Robert Redfield
About Robert Redfield
Robert R. Redfield, M.D. serves as Chief Medical Officer at Traws Pharma (TRAW) since April 1, 2024 and is age 74 . He is the former Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018–2021), Senior Public Health Advisor to the State of Maryland (2021–2023), and co‑founder of the University of Maryland’s Institute of Human Virology; he holds a B.S. and M.D. from Georgetown University . Company performance under his tenure has included a going‑concern warning and low cash balances ($6.4M at September 30, 2025) , but also operational progress (Q2 2025 revenue of $2.733M vs $57K in Q1 2025) . Pre‑merger TSR was weak: the value of a $100 initial investment was $9.36 in 2022, $10.67 in 2023, and $13.93 in 2024, highlighting long-term stock underperformance before the virology pivot .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Director | 2018–2021 | Led national public health agency and COVID-19 response |
| State of Maryland | Senior Public Health Advisor to Governor Hogan | 2021–2023 | Guided state infectious disease policy |
| U.S. Military’s HIV Research Program | Founding Director, Dept. of Retroviral Research | — | Advanced HIV research in the U.S. Army Medical Corps |
| University of Maryland School of Medicine | Chief of Infectious Diseases; Vice Chair of Medicine; Co‑Founder of Institute of Human Virology | — | Built leading academic center for chronic viral diseases |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| R3 Enterprises & Consulting | President & CEO | Since 2021 | Advisory leadership in public health strategy |
| Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment Inc. (PDTi) | Co‑Founder & President | Since 2021 | Development of diagnostics/treatments |
| GBMC Health Partners | Practicing Physician | Since 2022 | Ongoing clinical practice |
| Viriom, Inc. | Director & Strategic Advisor | Ongoing | Strategic oversight; related‑party ties to TRAW’s virology programs |
Fixed Compensation
- Robert Redfield is an executive officer but not disclosed as a named executive officer (NEO) in the 2024 Summary Compensation Table; Traws is a “smaller reporting company,” which permits reduced executive compensation disclosure . As a result, base salary, target bonus, and equity grant specifics for Dr. Redfield are not individually disclosed in the proxy .
Performance Compensation
- Company’s Amended 2021 Incentive Plan allows performance‑based awards with metrics including earnings (EPS, EBIT, EBITDA), net income, sales growth, margins, cash flow, share price/TSR, market share, regulatory approvals, and clinical milestones (enrollment, phase completions), among others .
- Minimum one‑year vesting generally applies; up to 5% of reserved shares can have shorter vesting .
- Change‑in‑control provisions: if awards are not assumed or replaced, options/SARs vest/exercise fully and restrictions on stock/units lapse; performance awards vest based on greater of actual or pro‑rated target; post‑CIC involuntary terminations may accelerate vesting subject to performance tests .
| Metric Category | Examples | Vesting/Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Financial | EPS, EBIT/EBITDA, net income, sales, margins, cash flow | Annual or multi‑year; minimum 1‑year vesting |
| Market/Return | Share price, TSR (absolute or relative) | Plan‑determined; CIC acceleration if not assumed |
| Operational | Clinical enrollment, phase starts/completions; strategic projects | Performance objective‑linked |
| Regulatory | FDA/EMA approvals or key filings | Performance objective‑linked |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Individual beneficial ownership for Dr. Redfield is not separately itemized; the proxy’s “all executive officers and directors as a group” includes him, but no specific line discloses his personal holdings .
- Related‑party ties: Dr. Redfield is a director/strategic advisor at Viriom, a related party that provides virology services and IP; TRAW recorded R&D expense and payables to Viriom and also purchased certain assets from Viriom in 2025 .
- Clawback: Plan permits rescission and recovery for “cause” or restrictive covenant breaches; future clawback policy may apply company‑wide .
- Pledging/Hedging: No explicit pledging or hedging disclosures for Dr. Redfield were found in the proxy .
- Ownership guidelines: Not disclosed in proxy .
Employment Terms
- Appointment/tenure: Chief Medical Officer since April 1, 2024 .
- Contract terms (severance, non‑compete, change‑of‑control economics): Not disclosed for Dr. Redfield in the proxy; only certain other executives have detailed employment agreements (e.g., Dr. Moyo) .
- Plan mechanics affecting executives broadly: Minimum one‑year vesting (with limited exceptions) and CIC acceleration if awards not assumed or post‑CIC involuntary termination .
- Governance/related‑party controls: Audit Committee reviews/approves related‑party transactions; Viriom and ChemDiv arrangements were approved .
Company Performance (context for pay‑for‑performance)
Annual financials (USD):
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues ($) | 226,000 | 226,000 | 226,000 |
| EBITDA ($) | -19,613,000* | -20,282,000* | -24,898,000* |
| Net Income ($) | -18,964,000 | -18,948,000 | -166,523,000 |
Quarterly progression (USD):
| Metric | Q4 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues ($) | 56,000* | 57,000 | 2,733,000 | — |
| EBITDA ($) | -5,276,000* | -5,202,000* | -1,248,000* | -4,040,000* |
| Net Income ($) | -29,922,000* | 21,490,000 | -915,000 | -3,962,000 |
- Liquidity and risk: Cash and cash equivalents were $6.4M at September 30, 2025; management disclosed substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern absent additional financing .
- Strategic focus: Virology portfolio advancement (ratutrelvir Phase 2 dosing; tivoxavir marboxil program) was emphasized by management and publicly by Dr. Redfield .
TSR (value of $100 initial investment):
| FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| $9.36 | $10.67 | $13.93 |
*Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Investment Implications
- Alignment and disclosure gaps: Redfield is a key medical executive, but as a non‑NEO his individual compensation (salary, bonus, RSUs/options, severance) is not disclosed—limiting pay‑for‑performance assessment at the executive level .
- Governance risk: Redfield’s advisory/director role at Viriom coincides with related‑party R&D and licensing; although approved by the Audit Committee, this introduces perceived conflict‑of‑interest exposure that investors should monitor (Viriom services/asset purchase, license terms) .
- Incentive structure: Company plan includes robust performance metrics and clawbacks with CIC acceleration if awards aren’t assumed—good structural features—but without individual award details for Redfield, it’s difficult to gauge his actual incentive mix and vesting timelines .
- Financial risk: Going‑concern disclosure and limited cash elevate retention/bonus pressure and increase dilution risk via equity plan expansion (+1.5M shares requested) and potential future financings; this can weaken long‑term pay alignment and raise insider selling pressure if awards vest during capital stress .
- Execution signal: Operational progress in Q2 2025 revenue suggests program traction post‑merger, supported by Redfield’s clinical leadership and external credibility; however, historical TSR remains poor and capital needs are acute—investors should prioritize funding updates and Phase 2 readouts for ratutrelvir/tivoxavir as catalysts .
Note: Where specific compensation or ownership data for Dr. Redfield is not disclosed, this report cites available company‑wide plan terms and related‑party governance controls while omitting undisclosed items per proxy filings.