UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.)

 

 

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

 

Preliminary Proxy Statement

 

Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

 

Definitive Proxy Statement

 

Definitive Additional Materials

 

Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

N/A

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):

 

No fee required.

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials

 

Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

 

 

 


LOGOPreliminary Proxy Statement- Subject to Completion

LOGO

3000 Pegasus Park Drive

Suite 1430

Dallas, Texas 75247

NOTICE OF ANNUALSPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held On June 17, 2022November 15, 2023

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the Annuala Special Meeting of Stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) of TAYSHA GENE THERAPIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). The meetingSpecial Meeting will be held on June 17, 2022November 15, 2023 at 10:3:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time and in light of public health concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, will be a virtual stockholder meeting through which you can listen to the meeting, submit questions and vote online, for the following purposes:purpose:

1. To approve an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended to date, to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 200,000,000 to 400,000,000. We refer to this proposal as the “Increase in Authorized Shares of Common Stock Proposal” or “Proposal 1.”

1.

To elect the Board’s nominees, Phillip B. Donenberg and Sukumar Nagendran, to the Board of Directors to hold office until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

2.

To ratify the selection by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2022.

3.

To conduct any other business properly brought before the meeting.

These itemsThis item of business areis more fully described in the Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice.

The meeting can be accessed by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TSHA2022TSHA2023SM and entering the control number included in the proxy card in the enclosed proxy materials. You will not be able to attend the meeting in person.

The record date for the AnnualSpecial Meeting is April 21, 2022.September 18, 2023. 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 Virtual Stockholders’ Meeting to Be
Held on June 17, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time.
The proxy statement and annual report to stockholders

are available at http://www.ir.tayshagtx.com.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Virtual Stockholders’ Meeting to Be Held on November 15, 2023 at 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

The proxy statement is available at http://www.ir.tayshagtx.com.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

Kamran Alam

LOGO

Timothy J. Douros

Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Dallas, TX

    , 2023

Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

 

Dallas, TX
April 28, 2022

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You are cordially invited to attend the virtual AnnualSpecial Meeting. You will not be able to attend the AnnualSpecial 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 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 online if you attend the virtual AnnualSpecial 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.

 

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Table of Contents

 

   Page

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THESE PROXY MATERIALS AND VOTING

  1

PROPOSAL 1 ELECTIONAPPROVAL OF DIRECTORSTHE INCREASE IN AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK PROPOSAL

  87

INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

13

Independence of the Board of Directors

13

Board Leadership Structure

13

Role of the Board in Risk Oversight

13

Meetings of the Board of Directors

14

Information Regarding Committees of the Board of Directors

14

Audit Committee

14

Compensation Committee

15

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

17

Stockholder Communications with the Board of Directors

19

Code of Ethics

19

Hedging Policy

19

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

20

PROPOSAL 2 RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

21

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

21

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

21

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

23

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

  2411

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

25

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

27

Summary Compensation Table

27

Outstanding Equity Awards as of December 31, 2021

29

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

32

SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS

34

TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS AND INDEMNIFICATION

35

Related Person Transactions Policy and Procedures

35

Certain Related Person Transactions

35

Indemnification

38

HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS

  3914

OTHER MATTERS

  4014

 

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TAYSHA GENE THERAPIES, INC.

3000 Pegasus Park Drive

Suite 1430

Dallas, Texas 75247

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE 2022 ANNUAL2023 SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

June  17, 2022November 15, 2023

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” or “Board of Directors”) of Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc. (sometimes referred to as the “Company” or “Taysha”) is soliciting your proxy to vote at the 2022 AnnualSpecial Meeting of Stockholders, including at any adjournments or postponements of the meeting. You are invited to attend the AnnualSpecial Meeting to vote on the proposalsproposal 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 28, 2022, 2023 to all stockholders of record entitled to vote at the AnnualSpecial Meeting.

How do I attend the AnnualSpecial Meeting?

The AnnualSpecial Meeting will be a virtual stockholder meeting held on Friday, June 17, 2022Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 10:3:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time, through which you can listen to the meeting, submit questions and vote online. The AnnualSpecial Meeting can be accessed by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TSHA2022TSHA2023SM and entering the control number included in the proxy card in the enclosed proxy materials. We recommend that you log on a few minutes before the AnnualSpecial Meeting to ensure that you are logged in when the meeting begins. To access the meeting, follow the instructions you will receive in subsequent emails you receive after registration. Information on how to vote online during the AnnualSpecial Meeting is discussed below.

We have decided to hold a virtual stockholder meeting in light of public health concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in order to protect the health and safety of our stockholders, employees and directors as well as to facilitate stockholder participation at the Annual Meeting. Stockholders attending the virtual meeting will be afforded the same rights and opportunities to participate as they would at an in-person meeting. You will not be able to attend the AnnualSpecial Meeting in person.

We encourage you to access the AnnualSpecial Meeting before it begins. Online check-in will begin approximately 15 minutes before the meeting.

Who can vote at the AnnualSpecial Meeting?

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on April 21, 2022September 18, 2023 will be entitled to vote at the AnnualSpecial Meeting. On this record date, there were 40,473,945186,960,193 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Whether or not you participate in the AnnualSpecial Meeting, it is important that you vote your shares.

Stockholder of Record: Shares Registered in Your Name

If on April 21, 2022September 18, 2023 your shares were registered directly in your name with the Company’s transfer agent, American Stock Transfer &Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, then you are a stockholder of record. As a stockholder of record, you may vote

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online during 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 through the internet as instructed below to ensure your vote is counted.

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

If on April 21, 2022September 18, 2023 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 AnnualSpecial 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 AnnualSpecial Meeting. However, since you are not the stockholder of record, you may not vote your shares online during 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 mattersis one matter scheduled for a vote:

 

ElectionTo approve an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of two directorsIncorporation, as amended to date, to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 200,000,000 to 400,000,000 (Proposal 1); and

Ratification of selection by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2022 (Proposal 2).

What if another matter is properly brought before the meeting?

The Board of Directors knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the AnnualSpecial 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” allFor the nomineesmatter to the Board of Directors or you may “Withhold” your vote for any nominee you specify. For Proposal 2,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 online during the AnnualSpecial Meeting, vote by proxy using the enclosed proxy card, vote by proxy over the telephone or vote by proxy through 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 online during the meeting even if you have already voted by proxy.

 

To vote online during the meeting, access the AnnualSpecial Meeting materials by following the instructions you will receive in your email and submit an electronic ballot during the meeting.

 

To vote using the proxy card, simply complete, sign and date the enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the envelope provided. If you return your signed proxy card to us before the AnnualSpecial Meeting, we will vote your shares as you direct.

To vote over the telephone, dial toll-free 1-800-690-6903 using a touch-tone phone and follow the recorded instructions. You will be asked to provide the company number and control number from the enclosed proxy card. To ensure your vote is counted, your telephone vote must be received before 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on June 16, 2022.November 14, 2023.

 

To vote through the internet, go to www.proxyvote.com to complete an electronic proxy card. You will be asked to provide the company number and control number from the enclosed proxy card. To ensure your vote is counted, your internet vote must be received before 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on June 16, 2022.

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To vote through the internet, go to www.proxyvote.com to complete an electronic proxy card. You will be asked to provide the company number and control number from the enclosed proxy card. To ensure your vote is counted, your internet vote must be received before 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on November 14, 2023.

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 us. Simply complete and mail the voting instruction form to ensure that your vote is counted. Alternatively, you may vote by telephone or over the internet as instructed by your broker or bank. To vote online during the AnnualSpecial 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. You must also register to attend the meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TSHA2022TSHA2023SM using the control number as provided by your broker, bank or other agent.

 

Internet proxy voting will 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 held as of April 21, 2022.September 18, 2023.

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 completing your proxy card, by telephone, through the internet or online during the AnnualSpecial 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 electionIncrease in Authorized Shares of both nominees for director and “For” the ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2022.Common Stock Proposal. 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 stock exchangeUnder the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “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 suchNYSE rules, but not with respect to “non-routine” matters. The NYSE has advised us that Proposal 1 is considered to be “non-routine” under suchNYSE rules, meaning that your broker may not vote your shares on this proposalProposal 1 in the absence of your voting

instructions. However, Proposal 2this remains subject to the final determination from the NYSE regarding whether the proposal is considered to be “routine” under such 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.or “non-routine.”

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If you are 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:

 

You may submit another properly completed proxy card with a later date.

 

You may grant a subsequent proxy by telephone or through the internet.

 

You may send a timely written notice that you are revoking your proxy to our Corporate Secretary at 3000 Pegasus Park Drive, Suite 1430, Dallas, Texas 75247.

 

You may attend the AnnualSpecial Meeting and vote online. Simply attending the meeting will not, by itself, revoke your proxy.

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 your broker, bank or other agent.

When are stockholder proposals and director nominations due for next year’sthe 2024 Annual Meeting?Meeting of Stockholders (the “2024 Annual Meeting”)?

To be considered for inclusion in next year’sthe proxy materials for the 2024 Annual Meeting, your proposal must be submitted in writing by December 29, 2022January 9, 2024 to 3000 Pegasus Park Drive, Suite 1430, Dallas, Texas 75247. If you wish to nominate an individual for election at, or bring business other than through a stockholder proposal before, the 20232024 Annual Meeting, of Stockholders, you must deliver your notice to our Corporate Secretary at the address above between February 17, 202323, 2024 and March 19, 2023.24, 2024. Your notice to the Corporate Secretary must set forth information specified in our Amended and Restated Bylaws (“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 Meetingannual meeting of Stockholdersstockholders 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 such Annual Meetingannual meeting and the reasons for conducting that business at the Annual Meetingannual meeting and

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(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 (5) a statement whether such nominee, if elected, intends to tender, promptly following such person’s failure to receive the required vote for election or re-election at the next meeting at which such person would face election or re-election, an irrevocable resignation effective upon acceptance of such resignation by the Board of Directors and (6)(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 (File No. 001-39536), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 29, 2020.

In addition to satisfying the foregoing requirements under our Bylaws, to comply with the universal proxy rules, (once effective), stockholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the Company’s nominees for our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders must provide in their notice that sets forth the additional information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act no later than April 18, 2023.Act.

How are votes counted?

Votes will be counted by the inspector of election appointed for the meeting,Special Meeting, who will separately count for Proposal 1,“For” and “Against” votes, “For,” “Withhold”abstentions and broker non-votes;non-votes. and, withWith respect to Proposal 2, votes “For,” “Against”1, abstentions and abstentions. Brokerbroker non-votes on Proposal 1 will have no effect and will not be counted towards the vote total for this proposal. We do not expect broker non-votes on Proposal 2. Abstentions on Proposal 2 will be counted towards the vote total for this proposal and will have the same effect as “Against” votes.total.

What are “broker non-votes”?

As discussed above,A “broker non-vote” occurs when your broker submits a beneficial owner of shares held in street nameproxy for the meeting with respect to “routine” matters but does not givevote on “non-routine” matters because you did not provide voting 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 stock exchange rules, the broker, bank or other such agent cannot vote the shares.these matters. These un-voted shares with respect to the “non-routine” matters are counted as “broker non-votes.” Proposal 1The only proposal for consideration at the Special Meeting is considered to bea “non-routine” matter under such rulesNYSE Rule 452, and, we therefore, expectno broker non-votes on this proposal. However, because Proposal 2 is considered “routine” under such rules, we do not expect broker non-votes on this proposal.can occur at the meeting.

As a reminder, if you are 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 eachthe proposal?

ForProposal 1, approval of an amendment to the electionCompany’s Amended and Restated Certificate of directors,Incorporation to increase the two nominees receiving the mostauthorized number of shares of common stock from 200,000,000 to 400,000,000 shares, will be considered to be approved if it receives “For” votes from a majority of the votes cast by the holders of shares present in person, by remote communication or represented by proxy and entitled to vote onat the election of directors will be elected. Only votes “For” will affect the outcome.

