POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UPON TERMINATION OR CHANGE IN CONTROL
Pursuant to our employment agreement with Dr.Demopulos we are required to make payments to him upon termination of his employment in the circumstances described below. In addition, under the terms of our equity incentive plans, all of our named executive officers and significant employees are entitled to acceleration of vesting of their option awards upon a merger or change in control under certain conditions or pursuant to terms and conditions as may be determined by the compensation committee according to such plans. See “Equity Acceleration Upon a Change in Control” below.
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH GREGORY A. DEMOPULOS, M.D.
Overview
We entered into an employment agreement with Dr.Demopulos dated April7, 2010 related to his service as our president and chief executive officer. Pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement, Dr.Demopulos is an at-will employee and was entitled to receive an initial annual base salary of $600,000, which our compensation committee reviews at least annually. Effective as of April 1, 2023, Dr. Demopulos’ annual salary was increased to $926,214 from $890,590. We may not reduce Dr.Demopulos’ annual base salary without his consent. Dr.Demopulos is entitled to participate in awards under our equity compensation and/or equity incentive plans at a level and on terms commensurate with his position and responsibilities, and no less favorable than those applicable to chief executive officers of peer companies as reasonably determined by the compensation committee, taking into account the recommendation of our independent compensation consultants. Dr.Demopulos also is entitled to participate in any employee benefit and fringe benefit plans that we make available to our executive employees, such as our equity compensation plans, 401(k)plan, disability and life insurance and company-paid health insurance. We also have agreed to allow Dr.Demopulos to maintain his status as a board-eligible orthopedic and hand and microvascular surgeon, which includes his performance of surgical procedures on a limited basis and have agreed to pay related malpractice insurance and professional fees, which were $12,902 in 2023. We believe that Dr.Demopulos’ ability to maintain his standing as a practicing surgeon is beneficial to our corporate objectives including, for example, providing him with insight in determining the strategic direction of the company as well as assisting in the establishment of relationships with key medical and other opinion leaders relevant to our drug programs and corporate strategies.
The employment agreement prohibits Dr.Demopulos from carrying on any business or activity, directly or indirectly, in direct competition with us or soliciting our employees to terminate their employment with us or to work with one of our competitors during his employment and for a period of up to twoyears following termination of his employment. In addition, the employment agreement prohibits him from soliciting or attempting to influence any of our customers or clients to purchase products from our competitors rather than our products.
The compensation due to Dr.Demopulos pursuant to his employment agreement following termination of his employment with us varies depending upon the nature of the termination.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 35
Termination Without Cause for Good Reason
Dr.Demopulos’ employment agreement provides that if we terminate his employment without “cause,” as defined below, or if he terminates his employment with us for “good reason,” as defined below, then until the earlier of (a)twoyears from the date of his termination and (b)his start date with a new employer that pays him an annual base salary at least equal to the annual base salary we paid to him prior to his termination (provided that if he terminates his employment for good reason because of a reduction in his annual base salary, then the annual base salary that will be measured will be the annual base salary we paid him prior to such reduction), we will be obligated to pay him on our regularly scheduled payroll dates on an annualized basis:
● the annual base salary he was receiving as of his termination, provided that if he terminates his employment for good reason because of a reduction in his annual base salary, then the annual base salary we will be obligated to pay him will be his annual base salary in effect prior to such reduction; plus
● the greater of (1)the average bonus paid or payable with respect to the preceding two calendaryears and (2)any bonus he would have been entitled to in theyear of his termination as determined by our board of directors in good faith.
In addition, if we terminate Dr.Demopulos’ employment without cause or if he terminates his employment with us for good reason, all of his unvested option awards will immediately vest and become exercisable until the maximum term of the respective option awards and all unvested restricted shares he holds, if any, will immediately vest. Dr.Demopulos and his eligible dependents may also continue to participate in all health plans we provide to our executive employees on the same terms as our employees for a period of up to twoyears from the date of his termination, unless his new employer provides comparable coverage.
“Cause” is defined under Dr.Demopulos’ employment agreement to mean:
● willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of his duties, including his refusal to comply in any material respect with the legal directives of our board of directors so long as such directives are not inconsistent with his position and duties, and such refusal to comply is not remedied within 10 workingdays after written notice from the board of directors;
● dishonest or fraudulent conduct that materially discredits us, a deliberate attempt to do an injury to us or conduct that materially discredits us or is materially detrimental to our reputation, including conviction of a felony;or
● material breach, if incurable, of any element of his confidential information and invention assignment agreement with us, including without limitation, his theft or other misappropriation of our proprietary information.
