information relating to the ratio of total compensation of our Chief Executive Officer to the median of the annual total compensation of all of our employees, each as required by the Investor Protection and Securities Reform Act of 2010, which is part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Pension and retirement benefits
Our named executive officers did not participate in, or otherwise receive any benefits under, any pension or defined benefit retirement plan sponsored by us during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Nonqualified deferred compensation
Our named executive officers did not participate in, or earn any benefits under, any nonqualified deferred compensation plan sponsored by us during the year ended December 31, 2021. Our Board of Directors may elect to provide our officers and other employees with nonqualified deferred compensation benefits in the future if it determines that doing so is in our best interests.
Employment, Severance, and Change in Control Agreements
Below is a description of our employment agreements with Mr. Favet, Dr. Morrell and Ms. Ridley. For a discussion of the severance pay and other benefits to be provided in connection with a termination of employment and/or a change in control under the arrangements with our named executive officers, see the section below titled “Severance and Change in Control.”
Employment Agreement with Mr. Favet
In March 2021, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Mr. Favet, our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors, which provided that Mr. Favet’s annual base salary would be $450,000, and that Mr. Favet’s base salary would be increased to $517,000, retroactive to March 1, 2021, if our IPO was completed by October 1, 2021. The employment agreement also provides that Mr. Favet’s maximum annual bonus opportunity would be increased from 50% to 85% of his then current base salary if our IPO was completed by October 1, 2021. The employment agreement provides that Mr. Favet will be eligible for severance benefits under our Officer Severance Benefit Plan, the terms of which are described below. Mr. Favet is also eligible to participate in benefit plans and arrangements made available to all full-time employees.
Additionally, the employment agreement provides for an option award which has previously been granted and is described in more detail above in the chart entitled “Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End”.
During a portion of 2020, Mr. Favet’s annual base salary was reduced to 80% of his base salary pursuant to our mutual agreement with Mr. Favet for a portion of 2020 in light of the impact of COVID-19 on our business. In July 2019, pursuant to his employment agreement, we granted Mr. Favet options to purchase 50,968 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $36.40 per share, which was repriced in November 2020 to provide for an exercise price of $0.026 per share. In October 2020, we granted Mr. Favet options to purchase 976,923 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $0.026 per share.
Employment Agreement with Dr. Morrell
In March 2021, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Dr. Morrell, our Chief Medical Officer, which provided that Dr. Morrell’s annual base salary would be $424,000, and that Dr. Morrell’s base salary would be increased to $438,000, retroactive to March 1, 2021, if our IPO was completed by October 1, 2021. The employment agreement also provides that Dr. Morrell’s maximum annual bonus opportunity would be increased from 20% to 45% of her then current base salary following completion of our IPO. The employment agreement provides that Dr. Morrell will be eligible for severance benefits under our Officer Severance Benefit Plan, the terms of which are described below. Dr. Morrell is also eligible to participate in benefit plans and arrangements made available to all full-time employees.
Additionally, the employment agreement provides for an option award which has previously been granted and is described in more detail above in the chart entitled “Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End”.
During a portion of 2020 Dr. Morrell’s annual base salary was reduced to 80% of her base salary pursuant to our mutual agreement with Dr. Morrell for a portion of 2020 in light of the impact of COVID-19 on our business. In October 2020, we granted Dr. Morrell options to purchase 278,846 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $0.026 per share.