ACLARIS THERAPEUTICS, INC.

640 Lee Road, Suite 200

Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held On June 7, 2018

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). The meeting will be held on Thursday, June 7, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. local time at 640 Lee Road, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087 for the following purposes:

These items of business are more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice.

The record date for the Annual Meeting is April 16, 2018. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on that date may vote at the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholders’ Meeting to Be Held on June 7, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. at 640 Lee Road, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087.

The letter to stockholders, proxy statement and annual report to stockholders
are available at https://materials.proxyvote.com/00461U.

By Order of the Board of Directors

Kamil Ali-Jackson

Secretary

Malvern, Pennsylvania

April 26, 2018

You are cordially invited to attend the meeting in person. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, please complete, date, sign and return the enclosed proxy, or vote over the telephone or on the Internet as instructed in these materials, as promptly as possible in order to ensure your representation at the meeting. A return envelope (which is postage prepaid if mailed in the United States) has been provided for your convenience. Even if you have voted by proxy, you may still vote in person if you attend the meeting. Please note, however, that if your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee and you wish to vote at the meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from that record holder.

 

 

ACLARIS THERAPEUTICS, INC.

640 Lee Road, Suite 200

Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE 2018 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To be held on June 7, 2018

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THESE PROXY MATERIALS AND VOTING

Why am I receiving these materials?

We have sent you these proxy materials because the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (sometimes referred to as the “Company” or “Aclaris”) is soliciting your proxy to vote at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, including at any adjournments or postponements of the meeting. You are invited to attend the Annual Meeting to vote on the proposals described in this proxy statement. However, you do not need to attend the meeting to vote your shares. Instead, you may simply complete, sign and return the enclosed proxy card, or follow the instructions below to submit your proxy over the telephone or through the Internet.

We intend to mail these proxy materials on or about April 26, 2018 to all stockholders of record entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

How do I attend the Annual Meeting?

The meeting will be held on Thursday, June 7, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. local time at 640 Lee Road, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087. Directions to the Annual Meeting may be found at www.aclaristx.com. Information on how to vote in person at the Annual Meeting is discussed below.

Who can vote at the Annual Meeting?

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on April 16, 2018 will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. On this record date, there were 30,906,003 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote.

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If at the close of business on April 16, 2018 your shares were registered directly in your name with Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.’s transfer agent, Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc., then you are a stockholder of record. As a stockholder of record, you may vote in person at the meeting or vote by proxy. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, we urge you to fill out and return the enclosed proxy card or vote by proxy over the telephone or on the Internet as instructed below to ensure your vote is counted.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of a Broker or Bank

If at the close of business on April 16, 2018 your shares were held, not in your name, but rather in an account at a brokerage firm, bank or other similar organization, then you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by that organization. The organization holding your account is considered to be the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the Annual Meeting. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker, bank or other agent regarding how to vote the shares in your account. You are also invited to attend the Annual Meeting. However, since you are not the stockholder of record, you may not vote your shares in person at the meeting unless you request and obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or other agent.

What am I voting on?

There are two matters scheduled for a vote:

What if another matter is properly brought before the meeting?

The Board knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on those matters in accordance with their best judgment.

How do I vote?

You may either vote “For” all the nominees to the Board or you may “Withhold” your vote for any nominee you specify. For each of the other matters to be voted on, you may vote “For” or “Against” or abstain from voting.

The procedures for voting are fairly simple:

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote in person at the Annual Meeting, vote by proxy using the enclosed proxy card, vote by proxy over the telephone or vote by proxy on the Internet. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, we urge you to vote by proxy to ensure your vote is counted. You may still attend the meeting and vote in person even if you have already voted by proxy.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker or Bank

If you are a beneficial owner of shares registered in the name of your broker, bank, or other agent, you should have received a voting instruction form with these proxy materials from that organization rather than from Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. Simply complete and mail the voting instruction form to ensure that your vote is counted. Alternatively, you may vote by telephone or on the Internet as instructed by your broker or bank. To vote in person at the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a valid proxy from your broker, bank or other agent. Follow the instructions from your broker, bank or other agent included with these proxy materials, or contact that organization to request a proxy form.

Internet proxy voting may be provided to allow you to vote your shares online, with procedures designed to ensure the authenticity and correctness of your proxy vote instructions. However, please be aware that you must bear any costs associated with your Internet access, such as usage charges from Internet access providers and telephone companies.

How many votes do I have?

On each matter to be voted upon, you have one vote for each share of common stock you own at the close of business on April 16, 2018.

If I am a stockholder of record and I do not vote, or if I return a proxy card or otherwise vote without giving specific voting instructions, what happens?

If you are a stockholder of record and do not vote by telephone, on the Internet, by completing your proxy card or in person at the Annual Meeting, your shares will not be voted.

If you return a signed and dated proxy card or otherwise vote without marking voting selections, your shares will be voted, as applicable, “For” the election of the nominees for director and “For” the ratification of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018. If any other matter is properly presented at the meeting, your proxyholder (one of the individuals named on your proxy card) will vote your shares using his or her best judgment.

If I am a beneficial owner of shares held in street name and I do not provide my broker or bank with voting instructions, what happens?

If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name and you do not instruct your broker, bank or other agent how to vote your shares, your broker, bank or other agent may still be able to vote your shares in its discretion. In this regard, under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), brokers, banks and other securities intermediaries that are subject to NYSE rules may use their discretion to vote your “uninstructed” shares with respect to matters considered to be “routine” under NYSE rules, but not with respect to “non-routine” matters. In this regard, Proposal 1 is considered to be “non-routine” under NYSE rules, meaning that your broker may not vote your shares on that proposal in the absence of your voting instructions. However, Proposal 2 is considered to be a “routine” matter under NYSE rules, meaning that if you do not return voting instructions to your broker by its deadline, your shares may be voted by your broker in its discretion on Proposal 2.

If you a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, in order to ensure your shares are voted in the way you would prefer, you must provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other agent by the deadline provided in the materials you receive from your broker, bank or other agent.

Who is paying for this proxy solicitation?

We will pay for the entire cost of soliciting proxies. In addition to these proxy materials, our directors and employees may also solicit proxies in person, by telephone, or by other means of communication. Directors and employees will not be paid any additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We may also reimburse brokerage firms, banks and other agents for the cost of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners.

What does it mean if I receive more than one set of proxy materials?

If you receive more than one set of proxy materials, your shares may be registered in more than one name or in different accounts. Please follow the voting instructions on the proxy cards in the proxy materials to ensure that all of your shares are voted.

Can I change my vote after submitting my proxy?

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

Yes. You can revoke your proxy at any time before the final vote at the meeting. If you are the record holder of your shares, you may revoke your proxy in any one of the following ways:

Your most current proxy card or telephone or Internet proxy is the one that is counted.

Beneficial Owner: Shares Registered in the Name of Broker or Bank

If your shares are held by your broker, bank or other agent, you should follow the instructions provided by that organization.

When are stockholder proposals due for next year’s  Annual Meeting?

To be considered for inclusion in next year’s proxy materials, your proposal must be submitted in writing by December 27, 2018, to our Corporate Secretary at 640 Lee Road, Suite 200, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087. If you wish to nominate an individual for election at, or bring business other than through a stockholder proposal before, the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, you must deliver your notice to our Corporate Secretary at the address above between February 7, 2019 and March 9, 2019; provided, however that if next year’s annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 30 days after June 7, 2019, your proposal must be submitted not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Your notice to the Corporate Secretary must set forth information specified in our amended and restated bylaws, including your name and address and the class and number of shares of our stock that you beneficially own.

