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United
States
Securities
and Exchange Commission
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A INFORMATION
PROXY
STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF
THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Filed
by Registrant |
☒ |
Filed
by a Party other than the Registrant |
☐ |
Check
the appropriate box:
☒ |
Preliminary
Proxy Statement |
☐ |
Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
☐ |
Definitive
Proxy Statement |
☐ |
Definitive
Additional Materials |
☐ |
Soliciting
Material Under Rule 14a-12 |
LANTERN
PHARMA INC.
(Name
of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
☒ |
No
fee required. |
☐ |
Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials |
☐ |
Fee
computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
August
7, 2025
Dear
Stockholder:
You
are cordially invited to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (which we refer to as the “Annual Meeting”) of Lantern
Pharma Inc., a Delaware corporation (which we refer to as “Lantern,” “we,” “us,” “our,”
or the “Company”), to be held at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, on Friday, September 19, 2025.
This
year’s Annual Meeting will be conducted via live audio webcast and online stockholder tools. Stockholders will be able to attend
and listen to the Annual Meeting live, submit questions and vote their shares electronically at the Annual Meeting from virtually any
location around the world.
At
the Annual Meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote upon the following proposals to: (1) elect six (6) directors to serve for
the ensuing year as members of the Board of Directors of the Company; (2) approve the one-time
repricing of certain stock options granted under the Second Amended and Restated 2018 Lantern Pharma Inc. Equity Incentive
Plan, as amended; (3) ratify the appointment of EisnerAmper LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal
year ending December 31, 2025; and (4) approve an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if
there are not sufficient votes in favor of the foregoing proposals. The accompanying Proxy Statement describes these matters in more
detail. We urge you to read this information carefully.
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote: FOR each of the six (6) nominees for director named in the Proxy Statement; FOR the
approval of the one-time repricing of certain stock options granted under the Second Amended
and Restated Lantern Pharma Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended; FOR the ratification of the appointment of EisnerAmper
LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025; and FOR an adjournment of the
Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes in favor of the foregoing proposals.
Whether
or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person, and regardless of the number of shares of Lantern that you own, it is important
that your shares be represented and voted at the Annual Meeting. Therefore, I urge you to vote your shares of common stock via the Internet
or by promptly marking, dating, signing, and returning a proxy card in the envelope provided. Voting over the Internet, or by written
proxy, will ensure that your shares are represented at the Annual Meeting.
On
behalf of the Board of Directors of Lantern, we thank you for your participation.
|
Sincerely, |
|
|
|
/s/
Donald J. Keyser |
|
Donald
J. Keyser, |
|
Chairman
of the Board of Directors |
LANTERN
PHARMA INC.
1920
McKinney Avenue, 7th Floor
Dallas,
Texas 75201
NOTICE
OF 2025 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD ON September 19, 2025
The
2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (which we refer to as the “Annual Meeting”) of Lantern Pharma Inc., a Delaware corporation
(which we refer to as “Lantern,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company”), will
be held on Friday, September 19, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time. This year’s meeting is a virtual stockholder meeting conducted
exclusively via a live audio webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LTRN2025. Stockholders will be able to attend and listen
to the Annual Meeting live, submit questions and vote their shares electronically at the Annual Meeting from virtually any location around
the world. In order to attend and vote at the Annual Meeting, please follow the instructions in the section titled “Voting at the
Meeting” on page 3. We will consider and act on the following items of business at the Annual Meeting:
|
1. |
To
elect six (6) directors to serve as members of the Board of Directors of the Company (which we refer to as our “Board”)
until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The director nominees named
in the Proxy Statement for election to our Board are: Donald Jeff Keyser, Panna Sharma, Vijay Chandru, Maria Maccecchini, Lee T.
Schalop, and David S. Silberstein; |
|
|
|
|
2. |
To
approve the one-time repricing of certain stock options granted
under the Second Amended and Restated Lantern Pharma Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the
“Equity Incentive Plan”); |
|
|
|
|
3. |
To
ratify the appointment of EisnerAmper LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending
December 31, 2025; and |
|
|
|
|
4. |
To
approve an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes in favor
of the foregoing proposals. |
We
intend to commence mailing the Annual Report, Notice of Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card on or about August 8, 2025 to all stockholders
entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
The
accompanying Proxy Statement describes each of these items of business in detail. Only stockholders of record at the close of business
on July 28, 2025 are entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at the Annual Meeting or any continuation, postponement or adjournment
thereof.