To be approved, Proposal 2, ratification of the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2022, must receive “For” votes from the holders of a majority of shares present or represented by proxymeeting and entitled to vote on the matter. If you“Abstain” from voting, it will have the same effect as an “Against” vote. Since brokers have authority to vote on your behalf with respect to Proposal 2, we do not expectAbstentions and broker non-votes, on this proposal.which are not considered “votes cast,” will have no effect and will not be counted towards the vote total.

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 or represented by proxy.

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On the record date, there were 40,473,945186,960,193 shares outstanding and entitled to vote.Thus, the holders of 20,236,97393,480,097 shares must be present or represented by proxy at the meeting to have a quorum.

Your sharesAbstentions will be counted towards the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy (or one is submitted on your behalf by your broker, bank or other nominee) or if you vote online during the meeting. Abstentions and brokerrequirement. Broker non-votes will not be counted towards the quorum requirement. If there is no quorum, either the chairperson of the meeting or the holders of a majority of shares present at the meeting or represented by proxy may adjourn the meeting to another date.

How do I ask a question at the AnnualSpecial Meeting?

Only stockholders of record as of April 21, 2022September 18, 2023 may submit questions or comments at the AnnualSpecial Meeting. If you would like to submit a question, you may do so by joining the virtual meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TSHA2022TSHA2023SM and typing your question in the box in the meeting portal.

To help ensure that we have a productive and efficient meeting, and in fairness to all stockholders in attendance, you will also find posted our rules of conduct for the AnnualSpecial Meeting when you log in prior to the start of the AnnualSpecial Meeting. In accordance with the rules of conduct, we ask that you limit your remarks to one brief question or comment that is relevant to the AnnualSpecial Meeting or our business and that such remarks are respectful of your fellow stockholders and meeting participants. Our management may group questions by topic with a representative question read aloud and answered. In addition, questions may be ruled out of order if they are, among other things, irrelevant to our business, related to pending or threatened litigation, disorderly, repetitious of statements already made, or in furtherance of the speaker’s own personal, political or business interests. Questions will be addressed in the “Question and Answer” portion of the AnnualSpecial Meeting.

What do I do if I have technical difficulties in connection with the AnnualSpecial Meeting?

If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting during the check-in or meeting time, please call the technical support number displayed on the virtual meeting page. Technical support will be available beginning approximately one hour prior to the meeting on June 17, 2022.November 15, 2023.

Will a list of record stockholders as of the record date be available?

AFor the ten days ending the day prior to the Special Meeting, a list of our record stockholders as of the close of business on the record date will be made available to stockholders during the meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TSHA2022. In addition, for the ten days prior to the date of the Annual Meeting, the list will be available for examination by any stockholder of record for a legally valid purpose at our corporate headquarters during regular business hours. To access the list of record stockholders beginning June 7, 2022,November 5, 2023, and until the meeting, stockholders should email IR@tayshagtx.com.IR@tayshagtx.com.

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

Preliminary voting results will be announced at the AnnualSpecial 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 AnnualSpecial 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 proxy statement Form 10-K and annual report tostockholders areis available at http://www.ir.tayshagtx.com.

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PROPOSALPROPOSAL 1

EALECTIONPPROVALOFTHE INCREASEIN AUTHORIZED SHARESOF DCIRECTORSOMMON STOCK PROPOSAL

OurGeneral

The Board has approved an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Directors is divided into three classes, 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 BoardIncorporation, as amended to fill a vacancy in a class, including vacancies created by andate, to increase in the number of directors, shall serveauthorized shares of common stock from 200,000,000 to 400,000,000 (the “Authorized Shares Amendment”). The Authorized Shares Amendment will not change the number of authorized shares of preferred stock, which currently consists of 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock.

Of the 200,000,000 shares of common stock that are currently authorized, as of September 18, 2023, 186,960,193 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding, 525,000 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding warrants that we issued in April 2023, 8,164,047 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding stock options, 409,717 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance upon the vesting and settlement of outstanding restricted stock units and 1,240,421 shares were reserved for issuance pursuant to our equity incentive plans, including our employee stock purchase plan.

The additional shares of common stock authorized for issuance by the Authorized Shares Amendment would be a part of the existing class of common stock and, if and when issued, would have the same rights and privileges as the common stock presently issued and outstanding. The full text of the proposed Authorized Shares Amendment, which would be filed as a Certificate of Amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix I. However, the text of the Authorized Shares Amendment is subject to revision as may be required by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or as the Board deems necessary and advisable to effect the Authorized Shares Amendment.

Provided our stockholders approve the Authorized Shares Amendment, the increased number of shares would be authorized for issuance, but such shares would remain unissued until such time as the Board approves a specific issuance of shares. Other than future issuances under our equity compensation plans and future issuances of our securities pursuant to the exercise of pre-funded warrants issued under the Purchase Agreement (described below), we currently have no plans or arrangements to issue the additional authorized shares of common stock resulting from the Authorized Shares Amendment.

If the proposed Authorized Shares Amendment is approved by our stockholders, it will become effective upon the filing of the Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. We plan to file such Certificate of Amendment as soon as practicable after the Special Meeting. However, the Board reserves its right to elect not to proceed with and abandon the Authorized Shares Amendment if it determines, in its sole discretion at any time, that this proposal is no longer in the best interests of our stockholders.

Background and Purpose of the Authorized Shares Amendment

Our Obligations Under the Purchase Agreement

On August 14, 2023, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with certain institutional and other accredited investors (the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which we agreed to sell and issue to the Purchasers in a private placement transaction that closed on August 16, 2023: (i) 122,412,376 shares of our common stock and (ii) with respect to certain Purchasers, pre-funded warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) to purchase 44,250,978 shares of common stock in lieu of shares of common stock.

The Pre-Funded Warrants are only exercisable into common stock upon the approval by our stockholders of this Authorized Shares Amendment and our filing of the Certificate of Amendment to our Amended and Restated

7


Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, we agreed to seek to obtain stockholder approval of the Authorized Shares Amendment by December 31, 2023. If we do not obtain such stockholder approval by December 31, 2023, we are required to pay liquidated damages of 2.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by each holder of Pre-Funded Warrants, and we are obligated to cause an additional stockholder meeting to be held every three months thereafter until stockholder approval of the Authorized Shares Amendment is obtained (each, a “Subsequent Stockholder Approval Deadline”). For any subsequent failure to obtain such stockholder approval by any Subsequent Stockholder Approval Deadline, we are required to pay an additional 2.0% as liquidated damages.

Our Future Liquidity Needs and Going Concern

Our operations have consumed substantial amounts of cash since inception, and we expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the remainder offoreseeable future. To date we have no products approved for commercialization and have not generated any revenue from product sales. Rather, we have financed our operations through other means, primarily the full term of that class and until the director’s successor is duly elected and qualified.

The Board of Directors presently has seven members. There are two directors in the class whose term of office expires in 2022. Each of the nominees listed below is currently a director of the Company who was previously elected by the stockholders. If elected at the Annual Meeting, each of these nominees would serve until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, or, if sooner, until the director’s death, resignation or removal. It is the Company’s policy to invite and encourage directors and nominees for director to attend each Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Last year, allsale of our seven directors attendedsecurities in equity financings, including pursuant to the 2021 Annual MeetingPurchase Agreement. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses over the next several years as we conduct clinical trials of Stockholders.our product candidates, initiate future clinical trials of our product candidates, advance our preclinical programs, seek marketing approval for any product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials and advance any of our other product candidates we may develop or otherwise acquire. We will require additional capital to fund the research and development of our product candidates, to fund our manufacturing activities, to fund precommercial activities of our programs and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes of the holders of shares present or represented by proxy and entitled to voteBased 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 twonominees 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 will instead be voted for the election of a substitute nominee proposed by Taysha. Each person nominated for election has agreed to serve if elected. The Company’s management has no reason to believe that any nominee will be unable to serve.

CLASS II NOMINEES FOR ELECTION FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM EXPIRING AT THE 2025 ANNUAL MEETING

The following is a brief biography of each nominee for director and a discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each nominee that led the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors to recommend that person as a nominee for director.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee 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 the Company’s business. To that end, the Committee has identified and evaluated 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 Committee views as critical to effective functioning of the Board. To provide a mix of experience and perspective on the Board, the Committee also takes into account gender, age and ethnic diversity. The brief biographies below include information,our forecast as of the date of this proxy statement, regarding the specificissuance of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, including the net proceeds from the sale of securities under the Purchase Agreement, we believed that we had sufficient cash to maintain our planned operations into the third quarter of 2025. In September 2023, we announced that we intended to discontinue development of, and particular experience, qualifications, attributesseek external strategic options for, our GAN clinical program, which we believe extends our cash runway into the fourth quarter of 2025. However, given the inherent uncertainties in the forecast, we considered both quantitative and qualitative factors that were known or skillsreasonably knowable as of each director or nomineethe filing date of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 and concluded that ledthere were conditions present in the Committeeaggregate that raised substantial doubt about our ability to believe that that nominee should continue to serve on the Board.

Phillip B. Donenberg, age 61

Phillip B. Donenberg has served as a member ofgoing concern. We made a similar conclusion about our Board of Directors since August 2020. Mr. Donenberg currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Jaguar Gene Therapy, LLC, a privately held early-stage gene therapy company, and has served in such role since February 2020. Mr. Donenberg has served on the board of directors and as chairman of the audit committee of AVROBIO, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, since June 2018. Previously, Mr. Donenberg served as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Assertio Therapeutics, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, from July 2018ability to November 2018. He served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of AveXis, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, from October 2017 to June 2018 and as Vice President, Corporate Controller from September 2016 to

October 2017. Mr. Donenberg earned a B.S. in accountancy from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana College of Business and is a Certified Public Accountant. Our Board of Directors believes that Mr. Donenberg is qualified to servecontinue as a director basedgoing concern in our Annual Report on his financial expertiseForm 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Our success in achieving our business objectives, and his experienceour ability to continue as a director and executive of companiesgoing concern, depend on our ability to raise additional capital in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D., age 56

Sukumar Nagendran has served as a member of our Board of Directors since July 2020. Dr. Nagendran currently serves as President, Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer at Jaguar Gene Therapy, LLC, a position he has held since February 2020. Dr. Nagendran has served on the board of directors of Solid Biosciences Inc., a publicly traded life sciences company, since September 2018 and currently serves as an advisor to Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company. He previously served on the board of directors of Health Sciences Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, from March 2019 to December 2019 prior to its merger with Immunovant, Inc. Dr. Nagendran most recently served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of AveXis, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, from September 2015 to May 2018. Dr. Nagendran earned a B.A. from Rutgers University and an M.D. from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and trained in Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Our Board of Directors believes that Dr. Nagendran is qualified to serve as a director based upon his more than 30 years of experience with gene therapy development and clinical development strategy.

THE BOARDOF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS

A VOTE IN FAVOR OF EACH  NAMED NOMINEE.