If you propose to bring business before an annual meeting other than a director nomination, your notice must also include, as to each matter proposed, the following: 1) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting that business at the annual meeting and 2) any material interest you have in that business. If you propose to nominate an individual for election as a director, your notice must also include, as to each person you propose to nominate for election as a director, the following: 1) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, 2) the principal occupation or employment of the person, 3) the class and number of shares of our stock that are owned of record and beneficially owned by the person, 4) the date or dates on which the shares were acquired and the investment intent of the acquisition and 5) any other information concerning the person as would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election of that person as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or that is otherwise required to be disclosed pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, including the person’s written consent to being named as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected. We may require any proposed nominee to furnish other information as we may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of the proposed nominee to serve as an independent director or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack of independence, of the proposed nominee.

For more information, and for more detailed requirements, please refer to our amended and restated bylaws, filed as Exhibit 3.2 to our Current Report on Form 8‑K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 13, 2015.

How are votes counted?

Votes will be counted by the inspector of election appointed for the meeting, who will separately count, for Proposal 1  to elect directors, votes “For,” “Withhold” and broker non-votes and, with respect to Proposal 2  to ratify the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, votes “For,” “Against” and abstentions. For Proposal 1, broker non-votes will have no effect and will not be counted toward the vote total for any director nominee.  For Proposal 2, abstentions will be counted and will have the same effect as “Against” votes.

What are “broker non-votes”?

As discussed above, when a beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” does not give instructions to his or her broker, bank or other securities intermediary holding his or her shares as to how to vote on matters deemed to be “non-routine”  under NYSE rules, the broker, bank or other such agent cannot vote the shares. These unvoted shares are counted as “broker non-votes.”  Proposal 1 is considered to be “non-routine” under NYSE rules, and we therefore expect broker non-votes to exist in connection with this proposal.

As a reminder, if you a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, in order to ensure your shares are voted in the way you would prefer, you must provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other agent by the deadline provided in the materials you receive from your broker, bank or other agent.

How many votes are needed to approve each proposal?

For the election of directors, the two nominees receiving the most “For” votes from the holders of shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the election of directors will be elected. Only votes “For” or “Withheld” will affect the outcome.

To be approved, Proposal No. 2, ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, must receive “For” votes from the holders of a majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter. If you mark your proxy to “Abstain” from voting, it will have the same effect as an “Against” vote.

What is the quorum requirement?

A quorum of stockholders is necessary to hold a valid meeting. A quorum will be present if stockholders holding at least a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote are present at the meeting in person or represented by proxy. At the close of business on the record date, there were 30,906,003 shares outstanding and entitled to vote. Thus, the holders of 15,453,002 shares must be present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting to have a quorum.

Your shares will be counted towards the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy by telephone, internet or proxy card (or one is submitted on your behalf by your broker, bank or other nominee) or if you vote in person at the meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted towards the quorum requirement. If there is no quorum, the holders of a majority of shares present at the meeting in person or represented by proxy may adjourn the meeting to another date.

How can I find out the results of the voting at the Annual Meeting?

Preliminary voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting. In addition, final voting results will be published in a current report on Form 8‑K that we expect to file within four business days after the Annual Meeting. If final voting results are not available to us in time to file a Form 8‑K within four business days after the meeting, we intend to file a Form 8‑K to publish preliminary results and, within four business days after the final results are known to us, file an additional Form 8‑K to publish the final results.

What proxy materials are available on the Internet?

The letter to stockholders, proxy statement and annual report to stockholders are available at https://materials.proxyvote.com/00461U.

PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Our Board is divided into three classes. Each class consists, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of directors, and each class has a three-year term. Vacancies on the Board may be filled only by persons elected by a majority of the remaining directors. A director elected by the Board to fill a vacancy in a class, including vacancies created by an increase in the number of directors, shall serve for the remainder of the full term of that class and until the director’s successor is duly elected and qualified.

The Board presently has eight members. There are two directors in the class whose term of office expires in 2018,  Messrs. Molineaux and Reasons.  Mr. Molineaux is currently a director of the Company who was previously elected by the stockholders. Mr. Reasons was appointed by the Board in April 2018 to fill a vacancy on the Board. Mr. Reasons was recommended to our nominating and corporate governance committee by our Chief Executive Officer. Our nominating and corporate governance committee then recommended Mr. Reasons’ appointment to our Board after considering a number of qualified candidates. If elected at the Annual Meeting, each of these nominees would serve until the 2021 Annual Meeting and until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, or, if sooner, until the director’s death, resignation or removal. It is our policy to invite and encourage directors and nominees for director to attend the Annual Meeting. Five of our directors attended the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes of the holders of shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Accordingly, the two nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes will be elected. Shares represented by executed proxies will be voted, if authority to do so is not withheld, for the election of the nominees named below. If any nominee becomes unavailable for election as a result of an unexpected occurrence, shares that would have been voted for that nominee may instead be voted for the election of a substitute nominee proposed by our Board. Each person nominated for election has agreed to serve if elected, and we have no reason to believe that any nominee will be unable to serve.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board seeks to assemble a board that, as a whole, possesses the appropriate balance of professional and industry knowledge, financial expertise and high-level management experience necessary to oversee and direct our business. To that end, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has identified and evaluated the nominees in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition, with the goal of recruiting members who complement and strengthen the skills of other members and who also exhibit integrity, collegiality, sound business judgment and other qualities that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee views as critical to effective functioning of the Board.

The biographies below include information, as of the date of this proxy statement, regarding the specific and particular experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each nominee that led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to recommend that person as a nominee for director. However, each member of the committee may have a variety of reasons why he believes a particular person would be an appropriate nominee for the Board, and these views may differ from the views of other members.

NOMINEES FOR ELECTION FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM EXPIRING AT THE 2021 ANNUAL MEETING

Christopher Molineaux, age 52

Christopher Molineaux has served as a member of our Board since January 2014. Since 2009, Mr. Molineaux has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Life Sciences Pennsylvania, formerly Pennsylvania Bio, a pharmaceutical and biotech industry advocacy organization. Prior to joining Life Sciences Pennsylvania, Mr. Molineaux served as worldwide Vice President of pharmaceutical communications and public affairs for Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Molineaux previously served as Vice President for Public Affairs at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association. He holds a B.A. degree from the College of the Holy Cross. Our Board believes that Mr. Molineaux’s substantial pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry experience qualifies him to serve as a director of our company.

Bryan Reasons, age 50

Bryan Reasons has served as a member of our Board since April 2018. Mr. Reasons has served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Impax Laboratories, Inc. since December 2012 and previously served as its Acting

Chief Financial Officer from June 2012 to December 2012 and as its Vice President, Finance from January 2012 to June 2012.  Prior to joining Impax, Mr. Reasons was with Cephalon, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, serving as Vice President, Finance from January 2010 to November 2011 and as Vice President, Risk Management and General Auditor from October 2005 to January 2010. Following the acquisition of Cephalon by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., he served as Vice President, Finance of Teva from November 2011 to January 2012. Prior to joining Cephalon, Mr. Reasons held various finance management positions at E.I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company from 2003 to 2005 and previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP from 1992 to 2003, including as a senior manager. Since March 2017, Mr. Reasons has served on the board of directors and on the audit committee of Recro Pharma, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company. Mr. Reasons has a B.S. degree in accounting from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. degree from Widener University. He is a certified public accountant in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Our Board believes that Mr. Reasons’ extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including his experience in senior leadership positions at a number of large pharmaceutical companies, as well as his expertise in financial and accounting matters, qualifies him to serve as a director of our company.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS

A VOTE IN FAVOR OF EACH NAMED NOMINEE.