Dr.Demopulos may terminate his employment for “good reason” if he terminates his employment with us within 120days of the occurrence of any of the following events:
● any material diminution in his authority, duties or responsibilities;
● any material diminution in his base salary;
● we relocate his principal work location to a place that is more than 50miles from our current location;or
● we materially breach his employment agreement.
If any of the above events have occurred as a result of our action, we will have 30days from notice of such event from Dr.Demopulos to remedy the situation, in which case Dr.Demopulos will not be entitled to terminate his employment for good reason related to the event.
If Dr.Demopulos’ employment had been terminated without cause or if he had terminated his employment with good reason on December31, 2023, he would have been entitled to receive an annual base salary of $926,214 and an annual bonus amount of $957,090 (or any greater bonus amount to which he would have been entitled in 2023 as determined by our board of directors in good faith), payable on a bi-monthly basis over a period of up to twoyears from the date of termination. In addition, option awards with a value of $196,625 would automatically vest upon his termination, which is the difference between $3.27, the closing trading price of our common stock on December31, 2023, and the exercise price of the outstanding option awards held by Dr.Demopulos with an exercise price of less than $3.27 per share, multiplied by the number of shares subject to each such option award that would have automatically vested on his termination date.
Dr.Demopulos and his eligible dependents would also be entitled to participate in the health plans we provide to our employees for a period of up to twoyears from the date of his termination at an estimated cost to us of approximately $24,700.
Termination for Cause, Voluntary Termination, Death, or Disability
If we terminate Dr.Demopulos’ employment for cause, if he voluntarily terminates his employment with us other than for good reason, or if his employment is terminated as a result of his death or “disability,” as defined below, Dr.Demopulos will be entitled to receive payments for all earned but unpaid salary, bonuses and vacation time, but he will not be entitled to any severance benefits.
“Disability” is defined under Dr.Demopulos’ employment agreement as his inability to perform his duties as the result of his incapacity due to physical or mental illness, and such inability, which continues for at least 120 consecutive calendardays or 150 calendardays during any consecutive 12‑month period, if shorter, after its commencement, is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by us and our insurers and acceptable to Dr.Demopulos.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 36
2008 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN AND 2017 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
Under both the 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2008 Plan) and the 2017 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the 2017 Plan), if there is no assumption or substitution of outstanding option awards or replacement of such awards with a comparable cash incentive program by the successor corporation in connection with a merger or “change in control” (as separately defined in each plan), the option awards will become fully vested and exercisable immediately prior to the change in control. In addition, under awards granted under each of the 2008 Plan and the 2017 Plan, if within 12months following a change in control an employee, including Dr.Demopulos, Mr.Jacobsen or Mr. Cancelmo, is terminated without “cause” or as a result of a “constructive termination,” as such terms are defined below, any outstanding option awards held by him or her, as applicable, that we issued pursuant to the 2008 Plan or the 2017 Plan, as applicable, will become fully vested and exercisable. The amounts under these plans that our named executive officers would have received under each of these scenarios appear in the table below.
The 2008 Plan or the equity award agreements thereunder define key terms relating to the change in control provisions as follows:
● a “change in control”means a proposed sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or the merger of us with or into another corporation, or other change in control;
● a termination for “cause”means a termination of an employee for any of the following reasons: (1)his or her willful failure to substantially perform his or her duties and responsibilities to us or a deliberate violation of a company policy; (2)his or her commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty or any other willful misconduct that has caused or is reasonably expected to result in material injury to us; (3)unauthorized use or disclosure by him or her of any proprietary information or trade secrets of ours or any other party to whom he or she owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with us; or (4)his or her willful breach of any of his or her obligations under any written agreement or covenant with us;and
● a “constructive termination”means the occurrence of any of the following events: (1)there is a material adverse change in an employee’s position causing such position to be of materially reduced stature or responsibility; (2)a reduction of more than 30% of an employee’s base compensation unless in connection with similar decreases of other similarly situated employees; or (3)an employee’s refusal to comply with our request to relocate to a facility or location more than 50miles from our current location; provided that in order for an employee to be constructively terminated, he or she must voluntarily terminate his or her employment within 30days of the applicable material change or reduction.
