{"schema_version":"secwatch.filing_event.v1","accession":"0000886163-22-000137","form_type":"8-K","ticker":"LGND","cik":"0000886163","company_name":"LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC","filed_at":"2022-12-05T23:59:59+00:00","discovered_at":"2026-05-14T18:03:53.873383+00:00","generated_at":"2026-06-21T10:00:08.422684+00:00","sec_items":["5.02"],"event_type":"leadership","sentiment":"neutral","materiality_score":0.7,"calibrated_materiality_score":0.7,"confidence":"high","headline":"Ligand Pharmaceuticals CEO John Higgins retires; Todd Davis appointed CEO effective Dec 5, 2022","bullets":["John L. Higgins retired as CEO effective Dec 5, 2022; will resign from board Dec 31; receives 18 months salary, full equity vesting at target, and 2-year option extension.","Todd C. Davis, a board member, appointed CEO; base salary $650k, target bonus 60% of salary, and 132k stock options vesting over 4 years.","Davis severance: 18 months salary if terminated without cause pre-change-of-control; 2x salary + 2x max target bonus plus 24 months health if within 24 months post-change-of-control."],"urls":{"canonical":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886163-22-000137","json":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886163-22-000137.json","markdown":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886163-22-000137.md","text":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000886163-22-000137.txt","edgar_index":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886163/000088616322000137/0000886163-22-000137-index.htm","edgar_primary_document":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886163/000088616322000137/lgnd-20221205.htm"},"model":{"generated_by":"deepseek-v4-flash:cloud@v2","generated_at":"2026-06-21T10:00:08.422684+00:00"},"review":{"review_status":"machine_generated","human_reviewed":false,"corrected":false,"correction_note":null,"correction_timestamp":null,"superseded_by":null,"related_filings":[]},"source_grounded_claims":[{"claim_id":"74935a2f85","claim":"John L. Higgins resigned as Member of the Board at LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC.","evidence_excerpt":"Mr. Higgins also resigned as a member of the Board, effective December 31, 2022.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886163/000088616322000137/0000886163-22-000137-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"resigned"},{"label":"Role","value":"Member of the Board"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"7f52d2b7b6","claim":"John L. Higgins retired as Chief Executive Officer at LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC.","evidence_excerpt":"John L. Higgins has retired as Chief Executive Officer of the Company","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886163/000088616322000137/0000886163-22-000137-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"retired"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chief Executive Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"},{"claim_id":"c35fb0abdb","claim":"Todd C. Davis was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC.","evidence_excerpt":"Todd C. Davis was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Company","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 5.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/886163/000088616322000137/0000886163-22-000137-index.htm","confidence":0.95,"family_label":"Executive change","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"appointed"},{"label":"Role","value":"Chief Executive Officer"}],"fact_type":"executive_change"}],"license":"Source filings: public domain (SEC EDGAR). Summaries (headline + bullets): CC-BY-4.0; attribute https://secwatch.observer"}