DIRECTORS CONTINUING IN OFFICE UNTIL THE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING

Neal Walker, age 48

Neal Walker co-founded our company and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board since our inception in July 2012. Dr. Walker co-founded NeXeption, LLC in August 2012. Between July 2011 and July 2012, Dr. Walker served as a consultant to a number of pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Walker co-founded and served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Vicept Therapeutics, Inc., a dermatology-focused specialty pharmaceutical company, from 2009 until its acquisition by Allergan, Inc. in July 2011. Previously, Dr. Walker co-founded and led a number of life science companies, including Octagon Research Solutions, Inc., a software and services provider to biopharmaceutical companies (acquired by Accenture plc), Trigenesis Therapeutics, Inc., a specialty dermatology company, where he served as Chief Medical Officer (acquired by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc.), and Cutix Inc., a commercial dermatology company. He began his pharmaceutical industry career at Johnson and Johnson, Inc. Dr. Walker is a director of Alderya Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly held biotechnology company, as well as several private biotechnology companies. Dr. Walker received his M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a B.A. degree in Biology from Lehigh University. Dr. Walker’s experience as a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of our company and other pharmaceutical companies, his background in clinical and product development in dermatology and other fields, and his knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry contributed to the conclusion of our Board that he should serve as a director of our company.

William Humphries, age 51

Mr. Humphries has served as a member of our Board since September 2016. Since January 2017, he has served as Executive Vice President of Ortho Dermatologics,  the dermatology division of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. From March 2012 to December 2016, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the North American business of Merz, Inc., an affiliate of Merz Pharma Group, a specialty healthcare company. From 2006 to March 2012, Mr. Humphries served in a number of leadership positions with Stiefel Laboratories, Inc., a dermatology pharmaceutical company, including as its Chief Commercial Officer and then as President beginning in 2008. Stiefel was acquired by GlaxoSmithKline in 2009, after which Mr. Humphries served as the President of Dermatology for Stiefel from 2009 until March 2012. Mr. Humphries previously held multiple senior executive roles in sales and marketing, business development and international marketing for Allergan, Inc., concluding as Vice President of its U.S. skincare business. Mr. Humphries currently serves on the board of directors of Clearside Biomedical, Inc., a publicly held biopharmaceutical company. He holds a B.A. degree from Bucknell University and an M.B.A. degree from Pepperdine University. Our Board believes that Mr. Humphries’ experience as pharmaceutical company executive provides him with the qualifications and skills to serve as a director of our company.

Andrew Schiff, age 52

Dr. Schiff has served as a member of our Board since August 2017. Mr. Schiff joined Aisling Capital in September of 1999 and currently serves as one of the firm’s managing partners. Prior to joining Aisling Capital, Dr. Schiff practiced internal medicine for six years at The New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he maintains his position as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine. Dr. Schiff served as a director of ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc., a publicly held medical technology

company, from 2010 until its acquisition by Allergan plc in May 2017.  He also served on the board of directors of Agile Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly held women’s health specialty pharmaceutical company, from 2012 until February 2016. Dr. Schiff currently serves as a director of a number of private companies.  He is a longtime supporter and board member of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, as well as other charitable organizations. Dr. Schiff received his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College, his M.B.A. from Columbia University, and his B.S. with honors in Neuroscience from Brown University.   Our Board believes that Dr. Schiff’s medical background and venture experience qualify him to serve as a director of our company.

DIRECTORS CONTINUING IN OFFICE UNTIL THE 2020 ANNUAL MEETING

Anand Mehra, M.D., age 42

Anand Mehra, M.D. has served as a member of our Board since September 2014. Dr. Mehra joined Sofinnova Ventures, a venture capital firm, in 2007 and currently serves as a general partner. Prior to joining Sofinnova,  Dr. Mehra worked in J.P. Morgan’s private equity and venture capital group, and before that, Dr. Mehra was a consultant in McKinsey & Company’s pharmaceutical practice. Dr. Mehra currently serves on the boards of directors of the publicly held companies Spark Therapeutics, Inc. and Merus N.V., as well as several private companies. Within the past five years, he also served on the boards of directors of the publicly held pharmaceutical companies Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Mehra received his B.A. degree in political philosophy from the University of Virginia and an M.D. degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. Our Board believes that Dr. Mehra’s extensive experience in the life sciences industry, his service on the boards of directors of other public life sciences companies and his extensive leadership experience qualify him to serve as a director of our company.

Andrew Powell, age 60

Andrew Powell has served as a member of our Board since January 2017. Mr. Powell served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Medivation, Inc. from May 2015 until November 2016, when the company was acquired by Pfizer, Inc. Mr. Powell served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of InterMune, Inc. from September 2013 to March 2015. From 2009 to 2013, he served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Cornerstone Therapeutics, Inc. From 2008 to 2009, Mr. Powell served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at ImClone Systems, Inc. From 2004 to 2008, he was General Counsel at Collagenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Earlier in his career, Mr. Powell held positions of increasing responsibility for nearly 15 years at the multi-national healthcare company Baxter International, Inc., where he was instrumental in a series of transactions that established Baxter throughout Asia. Mr. Powell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. Our Board believes that Mr. Powell’s unique expertise in the areas of commercialization strategy, expansion (both domestic and international), governance, compliance and mergers and acquisitions qualifies him to serve as a director of our company.

Stephen A. Tullman, age 52

Stephen A. Tullman has served as Chairman of our Board since August 2012. Mr. Tullman co-founded NeXeption, Inc., a biopharmaceutical assets management company, in May 2011 and its affiliated entity NeXeption, LLC in August 2012 and currently serves as the managing member of NeXeption, LLC and certain of its affiliates. He previously served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ceptaris Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from May 2011 until its acquisition by Actelion US Holdings Company, now a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, in September 2013. Mr. Tullman served as Chairman of Vicept Therapeutics, Inc. from 2009 until its acquisition by Allergan, Inc. in July 2011. In 2005, Mr. Tullman co-founded Ception Therapeutics, Inc. and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer until its acquisition by Cephalon, Inc. in 2010. In 2003, Mr. Tullman co-founded Trigenesis Therapeutics, Inc., where he served as its Chief Business Officer (acquired by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc.)  Mr. Tullman began his career at SmithKline Beecham, a pharmaceutical company, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in finance, sales, marketing, and research and development. Mr. Tullman currently serves as the chairman of the board of directors of Ralexar Therapeutics, Inc., a specialty dermatology company, and on the boards of directors of several other privately held companies. Mr. Tullman received a B.S. degree in Accounting from Rutgers University. Our Board believes that Mr. Tullman’s leadership, executive, managerial and business experience with several life sciences companies qualify him to serve as a director of our company.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

INDEPENDENCE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

As required under the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) listing standards, a majority of the members of a listed company’s board of directors must qualify as “independent,” as affirmatively determined by the Board. The Board consults with the Company’s counsel to ensure that the Board’s determinations are consistent with relevant securities and other laws and regulations regarding the definition of “independent,” including those set forth in pertinent listing standards of Nasdaq, as in effect from time to time.

Consistent with these considerations, after review of all relevant identified transactions or relationships between each director, or any of his family members, and our company, senior management and independent auditors, the Board has affirmatively determined that six of our eight directors are independent directors within the meaning of the applicable  Nasdaq listing standards: Mr. Humphries, Dr. Mehra,  Mr. Molineaux,  Mr. Powell,  Mr. Reasons and Dr. Schiff. In making these determinations, the Board found that none of these directors or nominees for director had a material or other disqualifying relationship with our company.

