Sam Kintz
About Sam Kintz
Samuel “Sam” Kintz, MBA, is Co‑founder, President and CEO of Enliven Therapeutics and a director since the February 23, 2023 merger; he previously served as Former Enliven’s CEO since June 2019. He holds a BS in Chemistry from Stanford and an MBA from Stanford GSB; prior roles include medicinal chemist at Genentech, strategy/business development at Stemcentrx (acquired by AbbVie), and Head of Research at AbbVie Stemcentrx, with venture experience at Roche Venture Fund. Age 39 as of March 3, 2025; ELVN is a clinical-stage, pre‑revenue oncology company advancing ELVN‑001 (BCR‑ABL) and ELVN‑002 (HER2), with 2024 net loss of $89.0M and cash of $313.4M (runway into mid‑2027) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Stemcentrx LLC | Executive Director, Head of Research | Oct 2016 – Jun 2019 | Led research; foundation for ELVN programs |
| Stemcentrx, Inc. | Senior Director, Strategy & Business Development | Feb 2016 – Oct 2016 | Corporate strategy pre-acquisition by AbbVie |
| Genentech | Medicinal Chemist | — | Designed small‑molecule oncology drugs |
| Roche Venture Fund | Venture role | — | Early-stage investing experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | No public company directorships disclosed for Mr. Kintz beyond ELVN |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary ($) | 561,190 | 600,000 |
| Target bonus (% of salary) | 50% | 50% (raised to 55% in Jan 2025) |
| Actual annual bonus paid ($) | 302,500 (2023 payout; paid 2024) | 360,000 (2024 payout; paid 2025) |
Performance Compensation
| Year | Performance metrics | Target bonus (%) | Payout multiplier | Payout ($) | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Clinical Development Goals; Pipeline Goals; Corporate & Strategic Goals | 50% | 110% of target | 302,500 | Annual cash bonus (paid 2024) |
| 2024 | Clinical Development Goals; Pipeline Goals; Corporate & Strategic Goals | 50% (raised to 55% effective Jan 2025) | 120% of target | 360,000 | Annual cash bonus (paid 2025) |
Notes: Weightings for individual metrics were not disclosed .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 1,965,971 shares (3.9% of outstanding) as of Mar 31, 2025 |
| Ownership breakdown | 990,392 shares held by The Kintz & Egan Trust; 975,579 shares via options exercisable within 60 days |
| Options – exercisable vs. unexercisable (12/31/2024) | 207,166 exercisable @ $22.75; 244,834 unexercisable @ $22.75; 188,841 exercisable @ $1.12; 404,363 exercisable @ $2.48; 410,000 unexercisable @ $14.85 |
| Hedging/pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of Company stock |
| Director pay for CEO | CEO received no additional compensation for board service |
Key Option Grants and Vesting
| Grant | Exercisable (#) | Unexercisable (#) | Exercise price ($) | Expiration | Vesting specifics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy option (2019 plan) | 188,841 | — | 1.12 | 6/15/2030 | Early exercise; monthly vesting (legacy) |
| Legacy repriced (Aug 9, 2022) | 404,363 | — | 2.48 | 3/24/2031 | 2022 repricing from $4.68 to $2.48 |
| Merger-era grant (2023) | 207,166 | 244,834 | 22.75 | 4/4/2033 | 25% vested 2/23/2024, remainder monthly over 36 months |
| 2024 grant | — | 410,000 | 14.85 | 2/13/2034 | 25% vested 2/13/2025, remainder monthly over 36 months |
Employment Terms
| Provision | Summary |
|---|---|
| Employment | At‑will; amended and restated confirmatory employment letter |
| Current terms | Base salary increased to $600,000 in Jan 2024; target bonus 50%; raised in Jan 2025 to $640,000 base and 55% target bonus |
| Severance (non‑CIC) | If terminated without cause/for good reason outside CIC window: 12 months base salary + up to 12 months COBRA |
| Change‑in‑Control (CIC) severance | Double‑trigger; 18 months base salary + 150% of target bonus + up to 18 months COBRA; 100% acceleration of unvested equity (performance awards deemed at target unless award specifies otherwise) |
| 280G treatment | “Best‑net” approach (cutback to maximize after‑tax benefit; no tax gross‑up) |
| Clawback | Compensation recovery policy adopted Aug 2023 compliant with Nasdaq/SEC; covers excess incentive comp upon restatement for covered officers (lookback generally three prior fiscal years) |
| Insider trading | Robust policy; prohibits hedging/pledging; blackout/compliance procedures |
Performance & Track Record
- 2024 financials: R&D $80.8M; G&A $23.8M; net loss $89.0M; cash and securities $313.4M; runway into mid‑2027 .
