UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
Appointment of Linda Szyper to Board of Directors
Effective November 18, 2021, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Harmony Biosciences Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Linda Szyper, age 56, as a Class II director, filling the previously announced vacancy in the Board created by the resignation of Eric L. Motley effective August 30, 2021. Ms. Szyper was also appointed to serve on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. Ms. Szyper will hold office until the date of the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until her successor shall be elected and qualified or until her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.
Ms. Szyper served as the Chief Operating Officer of McCann Health, a global healthcare communications company, from January 2018 to October 2021. Prior to joining McCann Health, Ms. Szyper served as the Chief Commercial Officer of Circassia, a publicly traded biotechnology and medical device company headquartered in the United Kingdom, from October 2014 to March 2017, and as the Chief Development Officer of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, a healthcare communications network, from July 1999 to October 2014. Ms. Szyper was selected to the Board because of her extensive experience in pharmaceutical marketing, medical communications, consumer health and payer and patient engagement, and we believe she will bring valuable experience and insight to the Board.
The Board has determined that Ms. Szyper qualifies as an independent director under the corporate governance standards of Nasdaq. Ms. Szyper was not appointed to the Board pursuant to any arrangement or understanding with any other person. Ms. Szyper has no family relationships with any director or executive officer of the Company and there are no transactions in which Ms. Szyper has an interest requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Ms. Szyper will receive compensation consistent with that provided to non-employee directors as described in the Company’s director compensation program.
The Company and Ms. Szyper will enter into the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement for directors, a copy of which was previously filed as Exhibit 10.12 to Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-240122) and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.
On November 22, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Ms. Szyper. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
The information included in Item 7.01 in this Current Report on Form 8-K and Exhibit 99.1 is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section or Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit |
| |
No. | Description | |
99.1* | Press release issued by the Company dated November 22, 2021. | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
* | This Exhibit is furnished herewith and will not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act except to the extent that Harmony Biosciences Holdings, Inc. specifically incorporates it by reference. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
HARMONY BIOSCIENCES HOLDINGS, INC. | ||
Date: November 22, 2021 | By: | /s/ John C. Jacobs |
John C. Jacobs | ||
President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
HARMONY BIOSCIENCES APPOINTS LINDA SZYPER TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA, November 22, 2021 – Harmony Biosciences Holdings, Inc. (“Harmony” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: HRMY), a pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative therapies for patients with rare neurological diseases, today announced the appointment of Linda Szyper to the Company’s Board of Directors.
Ms. Szyper brings extensive healthcare and pharmaceutical knowledge with expertise anchored in more than 30 years of experience that spans both pharmaceutical sales and marketing as well as healthcare communications services. Most recently, Ms. Szyper served as the Chief Operating Officer of McCann Health, a global healthcare communications company, where she was responsible for the development and overall operations of the global healthcare network. On Harmony’s Board of Directors, she will serve as a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees.
“As Harmony aims to bring new treatment options to people living with rare diseases, I look forward to contributing my insights and experience in support of the company’s talented team who are working to advance its mission on behalf of patients everywhere,” said Ms. Szyper. “I am honored to join Harmony’s Board at such a pivotal time of growth for the company and look forward to the opportunity ahead.”
Prior to joining McCann Health, Ms. Szyper served as Chief Commercial Officer of Circassia, a publicly traded biotechnology and medical device company headquartered in the United Kingdom, from October 2014 to March 2017. In this role she spearheaded business strategy and commercial direction for the organization. Prior to Circassia Pharmaceuticals, she was the Chief Development Officer of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, a healthcare communications network, from July 1999 to October 2014.
“Linda’s operations and commercialization expertise are an asset to the Board,” said Harmony Founder and Chairman, Jeff Aronin, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Paragon
Biosciences. “As Harmony continues to grow, her skills are important in our quest to help people living with unmet medical needs.”
Ms. Szyper has also held roles of varying scopes and responsibilities at other life sciences and pharmaceutical companies, including Searle, a life sciences company where she oversaw global commercialization of its cardiovascular portfolio and its sleep therapeutic area; and Serono Laboratories, a biotechnology company where she managed sales and marketing for its reproductive and women’s health business unit.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University and earned her Master of Business Administration from DePaul University. She is based in Chicago.
About Harmony Biosciences
Harmony Biosciences is a commercial stage pharmaceutical company headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, PA. The Company was established by Paragon Biosciences, LLC, and is focused on providing novel treatment options for people living with rare neurological diseases who have unmet medical needs. For more information on Harmony, please visit the company’s website: www.harmonybiosciences.com.
Harmony Biosciences Media Contact:
Nancy Leone
215-891-6046
nleone@harmonybiosciences.com
Harmony Biosciences Investor Contact:
Patti Bank
ICR Westwicke
415-513-1284
ir@harmonybiosciences.com