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Mr. Tullman is the Chairman of the Board and has authority, among other things, to call and preside over Board meetings, including meetings of the independent directors, to set meeting agendas and to determine materials to be distributed to the Board. Accordingly, the Chairman of the Board has substantial ability to shape the work of the Board. The Company believes that separating the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer creates an environment that is more conducive to objective evaluation and oversight of management’s performance, increasing management accountability and improving the ability of the Board to monitor whether management’s actions are in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The Company believes that this separation can enhance the effectiveness of the Board as a whole.

ROLE OF THE BOARD IN RISK OVERSIGHT

One of the Board’s key functions is informed oversight of the Company’s risk management process. The Board does not have a standing risk management committee, but rather administers this oversight function directly through the Board as a whole, as well as through various Board standing committees that address risks inherent in their respective areas of oversight. In particular, our Board is responsible for monitoring and assessing strategic risk exposure, including a determination of the nature and level of risk appropriate for the Company. Our Audit Committee has the responsibility to consider and discuss our major financial risk exposures and the steps our management has taken to monitor and control these exposures, including guidelines and policies to govern the process by which risk assessment and management is undertaken. The Audit Committee also monitors compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, in addition to oversight of the performance of our internal audit function, if and to the extent that we establish such a function. Our nominating and corporate governance committee monitors the effectiveness of our corporate governance principles, including whether they are successful in preventing illegal or improper liability-creating conduct. Our Compensation Committee assesses and monitors whether any of our compensation policies and programs has the potential to encourage excessive risk-taking. It is the responsibility of the committee chairs to report findings regarding material risk exposures to the Board as quickly as possible. The Board has delegated to the Chairman of the Board the responsibility of coordinating between the Board and management with regard to the determination and implementation of responses to any problematic risk management issues.

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board met four times during 2017. Each Board member attended 75% or more of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and of the committees on which he served, held during the portion of 2017 for which he was a director or committee member.

INFORMATION REGARDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board has an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The following table provides membership and meeting information for 2017 for each of these committees. The Board has determined that each member of each committee meets the applicable Nasdaq rules and regulations regarding “independence” and that each member is free of any relationship that would impair his individual exercise of independent judgment with regard to the Company.

*     Committee Chairman

Below is a description of each of these committees of the Board. Each of the committees has authority to engage legal counsel or other experts or consultants, as it deems appropriate to carry out its responsibilities.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee of the Board was established by the Board in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act to oversee the Company’s corporate accounting and financial reporting processes and audits of its financial statements. For this purpose, the Audit Committee performs several functions. The Audit Committee evaluates the performance of and assesses the qualifications of the independent auditors; determines and approves the engagement of the independent auditors; determines whether to retain or terminate the existing independent auditors or to appoint and engage new independent auditors; reviews and approves the retention of the independent auditors to perform any proposed permissible non-audit services; monitors the rotation of partners of the independent auditors on the Company’s audit engagement team as required by law; reviews and approves or rejects transactions between the Company and any related persons; confers with management and the independent auditors regarding the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting; establishes procedures, as required under applicable law, for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters and the confidential and anonymous submission by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters; and meets to review the Company’s annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor, including a review of the Company’s disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

The Audit Committee is currently composed of three directors: Mr. Reasons, Mr. Humphries and Mr. Powell. Mr. Reasons serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee met six times during 2017. The Board has adopted a written Audit Committee charter that is available to stockholders on the Company’s website at www.aclaristx.com.

The Board reviews the Nasdaq listing standards definition of independence for Audit Committee members on an annual basis and has determined that all members of the Company’s Audit Committee are independent (as independence is currently defined in Rule 5605(c)(2)(A)(i) and (ii) of the Nasdaq listing standards and under Rule 10A‑3 under the Exchange Act).

The Board has also determined that Mr. Reasons qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in applicable SEC rules. The Board made a qualitative assessment of Mr. Reasons’ level of knowledge and experience based on a number of factors, including his formal education and experience as a chief financial officer for public reporting companies.

Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (1)

The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 with management of the Company. The Audit Committee has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 1301, Communications with Audit Committees, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”). The Audit Committee has also received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accounting firm required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent accountants’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the accounting firm’s independence.

Based on the foregoing, the Audit Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.

William Humphries

Andrew Powell

Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee is currently composed of three directors: Dr. Mehra,  Mr. Molineaux and Dr. Schiff. All members of the Company’s Compensation Committee are independent (as independence is currently defined in Rule 5605(d)(2) of the  Nasdaq listing standards). The Compensation Committee met three times during 2017. The Board has adopted a written Compensation Committee charter that is available to stockholders on the Company’s website at www.aclaristx.com.

The Compensation Committee of the Board acts on behalf of the Board to review, adopt and oversee the Company’s compensation strategy, policies, plans and programs, including:

Compensation Committee Processes and Procedures

Typically, the Compensation Committee meets three to four times per year and with greater frequency if necessary. The agenda for each meeting is usually developed by the Chairman of the Compensation Committee, in consultation with management. The Compensation Committee meets regularly in executive session. However, from time to time, various members of management and other employees as well as outside advisors or consultants may be invited by the Compensation Committee to make presentations, to provide financial or other background information or advice or to otherwise participate in Compensation Committee meetings. The Chief Executive Officer may not participate in, or be present during, any deliberations or determinations of the Compensation Committee regarding his compensation or individual performance objectives. The charter of the Compensation Committee grants the Compensation Committee full access to all books, records, facilities and personnel of the Company. In addition, under the charter, the Compensation Committee has the authority to obtain, at the expense of the Company, advice and assistance from compensation consultants and internal and external legal, accounting or other advisors and other external resources that the Compensation Committee considers necessary or appropriate in the performance of its duties. The Compensation Committee has direct responsibility for the oversight of the work of any consultants or advisers engaged for the purpose of advising the Compensation Committee. In particular, the Compensation Committee has the sole authority to retain, in its sole discretion, compensation consultants to assist in its evaluation of executive and director compensation, including the authority to approve the consultant’s reasonable fees and other retention terms. Under the charter, the Compensation Committee may select, or receive advice from, a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser to the Compensation Committee, other than in-house legal counsel and certain other types of advisers, only after taking into consideration six factors, prescribed by the SEC and Nasdaq, that bear upon the adviser’s independence; however, there is no requirement that any adviser be independent.

During 2017, after taking into consideration the six factors prescribed by the SEC and Nasdaq, the Compensation Committee engaged Arnosti Consulting, Inc.  (“Arnosti”), a compensation consulting firm, as a compensation consultant. The Compensation Committee has assessed Arnosti’s independence and determined that Arnosti had no conflicts of interest in connection with its provisions of services to the Compensation Committee. Specifically, the Compensation Committee

engaged Arnosti to suggest a peer company group composed of public companies comparable to us to be approved by the Compensation Committee, and conduct an executive compensation assessment analyzing the current cash and equity compensation of our executive officers, directors and other senior management against compensation for similarly situated executives at our peer group companies. Our management did not have the ability to direct Arnosti’s work.

