will be entitled to any unpaid prorated annual bonus for the year in which his employment terminates.
Equity Plans
Options granted under our 2020 Plan (as defined below) are subject to modification in the event of termination as follows (in each case subject to any modifications made by the plan administrator):
| ● | In case of termination due to death, a participant’s vested options may be exercised by their survivors within one year following death. |
| ● | In case of termination due to disability, a participant may exercise their vested options within one year of termination. |
| ● | In case of termination for Cause (as defined in the 2020 Plan), all of a participant’s vested options will be immediately forfeited. |
| ● | In case of termination not due to death, disability or Cause, the participant may exercise all vested options for the duration of the term set by the related option agreements (provided that no option intended to be an incentive stock option (ISO) may be exercised later than three months of termination). Further, if the participant becomes disabled or dies within three months of termination, such participant’s survivors may exercise the options within one year of termination (but in no event after the expiration date set by the related option agreements). |
Stock awards granted under our 2020 Plan are subject to modification in the event of termination as follows (in each case subject to any modifications made by the plan administrator):
| ● | In case of termination due to death, a participant’s vested stock awards may be exercised by their survivors subject to their terms. |
| ● | In case of termination due to disability, a participant may exercise their vested stock awards subject to their terms. |
| ● | In case of termination for Cause (as defined in the 2020 Plan), all of a participant’s vested stock awards that remain subject to forfeiture or repurchase provisions will be immediately forfeited. |
| ● | In case of termination not due to death, disability or Cause, the Company shall have the right to cancel or repurchase shares subject to stock awards held by the participant that remain subject to forfeiture or repurchase provisions. |
Pursuant to the 2020 Plan, in the event of a Change of Control that is also a Corporate Transaction (as each term is defined in the 2020 Plan), all outstanding options on such date shall become automatically fully vested. Additionally, the Board has the right to determine any adjustments to outstanding awards following a Change of Control.
2020 Equity Incentive Plan
In connection with the Spin-Off, the Company adopted the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”) in November 2020. The purpose of the 2020 Plan is to allow non-employee directors and selected employees, officers and consultants (“Grantees”) to acquire equity ownership in the Company, thereby strengthening their commitment to the Company’s success and incentivizing their efforts on behalf of the Company. The 2020 Plan is also intended to assist the Company in attracting new employees and Board members and retaining existing ones. Finally, the 2020 Plan supports and increases our ability to facilitate the sustained progress, growth and profitability of the Company.
On April 7, 2021, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2020 Plan to increase the total number of shares of Common Stock from 250,000 to an aggregate of 625,000 shares of Common Stock, and on October 11, 2022, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2020 Plan to increase the total number of shares of Common Stock from 625,000 to an aggregate of 1,375,000 shares of Common Stock.
The Compensation Committee of our Board (the “Committee”) administers the 2020 Plan and has full power to grant stock options and Common Stock, construe and interpret the 2020 Plan, establish rules and regulations and perform all other acts, including the delegation of administrative responsibilities, as it believes reasonable and proper. Any decision made or action taken by the Committee arising out of or in connection with the interpretation and administration of the 2020 Plan will be final and conclusive. The Committee, in its absolute discretion, may award Common Stock to employees, consultants, and directors of the Company, and such other persons as the Committee may select, and permit holders of options to exercise such options prior to full vesting.
In the event that our outstanding Common Stock is changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company by reason of merger, consolidation, other reorganization, recapitalization, combination of shares, stock split-up or stock dividend, equitable adjustment will be made to the aggregate number and kind of shares subject to stock options which may be granted under the 2020 Plan.
The Committee may at any time, and from time to time, suspend or terminate the 2020 Plan in whole or in part or amend it from time to time in such respects as it may deem appropriate and in our best interest.
Outstanding Equity Awards at 2023 Fiscal Year-End
The following table shows grants of stock options and grants of unvested stock awards outstanding on the last day of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, including both awards subject to performance conditions and non-performance-based awards, to each of the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table.
