Company: RNAC
Filing Date: 2025-04-28
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001453687-25-000075
Chunk: 53

Company: Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-04-28
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 53
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 with respect to the compensation of our executive officers.

#### Compensation Elements
The three primary elements of our executive compensation programs are: (1) base salary, (2) annual cash bonus opportunities, and (3) long-term incentives in the form of equity awards, as described below. Additionally during the year ended December 31, 2023, we utilized non-recurring retention bonuses.

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| Compensation Element               |     | What This Element Rewards                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |     | Purpose and Key Features of Element                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Base salary                        |     | Individual performance, level of experience, expected future performance and contributions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |     | Provides competitive level of fixed compensation determined by the market value of the position, with actual base salaries established based on the facts and circumstances of each executive officer and each individual position.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Annual cash bonuses                |     | Achievement of pre-established corporate and individual performance objectives (for 2024, focused on the advancement of our pipeline, corporate strategy and business development, manufacturing and Merger integration, culture and engagement, and the Company’s financials, as well as  management objectives).                     |     | Motivate executive officers to achieve certain corporate objectives and drive the company’s value.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
 Generally, performance levels are established to incentivize our executive officers to achieve or exceed performance objectives. For 2024, payouts for corporate performance objectives were not weighted individually, and the Compensation Committee had discretion to determine payouts based on overall achievement of the corporate goals as a group, taking into account overachievement on certain objectives, if applicable. Payouts for individual performance objectives could range from 0% to an undetermined percentage. |
| Retention bonuses                  |     | Maintain a stable management team and retain key Company talent through short-term market volatility and changes in corporate strategy.                                                                                                                                                                                                |     | Designed to stabilize the executive leadership team and reduce the possibility of turnover. These non-recurring retention bonuses awarded during the year ended December 31, 2023 were subject to repayment in the event the award recipient resigned other than for “Good Reason” or was earlier terminated by the Board of Directors prior to June 30, 2024.                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Long-term incentives/equity awards |     | Achievement of corporate and individual performance objectives designed to enhance long-term stockholder value and attract, retain, motivate, and reward executive officers over extended periods for achieving important corporate objectives. Time-based vesting requirements promote retention