Connect Biopharma Holdings Ltd

Information Concerning the Board of Directors

Certain biographical information regarding each of our directors, including age, position held with us, term of office as director, and business experience, is set forth below:

There are no arrangements or understandings between any of our directors and any other persons pursuant to which any director was selected as a director.

Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos, Ph.D. (Chairman), has served on our Board since 2020 and was appointed as Chairman in 2024. Dr. Xanthopoulos has over 28 years of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical research industries as an executive, company founder, chief executive officer, investor, and member of various boards of directors. Dr. Xanthopoulos has served as Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Shoreline Biosciences, Inc. and Chairman of Stork Capital Life Sciences, which focuses on building and investing in innovative biotechnology companies, since 2020. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of IRRAS AB and President and Chief Executive Officer of Regulus Therapeutics, Inc. He also previously served on the board of directors of Zosano Pharma Corporation. Dr. Xanthopoulos is an Onassis Scholar and was at NIH Human Genome Research Institute. Dr. Xanthopoulos received a B.S. in Biology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, an M.Sc. in Microbiology, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Stockholm, Sweden.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Board believe that Dr. Xanthopoulos is qualified to serve on our Board due to his extensive expertise and experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical research industries as an executive, company founder, chief executive officer, investor, and as a director of other public and private biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Kan Chen, Ph.D., has served on our Board since 2020. Dr. Chen is a Partner of Qiming Venture Partners, focusing on healthcare investment. Before joining Qiming Venture Partners in 2016, Dr. Chen was a senior scientist at Johnson & Johnson, where he focused on cancer medicine. Prior to that, Dr. Chen was a group leader at Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Company Ltd., where he specialized in cancer immunotherapies. Dr. Chen earned his Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Case Western Reserve University in the U.S. and completed his postdoctoral training in immunology at Harvard Medical School. He received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Fudan University.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Board believe that Dr. Chen is qualified to serve on our Board due to his extensive expertise and experience as a healthcare investor, in science and medicine, and as a director of other public and private biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

James Z. Huang, MBA, has served on our Board since 2024. Mr. Huang has over 30 years of biotech experience. He has served as the Founding Partner of Panacea Venture, an investment firm with its focus on innovative and transformative healthcare and life sciences companies worldwide, since 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Huang served as managing partner at Kleiner Perkins (KPCB) China and at Vivo Ventures, and he served in various leadership roles with Anesiva, Inc., Tularik Inc., GlaxoSmithKline LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and ALZA Corporation. Mr. Huang serves on the boards of directors of Kindstar Globalgene Technology, Inc. and Lee’s Pharmaceutical (HK) Limited. Previously, Mr. Huang served on the boards of directors of Casi Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. and Alaunos Therapeutics, Inc. Mr. Huang received an M.B.A. from Stanford and a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from University of California, Berkeley.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Board believe that Mr. Huang is qualified to serve on our Board due to his extensive expertise and experience as a life sciences investor, a senior leader of several biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, and as a director of other public and private biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Jean Liu, J.D., has served on our Board since 2021. Ms. Liu has more than 25 years of biopharmaceutical executive and law firm experience and was most recently Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Seagen Inc., a targeted cancer therapeutic company which was acquired by Pfizer in December 2023. Prior to joining Seagen in 2014, she served in senior legal leadership roles at Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. and Durect Corporation, including General Counsel, Head of Compliance and Chief Legal Officer. Ms. Liu currently serves on the board of directors of Erasca, Inc. Before joining the biopharmaceutical industry, Ms. Liu was an attorney at the law firms of Pillsbury LLP and Venture Law Group. Ms. Liu received her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and her M.S. in Molecular Biology from Stanford University.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Board believe that Ms. Liu is qualified to serve on our Board due to her extensive expertise and experience as a biopharmaceutical executive and attorney, and as a director of other public and private biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Barry D. Quart, Pharm.D., was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Director in June 2024. Dr. Quart brings over 30 years of extensive experience serving in leadership positions in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and developing innovative pharmaceutical products. Dr. Quart was most recently Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of directors of Heron Therapeutics, Inc. until 2023. Prior to joining Heron in 2012, Dr. Quart co-founded Ardea Biosciences, Inc. and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer and Director from its inception in 2006 through its acquisition by AstraZeneca PLC in 2012. Dr. Quart currently serves on the board of directors of Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals Corp. Dr. Quart received his Pharm.D. from the University of California, San Francisco.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Board believe that Dr. Quart is qualified to serve on our Board due to his extensive experience serving in leadership positions in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, developing innovative pharmaceutical products, leading early-stage biotechnology companies through late-stage clinical development and regulatory strategy, and serving as a director of other public and private biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Karen J. Wilson, CPA, has served on our Board since 2020. Ms. Wilson is a strategic biopharmaceutical finance executive and board member with more than 30 years of industry and leadership experience in life science companies across finance, strategy and risk management. She has served as an independent director and Chairperson of the Audit Committee for Elicio Therapeutics, Inc. (formerly Angion Biomedica Corp.) since 2020, an independent director, Chairperson of the Audit Committee and member of the Compensation Committee for LAVA Therapeutics B.V. since 2021, and an independent director, Chairperson of the Compensation Committee, Chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and member of the Audit Committee for Serina Therapeutics, Inc. since January 2025. She previously served on the board of directors of Vaxart, Inc. from 2020 until 2022. She also previously served as Senior Vice President of Finance at Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc, an international biopharmaceutical company. Ms. Wilson is a Certified Public Accountant and received a B.S. in Business from the University of California, Berkeley.