The 2017 Plan defines key terms relating to the merger or change in control provisions as follows:
● a “change in control”means a sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or the merger of us with or into another corporation, or other change in control;
● a termination for “cause”means a termination of the employment or consulting relationship with the company for any of the following reasons: (1)willful misconduct or gross negligence in performance of duties or material violation of company policy; (2)commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty or any other willful misconduct that has caused or is reasonably expected to result in material injury to us; (3)unauthorized use or disclosure of any proprietary information or trade secrets of ours or any other party to whom he or she owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with us; or (4)willful breach of any of his or her obligations under any written agreement or covenant with us;and
● a “constructive termination”means the employee’s termination of employment within 120days of any of the following events: (1)any material diminution in the employee’s authority, duties or responsibilities;(2)any material diminution in base salary;(3)any change of more than 50 miles in the geographic location at which the employee must primarily perform services;and (4)any other action or inaction that constitutes a material breach by the company of an employment agreement with the employee;provided, however, that the employee must first provide the company with written notice specifying the foregoing occurrences within 90days of such occurrence, and provide the company with an opportunity to cure the condition within 30days of delivery of such notice.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 37
Equity Acceleration Upon a Change in Control
The following table summarizes the value that Dr.Demopulos, Mr.Jacobsen and Mr. Cancelmo would have derived from the acceleration of outstanding equity awards had a change in control (and certain other events, as applicable) occurred on December31, 2023.
The amounts below represent the difference between $3.27, the closing trading price of our common stock on December31, 2023, and the exercise price of the option awards with an exercise price of less than $3.27 per share held by these individuals, multiplied by the number of shares subject to such option awards that would have vested pursuant to the terms of our equity plans on December31, 2023 upon the occurrence of each of the events identified in the table below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Termination Without
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cause or Constructive
|
|
|
|
Option Awards
|
|
|
Option Awards
|
|
|
Termination Within
|
|
|
|
Assumed by
|
|
|
Not Assumed
|
|
|
12 Months of Change in
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Successor ($)
|
|
|
by Successor ($)
|
|
|
Control ($)
|
|
|
Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D.
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
196,625
|
|
|
|
196,625
|
|
|
Michael A. Jacobsen
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
27,500
|
|
|
|
27,500
|
|
|
Peter B. Cancelmo, J.D.
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
27,500
|
|
|
|
27,500
|
|
CEO PAY RATIO DISCLOSURE
We are required by SEC rulesand regulations to disclose the annual total compensation for our CEO and the median annual total compensation for our worldwide employee population excluding our CEO, and the ratio of annual total compensation for our CEO to the annual total compensation for our median employee. For 2023, we chose to use the same median employee that we identified for 2021, as permitted by SEC rules, because there has been no change in our employee population or employee compensation arrangements that we believe would significantly impact our pay ratio calculations.
To identify our median employee in 2021, we took the following steps:
1. We determined that, as of December31, 2021, our employee population consisted of 211 individuals (excluding our CEO), all of whom reside in the U.S. This population consisted of our full-time, part-time and temporary employees employed with us as of the determination date.
2. To identify the “median employee” from our employee population, we used total W‑2 compensation consistently applied to all employees included in the calculation. We annualized the compensation for employees who were not employed by us for all of 2021 for purposes of establishing the distribution of employee compensation within our population and identified the employee nearest the median of this distribution who was employed for the fullyear 2021 as our median employee. We did not use any statistical sampling techniques and did not make any cost of living adjustments in identifying our median employee.
To determine our median employee’s annual total compensation, we identified and calculated the elements of that employee’s compensation for 2023 in accordance with the requirements of Item402(c)(2) of Regulation S-K. Based on this analysis, for 2023 the total compensation of our CEO was $7,689,843, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table above, and the total compensation of our median employee was $188,271. This results in a ratio of annual total CEO compensation to annual total median employee compensation of approximately 40.8 to 1.
Our reported CEO pay ratio is an estimate calculated in a manner consistent with SEC rulesfor identifying the median employee and determining the ratio of his or her compensation to that of our CEO. These rulespermit companies to employ a wide range of methodologies, estimates and assumptions. CEO pay ratios reported by other companies, which may have used other permitted methodologies or assumptions, and which may have a significantly different work force structure from ours, are not necessarily comparable to our CEO pay ratio. Also, as noted above, the dollar amount of stock option awards included in the total compensation for our CEO and our median employee represent the grant date fair value of stock option awards as computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, using assumptions set forth in Note12,
Stock-Based Compensation
, to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form10‑K for the fiscalyear ended December31, 2023. Realization of this compensation is dependent upon the price of our common stock at the time the stock options are exercised.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 38
PAY VERSUS PERFORMANCE
We are required by SEC rulesand regulations to disclose certain information about the relationship between executive compensation and corporate financial performance measures. The compensation committee does not use the following information as a primary basis for making compensation decisions, nor does it use the performance measures described below to measure performance for incentive-based compensation. This section should be read in conjunction with the section entitled “Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis” above in this proxy statement, which includes additional discussion of the objectives of our executive compensation program and how they are aligned with our financial and operational performance. We have prepared the disclosure in this section in accordance with the requirements that apply to smaller reporting companies.