The Compensation Committee makes most of the significant adjustments to annual compensation, determined bonus and equity awards and established new performance objectives at one or more meetings held during the first quarter of the year. The Compensation Committee also considers matters related to individual compensation, such as compensation for new executive hires, as well as high-level strategic issues, such as the efficacy of our compensation strategy, potential modifications to that strategy and new trends, plans or approaches to compensation, at various meetings throughout the year. Generally, the Compensation Committee’s process comprises two related elements: the determination of compensation levels and the establishment of performance objectives for the current year. For executives other than the Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee solicits and considers evaluations and recommendations submitted to the Compensation Committee by the Chief Executive Officer. In the case of the Chief Executive Officer, the evaluation of his performance is conducted by the Compensation Committee, which determines any adjustments to his compensation as well as awards to be granted. For all executives and directors as part of its deliberations, the Compensation Committee may review and consider, as appropriate, materials such as financial reports and projections, operational data, tax and accounting information, tally sheets that set forth the total compensation that may become payable to executives in various hypothetical scenarios, executive and director stock ownership information, stock performance data, analyses of historical executive compensation levels and current Company-wide compensation levels and recommendations of the Compensation Committee’s compensation consultant, including analyses of executive and director compensation paid at other companies suggested by the consultant to be comparable to us.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board is responsible for identifying, reviewing and evaluating candidates to serve as directors of the Company (consistent with criteria approved by the Board), reviewing and evaluating incumbent directors, recommending to the Board for selection candidates for election to the Board, making recommendations to the Board regarding the membership of the committees of the Board, assessing the performance of management and the Board, and developing a set of corporate governance principles for the Company.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is currently composed of three directors: Mr. Molineaux,  Mr. Humphries and Mr. Powell. All members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are independent (as independence is currently defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq listing standards). The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met two times during 2017. The Board has adopted a written Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee charter that is available to stockholders on the Company’s website and www.aclaristx.com.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believes that candidates for director should have certain minimum qualifications, including the ability to read and understand basic financial statements, being over 21 years of age and having the highest personal integrity and ethics. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also intends to consider such factors as possessing relevant expertise upon which to be able to offer advice and guidance to management, having sufficient time to devote to the affairs of the Company, demonstrated excellence in his or her field, having the ability to exercise sound business judgment and having the commitment to rigorously represent the long-term interests of the Company’s stockholders. However, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee retains the right to modify these qualifications from time to time. Candidates for director nominees are reviewed in the context of the current composition of the Board, the operating requirements of the Company and the long-term interests of stockholders. In conducting this assessment, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee typically considers diversity, age, skills and such other factors as it deems appropriate, given the current needs of the Board and the Company, to maintain a balance of knowledge, experience and capability.

In the case of incumbent directors whose terms of office are set to expire, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews these directors’ overall service to the Company during their terms, including the number of meetings attended, level of participation, quality of performance and any other relationships and transactions that might impair the directors’ independence. The Committee also takes into account the results of the Board’s self-evaluation, conducted annually on a group and individual basis. In the case of new director candidates, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also determines whether the nominee is independent for Nasdaq purposes, which determination is based upon applicable  Nasdaq listing standards, applicable SEC rules and regulations and the advice of counsel, if necessary. The Nominating and Corporate Governance

Committee then uses its network of contacts to compile a list of potential candidates, but may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee conducts any appropriate and necessary inquiries into the backgrounds and qualifications of possible candidates after considering the function and needs of the Board. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider the candidates’ qualifications and then selects a nominee for recommendation to the Board by majority vote.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider director candidates recommended by stockholders. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not intend to alter the manner in which it evaluates candidates, including the minimum criteria set forth above, based on whether or not the candidate was recommended by a stockholder. Stockholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to become nominees for election to the Board may do so by delivering a written recommendation to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in care of our Corporate Secretary at 640 Lee Road, Suite 200, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087. Any such recommendation should be delivered at least 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the mailing of the Company’s proxy statement for the last Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Submissions must include the full name of the proposed nominee, a description of the proposed nominee’s business experience for at least the previous five years, complete biographical information, a description of the proposed nominee’s qualifications as a director and a representation that the nominating stockholder is a beneficial or record holder of the Company’s stock and has been a holder for at least one year. Any such submission must be accompanied by the written consent of the proposed nominee to be named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.

STOCKHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board has adopted a formal process by which stockholders may communicate with the Board or any of its directors. Stockholders who wish to communicate with the Board may do so by sending written communications addressed to our Corporate Secretary at 640 Lee Road, Suite 200, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087. Each communication must set forth:

The Secretary will review each communication. The Secretary will forward such communication to the Board or to any individual director to whom the communication is addressed unless the communication contains advertisements or solicitations or is unduly hostile, threatening or similarly inappropriate, in which case the Secretary shall discard the communication.

CODE OF ETHICS

We have adopted the Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all officers, directors and employees. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on our website at www.aclaristx.com. If we make any substantive amendments to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or grant any waiver from a provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics to any executive officer or director, we will promptly disclose the nature of the amendment or waiver on our website.

PROPOSAL 2

RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Audit Committee of the Board has selected PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018 and has further directed that management submit the selection of its independent registered public accounting firm for ratification by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has audited the Company’s financial statements beginning with the year ended December 31, 2013. Representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting. They will have an opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

Neither the Company’s amended and restated bylaws nor other governing documents or law require stockholder ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. However, the Audit Committee of the Board is submitting the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the stockholders fail to ratify the selection, the Audit Committee of the Board will reconsider whether or not to retain that firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee of the Board in its discretion may direct the appointment of different independent auditors at any time during the year if they determine that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter at the Annual Meeting will be required to ratify the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The following table represents aggregate fees billed to us for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, our principal accountant.

 

Audit fees related to fees billed or incurred by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for professional services rendered in connection with the annual audit of our financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 include the review of quarterly financial statements included in our quarterly reports on Form 10‑Q, the consents issued for our registration statements, and the statements included in our filings with the SEC. For 2017, audit-related fees related to due diligence services provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in connection with our acquisition of Confluence Life Sciences, Inc. in August 2017.

All fees described above were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

PRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Audit Committee has adopted a policy and procedures for the pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by our independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The policy generally pre-approves specified services in the defined categories of audit services, audit-related services and tax services up to specified amounts. Pre-approval may also be given as part of the Audit Committee’s approval of the scope of the engagement of the independent auditor or on an individual, explicit, case-by-case basis before the independent auditor is engaged to provide each service. The pre-approval of services may be delegated to one or more of the Audit Committee’s members, but the decision must be reported to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS

A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL 2.

MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth information concerning our executive officers.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS WHO ARE NOT DIRECTORS

The following sets forth certain information with respect to our executive officers who are not also directors. Information with respect to Mr. Walker is set forth above under Proposal 1, Election of Directors.

Christopher Powala, age 58

Christopher Powala co-founded our company, has served as our Chief Regulatory and Development Officer since January 2018 and served as our Chief Operating Officer from July 2012 until January 2018. Since January 2014, Mr. Powala has served part-time as a regulatory consultant at Ralexar Therapeutics, Inc., a specialty dermatology company. Between July 2011 and July 2012, Mr. Powala served as a consultant to a number of pharmaceutical companies. Mr. Powala co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer of Vicept Therapeutics, Inc. from 2009 until its acquisition by Allergan, Inc. in July 2011. Prior to joining Vicept Therapeutics, Inc., from 2008 to 2009, he served as Vice President, Clinical Operations & Global Regulatory Affairs for Vital Therapies, Inc., a biotechnology company. From 1993 to 2008, Mr. Powala was with CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a dermatology-focused specialty pharmaceutical company, where he served as Vice President, Drug Development and Regulatory Affairs. Previously, Mr. Powala also held various positions in product development and regulatory affairs at Wyeth Laboratories, Inc. Mr. Powala received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from State University of New York-Regents College.

Stuart Shanler, M.D., age 57

Stuart Shanler, M.D. co-founded our company and has served as our Chief Scientific Officer since July 2012. Since January 2014, Dr. Shanler has served part-time as a medical and clinical development consultant at Ralexar Therapeutics, Inc., a specialty dermatology company. Between July 2011 and July 2012, Dr. Shanler served as a consultant to a number of pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Shanler co-invented a topical rosacea drug for, and co-founded and served as Chief Scientific Officer of, Vicept Therapeutics, Inc. from 2009 until its acquisition by Allergan, Inc. in July 2011. Previously, Dr. Shanler was a dermatologic surgeon in private practice. Dr. Shanler is a board-certified dermatologist and received his M.D. degree from Albany Medical College of Union University and received B.S. degrees in Biology and the Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania.