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our Board believe that Ms. Wilson is qualified to serve on our Board due to her extensive expertise and experience in public company finance and accounting and as a director of other public biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Information Concerning Executive Officers and Key Employees

Certain biographical information regarding each of our executive officers as of the date of this report, including age, position held with us, term of office, and business experience, is set forth below:

Background information for Dr. Quart is described above under “Information Concerning the Board of Directors.”

David Szekeres, was appointed as President in June 2024. Mr. Szekeres is an experienced life science executive with a proven track record of creating value with deep operational, commercial, corporate development/strategy, and legal expertise. Mr. Szekeres was most recently Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Heron Therapeutics, Inc. until 2023. Prior to joining Heron in 2016, he was the Chief Business Officer and General Counsel of Regulus Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company focused on RNA therapeutics and the Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Life Technologies Corporation. Mr. Szekeres also holds positions as the Chair of the board of directors of GRI Bio, Inc. and is a member of the boards of directors of Colossal Biosciences Inc., CureMatch, Inc., and the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. He received his J.D. from Duke University School of Law and earned his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine.

Lisa Peraza, CPA, has served as Vice President, Finance since August 2024. She brings more than 25 years of finance and accounting experience, primarily in the biotechnology industry. Ms. Peraza was most recently Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer at Heron Therapeutics, Inc., a commercial-stage biotechnology company, until March 2024. Prior to joining Heron in 2014, she held key finance and accounting positions at Ardea Biosciences, Inc. and La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company. Ms. Peraza began her career with KPMG LLP. She received a B.A. degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of California.

Certain information regarding each of our key employees as of the date of this report, including age, position held with us, term of office, and business experience is set forth below:

Kimberly J. Manhard, has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer since September 2024. Ms. Manhard is a biopharmaceutical executive with more than 25 years of clinical development, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, pharmacovigilance and pharmaceutical operations experience. Ms. Manhard previously served as the Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Planning and Execution for Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to that, Ms. Manhard served as the Executive Vice President of Drug Development for Heron Therapeutics, Inc. from 2016 until 2023, and was instrumental in the development, registration, and commercial support of four drug products. Before that, Ms. Manhard served as Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Development Operations for Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (acquired by AstraZeneca, PLC in 2012), where she led the U.S., EU and rest of world registration activities. Previously, Ms. Manhard was President of her own consultancy firm, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Exelixis, Inc. and held multiple regulatory positions at Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., supporting the development of anticancer and antiviral products. Ms. Manhard was also previously with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in regulatory affairs, responsible for oncology compounds and infectious disease compounds. Ms. Manhard began her industry career in clinical research with Eli Lily and Company and G.H. Besselaar Associates (Covance Inc.). Ms. Manhard currently serves on the boards of directors of Inhibrx Biosciences, Inc. and Toragen, Inc., and previously served on the boards of directors of Shoreline Biosciences, Inc. and Heron Therapeutics, Inc. Ms. Manhard received a B.S. degree in zoology and a B.A. degree in French from the University of Florida.

