Spruce Biosciences Further Strengthens its Commercial Leadership Team with the Appointments of Brian Walls as Vice President, Market Access and Darren Johnson as Vice President, Commercial Operations

Key Terms

market access financial

Market access is the ability of a company or product to reach and sell to its intended customers, including having the legal permissions, distribution channels, pricing agreements, and reimbursement or payment arrangements needed to actually make sales. Think of it like opening a storefront and having both the keys and the roads that let customers get in — without it a product can exist but won’t generate expected revenue. Investors watch market access because it directly affects how quickly and how much money a product can earn and how risky sales forecasts are.

commercial operations financial

Commercial operations are the everyday business activities that turn a product or service into sales — including manufacturing or sourcing, marketing, distribution, sales and customer support. Think of it as everything required to open and run a store: getting goods, putting them in front of customers, and taking payment. Investors watch commercial operations because their efficiency and scale determine how quickly a company can grow revenue, control costs, and produce reliable profits.

new technology add-on payment (ntap) regulatory

A new technology add-on payment (NTAP) is a temporary extra reimbursement from Medicare to hospitals that helps cover the higher initial costs of using an eligible, recently introduced medical device, drug or test. Think of it as a short-term subsidy that lowers the financial hurdle for hospitals to try a promising new tool; for investors it signals faster adoption, clearer early cash flow prospects, and improved reimbursement prospects for the technology maker.

enzyme replacement therapy medical

Enzyme replacement therapy is a medical treatment that involves providing patients with artificial versions of natural enzymes their bodies are missing or not producing enough of. This approach can help manage certain health conditions by restoring essential functions, similar to replacing a faulty part in a machine to keep it running smoothly. For investors, advancements or approvals in this therapy can signal progress in biotech innovation and potential market growth.

restricted stock units (rsus) financial

Restricted stock units (RSUs) are a type of company promise to give employees shares of stock in the future, usually after certain conditions like working for a set time. They are like a gift promised today that you receive later, which can become valuable if the company's stock price goes up. RSUs matter because they are a way companies reward employees and can be a significant part of compensation.

form s-8 regulatory

A Form S-8 is a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registration that lets a public company set aside shares for employee benefit plans and stock-based compensation. Think of it as opening a dedicated account that authorizes the company to issue or reserve stock for workers and directors; it matters to investors because it enables share dilution when those awards are granted or exercised and signals how management is compensated and incentivized.

nasdaq listing rule 5635(c)(4) regulatory

NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) is a rule that requires a company to get approval from its shareholders before selling a large amount of its shares, usually over 20%. This helps protect investors by making sure the company doesn't flood the market with new shares without their say, which could lower the stock's value.

inducement plan financial

An inducement plan is a program a company creates to encourage employees or new hires to stay or join by offering special benefits or rewards. It’s like a company giving extra bonuses or perks to persuade someone to choose their job over others, helping the company attract and keep talented workers.

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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spruce Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPRB), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for neurological disorders with significant unmet medical need, today announced the appointments of Brian Walls as Vice President, Market Access and Darren M. Johnson as Vice President, Commercial Operations.

Mr. Walls brings more than 20 years of biopharmaceutical commercial leadership experience and has contributed to more than 18 product launches across rare, ultra-rare, oncology, neurology, and metabolic disorders. Most recently, he served as Vice President, Market Access at Applied Therapeutics, Inc. (acquired by Cycle Pharmaceuticals), where he architected the U.S. commercialization access platform for ultra-rare neurology assets. Prior to Applied Therapeutics, he served as Vice President, Market Access at Reata Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Biogen), leading enterprise access strategy for the launch of SKYCLARYS. Earlier, Mr. Walls served as Executive Director, Market Access at Progenics Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Lantheus), where he secured New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP) approval for AZEDRA, and as Head of Value & Access at Alexion Pharmaceuticals (acquired by AstraZeneca), where he led U.S. access strategy for the dual ultra-rare launches of Strensiq and Kanuma and the registration launch of Soliris in nephrology. He has also held senior commercial roles at Amgen Incorporated and GlaxoSmithKline. Mr. Walls earned his MBA from the University of Indianapolis and his B.S. from Purdue University.