All
stockholders as of the record date, or who hold a valid proxy, are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting via the Internet at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LTRN2025. To ensure your representation at the Annual Meeting, you are urged to vote your shares
of common stock via the Internet or by promptly marking, dating, signing, and returning the proxy card in the envelope provided. Voting
instructions are provided on the proxy card and included in the accompanying Proxy Statement. Any stockholder attending the Annual Meeting
may vote at the meeting even if he or she previously submitted a proxy. If your shares of common stock are held by a bank, broker or
other agent, please follow the instructions from your bank, broker or other agent to have your shares voted.
|
/s/
Donald J. Keyser |
|
Donald
J. Keyser, |
|
Chairman
of the Board of Directors |
Dallas,
Texas
August 7, 2025
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
|
Page |
|
|
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING |
1 |
|
|
PROPOSAL NO. 1 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS |
5 |
|
|
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE |
8 |
|
|
PROPOSAL NO. 2 APPROVAL OF ONE-TIME REPRICING OF CERTAIN STOCK OPTIONS UNDER EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN |
13 |
|
|
PROPOSAL NO. 3 RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM |
18 |
|
|
PROPOSAL NO. 4 APPROVE AN ADJOURNMENT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING, IF NECESSARY, TO SOLICIT ADDITIONAL PROXIES IF THERE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT VOTES IN FAVOR OF PROPOSALS 1, 2 OR 3 |
20 |
|
|
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS |
21 |
|
|
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND COMPENSATION |
22 |
|
|
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS |
26 |
|
|
OTHER MATTERS |
27 |
PRELIMINARY
PROXY STATEMENT - SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
LANTERN
PHARMA INC.
1920
McKinney Avenue, 7th Floor
Dallas,
Texas 75201
PROXY
STATEMENT
FOR
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD ON September 19, 2025
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING
General
Your
proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors (which we refer to as our “Board”) of Lantern Pharma Inc., a Delaware
corporation (which we refer to as “Lantern,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company”),
for use at our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (which we refer to as the “Annual Meeting”). This year’s meeting
is a virtual stockholder meeting conducted exclusively via a live audio webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LTRN2025.
The Annual Meeting will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, or at any continuation, postponement or adjournment
thereof, for the purposes discussed in this Proxy Statement. Proxies are solicited to give all stockholders of record an opportunity
to vote on matters properly presented at the Annual Meeting.
Important
Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholders’
Meeting
to Be Held Via the Internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LTRN2025
on
Friday, September 19, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time
The
Annual Report, Notice of Meeting, Proxy Statement and Proxy Card
are
available at www.proxyvote.com
We
intend to commence mailing this Proxy Statement, the proxy card, the Notice of Annual Meeting, and Annual Report on or about August 8,
2025 to all stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. If you would like a hard copy of the proxy materials for this Annual
Meeting, or any future stockholder meetings, mailed or emailed to you, please contact us at the above address or at our webpage http://ir.lanternpharma.com/,
or telephone us at 972-277-1136 or email us at ir@lanternpharma.com.
How
to Attend
You
are entitled to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting if you were a stockholder as of the close of business on July 28, 2025, the
record date, or hold a valid proxy for the meeting. To attend the Annual Meeting, you must access the meeting website at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LTRN2025
and enter the control number set forth on your proxy card or, if you hold your shares in street name, the control number set forth
in the voting instruction form delivered to you by your broker. In order to participate in the virtual meeting, including to vote, ask
questions and to view the list of registered stockholders as of the record date during the meeting, you must access the meeting website
at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LTRN2025 and enter the control number that may be found on your proxy card. The meeting webcast
will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Online check-in will begin approximately 15 minutes before then and we encourage you
to allow ample time for check-in procedures.
Who
Can Vote, Outstanding Shares
Record
holders of our common stock as of the close of business on July 28, 2025, the record date for the Annual Meeting, are entitled to vote
at the Annual Meeting on all matters to be voted upon. As of the record date, there were 10,784,725 shares of our common stock outstanding,
each entitled to one vote.
Voting
of Shares
You
may vote by attending the Annual Meeting and voting at the meeting or you may vote prior to the Annual Meeting through the Internet or
by submitting a proxy. The method of voting by proxy differs for shares held as a record holder and shares held in “street name.”
If you hold your shares of common stock as a record holder, you may vote your shares over the Internet or by completing, dating and signing
the proxy card and promptly returning the proxy card via mail. If you hold your shares of common stock in street name, which means that
your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee, you will receive a notice from your broker, bank or other nominee
that includes instructions on how to vote your shares.