Pay Versus Performance Table
The following table reflects our named executive officers’ “compensation actually paid” (calculated in accordance with SEC regulations) and certain financial performance measures for each of the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value of Initial
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Summary
|
|
|
Average
|
|
|
Fixed $100
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Investment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table Total for
|
|
|
Actually Paid to
|
|
|
Based on
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summary
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Non-CEO Named
|
|
|
Non-CEO Named
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation Table
|
|
|
Actually Paid
|
|
|
Executive
|
|
|
Executive
|
|
|
Shareholder
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total for CEO
|
|
|
to CEO
|
|
|
Officers
|
|
|
Officers
|
|
|
Return (TSR)
|
|
|
Net Income (Loss)
|
|
|
Year
|
|
($)(1)(2)
|
|
|
($)(1)(3)(4)
|
|
|
($)(1)(2)
|
|
|
($)(1)(3)(4
)
|
|
|
($)(5)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
2023
|
|
|
7,689,843
|
|
|
|
8,692,540
|
|
|
|
853,301
|
|
|
|
989,547
|
|
|
|
22.88
|
|
|
|
(117,813,000
|
)
|
|
2022
|
|
|
3,728,686
|
|
|
|
1,333,430
|
|
|
|
756,392
|
|
|
|
422,578
|
|
|
|
15.82
|
|
|
|
47,417,000
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
7,415,675
|
|
|
|
1,356,879
|
|
|
|
1,265,073
|
|
|
|
416,881
|
|
|
|
45.00
|
|
|
|
194,235,000
|
|
(1) For each year shown, the CEO was Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D. and the other named executive officers were Michael A. Jacobsen and Peter B. Cancelmo, J.D.
(2) Amounts shown in these columns reflect the corresponding amounts in the “Total”column set forth in the Summary Compensation Table above in this proxy statement. See the footnotes to the Summary Compensation Table for further detail regarding the calculation of the amounts in these columns.
(3) Amounts shown in these columns do not reflect compensation realized by the named executive officers during the years presented. To calculate “compensation actually paid,”the following amounts were deducted from and added to the “Total”compensation set forth in the Summary Compensation Table:
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 39
|
|
Summary
Compensation
Table Total
|
|
|
Amounts
Reported in
the Summary
Compensation
Table for
Option
Awards
|
|
|
Fair Value of
Option Awards
Granted During
the Year,
Outstanding and
Unvested at
Year-End
|
|
|
Change in
Fair Value of
Option Awards
Granted in Any
Prior Year,
Outstanding and
Unvested at
Year-End
|
|
|
Fair Value of
Option Awards
Granted and
Vested in the
Same Year
|
|
|
Change in
Fair Value of
Option Awards
Granted in Any
Prior Year,
Vested During
the Year
|
|
|
Fair Value of
Option Awards
Granted in Any
Prior Year,
Forfeited
During
the Year
|
|
|
Compensation
Actually Paid
|
|
|
Year
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
Principal Executive Officer
|
|
|
2023
|
|
|
7,689,843
|
|
|
|
(1,724,564
|
)
|
|
|
1,587,792
|
|
|
|
424,137
|
|
|
|
250,256
|
|
|
|
465,076
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
8,692,540
|
|
|
2022
|
|
|
3,728,686
|
|
|
|
(1,934,052
|
)
|
|
|
835,711
|
|
|
|
(1,186,690
|
)
|
|
|
273,873
|
|
|
|
(384,098
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,333,430
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
7,415,675
|
|
|
|
(5,670,963
|
)
|
|
|
1,525,156
|
|
|
|
(2,661,665
|
)
|
|
|
719,442
|
|
|
|
29,233
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
1,356,879
|
|
|
Average for Non-CEO Named Executive Officers
|
|
|
2023
|
|
|
853,301
|
|
|
|
(241,198
|
)
|
|
|
222,068
|
|
|
|
55,986
|
|
|
|
35,002
|
|
|
|
64,389
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
989,547
|
|
|
2022
|
|
|
756,392
|
|
|
|
(245,476
|
)
|
|
|
106,071
|
|
|
|
(174,002
|
)
|
|
|
34,761
|
|
|
|
(55,168
|
)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
422,578
|
|
|
2021
|
|
|
1,265,073
|
|
|
|
(773,313
|
)
|
|
|
207,976
|
|
|
|
(384,474
|
)
|
|
|
98,103
|
|
|
|
3,517
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
416,881
|
|
(4) Fair value or change in fair value, as applicable, of option awards in the “Compensation Actually Paid”columns was determined by reference to a Black-Scholes value as of the applicable year-end or vesting date(s), determined based on the same methodology as used to determine grant date fair value but using the closing public trading price of our common stock on the applicable revaluation date as the current market price and with an expected life set equal to the original expected life determined at grant, reduced by the amount of time elapsed from the grant date to the revaluation date, and in all cases based on volatility and risk-free interest rates determined as of the revaluation date based on the remaining expected life and based on an expected dividend rate of 0%. In addition, the risk-free interest rates are based on the quarter-to-date average for the applicable U.S. Treasury yield as of the revaluation date. For additional information on the assumptions used to calculate the valuation of the awards, see the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form10‑K for the applicable year.
