Voyager Therapeutics appoints Robin Swartz as President
Voyager Therapeutics, Inc. appointed Robin Swartz as President on October 20, 2026. The company filed a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to disclose the leadership change and associated compensatory arrangements. Swartz, who currently serves as Chief Business Officer and Chief Operating Officer, will assume the presidency immediately. The filing states that Swartz is expected to succeed Alfred W. Sandrock, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer. This succession is anticipated following the receipt of initial acute safety data in the first quarter of 2027 from a clinical trial of VY1706 in adults with early Alzheimer's Disease. Dr. Sandrock is expected to continue serving on the Board of Directors after stepping down as CEO.
Voyager Therapeutics, Inc. appointed Robin Swartz as President on October 20, 2026. The company filed a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to disclose the leadership change and associated compensatory arrangements. Swartz, who currently serves as Chief Business Officer and Chief Operating Officer, will assume the presidency immediately. The filing states that Swartz is expected to succeed Alfred W. Sandrock, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer. This succession is anticipated following the receipt of initial acute safety data in the first quarter of 2027 from a clinical trial of VY1706 in adults with early Alzheimer's Disease. Dr. Sandrock is expected to continue serving on the Board of Directors after stepping down as CEO.
Swartz, age 56, has held various executive roles at Voyager Therapeutics since 2021. She served as Chief Operating Officer from February 2022 to November 2024 and resumed the role in November 2024 alongside her title as Chief Business Officer. Additionally, she has served as Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer since May 2026. Before joining Voyager, Swartz spent over two decades at Genzyme Corporation and Sanofi Genzyme, holding positions in finance operations, internal auditing, and business operations.
In connection with her appointment, Swartz entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with the company. The agreement provides an annualized base salary of $625,000, subject to board adjustment. She is eligible for an annual cash bonus targeted at 50% of her base salary. The board approved a stock option to purchase 318,500 shares of common stock, effective November 1, 2026. The exercise price will equal the closing price on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on the grant date. This option has a ten-year term and vests monthly over four years. She also received a restricted stock unit award for 68,250 shares, which vests in equal annual tranches over three years.
The employment agreement includes severance provisions for termination without cause or resignation for good reason. In such cases, Swartz would receive 12 months of base salary continuation, a pro rata target bonus, and up to 12 months of COBRA health insurance payments. If the termination occurs within 12 months following a sale event, all equity awards would accelerate in full. These benefits require the execution of a separation agreement and release of claims.
Voyager Therapeutics is incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts. Its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol VYGR.