You
may vote your shares as follows:
|
● |
To
vote in person, attend the Annual Meeting and follow the procedures set forth in “Voting at the Meeting”, below. |
|
|
|
|
● |
To
vote through the Internet prior to the Annual Meeting, go to www.proxyvote.com and complete an electronic proxy card. You will be
asked to provide the control number from the proxy card or, if you hold your shares in street name, the voting instruction form delivered
to you by your broker. Your Internet vote must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on September 18, 2025 to be counted. |
|
|
|
|
● |
To
vote prior to the Annual Meeting using the proxy card delivered to you, simply complete, sign, and date the proxy card and return
it promptly in the envelope provided. If you return your signed proxy card to us before the Annual Meeting, we will vote your shares
as you direct. |
|
|
|
|
● |
To
vote prior to the Annual Meeting using any touch-tone telephone, dial 1-800-690-6903. Have your proxy card or voting instruction
form in hand and follow the instructions. |
YOUR
VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
You
should submit your proxy even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting. If you properly give your proxy and submit it to us in time to
vote, one of the individuals named as your proxy will vote your shares as you have directed. Any stockholder attending the Annual Meeting
may vote in person even if he or she previously submitted a proxy.
All
shares entitled to vote and represented by properly submitted proxies (including those submitted electronically and in writing) received
before the polls are closed at the Annual Meeting, and not revoked or superseded, will be voted at the Annual Meeting in accordance with
the instructions indicated on those proxies. If no direction is indicated on a proxy, your shares will be voted as follows:
|
● |
FOR
each of the six (6) nominees for director named in the Proxy Statement; |
|
|
|
|
● |
FOR
approval of the one-time repricing of certain stock options granted under the Equity
Incentive Plan; |
|
|
|
|
● |
FOR
the ratification of the appointment of EisnerAmper LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2025; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
FOR
an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes in favor
of the foregoing proposals. |
With
respect to any other matter that properly comes before the Annual Meeting or any continuation, postponement or adjournment thereof, the
proxy-holders will vote as recommended by our Board or, if no recommendation is given, in their own discretion.
Revocation
of Proxy
If
you are a stockholder of record, you may revoke your proxy at any time before your proxy is voted at the Annual Meeting by taking any
of the following actions:
|
● |
delivering
to our corporate secretary a signed written notice of revocation, bearing a date later than the date of the proxy, stating that the
proxy is revoked; |
|
|
|
|
● |
signing
and delivering a new proxy card, relating to the same shares and bearing a later date than the original proxy card; |
|
|
|
|
● |
submitting
another proxy over the Internet (your latest Internet voting instructions are followed); or |
|
|
|
|
● |
attending
the Annual Meeting and voting in person, although attendance at the Annual Meeting will not, by itself, revoke a proxy. |
Written
notices of revocation and other communications with respect to the revocation of Company proxies should be addressed to:
Lantern
Pharma Inc.
1920
McKinney Avenue, 7th Floor
Dallas,
Texas 75201
Attention:
Corporate Secretary
If
your shares are held in “street name,” you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your broker, bank
or other nominee. You must contact your broker, bank or other nominee to find out how to do so. See below regarding how to vote in person
if your shares are held in street name.
Voting
at the Meeting
If
you are a stockholder of record or hold your shares of common stock in street name, you can vote at the virtual Annual Meeting by accessing
the meeting website at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LTRN2025, entering the control number found on your proxy card or, if
you hold your shares of common stock in street name, entering the control number on the voting instruction form delivered to you by your
broker and following the instructions on the website for voting at the Annual Meeting.
Additional
information regarding the rules and procedures for participating in the Annual Meeting will be set forth in our meeting rules of conduct,
which stockholders can view during the meeting at the meeting website. We will also post a recording of the meeting on our investor relations
website, which will be available for replay following the meeting for 60 days.
Quorum
and Votes Required
The
inspector of election appointed for the Annual Meeting will tabulate votes cast by proxy or in person at the Annual Meeting. The inspector
of election will also determine whether a quorum is present. In order to constitute a quorum for the conduct of business at the Annual
Meeting, not less than one-third (33.33%) of the voting power of all of the shares of the stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
must be present in person or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting. Shares that abstain from voting on any proposal, or that are
represented by broker non-votes (as discussed below), will be treated as shares that are present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present. If there is no quorum, the Chair of the Annual Meeting or the holders of a majority
of the shares present at the Annual Meeting in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote may adjourn the Annual Meeting to
another date.