(5) Represents the value, as of the last day of the indicated fiscal year, of an investment of $100 in our common stock on December 31, 2020.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 40
Relationship Between Compensation Actually Paid and Financial Performance Measures
We do not use cumulative total shareholder return and net income (loss) as performance measures in our executive compensation program. However, we do use several other performance measures to align executive compensation with our performance. As described in more detail in the section entitled “Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis” above in this proxy statement, our named executive officers are eligible to receive annual performance-based cash bonuses that are designed to provide appropriate incentives to achieve defined annual corporate objectives that are primarily operational, rather than financial, in nature. We also provide equity compensation in the form of stock options to incentivize and reward our named executive officers for long-term corporate performance based on the anticipated increase in value of our common stock in the future (as opposed to historical total shareholder return). These equity awards strongly align our named executive officers’ interests with those of our shareholders by providing a continuing financial incentive to maximize long-term value for our shareholders.
The following graphs illustrate the relationship between each of the financial performance measures in the Pay Versus Performance Table above and “compensation actually paid” to our CEO (referred to as “CEO CAP”) and, on average, to our other named executive officers (such average referred to as “NEO CAP”) for each of the three years ended December 31, 2023.
|
|
|
The information provided in this section entitled “Pay Versus Performance” will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate this information by reference.
TOTAL REALIZABLE PAY
“Compensation actually paid,” as described in the Pay Versus Performance analysis above, is defined by SEC rules and includes components not traditionally associated with realized or realizable pay.We are presenting below the calculation of “total realizable pay,” which is the compensation actually received (or “realized”) by our named executive officers in a particular year plus the realizable value of outstanding option awards that vested during the year. We define the “realizable” value of vested option awards as the intrinsic value of the option awards, which is the closing public trading price of our common stock minus the exercise price of the option awards as of a given date. We believe it is important to distinguish between the actual cash and intrinsic value of option awards received by each named executive officer as opposed to the grant date fair value of option awards as presented in the Summary Compensation Table or the fair value of such option awards as calculated to determine “compensation actually paid” in the Pay Versus Performance analysis. Information related to total realizable pay is meant to supplement, rather than to replace, the information presented in the Summary Compensation Table and the Pay Versus Performance analysis. We also note that our calculation of realizable pay may differ from similarly titled measures presented by other companies.
We calculate total realizable pay as the sum of:
● base salary paid during the year, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table;
● cash bonus paid during the year, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table;
● the value realized upon the exercise of option awards during the year;
● the intrinsic value of outstanding option awards that vested during the year; and
● all other compensation received during the year as reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 41
The following table reflects our named executive officers’ total realizable pay for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Realized
|
|
|
Realizable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
Realized
|
|
|
Realized
|
|
|
Option
|
|
|
Option
|
|
|
All Other
|
|
|
Realizable
|
|
|
|
|
Salary
|
|
|
Bonus
|
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
Awards
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Pay
|
|
|
Name and Principal Position
|
Year
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)(1)
|
|
|
($)(2)
|
|
|
($)(3)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D.
|
2023
|
|
|
917,308
|
|
|
|
5,024,179
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
39,325
|
|
|
|
23,792
|
|
|
|
6,004,604
|
|
|
President, Chief Executive Officer
|
2022
|
|
|
882,027
|
|
|
|
890,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
22,607
|
|
|
|
1,794,634
|
|
|
and Chairman of the Board
|
2021
|
|
|
848,103
|
|
|
|
875,000
|
|
|
|
2,676,590
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
21,609
|
|
|
|
4,421,302
|
|
|
Michael A. Jacobsen
|
2023
|
|
|
454,475
|
|
|
|
151,127
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
5,500
|
|
|
|
7,169
|
|
|
|
618,271
|
|
|
Vice President, Finance, Chief
|
2022
|
|
|
429,936
|
|
|
|
81,120
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
7,541
|
|
|
|
518,597
|
|
|
Accounting Officer and Treasurer
|
2021
|
|
|
401,700
|
|
|
|
97,000
|
|
|
|
348,515
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
6,625
|
|
|
|
853,840
|
|
|
Peter B. Cancelmo, J.D.
|
2023
|
|
|
456,548
|
|
|
|
147,550
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
5,500
|
|
|
|
7,337
|
|
|
|
616,935
|
|
|
Vice President, General Counsel
|
2022
|
|
|
417,960
|
|
|
|
77,760
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
7,516
|
|
|
|
503,236
|
|
|
and Secretary
|
2021
|
|
|
381,600
|
|
|
|
90,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
6,594
|
|
|
|
478,194
|
|
(1) Represents the difference between the closing public trading price of our common stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price of the option award.