DIRECTORS CONTINUINGIN OFFICE UNTILTHE 2023 ANNUAL MEETING

Sean P. Nolan, age 54

Sean P. Nolan has served as the Chairman of our Board of Directors since March 2020. He has served as the President of Nolan Capital, LLC, an investment fund, since October 2019. Mr. Nolan most recently served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of AveXis, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, from June 2015 to May 2018 until its acquisition by Novartis International AG. Mr. Nolan has served on the board of directors of Ventas, Inc., a publicly traded healthcare real estate investment trust company, since July 2019 and previously served on the board of directors of Neoleukin Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, from February 2015 to June 2020. Mr. Nolan has served on the board of directors of Social Capital Suvretta Holdings Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company, since September 2021. Mr. Nolan serves on the board of directors of several privately held companies including Chairman of Encoded Therapeutics and Affinia Therapeutics, and Executive Chairman of Jaguar Gene Therapy, LLC and Istari Oncology. Since February 2022, Mr. Nolan is an advisor to the Goldman Sachs Life Sciences Fund. Mr. Nolan earned a B.S. in biology from John Carroll University. Our Board of Directors believes that Mr. Nolan is qualified to serve as a director based upon his more than 30 years of broad leadership and management experience in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Kathleen Reape, M.D., age 56

Kathleen Reape has served as a member of our Board of Directors since November 2020. Dr. Reape has served as the Chief Development Officer of Akouos, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, since May 2021. She served as Chief Medical Officer of Spark Therapeutics, Inc. from September 2018 to March 2020 and as the Head of Clinical Research and Development from January 2016 to September 2018. Dr. Reape received both her undergraduate and M.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and completed her internship and residency at the University of Florida and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Our Board of Directors believes that Dr. Reape is qualified to serve as a director based upon her extensive experience in gene therapy and clinical research and development as well as her involvement with the regulatory approval of products, including small molecules, biologics, biosimilars and therapeutic devices.

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D., age 61

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino has served as a member of our Board of Directors since November 2020. She has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer of Intellia Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company, since May 2019. From September 2017 to May 2019, Dr. Sepp-Lorenzino served as Vice President, Head of Nucleic Acid Therapies at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company. She served as Vice President, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, from 2014 to September 2017. Dr. Sepp-Lorenzino earned a professional degree in biochemistry from the Universidad de Buenos Aires in Argentina and an M.S. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from New York University. Our Board of Directors believes that Dr. Sepp-Lorenzino is qualified to serve as a director based upon her extensive experience in research and development of nucleic acid therapies.

DIRECTORS CONTINUINGIN OFFICE UNTILTHE 2024 ANNUAL MEETING

RA Session II, age 43

RA Session II has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of our Board of Directors since our founding in September 2019. In addition to serving as our President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Session currently serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Mr. Session has served on the board of directors of ReCode Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, since June 2018. He previously served on the board of directors of Chardan Healthcare Acquisition 2 Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, from April 2020 through September 2021. Mr. Session previously served as Chief Business Officer of the gene therapy subsidiaries of BridgeBio Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from January 2019 to April 2020; Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Project Management of AveXis, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, from March 2017 to May 2018; and in various roles for PTC Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company, from June 2013 to March 2017, most recently as the Vice President of Commercial Development. Mr. Session has also served as an advisor to multiple biotechnology companies, including Alcyone Lifesciences, Inc. from January 2019 to December 2019, 4D Molecular Therapeutics, Inc. from August 2018 to December 2019 and Celenex from June 2018 to September 2018. Mr. Session earned a B.S.B.A. in finance from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, an M.S.F. in finance from Texas A&M University-Commerce and an M.B.A. from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Our Board of Directors believes that Mr. Session is qualified to serve as a director based on his role as our Chief Executive Officer and his extensive management experience in the biotechnology industry.

Paul B. Manning, age 66

Paul B. Manning has served as a member of our Board of Directors since March 2020. Mr. Manning currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of PBM Capital Group, LLC, a private equity investment firm in the business of investing in healthcare and life-science related companies, which he founded in 2010. Mr. Manning currently serves as Chairman of the board of directors of Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, and on the boards of directors of Liquidia Corporation, a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, and Candel Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company. Additionally, he previously served on the boards of directors of Dova Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, from September 2016 to November 2019 and AveXis, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, from April 2014 to May 2018. Mr. Manning earned a B.S. in microbiology from the University of Massachusetts. Our Board of Directors believes that Mr. Manning is qualified to serve as a director based upon his more than 30 years of managerial and operational experience in the healthcare industry and as an investor in healthcare-related companies.

BOARD DIVERSITY

The following Board Diversity Matrix provides the self-identified personal characteristics for our Board of Directors:

Board Diversity Matrix (As of April 28, 2022) 

Total Number of Directors

   7 
   Female   Male   Non-
Binary
   Did Not
Disclose
Gender
 

Part I: Gender Identity

        

Directors

   2    3    —      2 

Part II: Demographic Background

        

African American or Black

   —      1    —      —   

Alaskan Native or Native American

   —      —      —      —   

Asian

   —      1    —      —   

Hispanic or Latinx

   1    —      —      —   

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

   —      —      —      —   

White

   1    1    —      1 

Two or More Races or Ethnicities

   —      —      —      —   

LGBTQ+

   —   

Did Not Disclose Demographic Background

   1 

INFORMATION REGARDINGTHE BOARDOF DIRECTORSAND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

INDEPENDENCEOFTHE BOARDOF 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 of directors. Our Board of Directors 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 or her family members,future, and the Company, its senior management and its independent auditors, the Board has affirmatively determined that the following six directors are independent directors within the meaning of the applicable Nasdaqlisting standards: Sean P. Nolan, Phillip B. Donenberg, Paul B. Manning, Sukumar Nagendran, Kathleen Reape and Laura Sepp-Lorenzino. In making this determination, the Board concluded that none of these directors or nominees for director had a material or other disqualifying relationship with the Company.

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

The Board of Directors of the Company has an independent Chair, Mr. Nolan, who 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 Board Chair has substantial ability to shape the work of the Board. The Company believes that separation of the positions of Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer reinforces the independence of the Board in its oversight of the business and affairs of the Company. In addition, the Company believes that having an independent Board Chair creates an environment thatit 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. Asstockholders to have sufficient flexibility to issue additional shares in the future on a result, the Company believes that having an independent Board Chair can enhance the effectivenesstimely basis if such need arises in connection with potential financings, business combinations or other corporate purposes. Approval of the Authorized Shares Amendment would enable us to take advantage of market conditions, the availability of more favorable financings and opportunities for business combinations and other strategic transactions, without the potential delay and expense associated with convening a special stockholders’ meeting.

Our Continued Ability to Attract, Retain and Motivate Employees

Our success also depends in part on our continued ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified management and key personnel, which is of particular concern in the competitive biopharmaceutical industry. If the Authorized Shares Amendment is not approved by our stockholders, the lack of unissued and unreserved authorized shares of common stock to provide future equity incentive opportunities could adversely impact our ability to achieve these goals to retain employees.

In short, if our stockholders do not approve this proposal, we may not be able to access the capital markets, complete corporate collaborations or partnerships, attract, retain and motivate employees and pursue other business opportunities integral to our growth and success. Further, the Board as a whole.

ROLEOFTHE BOARDIN RISK OVERSIGHT

Oneis recommending the Authorized Shares Amendment to reserve the number of shares required for potential issuance upon the exercise of the Board’s key functions is informed oversight

8


Pre-Funded Warrants sold under the Purchase Agreement and to avoid the obligation to pay liquidated damages as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

Effect of the Company’s risk management process. Authorized Shares Amendment

The Board doesadditional common stock to be authorized by adoption of the Authorized Shares Amendment would have rights identical to our currently outstanding common stock. Adoption of the Authorized Shares Amendment would not affect the rights of the holders of currently outstanding common stock, except for effects incidental to increasing the number of shares of our common stock outstanding, such as dilution of the earnings per share, if any, book value per share and voting power and percentage interest of the current holders of common stock, in each case to the extent that any additional shares of common stock are ultimately issued out of the increase in authorized shares proposed in the Authorized Shares Amendment. The proposed increase in the number of authorized shares of common stock will not, by itself, have a standing risk management committee, but rather administers this oversight function directly throughan immediate dilutive effect on our current stockholders. However, if the Authorized Shares Amendment is approved, unless otherwise required by applicable law or stock exchange rule, the Board as a whole, as well as through various Board standing committees that address risks inherent in their respective areaswill be able to issue the additional shares 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 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. Audit Committee responsibilities also include oversight of information security risk management. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee monitors the effectiveness of our corporate governance guidelines, 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. In addition, the entire Board receives reportscommon stock from time to time regarding various enterprise risks facingin its discretion without further action or authorization by the Company,stockholders. We currently have no specific plans, arrangements or understandings to issue additional shares of common stock (excluding any shares of common stock issuable pursuant to outstanding warrants to purchase our common stock, including the Pre-Funded Warrants, outstanding stock options to purchase our common stock, and the applicable Board committees receive related reports with respectvesting and settlement of outstanding restricted stock units). The newly authorized shares of common stock would be issuable for any proper corporate purpose, including capital raising transactions of equity or convertible debt securities, the establishment of collaborations or other strategic agreements, stock splits, stock dividends, issuance under current or future equity incentive plans, future acquisitions, investment opportunities or for other corporate purposes.

Potential Anti-Takeover Effect of the Authorized Shares Amendment

An increase in the number of authorized but unissued shares of common stock relative to the committees’ respective areasnumber of oversight. The Board has delegated tooutstanding shares of common stock may also, under certain circumstances, be construed as having an anti-takeover effect. Although not designed or intended for such purposes, the Board’s Chairman the responsibility of coordinating between the Board and management with regard to the determination and implementation of responses to any problematic risk management issues.

MEETINGSOFTHE BOARDOF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors met six times during the last fiscal year. Each director attended 75% or moreeffect of the aggregate numberAuthorized Shares Amendment might be to render more difficult or to discourage a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or change in control of meetings of the Board and of the committees on which he or sheserved, held during the portion of the last fiscal year for which he or shewas a director or committee member.

INFORMATION REGARDING COMMITTEESOFTHE BOARDOF DIRECTORS

The Board has three standing committees:an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The following table provides membership of each Board committee as of April 28, 2022 and meeting information for fiscal year 2021 for each of the Board committees:

Name

  Audit  Compensation  Nominating and
Corporate
Governance
 

Phillip B. Donenberg

   X  X  

Paul B. Manning

     X

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D.

       X       X 

Sean P. Nolan

    X       X 

Kathleen Reape, M.D.

     X 

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.

   X   

RA Session II

    
  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total meetings in fiscal year 2021

   4   4   (1) 

*

Committee Chairperson

(1)

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee did not formally meet in 2021, but acted once by unanimous written consent.

Below is a description of each committee of the Board of Directors. Each of the committees has authority to engage legal counsel or other experts or consultants, as it deems appropriate to carry out its responsibilities. The Board of Directors has determined that each current member of each committee meets the applicable Nasdaq rules and regulations regarding “independence” and each member is free of any relationship that would impair his or her individual exercise of independent judgment with regard to the Company.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors 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 principal duties and responsibilities of our Audit Committee include, among other things:

selecting a qualified firm to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements;

helping to ensure the independence and performance of the independent registered public accounting firm;

discussing the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm and reviewing, with managementus and the independent accountants, our interim and year-end operating results;

developing procedures for employees to submit concerns anonymously about questionable accounting or audit matters;

reviewing our policies on risk assessment and risk management;

reviewing related party transactions;

obtaining and reviewing a report byremoval of management, which stockholders might otherwise deem favorable. For example, the independent registered public accounting firm, at least annually, that describes its internal quality-control procedures, any material issues with such procedures and any steps taken to deal with such issues when required by applicable law; and

approving (or, as permitted, pre-approving) all audit and all permissible non-audit services, other than de minimis non-audit services, to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm.

The Audit Committee is currently composed of threedirectors: Phillip B. Donenberg, Sukumar Nagendran and Laura Sepp-Lorenzino. The Audit Committee met four times during fiscal year 2021. The Board has adopted a written Audit Committee charter that is available to stockholderson our website at www.tayshagtx.com.

The Board of Directors 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).

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

Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 with management of the Company. The Audit Committee has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC. 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 consolidated financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

Phillip B. Donenberg, Chair

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D.

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.

*

The material in this report is not “soliciting material,” is not deemed “filed” with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by reference in any filing of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any such filing.

Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors acts on behalfauthority of the Board to review, modifyissue common stock might be used to create voting impediments or to frustrate an attempt by another person or entity to effect a takeover or otherwise gain control of us because the issuance of additional common stock would dilute the voting power of the common stock then outstanding. Our common stock could also be issued to purchasers who would support the Board in opposing a takeover bid which our Board determines not to be in our best interests and oversee the Company’s compensation strategy, policies, plans and programs, including:

establishing corporate and individual performance objectives relevantthose of our stockholders. In addition to the compensationAuthorized Shares Amendment, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and our executive officers, directors andBylaws also include other senior management and evaluating performance in light of these stated objectives;

reviewing and approving, or reviewing and recommending toprovisions that may have an anti-takeover effect. These provisions, among other things, permit the Board of Directors for approval, the compensation and other terms of employment or service, including severance and change-in-control arrangements, of our Chief Executive Officer and the other executive officers;

reviewing and recommending to the Board for approval compensation arrangements for our directors;

overseeing administration of our equity compensation plans, pension and profit-sharing plans, deferred compensation plans and other similar plan and programs; and

reviewing our compensation policies and practices as they relateissue preferred stock with rights senior to risk management and risk-taking incentives.

The Compensation Committee is currently composed of threedirectors: Phillip B. Donenberg, Sukumar Nagendran and Sean P. Nolan. All membersthose 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 four times during fiscal year 2021. The Board has adopted a written Compensation Committee charter that is available to stockholders on the Company’s website at www.tayshagtx.com.

Compensation Committee Processes and Procedures

Typically, the Compensation Committee meets quarterlyand with greater frequency if necessary. The agenda for each meeting is usually developed by the Chair of the Compensation Committee, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer and Radford, the compensation consultant engaged by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee meets regularly in executive session. In addition, various members of management and other employees as well as outside advisors or consultantsare frequently invited by the Compensation Committee to makepresentations, to provide financial or otherbackground 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 advisors engaged for the purpose of advising the Committee. In particular, the Compensation Committee has the sole authority to retain, in its sole discretion, compensation consultants to assist in its evaluation ofexecutiveand 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 advisor to the Compensation Committee, other than in-house legal counsel and certain other types of advisors, only after taking into consideration six factors, prescribed by the SEC and Nasdaq, that bear upon the advisor’s independence; however, there is no requirement that any advisor be independent.

During the past fiscal year,after taking into consideration the six factors prescribed by the SEC and Nasdaq referenced above, the Compensation Committee engaged Radfordas its compensation consultant.Our Compensation Committee identified Radford based on Radford’s general reputation in the industry. The Compensation Committee requested that Radford:

evaluate the efficacy of the Company’s existing compensation strategy and practices in supporting and reinforcing the Company’s long-term strategic goals; and

assist the Compensation Committee in refining the Company’s compensation strategy and in developing and implementing an executive compensation program to execute that strategy.

As part of the engagement, the Compensation Committee directed Radford to develop a comparative group of companies and to perform analyses of competitive performance and compensation levels for that group. Radford

ultimately developed recommendations that were presented to the Compensation Committee for its consideration. Following an active dialogue with Radford, the Compensation Committee recommended that the Board of Directors approve the recommendations ofRadford.

Under its charter, the Compensation Committee may form, and delegate authority to, subcommittees as appropriate. In fiscal year 2021, the Compensation Committee delegated authority to Mr. Session, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, to grant,common stock without any further vote or action required by the Compensation Committee, stock options to employees who are not officersstockholders, provide that special meetings of the Company. The purpose of this delegation of authority is to enhance the flexibility of option administration within the Company and to facilitate the timely grant of options to non-management employees, particularly new employees, within specified limits approvedstockholders may only be called by the Compensation Committee. During fiscal year 2021, Mr. Session exercised his authority to grant options to purchase an aggregate of 2,749,900 shares to non-officer employees.

Historically, the Compensation Committee has determined annual compensation for our executive officers during the first quarter of the year, including any adjustments to annual base salaries and approval of awards of annual performance bonuses and equity awards, as well as approval of new annual performance objectives for the coming year. In addition, at various meetings throughout the year the Compensation Committee also considers matters related to individual compensation, such as compensation for new executive hires and other strategic compensation issues, such as the efficacy of the Company’s compensation strategy, potential modifications to that strategy and new trends, plans or approaches to compensation. For executives other than the Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee solicits and considers evaluations and recommendations submitted by the Chief Executive Officer when determining the compensation of the other executive officers. In the case of the Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee evaluates his performance, which influences any adjustments the Committee approves to hiscompensationas well as awards to be granted. As part of its deliberations, the Compensation Committee may review and consider, as appropriate,materials that it deems appropriate, including financial reports and projections, tax and accounting information, executive and director stock ownership information, company 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 identified by the consultant.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

Nonemajority of our directors who serve as a member of our Compensation Committee is, or has at any time during the past year been, oneBoard and certain of our officers and do not provide for cumulative voting rights, all of which could make it more difficult for stockholders to effect certain corporate actions and may delay or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, ordiscourage a change in the past year has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committeecontrol. The Board is not presently aware of any other entity that has oneattempt, or more executive officers serving on our Board of Directors or Compensation Committee.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for identifying, reviewing and evaluating candidatescontemplated attempt, to serve as directors of the Company (consistent with any criteria provided by the Board), reviewing and evaluating incumbent directors and the performance of the Board generally, making recommendations to the Board regarding the membership of the committees of the Board and developing a set of corporate governance principles for the Company.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committeeis currently composed of three directors: Paul B. Manning, Sean P. Nolan and Kathleen Reape. 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 did not formally meet during fiscal year 2021, but acted once by unanimous written consent. The Board has adopted a written Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee charter that is available to stockholders on the Company’s website at www.tayshagtx.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 considers other factors when considering potential candidates, including expertise relevant to the Company’s current and planned operations, 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 commitment to support the Company’s long-term interests. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee retains the right to modify these qualifications from time to time as the Company’s needs change and evolve. Board diversity and inclusion is critical to the Company’s success. Candidates for director nominees are also reviewed in the context of the current composition of the Board, the operating requirementsacquire control of the Company, and the long-term interestsAuthorized Shares Amendment is not part of stockholders. In conducting this assessment, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may also consider diversity (including gender, racial and ethnic diversity), age, skills and such other factors as it deems appropriate, given the current needs of the Board and the Company. As presently constituted, the Board represents a deliberate mix of members who have a deep understanding of the Company’s business, as well as members who have different skill sets and points of view on substantive matters pertaining to our business. Our nomination process and our Board’s approach to assessment and evaluation of our nominees support our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee appreciates the value of thoughtful changes to the Board’s membership and identifies and considers qualities, skills and other director attributes that might enhance the composition of the Board. 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 could impair the directors’ independence. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also considers the results of the Board’s self-evaluation, which is conducted annually. In the case of new director candidates, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also determines whether the nominee is independent, which determination is based upon applicable Nasdaq listing standards, applicable SEC rules and regulations, and other factors. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee then uses its network to compile a list of potential candidates, which may include recommendations from a professional search firm when deemed appropriate. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee conducts any appropriate and necessary inquiries into the backgrounds and qualifications of possible candidates after considering the needs of the Board. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee then meets to discuss and consider the candidates’ qualifications and then selects a nominee for recommendation to the Board.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider director candidates recommendedplan 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 at the following address: Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc., Attention: Corporate Secretary, 3000 Pegasus Park Drive, Suite 1430, Dallas, Texas 75247, at least 90 days, but not more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the mailing of our proxy statement for the preceding year’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Submissions must include the information required by our Bylaws, including 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 our stock and has been a holder for at least one year. Any 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 COMMUNICATIONSWITHTHE BOARDOF 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 the Board or the director in care of Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc., 3000 Pegasus Park Drive, Suite 1430, Dallas, Texas 75247, Attn: Corporate Secretary. Each communication must set forth the name and address of the stockholder on whose behalf the communication is sent and the number and class of shares of our stock that are owned beneficially by the stockholder as of the date of the communication.

These communications will be reviewed by our Corporate Secretary, who will determine whether they should be presented to the Board. The purpose of this screening is to allow the Board to avoid having to consider communications that contain advertisementsrecommend or solicitations or are unduly hostile, threatening or similarly inappropriate. All communications directed to the Compliance Officer in accordance with our Whistleblower Policy for Accounting and Auditing Matters that relate to questionable accounting or auditing matters involving our company will be promptly and directly forwarded to the Audit Committee.implement a series of anti-takeover measures.

CODEOF ETHICSVote Required

The Company has adopted the TayshaCode 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.tayshagtx.com. If the Company makes any substantive amendments to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or grants any waiver from a provisionApproval of the Code to any executive officer or director, the Company will promptly disclose the natureIncrease in Authorized Shares of the amendment or waiver on its website.

HEDGING POLICY

Our Insider Trading Policy prohibits our employees, including our executive officers, and the non-employee members of our BoardCommon Stock Proposal requires “FOR” votes from engaging in short sales, transactions in put or call options, hedging transactions, using margin accounts, or other inherently speculative transactions involving our equity securities.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

At Taysha, we are committed to building a sustainable business that provides long-term value for all our stakeholders. We support environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives that are aligned with our culture and values and that may positively impact the patients we serve, our employees, our communities and our world. We are driven to improve the lives of those fighting life-threatening genetic diseases of the central nervous system. Guided by our core values, we are committed to making a meaningful difference by advancing breakthrough science and making our therapies, once approved, available broadly to patients. These are key to how we operate and are foundational to our approach to Corporate Responsibility.

We have focused on the need to be responsible corporate citizens, including in the following areas:

Caring for our Patients – We care for our patients’ safety and well-being and seek to make decisions based on our patients’ needs. Our ongoing interactions with patient advocacy groups and support programs for individuals help us to understand how we can continue to better serve our patients.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – We are committed to recruiting, hiring and developing a diverse and inclusive workplace. Below is a snapshot of employee data as of December 31, 2021:

2021 Global Employee Snapshot

Total employees

178

Proportion of global workforce who are women

56

Proportion of U.S. leadership positions (VP or above) held by women

7

Proportion of U.S. employees who self-report as members of diverse populations (38% of total employees self-reported)

14

Human Capital Management and Corporate Culture – We are committed to creating an environment where employees feel empowered to do their best work for patients. We promote a culture of love, audacity, empathy and collaboration, which are our core values that we encourage our employees to live by. We provide our employees with robust compensation packages, including competitive base pay, incentive compensation and equity programs, and provide a broad range of benefits, including 401(k) plan, healthcare and insurance benefits, paid time off, paid family and medical leave, and flexible work schedules. In addition, we are committed to the professional development of our employees, who can take advantage of various learning opportunities, such as our lunch & learns.

Community Engagement – We believe that being involved in and giving back to our communities is vital to being a responsible corporate citizen. In 2021, we provided backpacks, school supplies and snacks to an elementary school in Dallas as well as donated toys to the Marine Toys for Tots.

PROPOSAL 2

RATIFICATIONOF SELECTIONOF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has selected Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 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. Deloitte & Touche LLP has audited the Company’s consolidated financial statements since 2020. Representatives ofDeloitte & Touche LLP are expected to be present online 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 Bylaws nor other governing documents or law require stockholder ratification of the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. However, the Audit Committee is submitting the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the stockholders fail to ratify the selection, the Audit Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain that firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee 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 votes cast by the holders of shares present in person, by remote communication or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the matter. As noted above, we believe that this proposal will be considered a

9


“non-routine”matter and, as a result, since the only proposal for consideration at the AnnualSpecial Meeting is considered a “non-routine” matter under NYSE Rule 452, no broker non-votes can occur at the meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes, which are not considered “votes cast,” will have no effect and will not be required to ratifycounted towards the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP.vote total.