Jeff Cohn, J.D., has served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since September 2024. He brings more than 15 years of extensive legal, business and life sciences experience. Mr. Cohn was most recently Vice President, Corporate Law at Vir Biotechnology, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on serious infectious diseases and cancer. Prior to that, he held key positions of increasing responsibility at Heron Therapeutics, Inc. from 2016 until 2023, most recently serving as Executive Director, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary. He also previously held key positions of increasing responsibility at Becton, Dickinson and Company and Life Technologies Corporation. He began his career as a corporate associate at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (formerly Faegre Baker Daniels LLP). Mr. Cohn earned dual B.S. degrees in Business Economics and Public Policy and Entrepreneurship from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and his law degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

Raúl Collazo, Ph.D., has served as Vice President, Global Head of Medical Affairs and Strategy since 2021. He has over 25 years of Medical Affairs experience in small biotech and large pharmaceutical environments. Additionally, he brings extensive expertise advising pre-commercial life science companies on medical/scientific affairs, compliance, operations, and corporate strategy through his own consulting firm. Prior to joining Connect, he served in senior leadership positions in various organizations, including Principal, Head of Medical Affairs at Skysis/Fishawack Health (now Avalere

Health, LLC) from 2020 until 2021 and Vice President, Medical and Scientific Affairs at Biotheranostics, Inc., an oncology diagnostics company acquired by Hologic, Inc., from 2018 until 2020. Earlier in his career, Dr. Collazo served as Head of Medical Affairs for several companies working in the areas of gastroenterology, dermatology, inflammatory diseases, oncology, diabetes/obesity, and neurology. He earned his Ph.D. in Neurophysiology from the University of Oregon and completed postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

Lei Sun, Ph.D., has served as Vice President of Biologics and Head of CMC since January 2020. Dr. Sun has over 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical development of biologics focused on process development, CMC, and manufacturing operations. Prior to joining Connect, Dr. Sun served as Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Manufacturing at AutekBio, Inc. Prior to that, Dr. Sun supported drug development at PERVICIA, UCB Pharma, Shire Pharmaceuticals and DSM/Crucell JV. Dr. Sun has more than 20 publications in peer-reviewed journals and was an inventor of multiple patents in biologics and process development. He received his Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry from the University of Minnesota and completed his postdoctoral training in molecular immunology at Harvard Medical School.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships between any of our directors or executive officers.

Code of Ethics

We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”) that applies to all our officers, directors and employees. The Code is available on our website at www.connectbiopharm.com. We expect that any amendment to, or a waiver from, the Code that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions and that relates to any element of the code of ethics definition enumerated in paragraph (b) of Item 406 of Regulation S-K, will be disclosed on our website at www.connectbiopharm.com. The references herein to our website address do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained at or available through our website, and you should not consider any such information to be a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Corporate Governance

There were no material changes to the procedures by which security holders may recommend nominees to our Board during fiscal year 2024.

We have a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Audit Committee is comprised of Ms. Wilson, Mr. Huang and Ms. Liu. Ms. Wilson serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee. The Board has determined that all members of the Audit Committee satisfy the current independence and experience requirements of Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and the current Nasdaq independence standards. The Board has also determined that Ms. Wilson qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in Item 407 of Regulation S-K.

Our Board has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines to ensure that the Board will have the necessary authority and practices in place to review and evaluate our business operations as needed and to make decisions that are independent of our management. The Corporate Governance Guidelines are also intended to align the interests of directors and management with those of our shareholders. The Corporate Governance Guidelines set forth the practices the Board intends to follow with respect to, among other things, board composition, director qualification standards and selection criteria, director responsibilities, conflicts of interest, board meetings, board committees and compensation, involvement of senior management, succession planning, and risk management. The Board regularly reviews the Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Corporate Governance Guidelines are available on our website www.connectbiopharm.com.

Insider Trading Policies and Procedures

We have adopted insider trading policies and procedures governing the purchase, sale and other transactions in Company securities by the Company’s directors, officers and employees, and other covered persons, that we believe are reasonably designed to promote compliance with insider trading laws, rules and regulations and applicable exchange listing standards.

Our Insider Trading Compliance Policy prohibits directors, officers and employees of the Company from engaging in hedging or similar arrangements with respect to the Company’s securities, including, without limitation, short sales and buying or selling puts, calls or other derivative securities (except for stock options granted by the Company). Pursuant to the Insider Trading Compliance Policy, employees and directors are also prohibited from holding Company securities in a margin account or otherwise pledging Company securities as collateral for a loan.

A copy of our Insider Trading Compliance Policy is filed with this Annual Report on Form 10-K as Exhibit 19.1.