Anthony Adamis
About Anthony Adamis
Anthony Adamis, M.D. (age 66) is a Class I independent director of Kalaris Therapeutics (KLRS), serving since the March 18, 2025 merger closing; his term runs until the 2027 annual meeting . A physician-scientist best known for co-discovering VEGF’s central role in nAMD and diabetic retinopathy, he trained in ophthalmology at the University of Michigan, completed fellowship at Harvard, and conducted vascular biology research with Judah Folkman at Boston Children’s Hospital; he is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and a Champalimaud Award co-recipient . Over his career he helped develop 20 medicines across 30 indications, including seven FDA Breakthrough Designations and 32 FDA approvals .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genentech (Roche) | Vice President and Senior Vice President, Development | 2009–2021 | Led development programs; renowned for VEGF work and multiple approvals |
| Eyebiotech Limited | Co-founder & Director; Chief Scientific Officer | Director Aug 2021–Jul 2024; CSO Aug 2022–Jul 2024 | Company acquired by Merck; ophthalmology focus |
| Aiolos Bio, Inc. | Co-founder & Chief Medical Officer | Apr 2023–Jan 2024 | Company acquired by GSK; respiratory/biopharma |
| Tier1 Bio Ltd. | Chief Executive Officer & Chief Medical Officer | Jan 2022–Mar 2023 | Private biotech leadership |
| EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Director | Jun 2022–Sep 2024 | Public ophthalmology company board service |
| Gyroscope Therapeutics Holdings plc | Director | 2021–2022 (until Novartis acquisition) | Gene therapy for eye diseases |
External Roles
| Organization | Public/Private | Role | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spiral Therapeutics, Inc. | Private | Director | Since Oct 2021 |
| RD Fund (Foundation Fighting Blindness venture arm) | Private | Director | Since Oct 2021 |
| EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Public | Former Director | Jun 2022–Sep 2024 |
| Gyroscope Therapeutics Holdings plc | Private (acquired) | Former Director | 2021–2022 |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board determined Anthony Adamis is independent under Nasdaq rules; audit committee members meet Rule 10A-3 criteria .
- Committee assignments: Member, Audit Committee (current chair: Leone Patterson); Adamis signed the audit committee report .
- Board structure: KLRS is a “controlled company” (Samsara LP majority voting power) and has elected exemptions such that compensation and nominating committees are not composed entirely of independent directors .
- Attendance: Company reports that in FY2024 the board met seven times and all directors then in office attended ≥75% of board/committee meetings; annual meeting attendance encouraged (2024 meeting attended virtually by directors then in office) .
| Governance Element | Status/Detail |
|---|---|
| Director Class & Term | Class I; term expires at 2027 annual meeting |
| Independence | Independent director (Nasdaq rules) |
| Committees | Audit Committee member (Chair: Leone Patterson) |
| Controlled Company | Yes; Samsara LP majority; exemptions used for committee independence |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (cash) | $40,000 | Non-employee director policy adopted Apr 10, 2025; payable quarterly, prorated from Mar 18, 2025 |
| Audit Committee Member Retainer (cash) | $7,500 | Additional annual retainer; Chair receives an extra $7,500 (Adamis is a member, not Chair) |
| Compensation Committee Member Retainer (cash) | $6,000 | If appointed; not applicable to Adamis currently |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Member Retainer (cash) | $4,000 | If appointed; Adamis is not listed on this committee |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Terms | Grant Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Initial option grant | 18,000 shares; 10-year term; vests 2.7778% monthly over 36 months; accelerates to 100% on change of control; exercise price = Nasdaq closing price on grant date | Granted to each non-employee director in Apr 2025 (vesting Mar 18, 2025–Mar 18, 2028) |
| Annual option grant (from 2026) | 9,000 shares; 10-year term; vests in full at 1-year (or immediately prior to next annual meeting); accelerates to 100% on change of control; exercise price = Nasdaq closing price on grant date | Starting at the 2026 annual meeting; prorated for partial-year service |
| Performance metrics | None; director equity is time-based vesting only | No director performance metric disclosures |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Overlap/Interlock Detail |
|---|---|
| None disclosed with KLRS customers/suppliers | No related-person transactions identify Adamis; disclosed transactions primarily involve Samsara LP, ElevateBio/BaseCamp, Marker Therapeutics, and Dr. Ferrara’s consulting agreement |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Ophthalmology and vascular biology expertise; co-discovery of VEGF’s role in leading causes of blindness; NAM member; Champalimaud Award recipient .
- Senior development leadership at Genentech; extensive drug development track record (20 medicines, seven FDA Breakthroughs, 32 approvals) .
- Founder/executive roles in multiple ophthalmology-focused biotechs; significant board experience across public and private companies .
Equity Ownership
| Holding Type | Quantity | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|
| Options exercisable within 60 days (vested) | 33,620 | <1% (star in table indicates less than 1%) |
Notes:
- Beneficial ownership figure reflects options exercisable within 60 days of June 25, 2025; no additional common share holdings are disclosed for Adamis in the table footnote .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent audit committee member with deep ophthalmology R&D pedigree and extensive regulatory/clinical development experience, supportive of board’s risk oversight role; audit committee reviews related-person transactions and financial reporting integrity .
- Alignment: Director compensation combines modest cash retainers with time-based option grants; initial 18,000-share option in Apr 2025 and annual 9,000-share options from 2026 align incentives with long-term shareholder value (no meeting fees; equity vests over time) .
- Risks/Red Flags: KLRS is a controlled company (Samsara LP majority), and has elected exemptions such that compensation and nominating committees are not fully independent—this can constrain board independence and perceived governance quality; however, Adamis himself is classified as independent .
- Conflicts: No related-party transactions disclose involvement by Adamis; the company’s insider trading policy prohibits pledging/hedging and derivatives, which reduces alignment risk; clawback policy adopted Oct 26, 2023 enhances accountability for executives (not directors) .