Anthony Quinn
About Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn, M.B. Ch.B., Ph.D., age 63, has served as an independent director of Generation Bio since December 2017. He is an honorary professor of molecular and clinical medicine at the University of Dundee (UK) since December 2022, and previously served as President/CEO and director of Aeglea BioTherapeutics (2017–2022). Dr. Quinn holds a Bachelor of Medical Sciences and M.B. Ch.B. (M.D.) from the University of Dundee and a Ph.D. in cancer research from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne; his background spans clinical medicine and drug development, including leadership roles at Synageva BioPharma and F. Hoffmann-La Roche.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc. | President & CEO; Director | Jul 2017 – Aug 2022 | Led biotech through clinical development; board-level leadership |
| IDBioPharm Consulting LLC | Independent consultant | Oct 2015 – Jul 2017 | Strategic consulting in biotech R&D |
| Synageva BioPharma Corp. | Head of R&D; Chief Medical Officer | Aug 2009 – Jun 2015 | Advanced rare disease programs; acquired by Alexion |
| F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG | VP & Global Head, Research & Exploratory Development (Inflammation) | Prior to 2009 (dates not specified) | Early-stage portfolio leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Dundee (UK) | Honorary Professor | Since Dec 2022 | Molecular and clinical medicine |
| Kaleido BioSciences, Inc. | Director | Feb 2016 – Jun 2022 | Clinical-stage healthcare company board service |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board determined in April 2025 that all non-employee directors, including Dr. Quinn, are independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Committees: Audit Committee member; the committee met 5 times in 2024. Dr. Quinn co-signed the Audit Committee report (members: Charles Rowland—Chair, Gustav Christensen, Anthony Quinn).
- Attendance: The full board met 5 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of board and applicable committee meetings.
- Board leadership: Chairman role separated from CEO; independent directors meet in executive session at least twice per year.
- Talent (Compensation) Committee independence and consultant: Independent members; engaged Compensia, Inc.; no consultant conflicts disclosed.
- Governance policies: Code of Business Conduct and Ethics; corporate governance guidelines; anti-hedging and pledging restrictions; compensation recovery (clawback) policy adopted Oct 2, 2023.
- Anti-repricing: 2020 Plan prohibits option repricing without shareholder approval.
Fixed Compensation
2024 director cash compensation for Anthony Quinn:
| Component | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer | 40,000 | Standard non-employee director retainer |
| Audit Committee Member Fee | 7,500 | Member fee |
| Total Cash Fees (2024) | 47,500 | As disclosed in director compensation table |
Program fee schedule (effective Apr 1, 2024):
| Body/Committee | Member Annual Fee ($) | Chair Additional Fee ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | 40,000 | 30,000 |
| Audit Committee | 7,500 | 7,500 |
| Talent Committee | 7,500 | 7,500 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | 4,000 | 4,000 |
Performance Compensation
Director equity program and awards:
- Annual director option grant: 30,000 shares; vests 100% on the earlier of first anniversary or the next annual meeting; 10-year term; exercise price = FMV on grant date. Initial grant for newly-elected directors: 60,000 shares (36-month monthly vesting).
- 2024 equity value (grant-date fair value): $166,476 (options).
- Outstanding options as of Dec 31, 2024: 171,200 shares (aggregate subject to outstanding option awards).
| Equity Metric | 2024 | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Option Awards (Grant-Date Fair Value) | $166,476 | Black-Scholes; exercise price = FMV; 10-year term |
| Annual Option Grant Size | 30,000 shares | Vests at earlier of 1-year anniversary or next annual meeting |
| Options Outstanding (12/31/24) | 171,200 shares | Aggregate subject to outstanding options |
No performance-based equity (e.g., PSUs) or director-specific performance metrics were disclosed for directors.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public/Private | Role | Overlap/Interlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaleido BioSciences, Inc. | Public (at time of service) | Director (2016–2022) | No disclosed related-party transactions with GBIO – |
| Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc. | Public (at time of service) | President/CEO; Director (2017–2022) | No disclosed related-party transactions with GBIO – |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Clinical medicine and drug development expertise, including leadership of therapeutics for inflammatory conditions and rare diseases; prior executive R&D roles at Synageva and Roche.
- Academic appointment in molecular and clinical medicine (University of Dundee).
- Board-level experience across multiple biotech companies.
Equity Ownership
Beneficial ownership as of April 7, 2025 (Record Date):
| Holding Type | Shares |
|---|---|
| Directly held | 299,286 |
| Quinn Family Irrevocable Trust (2021) | 72,837 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 171,200 |
| Total beneficial ownership | 543,323 |
| Ownership % of outstanding shares (67,013,359) | <1% |
Policy notes:
- Anti-hedging and pledging: Company policy prohibits short sales, derivative hedging, and pledging/margin transactions in GBIO stock.
Governance Assessment
- Independence and oversight: Dr. Quinn is independent and serves on the Audit Committee, which met 5 times in 2024; he co-signed the Audit Committee report—supporting effective financial oversight.
- Engagement: The board met 5 times, and all directors (including Quinn) satisfied the ≥75% attendance threshold for board/committee meetings in 2024.
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mixes fixed cash ($47,500) with equity options (grant-date value $166,476), and the 2024 program increased equity awards—tightening long-term alignment while avoiding meeting fees and maintaining capped director compensation under the 2020 Plan.
- Risk controls: Anti-hedging/pledging policy, clawback adoption (Oct 2, 2023), and explicit anti-repricing protections reinforce investor-aligned governance.
- Related-party exposure: No related-party transactions involving Dr. Quinn are disclosed; GBIO maintains an audit committee review process for related-person transactions >$120,000. –
- Investor sentiment: 2024 Say-on-Pay passed by a significant majority, indicating broad shareholder support for GBIO’s compensation practices.
- Contextual risk: Nasdaq minimum bid-price non-compliance and potential reverse split authorization frame broader market/listing risk; while not director-specific, board oversight of listing status and capital strategy is critical for investor confidence. –
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Dr. Quinn (no attendance shortfalls, pledging, or related-party transactions). Option repricing is prohibited without shareholder approval.