Principal Accountant Fees and ServicesTHE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE INCREASE IN AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK PROPOSAL.

The following table represents aggregate fees billed to the Company for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 by Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Company’s principal accountant.

 

   Fiscal Year Ended
December 31,
 
   2021   2020 

Audit Fees(1)

  $983,703   $1,311,459 

Audit-related Fees(2)

   10,624    —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Fees

  $994,327   $1,311,459 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

(1)

Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services provided in connection with the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements, the review of our quarterly condensed consolidated financial statements and audit services that are normally provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with regulatory filings. For 2020, the audit fees also include fees for professional services provided in connection with our initial public offering in 2020.

(2)

Audit-related fees consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our consolidated financial statements and not reported under “Audit Fees.”

There were no tax or other fees for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

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, Deloitte & Touche LLP. The policy generally pre-approves specified services in the defined categories of audit services, audit-related services and tax services10

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 Audit Committee has determined that the rendering of services other than audit services by Deloitte & Touche LLP is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

THE BOARDOF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS

A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL 2.


EXECUTIVE OFFICERSSECURITY OWNERSHIP OF

Our executive officers, and their respective ages as of April 28, 2022, are as follows:

Name

Age

Position(s)

RA Session II43President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Kamran Alam44Chief Financial Officer
Suyash Prasad, M.B.B.S., F.F.P.M.52Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development

The biography of Mr. Session is set forth in “Proposal 1: Election of Directors” above.

Kamran Alam has served as our Chief Financial Officer since August 2020. Mr. Alam previously served as Senior Vice President, Finance and Principal Financial Officer of Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from October 2019 to July 2020 and as Vice President, Finance at AveXis, Inc., a publicly traded gene therapy company, from April 2016 to October 2019. From 2013 to April 2016, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Aptinyx Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, where at the time of his departure he was a Senior Director, Finance and Accounting. Mr. Alam is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a B.B.A. from the Ross School of Business at University of Michigan and an M.B.A. in finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Suyash Prasadhas served as our Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development since June 2020. Dr. Prasad has served as principal of Suyash Prasad Consulting LLC, a consulting firm, since October 2019. He previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Audentes Therapeutics, Inc., a gene therapy company, from 2014 to June 2019. Dr. Prasad earned a medical degree from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, a master’s degree (with distinction) in translational science from Kings College, London, United Kingdom, and a diploma in pharmaceutical medicine from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom. Dr. Prasad is a United Kingdom board-certified physician and is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health and is a Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom.

SECURITY OWNERSHIPOF

CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERSCERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the ownership of the Company’s common stock as of April 1, 2022September 18, 2023 by: (i) each director and nominee for director; (ii) each of theour named executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table;officers; (iii) all executive officers and directors of the Company as a group; and (iv) all those known by the Company to be beneficial owners of more than five percent of its common stock.

 

   Beneficial Ownership(1) 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  Number of Shares
Beneficially
Owned
   Percentage of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
 

Greater than 5% stockholders

    

RA Session II(2)

   9,539,666    24.8

Paul B. Manning(3)

   5,468,333    14.2

FMR LLC(4)

   4,280,494    11.1

BlackRock, Inc.(5)

   3,032,963    7.9

Named Executive Officers and Directors

    

RA Session II(2)

   9,539,666    24.8

Kamran Alam(6)

   73,113    * 

Suyash Prasad, M.B.B.S, F.F.P.M.(7)

   118,696    * 

Phillip B. Donenberg(8)

   23,796    * 

Paul B. Manning(3)

   5,468,333    14.2

Sean P. Nolan(9)

   1,109,493    2.9

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D.(10)

   50,193    * 

Kathleen Reape, M.D.(11)

   15,500    * 

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.(12)

   15,500    * 

All current executive officers and directors as a group (9 persons)(13)

   16,414,290    42.4
   Beneficial Ownership(1) 
Name of Beneficial Owner  Number of Shares
Beneficially
Owned
   Percentage of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
 

Greater than 5% stockholders

    

Entities affiliated with FMR LLC(2)

   27,158,335    14.53

Entities affiliated with Paul B. Manning(3)

   23,476,333    12.55

RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P.(4)

   18,472,503    9.88

Entities affiliated with RTW Investments, LP(5)

   16,893,185    9.04

Entities affiliated with Venrock(6)

   14,444,444    7.73

TCG Crossover Fund I, LP(7)

   11,111,111    5.94

Named Executive Officers and Directors

    

Sean P. Nolan(8)

   1,598,715       

RA Session II(9)

   9,153,927   4.90

Kamran Alam(10)

   266,322       

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D. (11)

   102,864       

Phillip B. Donenberg(12)

   186,601       

Kathleen Reape, M.D.(13)

   65,160       

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.(14)

   65,160       

John A. Stalfort III(15)

   1,933,671    1.03

All current executive officers and directors as a group (7 persons)(16)

   4,218,493    2.25

 

*

Represents ownership of less than one percent.

(1)

This table is based upon information supplied by officers, directors and principal stockholdersand Schedules 13D and 13G filed with the SEC. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table and subject to community property laws where applicable, the Company believes that each of the stockholders named in this table has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares indicated as beneficially owned. Applicable percentages are based on 38,473,945186,960,193 shares outstanding on April 1, 2022,September 18, 2023, adjusted as required by rules promulgated by the SEC. Except as otherwise noted below, the address for persons listed in the table is c/o Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc., 3000 Pegasus Park Drive, Suite 1430, Dallas, Texas 75247.

(2)

Consists of (a) 9,190,920 shares of common stock (including 256,353 shares of restricted common stock that will be unvested as of 60 days following April 1, 2022), (b) 141,090(i) 15,715,577 shares of common stock held by the Session 2020 Annuity Trust I, of which Mr. Session is the trustee and has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by such trust, (c) 141,090Fidelity Select Portfolios: Biotechnology Portfolio (“Fidelity Biotechnology Portfolio”), (ii) 936,201 shares of common stock held by the Session 2020 Annuity Trust II, of which Mr. Session is the trustee and has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by such trust, and (d) 66,566 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022.

(3)

Consists of (a) 3,195,205Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Series Growth Company Fund (“Fidelity Series Growth Company Fund”), (iii) 3,547,617 shares of common stock held by The Paul B. Manning Revocable Trust dated May 10, 2000, of which Mr. Manning is the trustee and has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by such trust, (b) 2,091,704Fidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Growth Company Fund (“Fidelity Growth Company Fund”), (iv) 5,244,563 shares of common stock held by BKBFidelity Growth Investments, LLC, (c) 142,202Company Commingled Pool, and (v) 1,714,377 shares of common stock held by Paul & Diane Manning JTWROS, (d) 22,000 sharesFidelity Mt. Vernon Street Trust: Fidelity Growth Company K6 Fund (“Fidelity Growth Company K6 Fund”). Fidelity Biotechnology Portfolio, Fidelity Series Growth Company Fund, Fidelity Growth Company Fund, Fidelity Growth Company Commingled Pool, and Fidelity Growth Company K6 Fund are managed by direct or indirect subsidiaries of common stock held by BKB G2 Investments LLC and (e) 17,222 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022. Mr. Manning is a co-manager of Tiger Lily Capital, LLC, the manager of BKB Growth Investments, LLC and BKB G2 Investments LLC, and has shared voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by BKB Growth Investments, LLC and

BKB G2 Investments LLC. The business address for each person and entity named in this footnote is 200 Garrett Street, Suite S, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902.
(4)

This information has been obtained from a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 9, 2022 by FMR LLC. Abigail P. Johnson is a director, the chairman and the chief executive officer and the president of

11


FMR LLC. Members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, are the predominant owners, directly or through trusts, of Series B voting common shares of FMR LLC, representing 49% of the voting power of FMR LLC. The Johnson family group and all other Series B shareholders of FMR LLC have entered into a shareholders’ voting agreement under which all Series B voting common shares will be voted in accordance with the majority vote of Series B voting common shares. Accordingly, through their ownership of voting common shares and the execution of the shareholders’ voting agreement, members of the Johnson family may be deemed, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, to form a controlling group with respect to FMR LLC. Neither FMR LLC nor Abigail P. Johnson has the sole power to vote or direct the voting of the shares owned directly by the various investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or the Fidelity Funds,(the “Fidelity Funds”), advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC (“FMR Co. LLC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of FMR LLC, which power resides with the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. Fidelity Management & Research CompanyFMR Co. LLC carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines established by the Fidelity Funds’ Boards of Trustees. The address of the principal place of business address for FMR LLCof these persons, funds and accounts is 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.MA 02210.
(3)

Consists of (i) 16,466,667 shares of common stock held by the Paul B. Manning Revocable Trust dated May 10, 2020 (the “PBM Revocable Trust”), (ii) 4,837,407 shares of common stock held by the PBM 2023 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (the “PBM Annuity Trust”), (iii) 2,091,704 shares of common stock held by BKB Growth Investments, LLC (“BKB”), (iv) 22,000 shares of common stock held by BKB G2 Investments, LLC (“BKB2”) and (v) 58,555 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options held by Paul B. Manning that are exercisable within 60 days of September 18, 2023. Mr. Manning is the trustee of the PBM Revocable Trust and has sole voting and dispositive power over the shares held by the PBM Revocable Trust. Mr. Manning is trustee of the PBM Annuity Trust and has sole voting and dispositive power over the shares held by the PBM Annuity Trust. Mr. Manning is co-manager of Tiger Lily Capital, LLC, the manager of BKB and BKB2 and has shared voting and dispositive power over the shares held by BKB and BKB2. The address of the principal place of business of each of these persons and entities is 200 Garrett Street, Suite S, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

(4)

Consists of 18,472,503 shares of common stock held by RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. Such amount does not include 42,638,607 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant purchased by RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. in the Private Placement. The Pre-Funded Warrants may not be exercised until the filing of the Charter Amendment following receipt of the Stockholder Approval or if the aggregate number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by entities affiliated with RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. immediately following such exercise would exceed 9.99% of the total number of shares of our common stock then issued and outstanding after giving effect to such exercise. RA Capital Management, L.P. is the investment manager for RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. The general partner of RA Capital Management, L.P. is RA Capital Management GP, LLC, of which Peter Kolchinsky and Rajeev Shah are the managing members. Each of Mr. Kolchinsky and Mr. Shah may be deemed to have voting and investment power over the securities held by RA Capital Healthcare Fund. L.P. The principal business address of these persons and entities is 200 Berkeley Street, 18th Floor, Boston, MA 02116.

(5)

This informationConsists of (i) 9,683,503 shares of common stock held by RTW Master Fund, Ltd., (ii) 6,826,919 shares of common stock held by RTW Innovation Master Fund, Ltd., and (iii) 382,763 shares of common stock held by RTW Biotech Opportunities Fund, Ltd. Such amounts do not include 924,243, 651,596, and 36,532 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of Pre-Funded Warrants purchased by RTW Master Fund, Ltd., RTW Innovation Master Fund, Ltd. and RTW Biotech Opportunities Fund, Ltd (collectively, the “RTW Funds”), respectively, in the Private Placement. The Pre-Funded Warrants may not be exercised until the filing of the Charter Amendment following receipt of the Stockholder Approval or if the aggregate number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by entities affiliated with RTW Investments, LP (“RTW”), immediately following such exercise would exceed 9.99% of the total number of shares of our common stock then issued and outstanding after giving effect to such exercise. RTW, in its capacity as the investment manager of the RTW Funds, has been obtained from a Schedule 13G filed on February 9, 2022the power to vote and the power to direct the disposition of the shares held by BlackRock, Inc.the RTW Funds. Accordingly, RTW may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such securities. Roderick Wong, M.D., pursuantas the Managing Partner of RTW, has the power to which BlackRock, Inc. reported having sole voting power over 3,015,894direct the vote and disposition of the securities held by RTW. Dr. Wong disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares shared voting power over no shares, sole dispositive power over 3,032,963 shares and shared dispositive power over no shares.held by

12


the RTW Funds, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. The address and principal office of BlackRock, Inc.RTW Investments, LP is 55 East 52nd Street,40 10th Avenue, Floor 7, New York, NY 10055.