Mr. Johnson brings nearly two decades of biopharmaceutical commercial leadership experience in market planning, analytics, and operations, with deep expertise in rare disease launch readiness. Most recently, he served as Vice President, Commercial Operations & Analytics at Applied Therapeutics, Inc., where he built the company’s commercial data ecosystem, sales operations, and pricing and targeting strategy from scratch within six months of hire. Prior to Applied Therapeutics, he served as Vice President, Market Planning & Global Commercial Operations at Reata Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Biogen), where he was instrumental in the commercialization preparation and launch execution that contributed to Reata’s $7.3 billion acquisition. Previously, Mr. Johnson served as Senior Director, Global Commercial Analytics at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., leading commercial analytics and operations for a global rare disease business with product sales in 72 countries, and earlier held positions of increasing responsibility at Genentech, Inc., most recently as Group Manager, Forecasting & Business Analysis. Mr. Johnson holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Japanese Language from the University of California, Berkeley.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brian and Darren to our team. Brian and Darren are proven commercial leaders who bring highly complementary expertise that is critical to a successful rare disease launch — Brian in market access, pricing, and payer strategy, and Darren in commercial operations, analytics, and launch infrastructure,” said Dale Hooks, Chief Commercial Officer of Spruce Biosciences. “Both have helped shape some of the most successful launches in rare disease, and their experience will be invaluable as we build our commercial foundation. I look forward to working closely with them as we prepare for a potential commercial launch of tralesinidase alfa enzyme replacement therapy (TA-ERT) for the treatment of Sanfilippo Syndrome Type B (MPS IIIB) next year.”

Mr. Walls said, “Spruce has the opportunity to bring forward what could be the first disease-modifying treatment option for patients with MPS IIIB, and I am honored to join a team so deeply committed to this community. I’m eager to begin building the access infrastructure needed to ensure eligible patients can benefit from TA-ERT as quickly as possible following potential approval.”

Mr. Johnson added, “Spruce is at a pivotal moment, and helping build the commercial backbone for a launch of this importance is exactly the kind of work I want to be doing. I look forward to partnering with Dale and the broader Spruce team to deliver a launch-ready commercial operation worthy of the patients and families counting on TA-ERT.”

Inducement Awards

In connection with their employment with Spruce, Mr. Walls and Mr. Johnson will each be granted restricted stock units (RSUs) for 3,500 shares of Spruce’s common stock contingent upon the filing of an effective inducement plan registration statement on Form S-8. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Spruce Biosciences approved the awards as an inducement material to the new employees’ employment in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The RSUs will be subject to time-based vesting criteria, vesting in equal annual installments over four years, subject to the new employee’s continued service relationship with Spruce Biosciences through the applicable vesting date. The awards will be subject to the terms and conditions of the inducement plan and the terms and conditions of an applicable award agreement covering the grant.

About Spruce Biosciences

Spruce Biosciences is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for neurological disorders with significant unmet medical need. To learn more, visit www.sprucebio.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, the impact of new management hires, the fulfillment of Spruce’s strategic business objectives, potential commercial launch of TA-ERT, and TA-ERT’s potential to be the first disease-modifying treatment option for MPS IIIB. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as “plan,” “will,” “believe,” “could,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Spruce’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with Spruce’s business in general, the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic events, and the other risks described in Spruce’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Spruce undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260504335979/en/

Media
Carolyn Hawley
Inizio Evoke Comms
Carolyn.Hawley@inizioevoke.com
media@sprucebio.com

Investors
Monique Kosse
Gilmartin Group
Monique@GilmartinIR.com
investors@sprucebio.com

Source: Spruce Biosciences, Inc.