Eric Dobmeier
About Eric Dobmeier
Eric Dobmeier (age 56) joined the Janux Therapeutics Board in July 2024 and is an independent director with more than 20 years in biotech leadership. He previously served as CEO of Chinook Therapeutics (acquired by Novartis in Aug 2023), CEO of Silverback Therapeutics, and spent 16 years at Seagen including as COO during its scale-up to commercialization. He holds a J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Princeton University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Therapeutics, Inc. | President & CEO | Apr 2019 – Aug 2023 | Led company through acquisition by Novartis; strategic and operational leadership |
| Silverback Therapeutics, Inc. (private) | President & CEO | Prior to 2019 (dates not specified) | Executive leadership at immuno-oncology company |
| Seagen Inc. | Chief Operating Officer; other leadership roles | ~16 years | Helped scale from 60 to 1,200 employees and drove Adcetris launch |
| Samsara Biocapital | Venture Partner | Current | Investment oversight; board service at private biotechs |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure Therapeutics, Inc. (public) | Director | Since Dec 2022 | Board oversight; biopharma governance |
| Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. (public) | Director | 2015 – May 2024 | Board service during development-stage operations |
| Adaptive Biotechnologies, Inc. (public) | Director | 2016 – Mar 2021 | Board service at genomics company |
| Several private biotech companies | Director | Current | Industry network, portfolio governance |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent under Nasdaq rules; Dobmeier is independent .
- Committee assignment: Compensation Committee member since March 2025; committee chaired by Ron Barrett, Ph.D. .
- Attendance: Board held 8 meetings in 2024; all directors attended ≥80% of Board and committee meetings .
- Leadership structure: Independent Board Chair (Ron Barrett, Ph.D.); CEO and Chair roles are separated .
- Executive sessions: Compensation Committee meets regularly in executive session .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Fees ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18,043 | Prorated annual retainer after July 2024 appointment |
Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy (2024 terms; amended Mar 2025 effective Apr 1, 2025) includes: annual cash retainer $40,000 ($45,000 in 2025), committee member retainers ($6,000–$7,500 in 2024; increased in 2025) and committee chair retainers ($12,000–$15,000 in 2024; increased in 2025) . Policy caps initial equity fair value at $900,000 and annual equity fair value at $450,000, with pro-rata if appointed mid-year; RSU deferral election allowed; options/RSUs accelerate on change-in-control .
Performance Compensation
Equity awards are time-based (no disclosed performance metrics). Initial grants upon appointment plus prorated annual grants in 2024; standard annual awards in 2025.
| Grant Date | Instrument | Shares | Exercise Price | Vesting | Fair Value/Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2024 | Stock Options (Initial) | 16,700 | $44.68 | 36 equal monthly installments | ASC 718 in 2024 Option Awards total $700,962 (includes initial + prorated annual) |
| Jul 2024 | RSUs (Initial) | 5,000 | — | 3 equal annual installments | ASC 718 Stock Awards total $278,401 (includes initial + prorated annual) |
| Jul 2024 | Stock Options (Prorated Annual) | 4,111 | $44.68 | 12 equal monthly installments | Included in 2024 option fair value |
| Jul 2024 | RSUs (Prorated Annual) | 1,231 | — | Vests on first anniversary of grant | Included in 2024 stock awards fair value |
| Jun 11, 2025 | Stock Options (Annual 2025) | 11,667 | $25.46 | 12 equal monthly installments (per policy) | Form 4 award price $25.46; post-transaction ownership 11,667 options |
| Jun 11, 2025 | RSUs (Annual 2025) | 3,750 | — | Vests on earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting (per policy) | Form 4 shows 3,750 RSUs; post-transaction ownership 9,981 common (includes RSUs) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Overlap/Interlock |
|---|---|---|
| Structure Therapeutics, Inc. | Public biotech | Current director; no related-party transactions with Janux disclosed |
| Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. | Public biotech | Former director (to May 2024) |
| Adaptive Biotechnologies, Inc. | Public biotech | Former director (to Mar 2021) |
| Samsara Biocapital | Venture capital | Venture partner; multiple private biotech boards |
No related-party transactions involving Dobmeier are disclosed in 2023–2025; Janux’s related-person transactions primarily involve financing with RA Capital (a >5% holder), not Dobmeier .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive operating experience scaling Seagen to commercialization; COO oversight of alliances and product launch .
- CEO track record at Chinook (platform through acquisition) and Silverback .
- Strategic capital allocation and board governance across multiple public/private biotechs; venture perspective via Samsara .
- Legal training (J.D.), enabling strong compliance and governance oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of Feb 15, 2025) | 6,451 shares | <1% of outstanding |
| Options outstanding (12/31/2024) | 20,811 options | Aggregate outstanding options as of FY-end |
| RSUs outstanding (12/31/2024) | 6,231 RSUs | Aggregate RSUs as of FY-end |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited | No hedging, short sales, options or margin/pledging allowed under policy |
Board Governance
- Committee Assignments: Compensation Committee member since Mar 2025; independent status affirmed; committee can retain independent consultants and meets in executive session .
- Attendance and Engagement: ≥80% meeting attendance in 2024; Board held eight meetings; active committee cadence .
- Governance Policies: Code of Business Conduct and Ethics; formal stockholder communication process; risk oversight via Audit Committee .
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Type | Security | Shares | Price | Post-Transaction Ownership | SEC Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-13 | 2025-06-11 | Award | Stock Option (right to buy) | 11,667 | $25.46 | 11,667 options | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1817713/000141588925017315/0001415889-25-017315-index.htm |
| 2025-06-13 | 2025-06-11 | Award | Common Stock (RSUs) | 3,750 | $0.00 | 9,981 shares | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1817713/000141588925017315/0001415889-25-017315-index.htm |
Governance Assessment
- Signals supporting investor confidence:
- Independent director with deep operating and transaction experience; Compensation Committee membership adds governance depth .
- Strong attendance and independent Board leadership structure; robust governance policies and hedging/pledging prohibitions improve alignment .
- Director pay structure mixes modest cash retainers with equity grants that vest over time; equity accelerates only on change-in-control; RSU deferral available; consultant independence assessed annually .
- Potential risk indicators and conflicts:
- Multiple external directorships and venture affiliations require monitoring for conflicts, but no related-party transactions involving Dobmeier are disclosed; Audit Committee reviews related-person transactions under a formal policy .
- Equity awards are sizeable but within policy caps (initial + prorated annual awards in 2024 and standard annual awards in 2025), aligning incentives without disclosed performance metrics; time-based vesting emphasizes retention .
Overall, Dobmeier’s independence, committee role, attendance, and hedging/pledging restrictions suggest solid alignment and governance quality, with no disclosed red flags in related-party exposure or attendance.