(2) Represents the intrinsic value of all option awards that vested during the year, calculated by subtracting the exercise price from the closing public trading price of our common stock on the last trading day of the year. Option awards with an exercise price above the closing public trading price of our common stock on the last trading day of the year are assigned a value of zero as they were “underwater,”meaning that the named executive officer could not realize value upon the exercise of the option awards.
(3) All Other Compensation includes perquisites and other personal benefits paid to Dr.Demopulos of $19,117, $17,857 and $17,009 in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Perquisites and personal benefits consisted of expenses incurred by Dr.Demopulos to retain his medical license, including medical malpractice insurance premiums and practice fees, and business-related information technology expenses.
All Other Compensation for Dr. Demopulos, Mr.Jacobsen and Mr. Cancelmo includes life insurance premium payments, parking expenses and 401(k) matching contributions.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 42
TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS
We have adopted a written policy that prohibits our executive officers, directors and director nominees and principal shareholders, including their immediate family members, from entering into a related-party transaction with us without the approval of our audit committee. Any request for us to enter into a transaction with an executive officer, director or director nominee, principal shareholder, or any of such persons’ immediate family members, in which such party had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest and where the amount involved exceeds $120,000, other than certain excluded transactions including those involving compensation for services provided to us as an executive officer or director, must be presented to our audit committee for review, consideration and approval. All of our directors and executive officers are required to report to our audit committee any such related-party transaction. In considering the proposed related-party transaction, our audit committee will consider the relevant facts and circumstances available and deemed relevant to the audit committee, including, whether the transaction is fair to us, whether there are business reasons to enter into the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would be similar if the transaction did not involve a related party, whether the transaction would impair the independence of a non-employee director, the materiality of the transaction and whether the transaction would present an improper conflict of interest between us and the related party.
The following is a summary of transactions since January1, 2022 to which we have been a party in which the amount involved exceeded $120,000 and in which any of our executive officers, directors or beneficial holders of more than fivepercent of our common stock had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than compensation arrangements which are described elsewhere in this proxy statement. We believe that the terms of such transactions are as favorable as those we could have obtained from parties not related to us.
Technology Transfer Agreements
We are party to technology transfer agreements with Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D. pursuant to which he irrevocably transferred to us all of his intellectual property rights in our early PharmacoSurgery® platform and our former Chondroprotective program, for which we have suspended activity. Other than his rights as a shareholder, Dr.Demopulos has not retained any rights to our PharmacoSurgery platform or Chondroprotective program, except that if we file for liquidation under Chapter7 of the U.S.Bankruptcy Code or voluntarily liquidate or dissolve, other than in connection with a merger, reorganization, consolidation or sale of assets, Dr.Demopulos and another individual have the right to repurchase the PharmacoSurgery and Chondroprotective intellectual property at their respective then-current fair market values.
Indemnification Agreements
We have entered and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by the board of directors. With certain exceptions, these agreements provide for indemnification for expenses including, among other things, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding relating to their service to Omeros.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 43
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock at April 18, 2024, for: each person who we know beneficially owns more than fivepercent of our common stock; each of our directors; each of our named executive officers; and all of our directors and executive officers as a group.
We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rulesof the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws. Applicablepercentage ownership is based on 57,944,159 shares of common stock outstanding at April 18, 2024. In computing the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by a person and thepercentage ownership of that person, we deemed to be outstanding all shares of common stock subject to options held by that person that are currently exercisable or will become exercisable within 60days of April 18, 2024. We did not deem these shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing thepercentage ownership of any other person.
Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each person who owns more than fivepercent of our common stock listed in the table below is c/oOmeros Corporation, The Omeros Building, 201 Elliott Avenue West, Seattle, Washington 98119.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Percent of Class
|
|
|
|
Exercisable
|
|
|
Beneficially
|
|
|
Beneficially
|
|
|
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
|
|
Stock Options(1)
|
|
|
Owned(2)
|
|
|
Owned
|
|
|
5% Security Holders:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BlackRock, Inc. (3)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
4,279,836
|
|
|
|
7.4
|
%
|
|
Ingalls Snyder, LLC (4)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
4,431,188
|
|
|
|
7.6
|
%
|
|
The Vanguard Group (5)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
3,168,936
|
|
|
|
5.5
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Named Executive Officers and Directors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D.
|
|
|
3,846,042
|
|
|
|
5,873,028
|
|
|
|
9.5
|
%
|
|
Michael A. Jacobsen
|
|
|
649,584
|
|
|
|
663,584
|
|
|
|
1.1
|
%
|
|
Peter B. Cancelmo, J.D.
|
|
|
239,791
|
|
|
|
239,991
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
Thomas F. Bumol, Ph.D.
|
|
|
60,000
|
|
|
|
70,000
|
(7)
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
Thomas J. Cable
|
|
|
82,500
|
|
|
|
117,567
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
Peter A. Demopulos, M.D.
|
|
|
82,500
|
|
|
|
455,398
|
(8)
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
Arnold C. Hanish
|
|
|
82,500
|
|
|
|
94,900
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
Leroy E. Hood, M.D., Ph.D.
|
|
|
82,500
|
|
|
|
156,890
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
Diana T. Perkinson, M.D.