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| | | Option Awards | | |||||||||
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| | | | | | | Equity | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Incentive | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Plan | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Awards: | | | | | | |
| | | Number Of | | Number of | | Number of | | | | | | |
| | | Securities | | Securities | | Securities | | | | | | |
| · · Underlying · · Underlying · · Underlying · · · · · | ||||||||||||
| · · Unexercised · · Unexercised · · Unexercised · · Option · · Option · | ||||||||||||
| · · Options (#) · · Options (#) · · Unearned · · Exercise · · Expiration · | ||||||||||||
| Name · · Exercisable · · Unexercisable · · Options (#) · · Price ($) · · Date · | ||||||||||||
| T (a) · (b) · (c) · (d) · (e) · (f) | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dr. Alan J. · · · · · · · · · | ||||||||||||
| Tuchman | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chief | | 12,575 | | — | | — | | $9.84 | 01/13/2031 | | ||
| Executive | | 6,150 | | — | (1) | — | | $7.29 | | 02/16/2032 | | |
| Officer | | 68,850 | | — | (2) | — | | $6.07 | | 11/15/2032 | | |
| Robert | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Weinstein | | | | | | | | | ||||
| CFO, | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Secretary | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| and | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Executive | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Vice | | 11,125 | | — | | — | | $9.84 | | 1/13/2031 | | |
| President | | 75,000 | | — | (2) | — | | $6.07 | | 11/15/2032 | | |
| Daniel L. | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Alkon MD | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| President | | 31,250 | | — | | — | | $9.84 | | 01/13/2031 | | |
| and CSO | 75,000 | — | (2) | — | | $6.07 | 11/15/2032 | |||||
| (1) | The options vested in full on January 13, 2023. |
| (2) | The options vested in full on May 15, 2023. |
Director Compensation
Synaptogenix reimburses its directors for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their attendance at meetings of the Board. On March 29, 2023, Synaptogenix adopted a new nonemployee director compensation policy (the “Director Compensation Policy”). The Director Compensation Policy provides for the annual automatic grant of nonqualified stock options to purchase up to 20,000 shares of Synaptogenix’s Common Stock to each of Synaptogenix’s non-employee directors. Such grants shall occur annually on the fifth business day after the filing of Synaptogenix’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and shall vest on the one-year anniversary from the date of grant subject to the director’s continued service on the Board on the vesting date. The Director Compensation Policy also provides for the automatic grant of nonqualified stock options to purchase up to 20,000 shares of Synaptogenix’s Common Stock to each newly appointed director following the date of his or her appointment. Such options shall vest as follows: fifty percent (50%) on the date of the grant, twenty-five percent (25%) on the one year anniversary from the date of the grant, and twenty-five percent (25%) on the second year anniversary from the date of the grant, subject to the director’s continued service on the Board on the applicable vesting dates. Each nonemployee director will also receive an annual retainer, in the amount of $120,000 for Synaptogenix’s Chairman of the Board, $100,000 for the Vice Chairman of the Board and $60,000 for each other nonemployee board member.
The following table provides information concerning the compensation of Synaptogenix’s directors for the year ended December 31, 2023.
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| · · · · Non-equity · · · | ||||||||||||||
| | | Fees | | | | | | incentive | | Non-qualified | | | | |
| | | earned | | | | | | plan | | deferred | | All other | | |
| | | or paid | | Stock | | Option | | compensation | | compensation | | Compensation | | |
| Name (a) | | in cash ($)(b) | | awards ($)(c)(6) | | awards ($)(d)(1) | | ($)(e) | | earnings ($)(f) | | ($)(g) | | Total ($)(h) |
| Joshua Silverman (2) | | 240,000 | | — | | 14,941 | | — | | — | | — | | 254,941 |
| William S. Singer | 100,000 | — | 14,941 | — | — | — | 114,941 | |||||||
| Alan J. Tuchman (3) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Daniel Alkon (4) | | — | | — | | — | | — | | — | | — | | — |
| Bruce T. Bernstein | 60,000 | — | 14,941 | — | — | — | 74,941 | |||||||
| Jonathan L. Schechter | 60,000 | — | 14,941 | — | — | — | 74,941 | |||||||
(1) These amounts represent the aggregate grant date fair value of options granted to each director in 2023 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.
(2) Fees represent payments for consulting services provided by Mr. Silverman and Chairman of the Board fees.
(3) Dr. Tuchman’s compensation for 2023 is included in Officer’s Compensation table.
(4) Dr. Alkon’s compensation for 2023 is included in Officer’s Compensation table.
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