- Pipeline milestones: ELVN‑001 Phase 1a/b update expected mid‑2025; orphan drug designation for CML; post‑asciminib activity noted in 2024 updates; potential pivotal trial start in 2026 subject to data/regulatory feedback .
- ELVN‑002: ongoing Phase 1 monotherapy and combination cohorts; data expected H2‑2025 .
Board Governance
- Board structure: 8 directors, majority independent (6 of 8), classified board; independent Chair Richard Heyman; CEO Kintz is a director but not Chair, supporting separation of roles and independent oversight .
- Committees: Audit (Chair Jake Bauer), Compensation (Chair Rishi Gupta), Nominating & Governance (Chair Andrew Phillips); CEO not on any committees .
- Attendance: Board held four meetings in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of meetings/committees served .
- Executive sessions: Regular sessions of independent directors; code of conduct and governance guidelines in place .
Director Compensation (for context)
- Non‑employee director cash retainers in 2024: $35,000 board; committee chair/member fees as disclosed; increased in Jan 2025 for certain roles; annual option awards with pro‑rated vesting; change‑in‑control full vesting .
- CEO and CSO did not receive additional director compensation .
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Mix: High equity weighting via multi‑year option grants; annual cash bonuses tied to clinical/pipeline/corporate goals with payouts of 110% (2023) and 120% (2024), indicating above‑target execution .
- Options repricing: Legacy Former Enliven options repriced in Aug 2022 to $2.48, a governance sensitivity; disclosed without changes to other terms .
- Equity plan capacity and evergreen: Equity Plan reserve and evergreen increases approved/outlined; overhang ~19.4% as of Apr 8, 2024; burn rate disclosed, implying ongoing dilution for talent retention .
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Option repricing (Aug 2022) across outstanding options is a governance red flag, though pre‑merger and transparently disclosed .
- No tax gross‑ups; best‑net 280G cutback reduces parachute optics .
- Hedging/pledging prohibited, reducing alignment risk .
- Related‑party transactions: 2024 private placement included major holders (Venrock, FMR, Fairmount, Commodore); standard indemnities; no Kintz‑specific RPTs disclosed .
Equity Ownership & Outstanding Awards (detail)
| As of date | Shares beneficially owned | % outstanding | Direct/Trust | Options exercisable within 60 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2025 | 1,965,971 | 3.9% | 990,392 (Kintz & Egan Trust) | 975,579 |
Employment Terms – Change-in-Control Economics (quantified)
| Scenario | Cash multiple | Bonus multiple | COBRA | Equity vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIC termination (double trigger) | 18 months base | 150% of target | Up to 18 months | 100% accelerate; performance at target unless award specifies |
| Non‑CIC termination | 12 months base | — | Up to 12 months | No automatic acceleration |
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Bonus metrics tied to clinical execution with above‑target payouts (110%/120%) align CEO incentives to value‑creating milestones; hedging/pledging bans support long‑term alignment .
- Retention: Robust double‑trigger CIC package (18m base/150% bonus + full equity vesting) lowers retention risk through pivotal trial start; outside CIC severance (12m + COBRA) is standard .
- Dilution/overhang: Equity-heavy compensation with evergreen plan and disclosed overhang/burn rates indicates ongoing dilution; monitor grant pacing and future share requests .
- Governance mitigants: Independent Chair, majority‑independent board, clawback policy under SEC/Nasdaq rules and no tax gross‑ups temper pay risks; prior option repricing remains a watch item .
Board service and dual-role implications: Kintz serves as CEO and director, but the Chair is independent and separated, with independent committees and executive sessions—reducing independence concerns typically associated with combined CEO/Chair structures .