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
Rajiv Shah, M.D.
|
|
|
92,500
|
|
|
|
92,500
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All executive officers and directors as a group (10 persons)
|
|
|
5,227,917
|
|
|
|
7,773,858
|
|
|
|
12.3
|
%
|
* Less than 1%
(1) Represents shares that could be purchased pursuant to the exercise of option awards vested as of and within 60days of April 18, 2024.
(2) Represents outstanding shares plus the options set forth in the previous column.
(3) Derived from amount reported in a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 29, 2024. The address of BlackRock,Inc. is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001. The Schedule 13G indicates that BlackRock,Inc. has sole voting power over 4,218,026 shares of common stock and sole dispositive power over 4,279,836 shares of common stock. The Schedule 13G filed by the reporting person provides information as of December31, 2023 and, consequently, the beneficial ownership of the reporting person may have changed between December31, 2023 and the date of this proxy statement.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 44
(4) Derived from amount reported in Amendment No.12 to Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on March 27, 2024 and assumes conversion of $620,000 aggregate principal amount of our 5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026. The address of Ingalls Snyder, LLC is 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019. The Schedule 13G/A indicates that Ingalls Snyder, LLC has shared dispositive power, but lacks voting power, over the shares. The Schedule 13G/A filed by the reporting person provides information as of December31, 2023 and, consequently, the beneficial ownership of the reporting person may have changed between December31, 2023 and the date of this proxy statement.
(5) Derived from amount reported in a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 13, 2024. The address of The Vanguard Group is 100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355. The Schedule 13G indicates that The Vanguard Group has shared voting power over 56,506 shares, sole dispositive power over 3,085,958 shares and shared dispositive power over 82,978 shares. The Schedule 13G filed by the reporting person provides information as of December29, 2023 and, consequently, the beneficial ownership of the reporting person may have changed between December29, 2023 and the date of this proxy statement.
(6) Dr.Demopulos has pledged 2,026,986 of his outstanding shares of common stock as collateral for a loan as approved by the board of directors as described under “Corporate Governance—Hedging and Pledging Policy”in this proxy statement.
(7) The shares beneficially owned by Dr. Bumol are held of record by a revocable trust, of which Dr. Bumol and his spouse are co-trustees and beneficiaries with shared voting and investment power.
(8) Includes 164,382 shares of common stock held by The Demopulos Family Trust, of which Dr.Peter Demopulos is the trustee and a beneficiary along with his sister and their mother’s estate. Dr.Peter Demopulos disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by The Demopulos Family Trust except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
DELINQUENT SECTION 16(a) REPORTS
Each of our directors and executive officers and any greater than 10% beneficial owners of our common stock is required to report to the SEC, by a specified date, his or her transactions involving our common stock. Based solely on a review of the reports filed electronically with the SEC and written representations that no other reports were required to be filed, we believe that, during 2023, all reports required by Section 16(a) were timely filed, except that the reports on Form 4 filed on September 27, 2023 to report annual stock option grants to each of Gregory A. Demopulos, Michael A. Jacobsenand Peter B. Cancelmo were filed one day late due to an administrative oversight.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 45
PROPOSAL 3
–
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The audit committee of our board of directors has appointed Ernst Young LLP (Ernst Young) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the currentyear and the board of directors is asking our shareholders to ratify that appointment. Although current laws, rulesand regulations, as well as the charter of the audit committee, require our independent registered public accounting firm to be engaged, retained and supervised by the audit committee, the board considers the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm to be an important matter of shareholder concern and is submitting the selection of Ernst Young for ratification by shareholders as a matter of good corporate practice. If the shareholders do not ratify the selection of Ernst Young as our independent registered public accounting firm, the audit committee will consider this vote in determining whether or not to continue the engagement of Ernst Young. If the shareholders do ratify the selection of Ernst Young as our independent registered public accounting firm, the audit committee may nonetheless select a different auditing firm at any time during theyear if it determines that such a change would be in our best interests. Representatives of Ernst Young are expected to be present at the 2024 Annual Meeting, will have an opportunity to make a statement if they so desire and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
|
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ERNST YOUNG AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
|
Information Regarding our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Fees paid or accrued by us for professional services provided by Ernst Young, our independent auditors, in each of the last two fiscalyears, in each of the following categories (in thousands) are:
|
|
2023
|
|
|
2022
|
|
|
Audit Fees
|
|
$
|
1,189
|
|
|
$
|
1,052
|
|
|
Audit-Related Fees
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
Tax Fees
|
|
|
267
|
|
|
|
117
|
|
|
All Other Fees
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
Total Fees
|
|
$
|
1,456
|
|
|
$
|
1,169
|
|
Audit Fees
Consists of fees associated with the annual audit of our financial statements, the reviews of our interim financial statements and quarterly reports on Form10‑Q and the issuance of consents and comfort letters in connection with registration statements.
