Peter A. Demopulos, M.D.
OMEROSAbout Peter A. Demopulos, M.D.
Independent-minded cardiologist with deep clinical trial experience but formally classified as not independent due to family ties. Age 71; Omeros director since January 1995 (Class II; term through the 2026 annual meeting). Practicing board‑certified general and interventional cardiologist at Seattle Cardiology and clinical assistant professor of cardiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine; M.D. and B.S. from Stanford University. He is the brother of Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D., Omeros’ CEO/chairman .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Cardiology (Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute) | Medical Director | 2005–2010 | Operational leadership in cardiology practice |
| Seattle Cardiology (Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute) | Practicing General & Interventional Cardiologist | Member since 2005 | Clinical care; interventional procedure expertise |
| University of Washington School of Medicine | Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiology | Since 1989 | Academic teaching/research contributions |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Cardiovascular Research | Clinical Trial Investigator (devices & drug therapies) | Not disclosed | Investigator experience supporting clinical development |
| Swedish Cardiovascular Research | Clinical Trial Investigator | Not disclosed | Investigator experience supporting clinical development |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Scientific Committee member; not a chair. The Scientific Committee is chaired by Dr. Rajiv Shah and includes Drs. Bumol, Hood, Perkinson, and Shah; remit includes R&D pipeline oversight and scientific integrity .
- Independence: The board determined Peter A. Demopulos is not independent (family relationship with CEO). Independent directors include Bumol, Cable, Hanish, Hood, Perkinson, and Shah .
- Tenure: Director since 1995; Class II director with term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting .
- Attendance: The board met 5 times in 2024; other than Dr. Shah, no director attended fewer than 75% of combined board/committee meetings—implies Dr. Peter Demopulos met the 75% threshold .
- Board leadership context: CEO also serves as chairman; lead independent director (Thomas J. Cable) coordinates executive sessions and independent director activities .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount/Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $50,000 |
| Scientific Committee member fee | $5,000 |
| Total cash fees (2024) | $55,000 |
| Equity grant policy | 15,000 options at each annual meeting; vests fully before next annual meeting; exercise price = closing price at grant |
| Option awards (grant-date fair value; 2024) | $49,073 |
| Total 2024 director compensation | $104,073 |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Structure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-linked metrics | Not applicable | Non‑employee director equity is time‑based stock options; no disclosed performance metrics for director pay |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed in proxy |
| Interlocks/relationships | Brother of CEO/chairman Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D.; classified as not independent |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Medical/scientific expertise: board‑certified interventional cardiologist; experience as clinical investigator in device and drug therapy trials .
- Clinical development: practical experience with trial design and execution; contributes to Scientific Committee R&D oversight .
- Education: M.D. and B.S., Stanford University; long‑standing academic role at University of Washington .
- Board qualifications noted by Omeros: medical/scientific expertise, clinical investigator experience, trial design knowledge, and knowledge of Omeros/industry .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Exercisable stock options (within 60 days of May 23, 2025) | 92,500 |
| Shares held via The Demopulos Family Trust | 164,382 (beneficial ownership disclaimed except to pecuniary interest) |
| Total beneficial ownership (incl. options) | 465,398 |
| Percent of shares outstanding | Less than 1% |
| Options held (as of 12/31/2024) | 97,500 |
- Pledging/Hedging: Company policy prohibits director hedging and pledging, except with preclearance and board/audit approval; no pledging by Peter A. Demopulos disclosed .
Governance Assessment
- Independence risk (RED FLAG): Non‑independent status due to familial tie to the CEO/chairman raises potential conflict-of-interest and board effectiveness concerns; mitigated by presence of a lead independent director and independent committee structure .
- Committee fit: Placement on the Scientific Committee aligns with clinical trial and medical expertise; role is not a chair, limiting control concentration .
- Attendance/engagement: Met the ≥75% participation threshold in 2024; suggests acceptable engagement levels .
- Ownership alignment: Holds 465,398 in total beneficial ownership including 92,500 exercisable options; economic stake is <1% of outstanding shares—alignment exists but is relatively small versus float .
- Director pay structure: Balanced cash retainer plus time‑based options; absence of performance‑conditioned director equity reduces pay‑for‑performance linkage but is typical for small-cap biotech boards .
- Related‑party transactions: No transactions disclosed involving Peter A. Demopulos; company maintains audit committee pre‑approval for related‑party dealings and disclosed technology transfer arrangements with the CEO (not Peter) .
- Broader governance signals: 2024 say‑on‑pay support declined to 69% (from 89% in 2023) primarily due to a special discretionary CEO bonus in 2023; not directly attributable to director compensation but relevant to investor confidence context .