Michael Atkins
About Michael B. Atkins, M.D.
Michael B. Atkins is an independent Class III director of Werewolf Therapeutics (HOWL), serving on the board since January 2024 and previously on the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board since August 2018 . He is Deputy Director of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, William M. Scholl Professor and Vice Chair of Oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center; age 70 as of April 28, 2025 . He holds a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.D. from Tufts University, with internal medicine residency and hematology/oncology fellowship at Tufts–New England Medical Center; he is recognized for pioneering work in cytokine-based immunotherapy and has received major honors including OncLive’s Giant in Cancer Therapy Award (2021) and SITC Lifetime Achievement Award (2022) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center | Deputy Director; William M. Scholl Professor & Vice Chair, Dept. of Oncology | 2012–present | Academic leadership; oncology program oversight |
| MedStar Georgetown University Hospital | Staff Physician, Hematology-Oncology | 2012–present | Clinical leadership in immuno-oncology |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Deputy Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology; Leader, Biologic Therapy & Cutaneous Oncology Programs | 1997–2012 | Co-PI Harvard Skin Cancer SPORE; founding leader DF/HCC Kidney Cancer Program; Director DF/HCC Kidney Cancer SPORE |
| Harvard Medical School | Professor | Appointed 2002 | Oncology faculty leadership |
| Tufts Medical Center | Oncology roles (early career) | 1987–1997 | Clinical/academic oncology |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) | Past President | Prior service | Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 |
| Melanoma Research Alliance | Chair, Medical Advisory Panel | Current | Advisory leadership |
| Melanoma Research Foundation | Co-chair, Scientific Advisory Committee; Board Member | Current | Governance in melanoma research |
| NCI Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee | Past Member | Prior service | Federal advisory role |
| ASCO | Fellow (2024); past Nominating Committee member | Current/prior | Professional recognition |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member; chair is Luke Evnin .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except CEO Daniel Hicklin and Briggs Morrison are independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules; Atkins is independent .
- Attendance: In 2024, full board met five times; each director attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership: Independent chair (Luke Evnin); roles of chair and CEO separated; no lead independent director given independent chair .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board cash retainer (member) | $40,000 | 2024 program cash; increased from $35,000 in 2023 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member fee | $4,000 | 2024 program fee |
| Total fees earned (cash) | $44,000 | Actual 2024 cash paid to Atkins |
| Other compensation (Scientific Advisory Board) | $70,000 | For 2024 SAB service |
- 2024 director cash fee schedule: Board chair $70,000; members $40,000; Audit chair/member $15,000/$7,500; Compensation chair/member $10,000/$5,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance chair/member $8,000/$4,000 .
Performance Compensation (Director Equity)
| Equity Element | Grant Size Policy | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New director option grant (2024 policy) | 35,000 shares | 1/3 on 1st anniversary; remainder monthly over 3 years | Options priced at grant-date FMV; 10-year term; change-of-control accelerates vesting |
| Annual director option grant (2024 policy) | 17,500 shares | Full vest on earlier of 1st anniversary or next annual meeting | Prorated if elected within prior 12 months |
| Policy increase (effective 1/1/2025) | New director: 54,000; Annual: 27,000 | As above | Adopted by board upon compensation committee recommendation |
| 2024 Option awards (grant-date fair value) | $165,695 | Atkins’ 2024 equity compensation value (ASC 718) | Actual value realized depends on stock performance |
| Options outstanding (12/31/2024) | 41,723 | Atkins aggregate option count as of 2024 year-end | From director table |
- No director performance metrics or TSR/EBITDA targets tied to director equity were disclosed; director equity is time-vested per program .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Organization | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public company boards | None disclosed | No public company directorships listed in biography |
| Non-profit boards | Melanoma Research Foundation; Melanoma Research Alliance | Advisory/board roles in oncology research |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Decades of leadership in cancer immunotherapy and cytokine-based therapies; academic and clinical credentials at Georgetown and Harvard-affiliated institutions .
- Recognitions: OncLive Giant in Cancer Therapy (2021); SITC Lifetime Achievement (2022); ASCO Fellow (2024) .
- Education and training: Tufts University (B.S., M.D.), residency and fellowship at Tufts–New England Medical Center .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common shares owned (as of 4/14/2025) | 14,419 | Direct common shares |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 23,158 | Included in beneficial ownership |
| Total beneficial ownership | 37,577 | “*” represents <1% of outstanding shares |
| Shares outstanding (record date 4/14/2025) | 44,873,646 | For % context |
- Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of Company stock for all directors, officers, and employees .
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Date (Filed) | Transaction | Key Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4, 2024 | Form 4 filed for Atkins | Statement of changes in beneficial ownership; initial reporting upon board appointment | |
| Jun 12–13, 2025 | Form 4 filed for Atkins | Option granted June 12, 2025; vests in full on earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep immuno-oncology expertise; member of Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; board separation of chair/CEO; directors attend ≥75% of meetings; anti-hedging/pledging policy supports alignment .
- Alignment: Director compensation emphasizes equity (2024 option grant value $165,695 vs cash fees $44,000); incremental SAB compensation recognizes scientific contributions while keeping Atkins off audit/comp committees, mitigating independence concerns .
- Ownership: Beneficial ownership is small relative to shares outstanding (37,577 total; <1%), though options provide potential upside; no pledging/hedging permitted under policy .
- Potential watchpoints and RED FLAGS:
- Dual compensation (Board + Scientific Advisory Board): $70,000 SAB payment in 2024—disclose and monitor for perceived conflicts; board affirmed independence, and Atkins is not on audit/comp committees (reduces regulatory independence risk) .
- Venture/affiliate related-party dynamics exist elsewhere on board (e.g., Crossbow sublease with CEO of Crossbow, Briggs Morrison), but no related-party transactions involving Atkins were disclosed .