Audit-Related Fees
Consists of fees associated with assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements including accounting consultations.
Tax Fees
Consists of fees associated with federal income tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning.
All Other Fees
Consists of fees associated with permitted corporate finance assistance and permitted advisory services, none of which were provided by our independent auditors during the last two fiscalyears.
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy
The audit committee must pre-approve all services to be performed for us by Ernst Young. Pre-approval is granted usually at regularly scheduled meetings of the audit committee. If unanticipated items arise between meetings of the audit committee, the audit committee has delegated authority to the chair of the audit committee to pre-approve services, in which case the chair communicates such pre-approval to the full audit committee at its next scheduled meeting. During 2023 and 2022, all services billed by Ernst Young were pre-approved by the audit committee in accordance with this policy.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 46
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
The audit committee’s primary function is to assist the board of directors in monitoring and overseeing the integrity of the company’s financial statements, systems of internal control and the audit process. Management has the primary responsibility for the financial statements and the reporting process, including the systems of internal controls and disclosure controls. The company’s independent auditor, Ernst Young LLP, is responsible for auditing those financial statements and expressing its opinion as to whether the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the company in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. In this context, the audit committee has met and held discussions with management and the independent auditor. Management represented to the audit committee that the company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the audit committee has reviewed and discussed the consolidated financial statements with management and the independent auditor.
The audit committee has discussed with the independent auditor matters required to be discussed with the audit committee under the applicable requirements of the Public Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, and the SEC, including the auditor’s judgment as to the quality, not just the acceptability, of the accounting principles and the consistency of their application and the clarity and completeness of the audited financial statements. In addition, the audit committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent auditor required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB, and has discussed with the independent auditor its independence from the company and its management.
The audit committee has also discussed with the company’s internal and independent auditors the overall scope and plans for their respective audits, including internal control testing under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as the company’s critical accounting policies and estimates and the critical audit matter addressed during the audit. The audit committee periodically meets with the internal and independent auditors, with and without management present, and in private sessions with members of senior management (such as the chief executive officer and the principal financial officer) to discuss the results of their examinations, their evaluations of the company’s internal controls and risks related thereto, including cybersecurity risks, and the overall quality of the company’s financial reporting. The audit committee also periodically meets in executive session.
In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the audit committee recommended to the board of directors, and the board of directors has approved, the inclusion of the audited financial statements in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, for filing with the SEC.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Arnold C. Hanish, Chair
Thomas J. Cable
Rajiv Shah, M.D.
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 47
|
OBTAINING AN ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
The 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the exhibits filed with it are available on our investor relations website at https://investor.omeros.com. Upon written request by any beneficial shareholder or shareholder of record, we will furnish, without charge, a copy of the 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the financial statements and the related footnotes. Requests should be made in writing addressed to:
Omeros Corporation
The Omeros Building
201 Elliott Avenue West
Seattle, Washington 98119
Attn: Investor Relations
We will charge you for our copying costs if exhibits to the 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K are requested.
|
OTHER BUSINESS
Our board of directors is not aware of any other matters to be presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting. If, however, any other matter should properly come before the 2024 Annual Meeting, the enclosed proxy card confers discretionary authority with respect to such matter.
April 29, 2024
|
By Order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
|
|
|
Peter B. Cancelmo
|
|
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
|
|
|
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
If you plan to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting, which will be conducted virtually via the Internet, we encourage you to vote in advance of the meeting to ensure that your shares are represented at the meeting. Please see “Information Concerning Proxy Solicitation, Voting and the Meeting—Attending the 2024 Annual Meeting.”You may vote prior to the 2024 Annual Meeting by mailing the proxy card in the enclosed postage-prepaid envelope, by telephone or via the Internet in accordance with the instructions on your proxy card. Even if you vote in advance of the 2024 Annual Meeting, you may still attend and vote at the meeting if you attend virtually via the Internet.
|
2024 PROXY STATEMENT / 48