10014, and the address of Dr. Wong and each of the RTW Funds is c/o RTW Investments, LP, 40 10th Avenue, Floor 7, New York, NY 10014.
(6)

Consists of (a) 49,780(i) 10,267,111 shares of common stock held by Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners EG, L.P. (“VHCP EG”), (ii) 3,797,444 shares of common stock held by Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners III, L.P. (“VHCP III”) and (iii) 379,889 shares of common stock held by VHCP Co-Investment Holdings III, LLC (“VHCP Co-III”). VHCP Management III, LLC (“VHCPM”) is the sole general partner of VHCP III and the sole manager of VHCP Co-III. VHCP Management EG, LLC (“VHCPM EG”) is the sole general partner of VHCP EG. Dr. Bong Koh and Nimish Shah share the power to vote and dispose of the securities held by VHCPM and VHCPM EG. The principal business address of these persons and entities is 7 Bryant Park, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10018.

(7)

Consists of 11,111,111 shares of common stock held by TCG Crossover Fund I, LP. TCG Crossover GP I, LLC is the general partner of TCG Crossover Fund I, LP and Chen Yu is the sole managing member of TCG Crossover GP I, LLC and holds voting and dispositive power with respect to these securities. The principal business address of these persons and entities is 705 High Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

(8)

Consists of (i) 1,535,545 shares of common stock held by Nolan Capital LLC, (ii) 1,170 shares of common stock held by Sean P. Nolan, and (iv) 62,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options held by Sean P. Nolan that are exercisable within 60 days of September 18, 2023. Sean P. Nolan is the President of Nolan Capital LLC and has shared voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Nolan Capital LLC.

(9)

Consists of (i) 8,871,747 shares of common stock, (ii) 141,090 shares of common stock held by the Session 2020 Annuity Trust I, of which Mr. Session is the trustee and has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by such trust and (iii) 141,090 the Session 2020 Annuity Trust II, of which Mr. Session is the trustee and has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by such trust.

(10)

Consists of (i) 156,570 shares of common stock and (b) 23,333(ii) 109,752 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022.September 18, 2023.

(7)(11)

Consists of (a) 92,030(i) 34,226 shares of common stock and (b) 26,666(ii) 68,638 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022.September 18, 2023.

(8)(12)

Consists of (a) 3,000(i) 114,111 shares of common stock and (b) 20,796(ii) 72,490 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022.September 18, 2023.

(9)(13)

Consists of (a) 1,091,101 shares of common stock held by Nolan Capital, LLC, (b) 1,170 shares of common stock held by Sean P. Nolan, individually and (c) 17,22265,160 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022. Mr. Nolan is the President of Nolan Capital, LLC and has shared voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by Nolan Capital, LLC. The business address for each person and entity named in this footnote is 8 The Green, Ste. R, Dover, Delaware 19901.September 18, 2023.

(10)(14)

Consists of (a) 29,226 shares of common stock and (b) 20,967 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options within 60 days of April 1, 2022.

(11)

Consists of 15,50065,160 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022.September 18, 2023.

(12)(15)

Consists of 15,500(i) 1,049,381 shares of common stock and (ii) 884,290 shares of common stock held by the John A. Stalfort III 2018 Irrevocable Trust (“the Stalfort Trust”). Gineane Holly Stalfort as trustee of the Stalfort Trust has the power to vote and dispose of the securities held by the Stalfort Trust.

(16)

Consists of (i) 3,775,293 shares of common stock and (ii) 443,200 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022.

(13)

Consists of (a)16,190,518 shares of common stock (including 256,353 shares of restricted common stock that will be unvested as of 60 days following April 1, 2022) and (b) 223,772 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2022.

DELINQUENT SECTION 16(A) REPORTS

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

To the Company’s knowledge, based on a review of the copies of such reports filed on the SEC’s EDGAR system and written representations that no other reports were required, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors and greater than ten percent beneficial owners were complied with; except that a late Form 4 was filed on behalf of RA Session II reporting the purchase of 42,518 shares of common stock, which was due November 25, 2021 but was filed on December 8, 2021.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation awarded to, earned by and paid to our named executive officers with respect to the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Name and Principal Position

  Year   Salary
($)
   Stock
Awards(1)
($)
   Option
Awards(2)
($)
   Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation(3)
($)
   All Other
Compensation
($)
  Total
($)
 

RA Session II
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director(4)

   2021    542,800      4,028,250    —        150(5)   4,571,200 
   2020    362,594    4,060,626      271,878    154(5)   4,695,252 

Kamran Alam
Chief Financial Officer

   2021    390,000      1,412,006    —        5,515(6)   1,807,521 
   2020    142,088(7)    4,933,703      85,217    330,153(8)   5,491,161 

Suyash Prasad, M.B.B.S, F.F.P.M.
Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development

   2021    432,600      1,613,721    181,692    3,051(9)   2,231,064 
   2020    216,833(10)    3,668,409      129,975    152(5)   4,015,369 

(1)

This column reflects the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards granted during the year measured pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or ASC Topic 718, the basis for computing stock-based compensation in our financial statements. This calculation assumes that the named executive officer will perform the requisite service for the award to vest in full as required by SEC rules. The assumptions we used in valuing stock awards are described in Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-39536) filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. These amounts do not reflect the actual economic value that will be realized by the named executive officer upon the settlement of such stock awards or the sale of the common stock issuable upon the settlement of such stock awards.

(2)

This column reflects the aggregate grant date fair value of option awards granted during the year measured pursuant to ASC Topic 718, the basis for computing stock-based compensation in our financial statements. This calculation assumes that the named executive officer will perform the requisite service for the award to vest in full as required by SEC rules. The assumptions we used in valuing option awards are described in Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-39536) filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. These amounts do not reflect the actual economic value that will be realized by the named executive officer upon vesting of the stock options, the exercise of the stock options, or the sale of the common stock underlying such stock options.

(3)

See “—Narrative to Summary Compensation Table—Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation” below for a description of the material terms of the program pursuant to which this compensation was awarded.

(4)

Mr. Session is also a member of our Board of Directors, but did not receive any additional compensation in his capacity as a director.

(5)

Represents life insurance premiums for employee benefit.

(6)

Represents (a) $5,365 in Company matching contributions to benefit plans (e.g., company 401(k) matching) and (b) $150 in life insurance premiums for employee benefit.

(7)

Mr. Alam’s employment with us commenced in August 2020. The 2020 salary reported reflects the pro rata portion of Mr. Alam’s annual salary earned during 2020 from commencement of his employment through December 31, 2020.

(8)

Represents (a) a reimbursement of $107,021 for out-of-pocket expenses associated with Mr. Alam repaying his sign-on bonus to his former employer and related gross-up payment in the amount of $106,560 to cover Mr. Alam’s tax liability with respect to such reimbursement, (b) a reimbursement of $63,714 for certain out-of-pocket indemnification expenses associated with Mr. Alam’s resignation from his former employer and related gross-up payment in the amount of $52,704 to cover Mr. Alam’s tax liability with respect to such reimbursement and (c) a holiday meal stipend of $154.

(9)

Represents (a) $2,706 Company matching contributions to benefit plans (e.g., company 401(k) matching) and (b) $345 life insurance premiums for employee benefit.

(10)

Dr. Prasad’s employment with us commenced in June 2020. The 2020 salary reported reflects the pro rata portion of Dr. Prasad’s annual salary earned during 2020 from commencement of his employment through December 31, 2020.

Narrative to Summary Compensation Table

The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors has historically determined our executives’ compensation, including the compensation of our named executive officers. 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 approves the compensation of each executive officer without members of management present.

Annual Base Salary

We have entered into employment agreements with each of our named executive officers that establish annual base salaries, which are generally determined, approved and reviewed periodically by our Compensation Committee in order to compensate our named executive officers for the satisfactory performance of duties to the Company. Annual base salaries are intended to provide a fixed component of compensation to our named executive officers, reflecting their expertise, experience, knowledge, roles and responsibilities. Base salaries for our named executive officers have generally been set at levels deemed necessary to attract and retain individuals with superior talent. Merit-based increases to salaries are based on management’s assessment of the named executive officer’s individual performance.

With respect to the year ended December 31, 2021, the Compensation Committee approved base salaries of $542,800, $390,000 and $432,600 for each of Messrs. Session and Alam and Dr. Prasad, respectively.

Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation

Our named executive officers are eligible to receive annual incentive compensation based on the satisfaction of individual and corporate performance objectives established by the Board of Directors. Each named executive officer has a target annual incentive opportunity, calculated as a percentage of annual base salary, and may earn more or less than the target amount based on our company’s and his individual performance. For 2021, the target annual incentive opportunities as a percentage of base salary for our named executive officers were 50% for Mr. Session and 40% for each of Mr. Alam and Dr. Prasad. The amounts of any annual incentives earned are determined after the end of the year, based on the achievement of the designated corporate and individual performance objectives, and may be paid in cash or equity. The Compensation Committee determined that the percentage attainment of our corporate goals for 2021 was 100% and approved individual performance achievement payouts for Dr. Prasad in the amount reflected in the column of the Summary Compensation Table above entitled “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.” With respect to Messrs. Session and Alam, although the Compensation Committee determined that each named executive officer had satisfied his individual performance metrics, the Committee exercised its discretion and did not award an individual performance achievement payout to either named executive officer for 2021.

Equity-Based Awards

Our equity-based incentive awards granted to our named executive officers are designed to align the interests of our named executive officers with those of our stockholders. Vesting of equity awards is generally tied to each officer’s continuous service with us and serves as an additional retention measure. Our executives generally are awarded an initial new hire grant upon commencement of employment and thereafter on an annual basis. Additional grants may occur periodically in order to specifically incentivize executives with respect to achieving certain corporate goals or to reward executives for exceptional performance. Following the completion of our initial public offering, we grant all equity awards pursuant to our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan.

On January 19, 2021, the Compensation Committee granted options to purchase 199,700, 70,000 and 80,000 shares of our common stock to each of Messrs. Session and Alam and Dr. Prasad, respectively, at a per-share

exercise price of $31.00. Each option vested and became exercisable as to 25% of the total number of shares underlying the option on January 19, 2022, and the remainder will vest and become exercisable in 36 substantially equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to each named executive officer’s continuous service to us through each applicable vesting date.

Outstanding Equity Awards as of December 31, 2021

The following table sets forth certain information about outstanding equity awards granted to our named executive officers that were outstanding as of December 31, 2021. All awards listed in the below table were granted under our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan, with the exception of the April 2020 award to Mr. Session, which was granted under our 2020 Equity Incentive Plan.

     Option Awards  Stock Awards 

Name

 Grant Date  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Exercisable
  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)
Unexercisable
  Option
Exercise
Price
($)(1)
  Option
Expiration
Date
  Number of Shares
or Units of Stock
That Have Not
Vested
(#)
  Market Value of
Shares or Units of
Stock That Have
Not Vested
($)(2)
 

RA Session II

  4/1/2020       341,975   3,984,009(4) 
  1/19/2021   —     199,700(3)   31.00   1/18/2031   

Kamran Alam

  9/2/2020       248,341   2,893,173(5) 
  1/19/2021   —     70,000(3)   31.00   1/18/2031   

Suyash Prasad, M.B.B.S, F.F.P.M.

