---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-24-223726"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ACAD"
cik: "0001070494"
company_name: "ACADIA PHARMACEUTICALS INC"
filed_at: "2024-09-23T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-31T02:16:30.344046+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Acadia CEO Stephen R. Davis terminated Sept 23; Catherine Owen Adams appointed

## Summary
- Stephen R. Davis involuntarily terminated without cause as President and CEO effective Sept 23, 2024; resigns from board.
- Davis receives severance: 1.5x base+target bonus, pro-rata 2024 bonus, 12 months accelerated equity, 18 months COBRA.
- Catherine Owen Adams appointed CEO and director effective Sept 23; previously SVP and GM U.S. at BMS overseeing $20B business.
- Adams compensation: $900k base salary, 80% target bonus, $500k sign-on, plus equity awards of $3.25M in options and $3.25M in PSUs.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-24-223726
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ACAD
- cik: 0001070494
- company_name: ACADIA PHARMACEUTICALS INC
- filed_at: 2024-09-23T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1070494/000119312524223726/0001193125-24-223726-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1070494/000119312524223726/d861822d8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-24-223726
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-24-223726.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-24-223726.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Stephen R. Davis was terminated as President and Chief Executive Officer at ACADIA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
  - Action: terminated
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Stephen R. Davis is departing the Company and will be succeeded by Catherine Owen Adams.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1070494/000119312524223726/0001193125-24-223726-index.htm
- Executive change
  Catherine Owen Adams was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at ACADIA PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On September 20, 2024, the Board appointed Catherine Owen Adams, age 54, to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, including as the “principal executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, effective as of the Transition Date.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1070494/000119312524223726/0001193125-24-223726-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.