A
broker non-vote occurs when a broker, bank or other agent holding shares for a beneficial owner has not received instructions from the
beneficial owner and does not have discretionary authority to vote the shares for certain non-routine matters. Shares represented by
proxies that reflect a broker non-vote will be counted for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum. We believe that the election
of directors (Proposal 1) will be considered a non-routine matter and broker non-votes, if any, will have no effect on the result of
the vote. We believe that the one-time repricing of certain stock options granted
under the Equity Incentive Plan (Proposal 2) will be considered a non-routine matter and broker non-votes, if any, will not be
counted as present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. We believe that the ratification
of the appointment of EisnerAmper LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 3) will be considered a routine
matter on which a broker, bank or other agent will have discretionary authority to vote, and on this basis we do not expect any broker
non-votes in connection with this proposal.
Proposal
No. 1: Election of Directors. A plurality of the votes cast by the holders of shares entitled to vote in the election
of directors at the Annual Meeting is required for the election of directors. Accordingly, the six (6) director nominees receiving the
highest number of votes will be elected. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not have any effect on the outcome of the election of
directors.
Proposal
No. 2: One-time Repricing of Certain Stock Options Granted
Under the Equity Incentive Plan. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority
of the shares of our common stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required for
the approval of the one-time repricing of certain stock options granted
under the Equity Incentive Plan (Proposal 2). An abstention on Proposal 2 will have the
same effect as a vote against Proposal 2. A broker non-vote will not be counted as present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
and, therefore, will not have any effect on Proposal 2.
Proposal
No. 3: Ratification of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority
of the votes present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required for the ratification of the appointment of EisnerAmper LLP
as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. We believe that brokers will have
discretionary authority to vote on the ratification of our independent registered public accounting firm and, therefore, we do not expect
there to be broker non-votes resulting from the vote on Proposal No. 3. Abstentions in connection with Proposal No. 3 will have the effect
of a vote against this proposal.
Proposal
No. 4: Approval to Adjourn the Annual Meeting. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes present
and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required for the approval of an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit
additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes in favor of Proposals 1, 2 or 3. We believe that brokers will have discretionary
authority to vote on an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies and, therefore, we do not expect
there to be broker non-votes resulting from the vote on Proposal No. 4. Abstentions in connection with Proposal No. 4 will have the effect
of a vote against this proposal.
We
will also consider any other business that properly comes before the Annual Meeting, or any adjournment or postponement thereof. As of
the record date, we are not aware of any other matters to be submitted for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters
are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, the persons designated as proxies will vote the shares as recommended by our Board or,
if no recommendation is given, in their own discretion.
Solicitation
of Proxies
Our
Board is soliciting proxies for the Annual Meeting from our stockholders. We will bear the entire cost of soliciting proxies from our
stockholders. In addition to the solicitation of proxies by delivery of this Proxy Statement by mail, we will request that brokers, banks
and other nominees that hold shares of our common stock, which are beneficially owned by our stockholders, forward proxy materials to
those beneficial owners and secure those beneficial owners’ voting instructions. We will reimburse those record holders for their
reasonable expenses. We do not intend to hire a proxy solicitor to assist in the solicitation of proxies. We may use several of our regular
employees, who will not be specially compensated, to solicit proxies from our stockholders, either personally or by Internet, facsimile
or special delivery letter.
Stockholder
List
A
list of stockholders eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting will be available for inspection, for any purpose germane to the Annual Meeting,
during the Annual Meeting at the meeting website and at the principal executive office of the Company during regular business hours for
a period of no less than ten (10) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
Proxy Statement contains “forward-looking statements” (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995).
These statements are based on our current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially
from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding actions to be taken by us. We
undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Forward-looking statements should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect our business, particularly those mentioned
in the risk factors in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2025 (the “2024 Annual Report”) and in our Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K.
PROPOSAL
NO. 1
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
Board
Nominees
Our
Board currently consists of six (6) members, five (5) of whom are independent under the listing standards for independence of the NASDAQ
and Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (which we refer to as the “Exchange Act”). Based upon
the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board, our Board determined to nominate the six (6) current
members of the Board for election at the Annual Meeting.
Our
Board and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believe the following director nominees collectively have the experience,
qualifications, attributes and skills to effectively oversee the management of the Company, including a high degree of personal and professional
integrity, an ability to exercise sound business judgment on a broad range of issues, sufficient experience and background to have an
appreciation of the issues facing the Company, a willingness to devote the necessary time to Board duties, a commitment to representing
the best interests of the Company and our stockholders and a dedication to enhancing stockholder value.