  9/2/2020       501,559   5,843,162(6) 
  1/19/2021   —     80,000(3)   31.00   1/18/2031   

(1)

All of the option awards listed in the table were granted with a per share exercise price equal to or above the estimated fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. The fair market value of one share of common stock is determined to be equal to the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on the date of grant (or the closing price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists).

(2)

The market value of our common stock is based on the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on December 31, 2021.

(3)

25% of the total number of shares underlying the option vested and became exercisable on January 19, 2022 and the remainder vest and become exercisable in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to the named executive officer’s continuous service through each applicable vesting date.

(4)

The shares underlying the restricted common stock award vested, with respect to 33% of the award, on April 1, 2021, and the remaining shares vest in 24 equal monthly installments, subject to the named executive officer’s continuous service as of each such vesting date.

(5)

The shares underlying the restricted stock unit vest in four equal annual installments on each of August 17, 2021, August 17, 2022, August 17, 2023 and August 17, 2024, subject to the named executive officer’s continuous service as of each such vesting date.

(6)

The shares underlying the restricted stock unit vest in four equal annual installments on each of June 29, 2021, June 29, 2022, June 29, 2023 and June 29, 2024, subject to the named executive officer’s continuous service as of each such vesting date.

Retirement Benefits and Other Compensation

Our named executive officers did not participate in, or otherwise receive any benefits under, any pension, retirement or deferred compensation plan sponsored by us during 2021 other than our 401(k) plan described below. During 2021, our named executive officers were eligible to participate in our employee benefit plans on the same basis offered to our employees generally, including health insurance and group life insurance benefits.

We maintain a 401(k) plan that is intended to qualify as a tax-qualified plan under Section 401 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, which our named executive officers are eligible to participate in on the same basis as our other employees. We generally do not provide perquisites or personal benefits except in very limited circumstances, and we did not provide any perquisites to our named executive officers in 2021.

Employment Agreements with our Named Executive Officers

Amended and Restated Employment Agreement with Mr. Session

We have entered into an amended and restated executive employment agreement with Mr. Session, which reflects an initial annual base salary of $542,800, which is subject to adjustment at the discretion of our Board of Directors, and an annual bonus target equal to 50% of Mr. Session’s annual base salary to be awarded based upon the achievement of individual and company performance goals as determined by our Board of Directors.

Pursuant to the amended and restated executive employment agreement, if we terminate Mr. Session’s employment without “cause,” or if Mr. Session terminates his employment for “good reason” (each, as defined in the executive employment agreement), he will be entitled to continued payment of his base salary for 12 months and his then-outstanding equity awards will vest in full. Such severance and acceleration benefits are conditioned upon Mr. Session’s execution of and compliance with an effective and irrevocable general release, compliance with certain non-competition and non-solicitation obligations, resignation from all positions with us and return of all our property. The amended and restated executive employment agreement further provides that Mr. Session is entitled to the severance benefits described in “—Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” below.

Amended and Restated Offer Letters with Mr. Alam and Dr. Prasad

We have entered into amended and restated offer letters with each of Mr. Alam and Dr. Prasad. For Dr. Prasad, the amended and restated offer letter reflects an initial annual base salary of $432,600, which is subject to adjustment at the discretion of our Board of Directors, and an annual bonus target equal to 40% of Dr. Prasad’s annual base salary to be awarded based upon the achievement of individual and company performance goals as determined by our Board of Directors. For Mr. Alam, the amended and restated offer letter reflects an initial annual base salary of $390,000, which is subject to adjustment at the discretion of our Board of Directors, and an annual bonus target equal to 40% of Mr. Alam’s annual base salary to be awarded based upon the achievement of individual and company performance goals as determined by our Board of Directors.

Pursuant to the amended and restated offer letters, if we terminate Dr. Prasad’s or Mr. Alam’s employment without “cause,” or if Dr. Prasad or Mr. Alam terminates his employment for “good reason” (each, as defined in such executive’s amended and restated offer letter), he will be entitled to continued payment of his base salary for 12 months. Such severance benefits are conditioned upon the executive’s execution of and compliance with an effective and irrevocable general release, compliance with certain non-competition and non-solicitation obligations, resignation from all positions with us and return of all our property. The amended and restated offer letters further provide that Dr. Prasad and Mr. Alam are entitled to the severance benefits described in “—Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” below.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

Each of our named executive officers is eligible to receive severance benefits under the terms of our Change in Control Severance Plan adopted by the Board of Directors in September 2020.

The Change in Control Severance Plan provides for severance benefits upon a “covered termination” that occurs during a “change in control period” (each as described below). Upon a covered termination that occurs during a change in control period, participants will be entitled to a lump sum payment equal to the participant’s base

salary for a specified period (18 months for Mr. Session and 12 months for each of Mr. Alam and Dr. Prasad), a lump sum payment equal to a multiple of the participant’s target annual bonus (150% for Mr. Session and 100% for each of Mr. Alam and Dr. Prasad), payment of continued group health benefits for a period of months (18 months for Mr. Session and 12 months for each of Mr. Alam and Dr. Prasad) and full accelerated vesting of all outstanding equity awards (including performance-based awards, which shall vest at 100% of target).

All severance benefits under the Change in Control Severance Plan are subject to the participant’s execution of an effective release of claims against the company and compliance with the terms of any confidential information agreement, proprietary information and inventions agreement and any other agreement between the participant and the Company. For purposes of the Change in Control Severance Plan, a “covered termination” is a termination of employment by the Company without “cause,” as defined in the Change in Control Severance Plan, or as a result of the participant’s resignation for “good reason,” as defined in the Change in Control Severance Plan, in either case, not as a result of death or disability. For purposes of the Change in Control Severance Plan, a “change in control period” is the period of time beginning on the date on which a “change in control,” as defined in the 2020 Stock Incentive Plan, becomes effective (or, in the case of Mr. Session, the period beginning three months prior to the date on which a change in control becomes effective) and ending on the first anniversary of the effective date of such change in control.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Non-Employee Director Compensation

The following table shows for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 certain information with respect to the compensation of our non-employee directors. RA Session II, our President and Chief Executive Officer, is also a member of our Board of Directors but did not receive any additional compensation for service as a director.

Name

  Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($)
   Option
Awards
($) (1)(2)
   Total
($)
 

Phillip B. Donenberg

   55,000    242,220    297,220 

Paul B. Manning

   43,000    242,220    285,220 

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D.

   52,500    242,220    294,720 

Sean P. Nolan

   78,368    242,220    320,588 

Kathleen Reape, M.D.

   33,321    242,220    275,542 

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.

   36,312    242,220    278,532 

(1)

The amounts disclosed represent the aggregate grant date fair value of the stock options granted under our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan, computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. The assumptions we used in valuing options are described in Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-39536) filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. This amount does not reflect the actual economic value that may be realized by such director.

(2)

The table below shows the aggregate number of option awards outstanding for each of our directors who is not a named executive officer, as of December 31, 2021:September 18, 2023.

 

Name

Number of
Outstanding
Options

Phillip B. Donenberg

54,671

Paul B. Manning

46,500

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D.

54,671

Sean P. Nolan

46,500

Kathleen Reape, M.D.

46,500

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.

46,500

Narrative to Director Compensation Table

Our Board of Directors has adopted a Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy, pursuant to which each of our directors who is not an employee or consultant of our company is eligible to receive compensation for service on our Board of Directors and committees of our Board of Directors.

Each eligible director will receive an annual cash retainer of $35,000 for serving on our Board of Directors, and the independent chairperson of the Board of Directors will receive an additional annual cash retainer of $30,000 for his or her service. The chairperson of the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $15,000, the chairperson of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $10,000 and the chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $8,000. The members of the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $7,500, the members of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $5,000 and the members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors will be entitled to an additional annual cash retainer of $4,000; however, in each case such cash retainer is payable only to members who are not the chairperson of such committee.13

In addition, upon the pricing of our initial public offering, each eligible director was granted a non-statutory stock option to purchase 31,000 shares of our common stock at the initial public offering price under our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan, with the shares vesting in 36 equal monthly installments, subject to continued service as a director through each vesting date. Each new eligible director who joins our Board of Directors will be granted a non-statutory stock option to purchase 31,000 shares of our common stock under our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan, with the shares vesting in 36 equal monthly installments, subject to continued service as a director through each vesting date.

On the date of each annual meeting of our stockholders, each eligible director who continues to serve as a director of our company following the meeting will be granted a non-statutory stock option to purchase 15,500 shares of our common stock under our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan, with the shares vesting on the earlier of the first anniversary of the date of grant or the next annual stockholders meeting, subject to continued service as a director though the applicable vesting date.

Each option awarded to eligible directors under the Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy will be subject to accelerated vesting upon a Change in Control (as defined in the 2020 Stock Incentive Plan).

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 Nasdaq Global Select Market on the date of 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 eligible director’s continuous service with us (provided that upon a termination of service other than for death, disability or cause, the post-termination exercise period will be 12 months from the date of termination).


SECURITIES AUTHORIZEDFOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS

The following table provides certain information with respect to our equity incentive plans, which were our only equity compensation plans in effect as of December 31, 2021.

Name

 Number of securities
to be issued
upon exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(a)
  Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(b)
  Number of securities
remaining available
for future issuance
under equity
compensation plans
(excluding securities
reflected in column
(a))
(c)
 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

  5,536,727(1)   15.91(2)   2,014,101(3) 

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

  —     —     —   
 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total

  5,536,727   15.91   2,014,101 
 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

(1)

Consists of shares underlying options and restricted stock units granted pursuant to our 2020 Equity Incentive Plan and 2020 Stock Incentive Plan.

(2)

The weighted-average exercise price includes 1,886,765 shares included in column a that are issuable upon vesting of restricted stock units which have no exercise price. The weighted average exercise price of the outstanding options was $24.13 per share as of December 31, 2021.

(3)

Includes our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan and 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under our 2020 Stock Incentive Plan automatically increases on January 1 of each year, continuing through and including January 1, 2030, by 5% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding on December 31 of the preceding calendar year, or a lesser number of shares determined by our Board of Directors. Pursuant to this provision, we added 1,923,697 shares of common stock that are available for issuance under the 2020 Stock Incentive Plan on January 1, 2022, which is not reflected in the table above. The number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under our 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan automatically increases on January 1 of each year, continuing through and including January 1, 2030, by 1% of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding on December 31 of the preceding calendar year, or a lesser number of shares determined by our Board of Directors. Pursuant to this provision, we added 384,739 shares of common stock that are available for issuance under the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan on January 1, 2022, which is not reflected in the table above. No shares have been issued under the 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONSAND INDEMNIFICATION

RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS POLICYAND PROCEDURES

In September 2020, we adopted a related person transaction policy, which we amended in April 2022, 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 is 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 are not covered by this policy. A related person is any executive officer, director or beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities, including any of such person’s immediate family members and any entity owned or controlled by such person.

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 of Directors, 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 will 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 of Directors, will take into account the relevant available facts and circumstances including:

the risks, costs and benefits to us;

the impact on a director’s independence in the event that the related person is a director, immediate family member of a director or an entity with which a director is affiliated;

the availability of other sources for comparable services or products; and

the terms available to or from, as the case may be, unrelated third parties or to or from employees generally.

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 of Directors, 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 of Directors, determines in the good faith exercise of its discretion.

CERTAIN RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

The following includes a summary of transactions since January 1, 2020 to which we have been a party, in which the amount involved in the transaction exceeded $120,000 and in which any of our directors, executive officers or, to our knowledge, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our voting securities or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons had or will have a direct or indirect material interest. Other than described below, there have not been, nor are there currently any proposed, transactions or series of similar transactions to which we have been or will be a party other than compensation arrangements, which include equity and other compensation, termination, change in control and other arrangements, which are described under “Executive Compensation” and “Director Compensation.”