Kamil Ali-Jackson, age 59

Kamil Ali-Jackson co-founded our company and has served as our Chief Legal Officer since July 2012. Ms. Ali-Jackson also serves as Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary. In addition, since May 2011, Ms. Ali-Jackson has served as the Chief Legal Officer of NeXeption II, LLC, NST, LLC, and NST Consulting, LLC. From January 2014 to December 2015, Ms. Ali-Jackson served part-time as the Chief Legal Officer of Ralexar Therapeutics, Inc., a specialty dermatology company. From May 2011 until its acquisition by Actelion US Holdings Company, a subsidiary of Actelion Ltd., in September 2013, Ms. Ali-Jackson served as Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary of Ceptaris Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company. From October 2010 to September 2011, she was a consultant to a private specialty pharmaceutical company. From 2006 to May 2010, she served as General Counsel and Secretary of Ception Therapeutics, Inc., a

biotechnology company that was acquired by Cephalon, Inc. Previously, Ms. Ali-Jackson served as legal counsel and a licensing business executive for a number of pharmaceutical companies, including Merck & Co., Inc.,  Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc. and Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Ms. Ali-Jackson received her J.D. degree from Harvard Law School and A.B. degree in Politics from Princeton University.

Frank Ruffo, age 52

Frank Ruffo co-founded our company and has served as our Chief Financial Officer since July 2012. From January 2014 to December 2015, Mr. Ruffo served part-time as a financial consultant at Ralexar Therapeutics, Inc., a specialty dermatology company. Mr. Ruffo also served part-time as the Chief Financial Officer of VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., a pharmaceutical company, from October 2011 to November 2014 and the Chief Financial Officer of BioLeap, Inc. from January 2010 to January 2013. Prior to joining our company, Mr. Ruffo co-founded and served as Chief Financial Officer of Vicept Therapeutics, Inc. from 2009 until its acquisition by Allergan, Inc. in July 2011. Prior to joining Vicept Therapeutics, Inc., from 1996 to 2008, Mr. Ruffo served as the Vice President, Finance and Controller of CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He is a certified public accountant in Pennsylvania (inactive since 2008). Mr. Ruffo received his B.S. degree in Accounting from LaSalle University.

Brett Fair, age 47

Brett Fair has served as our Chief Commercial Officer since January 2018. From December 2015 to January 2018, Mr. Fair served as our Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations. Prior to joining us, Mr. Fair was Vice President of Corporate Development at Aqua Pharmaceuticals, LLC from June 2013 to November 2015 and worked at Stiefel Laboratories, each a dermatological pharmaceuticals company, from April 2011 to May 2013, serving as Director of Business Development and Licensing and then as Global Commercial Lead. Mr. Fair began his career at Allergan, Inc. and has over twenty years of experience working in the pharmaceuticals industry. Mr. Fair received his M.B.A. degree from Pepperdine University and his B.S. degree in Agriculture from the University of Delaware.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF

CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the ownership of our common stock as of February 1, 2018 by: (i) each director; (ii) each of the executive officers listed in the Summary Compensation Table; (iii) all currently serving executive officers and directors as a group; and (iv) all those known by us to be beneficial owners of more than five percent of our common stock. Except as otherwise noted below, the address for persons listed in the table is c/o Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc., 640 Lee Road, Suite 200, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087.

*     Less than one percent.

SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities, to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of common stock and other equity securities. Officers, directors and more than 10% stockholders are required by SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

To our knowledge, based solely upon a review of Forms 3 and 4 and amendments thereto furnished to us and written representations provided to us by all of our directors and executive officers and certain of our more than 10% stockholders, we believe that during the year ended December 31, 2017, our directors, executive officers and more than 10% stockholders complied with all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements, except that Dr. Schiff was late in filing one Form 4  in August 2017 with respect to an option grant.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

For the year ended December 31, 2017, our Chief Executive Officer and our two other most highly compensated executive officers were:

We refer to these executive officers in this proxy statement as our named executive officers.

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

The following table presents the compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to each of our named executive officers for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.  Under a services agreement, we provided the part-time services of Mr. Powala to Ralexar Therapeutics, Inc.  (“Ralexar”), a company under common control with us, and NST Consulting, LLC reimbursed us for these services based on the percentage of time the named executive officer spent on matters related to Ralexar. The salary amounts set forth in the table below represent the total salary earned by the named executive officer during the indicated year, including amounts reimbursed by NST Consulting, LLC to us. For more information regarding our services agreement with NST Consulting, LLC, see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions — Services Agreements.”

Narrative to Summary Compensation Table

We review compensation annually for all employees, including our executives. In setting executive base salaries and bonuses and granting equity incentive awards, we consider compensation for comparable positions in the market, the historical compensation levels of our executives, individual performance as compared to our expectations and objectives, our desire to motivate our employees to achieve short- and long-term results that are in the best interests of our stockholders and a long-term commitment to our company. We do not target a specific competitive position or a specific mix of compensation among base salary, bonus or long-term incentives.

Our Compensation Committee typically reviews and discusses management’s proposed compensation with the Chief Executive Officer for all executives other than the Chief Executive Officer. Based on those discussions and its discretion, the Compensation Committee then recommends the compensation for each executive officer. Our Compensation Committee, without members of management present, discusses and ultimately approves the compensation of our executive officers. In October 2016 and again in 2017, the Compensation Committee retained Arnosti, a compensation consulting firm, to evaluate and make recommendations with respect to our executive compensation program. Arnosti’s engagements included assisting the Compensation Committee with the selection of a peer group of companies for benchmarking purposes, an analysis of our existing executive compensation, including our equity incentive plan and option granting practices, and an analysis of our director compensation policy. In 2016 and 2017,  Arnosti presented the Compensation Committee with data about the compensation paid by our peer group of companies and other employers, who we believe compete with us for executives, updated the Compensation Committee on new developments in areas that fall within the Compensation Committee’s jurisdiction and advised the Compensation Committee regarding all of its responsibilities. The consultant serves at the pleasure of the Compensation Committee rather than us, and the consultant’s fees are approved by the Compensation Committee.

Annual Base Salary

The following table presents the base salaries for Dr. Walker, Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler for 2018 and 2017. The base salaries for 2018 and 2017 became effective on January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2017, respectively, for all of our named executive officers.

 

Annual Bonus

We seek to motivate and reward our executives for achievements relative to our corporate goals and expectations for each fiscal year. For 2017, the target bonus for Dr. Walker was 50% of his base salary, and the target bonus for Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler was 35% of their respective base salaries. For 2018, the target bonus for Dr. Walker is 60% of his base salary and the target bonus for Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler is 40% of their respective base salaries.

The actual performance-based annual bonus paid, if any, has historically been calculated by multiplying the executive’s annual base salary, target bonus percentage, and the percentage attainment of the corporate goals established by the Board of Directors for such year.  However, the compensation committee is not required to calculate bonuses in this manner and retains discretion in the amounts it awards and the factors it takes into consideration in determining bonus amounts. Our Board of Directors does not typically establish specific individual goals for our named executive officers. At the end of the year, the Compensation Committee reviews our performance against our goals and approves the extent to which we achieved each of our corporate goals and, for each named executive officer, the amount of the bonus awarded.

For 2017, bonuses were awarded based on our achievement of specified corporate goals, including our clinical development and commercialization activities. Based on the level of achievement, our Compensation Committee awarded Dr. Walker, Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler 113%, 104% and 107% of their target bonuses, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2017. These actual bonus amounts are reflected in the “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table above.

