Thomas F. Bumol, Ph.D.
OMEROSAbout Thomas F. Bumol, Ph.D.
Independent Class III director of Omeros (director since February 2019; age 71). Former Executive Vice President at the Allen Institute for Immunology (2018–2022) and a 35-year veteran of Eli Lilly where he served as Senior Vice President of Biotechnology and Immunology Research and site head of the San Diego Biotechnology Center; his teams advanced 100+ molecules including TRULICITY, TALTZ, EMGALITY and mirikizumab, and supported REOPRO and OLUMIANT through alliances. Education: B.S. in Microbiology (University of Michigan), Ph.D. in Microbiology-Immunology (University of Minnesota), postdoctoral fellowship in Molecular Immunology at Scripps Research; >50 publications and 8 U.S. patents .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Company | Senior VP, Biotechnology & Immunology Research; Site Head, San Diego Biotechnology Center | 1982–2017 | Led discovery/development advancing 100+ molecules; alliance support for REOPRO and OLUMIANT |
| Allen Institute for Immunology | Executive Vice President | Mar 2018–Aug 2022 | Led immunology initiatives; senior leadership role |
| Scripps Research | Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular Immunology | Post-PhD | Advanced scientific expertise in immunology |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tentarix Biotherapeutics LP | Director | Private | Board member of private biotechnology company |
| University of Michigan | Technology Transfer National Advisory Board Member | Non-profit/Academic | Advisory position |
| Lilly Ventures | Advisor | Private | Scientific advisory role; also advisor to multiple biotech/immunology companies |
Board Governance
- Class III director; term expires at the 2027 Annual Meeting .
- Committee assignments: Scientific Committee (member; historically chair since September 2019 per director bio). Current committee roster lists Rajiv Shah, M.D. as Scientific Committee Chair; net takeaway: Bumol is a key scientific overseer with prior chair experience .
- Independence: Board determined Dr. Bumol meets Nasdaq and SEC independence standards .
- Attendance: Board held 5 meetings in 2024; all directors except Dr. Shah met ≥75% attendance across board/committee meetings, indicating Dr. Bumol met attendance thresholds .
- Risk/Governance policies applicable to directors: hedging prohibited; pledging restricted subject to preclearance; majority voting resignation policy for uncontested elections; clawback policy (for executive incentive comp) in place .
Fixed Compensation
- Non-employee director cash retainer policy: $50,000 annual retainer; committee fees per year—Audit: $10,000 (member) / $20,000 (chair); Compensation: $7,500 / $15,000; Nominating & Governance: $5,000 / $10,000; Scientific: $5,000 / $10,000; Lead Independent Director receives $25,000 .
- 2024 cash fees received by Bumol: $60,000 (consistent with board retainer plus scientific committee responsibilities) .
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 60,000 | Non-employee director cash fees per policy |
Performance Compensation
- Equity vehicle for directors: stock options only (no RSUs/PSUs for directors disclosed). Initial grant: option to purchase 30,000 shares upon board appointment (vests in equal annual installments over 3 years); annual grant: option to purchase 15,000 shares at each Annual Meeting (vests in full prior to the next Annual Meeting). Exercise price equals closing price on grant date; vesting conditioned on continued service .
- 2024 option award grant-date fair value to Bumol: $49,073 (ASC 718) .
- Option holdings as of Dec 31, 2024: 75,000 options outstanding for Bumol .
| Year | Option Awards ($, grant-date FV) | Option Holdings at 12/31 (shares) | Instrument Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 49,073 | 75,000 | Options; exercise price = closing price on grant date; vesting per policy |
- Performance metrics tied to director compensation: none disclosed (director comp based on service, not business KPIs) .
Compensation mix signal: 2024 mix implies roughly 55% cash ($60,000) and 45% equity by grant-date fair value ($49,073) for Bumol, aligning director incentives with shareholder outcomes while preserving cash discipline .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Tentarix Biotherapeutics LP | Private company board | No Omeros-related transaction disclosed; no interlock with Omeros suppliers/customers disclosed |
| University of Michigan NAB; Lilly Ventures Advisor | Advisory roles | No Omeros-related transaction disclosed; monitored by related-party policy |
- Related-party transactions: Company requires Audit Committee approval for transactions >$120,000 involving directors/executives and immediate families; summary of transactions since Jan 1, 2023 shows none involving Bumol; policy details included .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep drug discovery and development leadership; 100+ molecules advanced to clinic; alliance experience with major pharma/biotech .
- Scientific credentials in microbiology and immunology; postdoctoral training at Scripps; publications and patents evidencing technical depth .
- Strategic partnering and R&D risk oversight expertise; central contributor to Omeros’ Scientific Committee mandate spanning pipeline review, technology positioning, and scientific integrity .
Equity Ownership
- As of May 23, 2025: Exercisable options—75,000; total beneficial ownership—85,000 shares (held via a revocable trust co-trustee with spouse; shared voting/investment power); <1% of shares outstanding .
- Shares outstanding at record date: 58,592,713 .
- Hedging prohibited; pledging restricted subject to board/audit committee preclearance, supporting alignment and risk control .
| As of | Exercisable Stock Options (shares) | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned | Percent of Class | Ownership Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2025 | 75,000 | 85,000 | <1% | Held via revocable trust; shared voting/investment power |
| Record Date Shares Outstanding | — | 58,592,713 | — | Proxy record date context |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep pharma R&D leadership; active Scientific Committee role enhances board oversight of pipeline/scientific integrity; meets attendance thresholds; equity holdings and ongoing option grants align incentives; company’s hedging/pledging restrictions and related-party preapproval mitigate conflicts .
- Clarification point: Director bio states Bumol has served as Scientific Committee chair since Sept 2019, while the current committee roster lists Rajiv Shah, M.D. as chair—suggests a transition; investors should confirm current chair status post-2024 to assess committee leadership continuity .
- RED FLAGS: None identified specific to Bumol—no related-party transactions disclosed; ownership held via revocable trust is standard; hedging prohibited and pledging tightly controlled reducing misalignment risk .