Our Relationship with UT Southwestern

In November 2019, we entered into a research, collaboration and license agreement, or the UT Southwestern Agreement, with The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, or UT Southwestern, a beneficial owner of more than 5% of our capital stock at the time. Claire Aldridge, Ph.D., a former member of our Board of Directors, was the Associate Vice President of Commercialization and Business Development at UT Southwestern. In accordance with the terms of, and as consideration for, the UT Southwestern Agreement, we issued 2,179,000 shares of our common stock to UT Southwestern in November 2019. We do not have any future milestone or royalty obligations to UT Southwestern under the UT Southwestern Agreement. See the section titled “Business—License Agreements—Research, Collaboration and License Agreement with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-39536) filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022, for additional information.

We are also obligated to provide research and development funding pursuant to certain sponsored research agreements entered into beginning in April 2020 in connection with the UT Southwestern Agreement. We paid an aggregate of $8.2 million and $3.6 million to UT Southwestern under the sponsored research agreements during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

In January 2021, we launched an innovation fund with UT Southwestern, pursuant to which we support UT Southwestern’s gene therapy discovery activities. We will have an exclusive option on new programs and intellectual property associated with, and arising from, the research conducted under this arrangement.

Agreements with RA Session II

Guarantee and Security Agreement

In December 2019, Mr. Session, our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors, entered into a guarantee and security agreement by and among Queen’s University at Kingston, or Queen’s University, our company and himself, pursuant to which Mr. Session has personally guaranteed payments due by us to Queen’s University in the event that we fail to fund our obligations under a research grant agreement by and between Queen’s University and us.

Loan Agreement

In January 2020, Mr. Session loaned us the principal amount of approximately $1.7 million with interest accruing at a rate of 10% per annum, and we granted Mr. Session a first priority security interest in certain of our assets as collateral for the loan. We repaid Mr. Session an aggregate of approximately $1.7 million, including interest, in payments made in March 2020 and July 2020, and Mr. Session released his security interest in the collateral.

Private Placements of Our Securities

Series A Convertible Preferred Stock Financing

In March 2020, we entered into a preferred stock purchase agreement with certain investors, including beneficial owners of greater than 5% of our capital stock and affiliates of members of our Board of Directors, pursuant to which we issued and sold to such investors an aggregate of 6,000,000 shares of our Series A convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $3.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $18.0 million.

Under the agreement, such investors were required to purchase up to an aggregate of 4,000,000 additional shares of our Series A convertible preferred stock upon our achievement of certain milestones. Moreover, such investors had the right, in their sole discretion, to purchase any or all of such additional shares whether or not we achieved the specified milestones. In June and July 2020, such investors exercised in full their option to purchase these additional shares prior to our achievement of such milestones, and we issued and sold to such investors an aggregate of 4,000,000 shares of Series A convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $3.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $12.0 million.

The table below sets forth the aggregate number of shares of Series A convertible preferred stock issued to our related parties in this financing:

Name  Series A
Convertible
Preferred
Stock
(#)
   Aggregate
Purchase Price
($)
 

PBM TGT Holdings, LLC(1)

   8,166,667    24,500,001.00 

Nolan Capital, LLC(2)

   1,000,000    3,000,000.00 

(1)

Paul B. Manning, a member of our Board of Directors and a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock, is the Chief Executive Officer of PBM Capital Group, LLC and has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by PBM TGT Holdings, LLC. In September 2020, PBM TGT Holdings, LLC distributed all of the shares of Series A convertible preferred stock it previously held to its beneficial owners, including Mr. Manning and entities controlled by Mr. Manning, for no additional consideration in accordance with the terms of its operating agreement.

(2)

Sean P. Nolan, the Chairman of our Board of Directors, is the President of Nolan Capital, LLC.

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock Financing

In July 2020, we entered into a preferred stock purchase agreement with certain investors, including beneficial owners of greater than 5% of our capital stock, members of our Board of Directors and affiliates of members of our Board of Directors, pursuant to which we issued and sold to such investors an aggregate of 5,647,048 shares of our Series B convertible preferred stock at a purchase price of $17.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $96.0 million. The financing closed in July and August 2020.

The table below sets forth the aggregate number of shares of Series B convertible preferred stock issued to our related parties in this financing:

Name  Series B
Convertible
Preferred Stock
(#)
   Aggregate
Purchase Price
($)
 

Entities affiliated with FMR, LLC(1)

   1,705,882    28,999,994.00 

PBM Capital Group, LLC(2)

   117,647    1,999,999.00 

Sukumar Nagendran, M.D.

   17,647    299,999.00 

Suyash Prasad, M.B.B.S., F.F.P.M

   3,529    59,993.00 

Nolan Capital, LLC(3)

   1,470    24,990.00 

(1)

Entities affiliated with FMR, LLC collectively hold more than 5% of our capital stock.

(2)

Paul B. Manning, a member of our Board of Directors and a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock, is the Chief Executive Officer of PBM Capital Group, LLC.

(3)

Sean P. Nolan, the Chairman of our Board of Directors, is the President of Nolan Capital, LLC.

Our Relationship with PBM Capital Group, LLC

In March 2020, we entered into a services agreement with PBM Capital Group, LLC, or the PBM Services Agreement. Under the PBM Services Agreement, PBM Capital Group, LLC provides accounting and other administrative and management services related to payroll administration, human resources, bookkeeping, preparation of financial statements and tax returns, accounts payable and receivable, and other similar functions for a fee of $2,500 per month. We paid PBM Capital Group, LLC an aggregate of $127,000, which includes certain passthrough costs under the PBM Services Agreement, during the year ended December 31, 2020. We terminated the services agreement in April 2021.

Employment Arrangements

We have entered into employment agreements or offer letter agreements with certain of our executive officers. For more information regarding our employment agreements with our named executive officers, see “Executive Compensation—Employment Agreements with our Named Executive Officers.”

We also employ Patrick Nolan as our Business Development Manager. Patrick Nolan is the son of Sean P. Nolan, the Chairman of our Board of Directors. We paid total compensation for Patrick Nolan in an aggregate amount of $140,556 and $65,027 during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Indemnification Agreements

We provide indemnification for our directors and executive officers so that they will be free from undue concern about personal liability in connection with their service to our company. Under our amended and restated bylaws, we are required to indemnify our directors and executive officers to the extent not prohibited under Delaware law. We have also entered into indemnity agreements with our executive officers and directors. These agreements provide, among other things, that we will indemnify the officer or director, under the circumstances and to the extent provided for in the agreement, for expenses, damages, judgments, fines and settlements he or she may be required to pay in actions or proceedings to which he or she is or may be made a party by reason of his or her position as a director, officer or other agent of our company, and otherwise to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and our amended and restated bylaws.

HOUSEHOLDINGHOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS PROXY MATERIALS

The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries, such as brokers, to satisfy the delivery requirements for Annual Meetingproxy statement materials with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single set of Annual Meetingthese 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.

This year,For this meeting, a number of brokers with account holders who are our stockholders will be “householding” the Company’s proxy materials. A single set of AnnualSpecial Meeting materials will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. Once 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 AnnualSpecial Meeting materials, please notify your broker or us. Direct your written request to Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc., Attention: Corporate Secretary, 3000 Pegasus Park Drive, Suite 1430, Dallas, Texas 75247. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the AnnualSpecial Meeting materials at their addresses and would like to request “householding” of their communications should contact their brokers.

OTHER MATTERSOTHER MATTERS

The Board of Directors knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the AnnualSpecial 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.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

LOGO

Timothy J. Douros

Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

Dated: April 28, 2022

A copy of the Company’s Annual Report toBoard of Directors,

Kamran Alam

Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Dated:     , 2023

14


Appendix I

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO THE

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF

TAYSHA GENE THERAPIES, INC.

Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc. (the “Company”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K forGeneral Corporation Law of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies that:

First: The name of the Company is available without charge upon written request to: Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc., Attention: Corporate Secretary,and that this corporation was originally incorporated in Texas pursuant to the Texas Business Organizations Code.

Second: That the Company subsequently converted to a corporation incorporated under the DGCL and filed the Certificate of Incorporation on February 13, 2020 under the name Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc., 3000 Pegasus Park Drive, Suite 1430, Dallas, Texas 75247.which was amended and restated on March 4, 2020 and July 2, 2020, amended on July 28, 2020 and September 16, 2020 and amended and restated on September 28, 2020.

Third: The Board of Directors of the Company, acting in accordance with the provisions of Sections 141 and 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, adopted resolutions to amend its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation as follows:

Article IV, Section A shall be amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

“The Company is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Company shall have authority to issue is four hundred million (400,000,000) shares shall be Common Stock (the “Common Stock”), each share having a par value of $0.00001, and ten million (10,000,000) shares shall be Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”), each share having a par value of $0.00001.”

Fourth: Thereafter pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors, this Certificate of Amendment was submitted to the stockholders of the Company for their approval, and was duly adopted at a special meeting of the stockholders of the Company, in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

In Witness Whereof, the Company on has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer this __ day of _________________, 2023.

Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc.
By:

Name: Sean P. Nolan

Title: Chief Executive Officer


LOGO

LOGO

TAYSHA GENE THERAPIES, INC.

3000 PEGASUS PARK DRIVE

SUITE 1430

DALLAS, TEXAS 75247 SCAN TO VIEW MATERIALS & VOTE

LOGO

VOTE BY INTERNET

Before The Meeting - Go to www.proxyvote.com or scan the QR Barcode above

Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information. Vote by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 16, 2022.November 14, 2023. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.

During The Meeting - Go to www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TSHA2022 TSHA2023SM

You may attend the meeting via the Internet and vote during the meeting. Have the information that is printed in the box marked by the arrow available and follow the instructions.

VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903

Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions. Vote by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 16, 2022.November 14, 2023. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.

VOTE BY MAIL

Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.

TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: D82366-P68048

V23454-S73303                                     KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS

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DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY

THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.

TAYSHA GENE THERAPIES, INC. The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR each nominee: For All Withhold All For All Except 1. To elect the Board’s Class II Director nominees, Phillip B. Donenberg and Sukumar Nagendran, to the Board of Directors to hold office until the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Nominees: 01) Phillip B. Donenberg 02) Sukumar Nagendran To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below. The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following proposal: For Against Abstain To ratify the selection by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2022. NOTE: In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment, continuation, or postponement thereof. Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date

LOGO     

The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following proposal:ForAgainstAbstain

1.  To approve an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended to date, to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 200,000,000 to 400,000,000.

NOTE: In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment, continuation, or postponement thereof.

Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer.

Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]DateSignature (Joint Owners)Date


LOGO

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the 2022 AnnualSpecial Meeting:

The Annual Report and Notice and Proxy Statement areis available at www.proxyvote.com. D82367-P68048

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V23455-S73303            

TAYSHA GENE THERAPIES, INC. Annual

Special Meeting of Stockholders June 17, 2022 10:

November 15, 2023 3:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time

This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors

The stockholder(s) acknowledge(s) receipt of the Notice of the 2022 AnnualSpecial Meeting of Stockholders of Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc. and the Proxy Statement and hereby appoint(s) RA Session IISean P. Nolan and Kamran Alam, or either of them, as proxies, each with the power to appoint his substitute, and hereby authorize(s) them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this ballot, all of the shares of Common Stock of Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc. that the stockholder(s) is/are entitled to vote at the 2022 AnnualSpecial Meeting of Stockholders to be held at 10:3:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time on Friday, June 17, 2022,Wednesday, November 15, 2023, which in light of public health concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, will be a virtual stockholder meeting through which you can listen to the meeting, submit questions and vote online at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TSHA2022,TSHA2023SM, and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein. If no such direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors’ recommendations. The above named proxies are authorized to vote in their discretion upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments, continuations, or postponements thereof.

Continued and to be signed on reverse side