Long-Term Incentives

Our 2012 equity compensation plan (the “2012 Plan”) authorized us to make grants to eligible recipients of non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options and restricted stock awards. All of our awards under this plan were in the form of stock options. Effective upon the consummation of our initial public offering in October 2015, no further options or stock awards may be granted under our 2012 Plan, but all outstanding stock awards will continue to be governed by their existing terms.

In connection with the initial public offering, our Board adopted, and our stockholders approved, the 2015 Equity Incentive

Plan (the “2015 Plan”). The 2015 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) to our employees and our parent and subsidiary corporations’ employees, and for the grant of nonstatutory stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, stock appreciation rights, performance stock awards and other forms of stock compensation to our employees, including officers, consultants and directors. Our 2015 Plan also provides for the grant of performance cash awards to our employees, consultants and directors. We have issued stock options and restricted stock units from the 2015 Plan.

In July 2017, the Board adopted the 2017 Inducement Plan.  The 2017 Inducement Plan is a non-shareholder approved stock plan adopted pursuant to the “inducement exception” provided under Nasdaq listing rules.  The only employees eligible to receive grants of awards under the 2017 Inducement Plan are individuals who satisfy the standards for inducement grants under Nasdaq rules, generally including individuals who were not previously an employee or director of the Company. Under the terms of the 2017 Inducement Plan we may grant up to 1,000,000 shares of common stock pursuant to nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, and other stock awards.  The shares of common stock underlying any awards that expire, or are otherwise terminated, settled in cash or repurchased by us under the 2017 Inducement Plan will be added back to the shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2017 Inducement Plan.  As of March 31, 2018, we have issued options to purchase an aggregate of 729,300 shares and restricted stock units for an aggregate of 124,744 shares from the 2017 Inducement Plan.

We generally award stock options and restricted stock units on the grant date determined by our Compensation Committee or, in the case of certain equity awards, on the grant date determined by our Chief Executive Officer pursuant to authority delegated to him by the Compensation Committee in accordance with the 2015 Plan. We set the option exercise price, as applicable, and grant date fair value based on the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the date of grant. The shares underlying options granted under our 2012 Plan typically vest 25% one year from the date of grant and the remaining shares vest in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter. Under our 2015 Plan, restricted stock units and shares underlying stock options typically vest in four annual installments, and some awards may have a performance-based feature that provides for vesting upon achievement of specified performance goals.  Under our 2017 Inducement Plan, restricted stock units and shares underlying stock options typically vest in four annual installments.

Employment Arrangements

Please see “—Potential Payments upon Termination of Employment or upon Change in Control” below for information regarding the employment and severance agreements for each of our named executive officers.

Outstanding Equity Awards at End of 2017

The following table provides information about outstanding stock options and restricted stock units held by each of our named executive officers at December 31, 2017. None of our named executive officers held other stock awards at the end of 2017.

Potential Payments upon Termination of Employment or upon Change in Control

In 2015, we entered into employment agreements with Dr. Walker under which he serves as our President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Powala under which he serves as our Chief Regulatory and Development Officer and Dr. Shanler under which he serves as our Chief Scientific Officer. The employment agreements became effective as of October 6, 2015. Under these agreements, Dr. Walker, Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler are each eligible to receive severance benefits in specified circumstances.

Employment Agreements with Dr. Walker, Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler

Pursuant to our employment agreements with Dr. Walker, Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler, each executive officer is eligible for severance benefits in specified circumstances. In the event that we terminate Dr. Walker, Mr. Powala or Dr. Shanler without cause, he resigns for good reason or his employment is terminated due to death or disability, he, or his estate, will be entitled to receive, upon execution and effectiveness of a release of claims, (i) continued payment of his then-current salary for a period of 12 months following termination for Dr. Walker and for a period of nine months following termination for each of Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler, in each case payable in accordance with our normal payroll practices, (ii) a lump sum payment of any approved but unpaid bonuses or portion thereof for the preceding year or the year of termination and (iii) a direct payment by us to the applicable healthcare provider of 100% of the medical, vision and dental coverage premiums due to maintain any COBRA coverage for which he is eligible and has appropriately elected through the earlier of (A) 12 months following termination for Dr. Walker and nine months following termination for each of Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler and (B) the date he becomes eligible for substantially equivalent coverage in connection with new employment.

In addition, in the event of termination without cause, for good reason, or due to death or disability of each of Dr. Walker, Mr. Powala or Dr. Shanler on or within three months prior to, or within 12 months following, a change of control, he will be entitled to (i) continuation of his base salary for an additional 12 months for Dr. Walker and six months for each of Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler following the end of the initial severance period, (ii) up to six additional months of paid COBRA premiums (or until he receives substantially equivalent coverage in connection with new employment, if earlier) and (iii) if the termination occurs on or within three months prior to the change of control, all of his unvested stock options and other equity awards outstanding on the effective date of termination will become fully vested on the effective date of the change of control, or if the termination occurs within 12 months following the effective date of the change of control, provided that any surviving corporation or acquiring corporation assumes his stock options or other equity awards, as applicable, or substitutes similar stock options or equity awards for his stock options or equity awards, as applicable, in accordance with the terms of the applicable equity incentive plans, all unvested stock options and other equity awards outstanding on the effective date of termination will become fully vested on the date of termination.

In the event Dr. Walker’s, Mr. Powala’s or Dr. Shanler’s employment is terminated upon nonrenewal of the employment agreement by us, he will continue to receive his salary and benefits during the 90‑day nonrenewal notice period, and, upon execution and effectiveness of a release of claims, he will be entitled to receive (i) continued payment of his then-current salary for a period of 12 months following termination for Dr. Walker and for a period of nine months following termination for each of Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler, in each case payable in accordance with our normal payroll practices, (ii) a lump sum payment of any approved but unpaid bonuses or portion thereof for the preceding year or the year of termination and (iii) a direct payment by us to the applicable healthcare provider of 100% of the medical, vision and dental coverage premiums due to maintain any COBRA coverage for which he is eligible and has appropriately elected through the earlier of (A) eight months following termination for Dr. Walker and five months following termination for each of Mr. Powala and Dr. Shanler and (B) the date the officer becomes eligible for substantially equivalent coverage in connection with new employment.

The following definitions have been adopted in these employment agreements:

working capital and other general corporate purposes.

Health and Welfare Benefits

We maintain a tax-qualified retirement plan that provides eligible U.S. employees with an opportunity to save for retirement on a tax advantaged basis. Eligible employees are able to defer eligible compensation subject to applicable annual Code limits. Currently, we match 100% of each eligible employee’s contributions up to 4.0% of total eligible compensation. Employees’ pre-tax contributions are allocated to each participant’s individual account and are then invested in selected investment alternatives according to the participants’ directions. Employees are immediately and fully vested in their contributions, and our matching contribution is subject to a six-year vesting schedule. The 401(k) plan is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code with the 401(k) plan’s related trust intended to be tax exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code. As a tax-qualified retirement plan, contributions to the 401(k) plan and earnings on those contributions are not taxable to the employees until distributed from the 401(k) plan.

Our named executive officers are eligible to participate in all of our employee benefit plans, including our medical, dental, vision, group life and disability insurance plans, in each case on the same basis as other employees. We do not provide perquisites or personal benefits to our named executive officers. We do, however, pay the premiums for term life insurance for all of our employees, including our named executive officers.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Under our director compensation policy, we pay each of our non-employee directors a cash retainer for service on the Board and for service on each committee on which the director is a member. The policy applies to each of our directors who is not an employee or an affiliate of our company, which is currently all directors other than Dr. Walker and Mr. Tullman. Pursuant to the policy, each such non-employee director receives an annual cash retainer of $35,000 for serving on our Board. The Chairman and members of each of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees receive an additional retainer for such service, as follows:

 

All annual cash compensation amounts are payable in equal quarterly installments in arrears, on the last day of each fiscal quarter for which the service occurred, pro-rated based on the days served in the applicable fiscal quarter. With respect to Mr. Tullman, the Chairman of our Board, we have agreed to pay him an annual retainer of $100,000 for his services as Chairman and he is not eligible to receive additional amounts in connection with his service on the Board or committees thereof.

