Sagar Lonial, MD
TG THERAPEUTICSAbout Sagar Lonial, MD
Independent director of TG Therapeutics since 2020; age 58. MD from University of Louisville; residency at Baylor College of Medicine; fellowship in hematology/oncology at Emory University. Recognized oncology expert (ECOG Myeloma Committee Vice Chair; Myeloma editor for Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia; multiple industry awards) with deep myeloma clinical development experience .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emory University School of Medicine | Hematology/Oncology faculty; Anne and Bernard Gray Family Chair in Cancer | Not disclosed | Led trials in myeloma combinations; post-transplant immune recovery research |
| Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) | Vice Chair, Myeloma Committee | Not disclosed | Myeloma program leadership |
| Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia | Myeloma Editor | Not disclosed | Editorial leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public Company? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | Proxy biographies list other directorships for past five years; none are disclosed for Dr. Lonial |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Dr. Lonial is independent under Nasdaq rules (review completed April 11, 2025) .
- Committees: Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (members: Lonial, Echelard, Hume); 3 meetings held in 2024 .
- Attendance: Each incumbent director (including Dr. Lonial) attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Board structure: Combined Chair/CEO with a Lead Independent Director overseeing executive sessions and CEO evaluation .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Policy | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (Board & Committees) | $92,500 | 2024 | Fees earned for Board and committee service |
| Retainer schedule (members/chairs) | Board: $70,000 member; Lead/Chair: $40,000. Audit: $10,000 member/$20,000 chair. Compensation: $7,500 member/$15,000 chair. Nominating & Corporate Governance: $5,000 member/$10,000 chair | 2024–2025 | Program aligned to 75th percentile of peer group for total director pay |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant | Shares | Grant Date | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | 22,250 | 06/19/2024 | $373,133 | Vest on 06/14/2025, service-based |
| Unvested RSUs held (aggregate) | 38,916 | As of 12/31/2024 | N/A | Aggregate unvested director RSUs |
| Program policy | Initial 50,000 RSUs at appointment; annual RSU grants set annually vs peer benchmarks | — | — | Annual grants generally vest after one year of service |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Item | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards (current/past 5 years) | None disclosed for Dr. Lonial |
| Related-party transactions | Proxy discloses office/share services with Fortress Biotech (CEO Weiss interlock) and agreements with Checkpoint Therapeutics; no transactions involving Dr. Lonial disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Clinical/Scientific: Extensive myeloma-focused clinical development; prior dendritic cell/immunology research; leadership in cooperative group oncology .
- Recognition: Celgene Young Investigator Award, Indo American Cancer Association Lifetime Achievement Award, COMY Multiple Myeloma Excellence Award, Giants of Cancer Care inductee .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Shares | % Outstanding | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sagar Lonial, MD | 100,195 | <1% | 04/14/2025 |
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Transaction Date | Type | Shares | Price | Post-Transaction Owned | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/11/2025 | Sale | 20,852 | $32.24 | 94,061 | |
| 06/12/2025 | Award (RSUs) | 14,718 | $0.00 | 114,913 | |
| 11/11/2024 | Sale | 5,000 | $30.44 | 100,195 | |
| 06/19/2024 | Award (RSUs) | 22,250 | $0.00 | 121,543 | |
| 06/20/2024 | Sale | 16,348 | $16.87 | 105,195 | |
| 06/17/2024 | Sale | 9,585 | $16.39 | 99,293 | |
| 03/13/2024 | Sale | 5,000 | $15.94 | 108,878 |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and role: Independent director; chairs Nominating & Governance committee (3 meetings in 2024), indicating active involvement in board composition and governance frameworks .
- Attendance and engagement: Met at least 75% attendance threshold for Board/committees; attended the Annual Meeting, supporting baseline engagement expectations .
- Director pay mix: 2024 compensation comprised $92.5k cash and $373.1k RSUs (service-based), consistent with equity-heavy alignment but without explicit performance conditions on director equity grants .
- Ownership alignment: Beneficial ownership of 100,195 shares as of April 14, 2025; no pledging disclosed; company prohibits hedging and speculative trading by directors .
- Insider activity: Multiple small-to-moderate open-market sales in 2024–2025 alongside annual RSU awards; monitor for patterns but no abnormal activity disclosed (see table) .
- RED FLAGS:
- One late Section 16 Form 4 filing for Dr. Lonial in 2024 (minor compliance note) .
- Company-level say-on-pay support was 57.7% in 2024, below typical >90% peer norms; signals investor scrutiny of compensation practices, though this pertains to NEO pay rather than directors .
Notes on Potential Conflicts or Related-Party Exposure
- No related-person transactions involving Dr. Lonial are disclosed. Related agreements involve Fortress Biotech and Checkpoint Therapeutics due to CEO interlocks; audit committee oversees pre-approval and independence processes .
Director Compensation Details (Reference)
| Name | Cash Fees ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) | 2024 Annual RSUs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sagar Lonial, MD | 92,500 | 373,133 | 465,633 | 22,250 (grant date: 06/19/24; vest 06/14/25) |