Each
director elected at the Annual Meeting will serve a one (1) year term until the Company’s next annual meeting and until his or
her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. Unless otherwise instructed, the
proxy-holders will vote the proxies received by them for the six (6) nominees named below. If any of the nominees is unable or declines
to serve as a director at the time of the Annual Meeting, the proxies will be voted for any nominee designated by the present Board to
fill the vacancy. It is not presently expected that any of the nominees named below will be unable or will decline to serve as a director.
Set
forth below are the names, ages and positions of our director nominees as of the date of this Proxy Statement:
Name |
|
Age |
|
Position |
Donald
Jeff Keyser(a),(b) |
|
72 |
|
Chairman
of the Board |
Panna
Sharma |
|
54 |
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President and Director |
Vijay
Chandru(a),(c) |
|
72 |
|
Director |
Maria
Maccecchini(a),(b) |
|
74 |
|
Director |
Lee
T. Schalop |
|
61 |
|
Director |
David
S. Silberstein(c) |
|
74 |
|
Director |
(a) |
Member
of the Audit Committee of our Board. |
(b) |
Member
of the Compensation Committee of our Board. |
(c) |
Member
of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board. |
Board
Recommendation
OUR
BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE SIX (6) NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR NAMED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT.
Vacancies
on our Board, including any vacancy created by an increase in the size of our Board, may be filled by a majority of the directors remaining
in office (even though less than a quorum of our Board) or a sole remaining director. A director elected by our Board to fill a vacancy
will serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified, or until
such director’s earlier retirement, resignation, disqualification, removal or death.
If
any nominee should become unavailable for election prior to the Annual Meeting, an event that currently is not anticipated by our Board,
the proxies will be voted in favor of the election of a substitute nominee or nominees proposed by our Board. Each nominee has agreed
to serve if elected and our Board has no reason to believe that any nominee will be unable to serve.
Information
about Director Nominees
Set
forth below is biographical information for each nominee and a summary of the specific qualifications, attributes, skills and experiences
which led our Board to conclude that each nominee should serve on our Board at this time. There are no family relationships among any
of the directors, director nominees or executive officers of the Company.
Donald
Jeff Keyser has served as a director since January 2018 and Chairman since November 2019. Since 2017, Dr. Keyser has served in
leadership positions with Renibus Therapeutics, a company developing novel therapies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of kidney
disease. Dr. Keyser founded Renibus and currently serves as director, president and chief executive officer. Dr. Keyser also served as
chief operating officer of Renibus from 2017 until becoming chief executive officer in March 2024. Dr. Keyser also founded ZS Pharma
and served since 2008 as a director and chief operating officer of that company until December 2015 when it was acquired by Astra Zeneca
for $2.7 Billion. Dr. Keyser was the inventor of the Mucinex product line for Adams Respiratory Therapeutics. Dr. Keyser developed and
executed the R&D and Regulatory strategy for Adams Respiratory Therapeutics as Vice President of Development and Regulatory Affairs
during his period there from 1998 to 2004. Adams Respiratory Therapeutics was acquired by Reckitt Benckiser for $2.3 Billion. He was
previously employed as Chief Compliance Officer & Vice President Regulatory Affairs, Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Vice President Technical
& Regulatory Affairs, Medeva Americas, Sr. Director Regulatory Affairs, Marion Merrell Dow and Regulatory Principal, Abbott Laboratories.
Dr. Keyser received his Pharmacy degree from Creighton University, a Juris Doctorate from Creighton University, a MPA from the University
of Missouri-Kansas City and a PhD in Economics from The University of Texas at Dallas. Based on the above qualifications, the Company
believes Dr. Keyser is qualified to be on the Board.
Panna
Sharma has served as our Chief Executive Officer and President since July 2018 and a director since August 2018. As Chief Executive
Officer, Mr. Sharma oversees our use of AI and genomics in developing our therapy product pipeline to innovate the rescue, revitalization
and development of precision therapeutics in oncology. From May 2010 to February 2018, Mr. Sharma served as President, Chief Executive
Officer and director of Cancer Genetics, a Nasdaq company and provider of DNA-based cancer diagnostics and services to medical institutions
throughout the world. In 2001, Mr. Sharma founded TSG Partners, a specialty advisory group combining corporate strategy and corporate
finance to create stockholder value for companies and investors in the life sciences, biotechnology and environmental sciences sectors.
Prior to TSG, Mr. Sharma served in the roles of Senior Vice President of E-Business Solutions and Chief Strategy Officer at iXL Inc.