We also reimburse our non-employee directors for reasonable travel and out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending our Board and committee meetings.

Each new non-employee director who joins our Board will be granted a stock option to purchase 16,000 shares of common stock under our 2015 Plan, vesting monthly over three years from the grant date, subject to continued service as a director through the applicable vesting date.

On the date of each annual meeting of our stockholders, each non-employee director who continues to serve as a director of our company following the meeting will be granted a stock option to purchase 8,000 shares of common stock under our 2015 Plan, vesting monthly over one year from the grant date, subject to continued service as a director through the applicable vesting date.

The exercise price per share of each stock option granted under the non-employee director compensation policy will be equal to the closing price of our common stock on the date of the option grant. Each stock option will have a term of ten years from the date of grant, subject to earlier termination in connection with a termination of the non-employee director’s continuous service with us.

2017 Director Compensation

The following table shows the compensation earned by each of our non-employee directors for 2017.  Dr. Walker, our President and Chief Executive Officer, is also a director but does not receive any additional compensation for his service as a director. Dr. Walker’s compensation as an executive officer is set forth above under “Executive Compensation—Summary Compensation Table.”

SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS

The following table provides certain information regarding our equity compensation plans in effect as of December 31, 2017:

TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS

RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS POLICY AND PROCEDURES

We have adopted a related person transaction policy that sets forth our procedures for the identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification of related person transactions. For purposes of our policy only, a related person transaction will be a transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, in which we and any related person are, were or will be participants in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000. Transactions involving compensation for services provided to us as an employee or director will not be covered by this policy. A related person will be any executive officer, director or beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities, including any of their immediate family members and any entity owned or controlled by such persons.

Under the policy, if a transaction has been identified as a related person transaction, including any transaction that was not a related person transaction when originally consummated or any transaction that was not initially identified as a related person transaction prior to consummation, our management must present information regarding the related person transaction to our Audit Committee, or, if Audit Committee approval would be inappropriate, to another independent body of our Board, for review, consideration and approval or ratification. The presentation must include a description of, among other things, the material facts, the interests, direct and indirect, of the related persons, the benefits to us of the transaction and whether the transaction is on terms that are comparable to the terms available to or from as the case may be, an unrelated third party or to or from employees generally. Under the policy, we collect information that we deem reasonably necessary from each director, executive officer and, to the extent feasible, significant stockholder to enable us to identify any existing or potential related-person transactions and to effectuate the terms of the policy. In addition, under our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, our employees and directors have an affirmative responsibility to disclose any transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest. In considering related person transactions, our Audit Committee, or other independent body of our Board, takes into account the relevant available facts and circumstances including, but not limited to:

The policy requires that, in determining whether to approve, ratify or reject a related person transaction, our Audit Committee, or other independent body of our Board, must consider, in light of known circumstances, whether the transaction is in, or is not inconsistent with, our best interests and those of our stockholders, as our Audit Committee, or other independent body of our Board, determines in the good faith exercise of its discretion.

CERTAIN RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

Except as described below, there have been no transactions since January 1, 2017 to which we have been a participant in which the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000, and in which any of our directors, executive officers or holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, or any members of their immediate family, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than compensation arrangements which are described under “Executive Compensation” and “Non-Employee Director Compensation.”

Services Agreements

In February 2014, we entered into a services agreement with NST, LLC (the “NST services agreement”), pursuant to which NST, LLC provided us with pharmaceutical development, management and other administrative services, and we provided services to NST, LLC. Steve Tullman, our Chairman, is the manager of NST, LLC and Ms. Ali-Jackson is the Chief Legal Officer of NST, LLC. In addition, several of our directors and executive officers are members of NST, LLC, including Mr. Tullman, Neal Walker, Frank Ruffo and Kamil Ali-Jackson. These directors and executive officers in the aggregate own approximately 44% of the membership interests in NST, LLC.

The NST services agreement was amended in January 2015 pursuant to which NST, LLC assigned all interests, rights, duties and obligations under the NST services agreement to NST Consulting, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NST, LLC. Mr. Tullman is also the manager of NST Consulting, LLC. The NST services agreement was further amended in August 2015, November 2015, January 2016 and December 2016 to adjust the amount of services we are obligated to provide to NST Consulting, LLC and the amount of services NST Consulting, LLC is obligated to provide to us. We  and NST Consulting, LLC terminated the NST services agreement effective as of December 31, 2017.

Under the terms of the NST services agreement, as amended, NST Consulting, LLC provided us with the part-time services of some NST Consulting, LLC employees and we were obligated to pay NST Consulting, LLC a monthly service fee of $17,735, including benefits-related expenses. In addition, we had agreed to indemnify NST Consulting, LLC and its officers, employees and directors against all losses (i) arising out of, due to or in connection with the provision of services under the NST services agreement, subject to specified exceptions, and (ii) resulting from our or our affiliates’ gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

In addition, through NST Consulting, LLC, we provided the part-time services of some of our executive officers and employees to Ralexar, a company under common control with us, and NST Consulting, LLC reimbursed us for the services of these executive officers and employees to Ralexar. Our directors,  executive officers and affiliated entities in the aggregate own approximately 20% of Ralexar.

For the year ended December 31, 2017, the reimbursements to us from NST Consulting, LLC aggregated $16,909, and the reimbursements from us to NST Consulting, LLC aggregated $224,509.

Subleases

In March 2014, we entered into an Amended and Restated Sublease with NeXeption, Inc., which was subsequently amended in December 2014, August 2015,  February 2016, October 2016 and July 2017.  Mr. Tullman is the President and Chief Executive Officer and owns 50.0% of the ownership interests of NeXeption, Inc. In August 2015, pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption Agreement, NeXeption, Inc. assigned all interests, rights, duties and obligations under the Amended and Restated Sublease to NST Consulting, LLC. On November 30, 2017, we entered into an agreement with NST Consulting, LLC to terminate the sublease effective March 31, 2018.  We agreed to pay $590,000 to NST Consulting, LLC, which amount represents accelerated rent payments.

For the year ended December 31, 2017, we made aggregate payments pursuant to these sublease agreements with NST Consulting, LLC of $318,047.

Indemnification Agreements

We have entered into indemnity agreements with our executive officers and directors which provide, among other things, that we will indemnify such officer or director, under the circumstances and to the extent provided for therein, for expenses, damages, judgments, fines and settlements he or she may be required to pay in actions or proceedings which he or she is or may be made a party by reason of his or her position as our director, officer or other agent, and otherwise to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and our bylaws.

HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS

The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for Annual Meeting materials with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single set of Annual Meeting materials addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies.

Brokers with account holders who are our stockholders will be “householding” the Company’s proxy materials. A single set of Annual Meeting materials will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. If you have received notice from your broker that they will be “householding” communications to your address, “householding” will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in “householding” and would prefer to receive a separate set of Annual Meeting materials, please notify your broker or direct your written request to Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 640 Lee Road, Suite 200, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the Annual Meeting materials at their addresses and would like to request “householding” of their communications should contact their brokers.

OTHER MATTERS

The Board of Directors knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on such matters in accordance with their best judgment.

 

April 26, 2018

A copy of the Company’s Annual Report to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 is available without charge upon written request to: Corporate Secretary, Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc., 640 Lee Road, Suite 200, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087.