---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001564590-22-000432"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "SPRB"
cik: "0001683553"
company_name: "SPRUCE BIOSCIENCES, INC."
filed_at: "2022-01-05T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-27T20:38:23.026661+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.75
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Spruce Biosciences appoints Javier Szwarcberg as CEO, promotes Samir Gharib to President

## Summary
- Javier Szwarcberg, M.D., MPH, appointed CEO and director effective Jan 3, 2022; succeeds interim CEO Michael Grey, who remains Executive Chairman.
- Samir Gharib, MBA, promoted to President while continuing as CFO; salary increased to $430,000 with target bonus of 45%.
- Szwarcberg receives options to purchase 1,000,000 shares at $4.59; 750k time-vested over 4 yrs, 250k performance-vested on CAHmelia-204 trial milestones.
- Preliminary cash, cash equivalents and investments estimated at $121.4M as of Dec 31, 2021 (unaudited).

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001564590-22-000432
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: SPRB
- cik: 0001683553
- company_name: SPRUCE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
- filed_at: 2022-01-05T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.75
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 8.01, 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1683553/000156459022000432/0001564590-22-000432-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1683553/000156459022000432/sprb-8k_20211229.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-22-000432
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-22-000432.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001564590-22-000432.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Michael Grey changed role as Interim Chief Executive Officer at SPRUCE BIOSCIENCES, INC..
  - Role: Interim Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Dr. Szwarcberg will succeed Michael Grey, who had served as the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer since November 15, 2021, and who will continue to hold his position as Executive Chairman of the Board.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1683553/000156459022000432/0001564590-22-000432-index.htm
- Executive change
  Javier Szwarcberg was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at SPRUCE BIOSCIENCES, INC..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: appointed Javier Szwarcberg, M.D., MPH, as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective January 3, 2022
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1683553/000156459022000432/0001564590-22-000432-index.htm
- Executive change
  Javier Szwarcberg was appointed as Class III director at SPRUCE BIOSCIENCES, INC..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Class III director
  source text: the Board also appointed Dr. Szwarcberg as a member of the Board effective as of the Start Date.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1683553/000156459022000432/0001564590-22-000432-index.htm

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