(later merged with Scient). For the six years prior to his being at iXL Inc., Mr. Sharma helped successfully found, manage and sell or
take public two other consulting and professional services firms. From 1996 to 1998, Mr. Sharma was a partner at Interactive Solutions,
Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Sharma served as a consultant to Putnam Investment Management, LLC and Bank of America Corporation. Mr. Sharma
currently serves as a Board member of Continental Lithium, Inc. Mr. Sharma holds a Bachelor of Science in the Philosophy of Science,
Neural Networks and Artificial Intelligence from Boston University. Based on the above qualifications, the Company believes Mr. Sharma
is qualified to be on the Board.
Vijay
Chandru has served as a director since October 2019. Currently, Dr. Chandru is a co-founder of OPFORD Foundation, a non-profit
in India with an open platform for orphan diseases and with a mission to support development of affordable and accessible therapeutics
for orphan diseases of which many are rare genetic disorders. He was also a co-founder of Strand Life Sciences, India’s leading
precision medicine solutions company, an offshoot of the Indian Institute of Science, which now has over 20 diagnostic laboratories and
over 800 employees spread across India. He served as Executive Chairman of Strand Life Sciences from 2000 to 2018, and currently serves
as a Director and Chair of the Science Advisory Board at Strand Life Sciences. A technology pioneer of the World Economic Forum since
2006, he was elected President (2009-2012) of the Association of Biotech Led Enterprises (ABLE), the apex trade body that represents
the Indian biotech industry. Dr. Chandru co-founded two startups in the last five years – Yantri Labs Inc. (an algorithmic trading
technology company), and CrisprBits Private Limited, a CRISPR technology mediated company in diagnostics and gene-editing. Dr. Chandru
serves as a Director of Yantri Labs and as the acting Chief Scientific Officer of CrisprBits. Dr. Chandru is an academic entrepreneur
whose academic career has spanned almost four decades. After his doctoral work at MIT he was a tenured professor at Purdue University
for a decade in the 1980s and at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore since then. A fellow of both the academy of science and
engineering in India, he was elected to fellowship of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2024. Based on the above
qualifications, the Company believes Dr. Chandru is qualified to be on the Board.
Maria
L. Maccecchini has served as a director since June 2022. Dr. Maccecchini founded Annovis Bio, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange
listed, clinical stage, drug platform company addressing neurodegeneration, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
She has served as President and CEO and as a director of Annovis since May 2008. Dr. Maccecchini has over 30 years of experience in neuroscience
and the workings of the brain. She was partner and director of two angel groups, Robin Hood Ventures, from 2002 to 2009, and MidAtlantic
Angel Group, from 2005 to 2009. In 1992, she founded and became chief executive officer of Symphony Pharmaceuticals/Annovis, a biotech
company, which was sold in 2001 to Transgenomic. From 1987 to 1991 she was General Manager of Bachem Bioscience, the US subsidiary of
Bachem AG, Switzerland and Head of Molecular Biology at Mallinckrodt. Dr. Maccecchini conducted post-doctoral research at Caltech and
the Roche Institute of Immunology. She earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Biocenter of Basel with a two-year visiting fellowship
at The Rockefeller University. Dr. Maccecchini serves on several boards of biotechnology companies, organizations that promote entrepreneurship,
international trade, women and charitable organizations. She has been a lecturer at Wharton Business School since 2016. Based on the
above qualifications, the Company believes Dr. Maccecchini is qualified to be on the Board.
Lee
T. Schalop, MD has served as a director since July 2025. In 2009, Dr. Schalop was a
co-founder of Oncoceutics, Inc., a clinical-stage drug discovery and development company, and served
in various executive roles at Oncoceutics from 2009 to 2021, including Chief Business Officer from 2009 to 2016, Chief
Operating Officer from 2016 to 2020 and Chief Executive Officer from 2020 to January 2021, at which time Oncoceutuics was sold to
Chimerix Inc. (NASD: CMRX) for $450 million. Prior to co-founding Oncoceutics, Dr. Schalop attended the Albert Einstein College of
Medicine, graduating with a doctor of medicine degree in 2008. Before attending medical school, Dr. Schalop spent more than 19 years
in the financial industry at several major Wall Street firms, including Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Credit Suisse and Banc of
America Securities, including serving as an investment banker from 1985 to 1993 and a research analyst from 1993 to 2004. Dr.
Schalop serves on the Supervisory Board of TME Pharma N.V. (Euronext Growth Paris: ALTME), and he served as a Board Observer at Chimerix Inc.
until its sale to Jazz Pharmaceuticals in April 2025. He also sits on the advisory board of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a
summa cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he earned dual degrees from the University’s Wharton School
and College of Arts and Sciences. Based on the above qualifications, the Company believes Dr. Schalop is qualified to be on the
Board.
David
S. Silberstein has served as a director since June 2018. Dr. Silberstein has served as chief operating officer/VP R&D of
BioMimetix JV, LLC since 2013. Dr. Silberstein has served as a director of Biological Mimetics, Inc. since 2016. Dr. Silberstein received
his PhD in Immunology at Columbia University and Postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School/Brigham & Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Silberstein continued for seven years as Assistant Professor at Harvard, leading a research team studying the biochemistry of inflammation.
This was followed by 20 years at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals where Dr. Silberstein had leadership roles in genomics, translational science,
company-wide portfolio management, and science support for two products through launch to aggregate sales of greater than $30 billion.
Since 2013, Dr. Silberstein has worked independently with a number of early stage biotech companies and as a consultant to investment
firms. Over this period he has served in leadership roles for NCI oncology trials, including Principal Investigator of a trial in patients
with multiple brain metastases. Based on the above qualifications, the Company believes Dr. Silberstein is qualified to be on the Board.
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
Board
Composition
Our
Board may establish the authorized number of directors from time to time by resolution. Our Board currently consists of six (6) authorized
members. In July 2025, our Board increased the size of the Board to six members and appointed Dr. Schalop to fill the vacancy. During
the year ended December 31, 2024, our Board met five times and acted five times by unanimous written consent. Our Board does not have
a policy regarding Board members’ attendance at meetings of our stockholders, however four members of our Board attended our 2024
annual meeting of stockholders. During the year ended December 31, 2024, all directors attended at least 75% of all meetings of the Board
and Board committees on which they served.
Generally,
under the listing requirements and rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, independent directors must comprise a majority of a listed company’s
board of directors. Our Board has undertaken a review of its composition, the composition of its committees and the independence of each
director. Our Board has determined that, other than Mr. Sharma, due to his service as an executive officer of our Company, none of our
director nominees has a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities
of a director and that each is “independent” as that term is defined under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC
and the listing requirements and rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market. In making these determinations, our Board considered the current and
prior relationships that each nonemployee director nominee has with our Company and all other facts and circumstances our Board deemed
relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each nonemployee director nominee.
Accordingly, a majority of our directors are independent, as required under applicable Nasdaq Stock Market rules, as of the date of this
Proxy Statement.
Committees
of the Board of Directors
Our
Board has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our Board may
establish other committees to facilitate the management of our business. The composition and functions of each committee are described
below. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our Board.
Each
of our committees operates under a written charter, copies of which are available at our investor relations website located at ir.lanternpharma.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents.
Audit
Committee
Our
Audit Committee consists of Donald Jeff Keyser, Vijay Chandru and Maria Maccecchini, with Dr. Keyser serving as Chair. The composition
of our Audit Committee meets the requirements for independence under current Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards and SEC rules and
regulations. Each member of our Audit Committee meets the financial literacy requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards
and is also a nonemployee director, as defined pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Dr. Keyser is an audit committee
financial expert within the meaning of Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities
Act. Our Audit Committee, among other things:
|
● |
selects
a qualified firm to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements; |
|
|
|
|
● |
discusses
the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm; |
|
|
|
|
● |
reviews,
with management and the independent registered public accounting firm, our interim and year-end operating results; |
|
|
|
|
● |
develops
procedures for employees to submit concerns anonymously about questionable accounting or audit matters; |
|
|
|
|
● |
reviews
our policies on risk assessment and risk management; |
|
|
|
|
● |
reviews
related-party transactions; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
approves
(or, as permitted, pre-approves) all audit and all permissible nonaudit services, other than de minimis nonaudit services, to be
performed by the independent registered public accounting firm. |
Our
Audit Committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable rules of the SEC and the listing standards of the Nasdaq
Stock Market. During the year ended December 31, 2024, our Audit Committee met six times.
Compensation
Committee
Our
Compensation Committee currently consists of Maria Maccecchini and Donald Jeff Keyser, with Dr. Maccecchini serving as Chair. The composition
of our Compensation Committee meets the requirements for independence under the Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards and SEC rules and
regulations. Each member of the Compensation Committee is also a nonemployee director, as defined pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act. The purpose of our Compensation Committee is to discharge the responsibilities of our Board relating to compensation
of our executive officers. Our Compensation Committee, among other things:
|
● |
reviews,
approves and determines the compensation of our executive officers; |
|
|
|
|
● |
administers
our stock and equity incentive plans; |
|
|
|
|
● |
makes
recommendations to our Board regarding director compensation and the establishment and terms of incentive compensation and equity
plans; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
establishes
and reviews general policies relating to compensation and benefits of our employees. |
Our
chief executive officer may, from time to time, provide input and recommendations to our Compensation Committee concerning the compensation
of our other executive officers. Our chief executive officer may also, from to time, attend Compensation Committee meetings, but he is
not present during the Committee’s deliberations regarding his own compensation. Our Compensation Committee operates under a written
charter that satisfies the applicable rules of the SEC and the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market. During the year ended December
31, 2024, our Compensation Committee met three times.
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
Our
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Vijay Chandru and David Silberstein, with Dr. Chandru acting as Chair. The
composition of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee meets the requirements for independence under Nasdaq Stock Market listing
standards and SEC rules and regulations and each member of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is also a nonemployee director,
as defined pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, among other
things:
|
● |
identifies,
evaluates and makes recommendations to our Board regarding nominees for election to our Board and its committees; |
|
|
|
|
● |
evaluates
the performance of our Board and of individual directors; |
|
|
|
|
● |
considers
and makes recommendations to our Board regarding the composition of our Board and its committees; |
|
|
|
|
● |
reviews
developments in corporate governance practices; |
|
|
|
|
● |
evaluates
the adequacy of our corporate governance practices and reporting; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
develops
and makes recommendations to our Board regarding corporate governance guidelines and matters. |
When
evaluating director candidates, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee seeks to ensure that our Board has the requisite skills
and experience and that its members consist of persons with appropriately complementary and independent backgrounds. The Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee will consider all aspects of a candidate’s qualifications in the context of Lantern’s needs,
including: industry experience, preferably at an executive level; experience in the same business sector as that of the Company; subject
matter expertise and operations experience in areas important to the Company’s growth and advancement; experience as an officer
or director of a public company; independence from management; practical business judgment; personal and professional integrity and ethics;
and the ability to commit sufficient time and attention to the activities of the Board, as well as the absence of any potential conflicts
with our Company’s interests. While we do not have a formal diversity policy, we understand the desirability of having a Board
composed of directors with diverse and varied backgrounds, experience and opinions. However, the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee retains the right to modify these qualifications from time to time. Candidates for director nominees are reviewed in the context
of the current composition of the Board, the operating requirements of our Company, and the long-term interests of our stockholders.
Our
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider for directorship candidates nominated by third parties, including stockholders.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s consideration will take into account the comprehensive criteria for Board membership
determined by the Committee within the context of the needs of the Company at the time. At this time our Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee does not have a policy with regard to the consideration of director candidates recommended by stockholders. The Nominating
and Corporate Governance committee believes that it is in the best position to identify, review, evaluate, and select qualified candidates
for Board membership, based on the comprehensive criteria for Board membership determined by the Committee. However, pursuant
to the proxy access provisions of our bylaws, a stockholder, or group of up to 10 stockholders, that has owned continuously for at least
three years shares of our common stock representing an aggregate of at least 3% of our outstanding shares, may nominate and include in
our proxy materials director nominees constituting up to the greater of two or 20% of our Board, provided that the stockholder(s) and
nominee(s) satisfy the requirements in the proxy access provisions of our bylaws.
For
a third party to suggest a candidate, one should provide our corporate secretary, David Margrave, with the name of the candidate, together
with a brief biographical sketch and a document indicating the candidate’s willingness to serve if elected.
The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable listing requirements and
rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market. During the year ended December 31, 2024, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met two
times.
Board
Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
Donald
Jeff Keyser serves as our chairman of the Board and Panna Sharma serves as our president and chief executive officer. We have neither
adopted a formal policy on whether the chairman and chief executive officer positions should be separate or combined nor do we have a
lead director. We believe that, given the small size of our Board and establishment of separate Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committees consisting of independent directors, our present Board structure is in the best interest of us and our
stockholders. Our Board has an active role in overseeing our areas of risk. While the full Board has overall responsibility for risk
oversight, the Board has assigned certain areas of risk primarily to designated committees, which report back to the full Board.
Process
for Stockholders to Send Communications to our Board of Directors
Because
we have always maintained open channels of communication with our stockholders, we do not have a formal policy that provides a process
for stockholders to send communications to our Board. However, if a stockholder would like to send a communication to our Board, please
address the letter to the attention of our corporate secretary, David R. Margrave, and it will be distributed to each director.
Insider
Trading Policy
We
have adopted
an Insider Trading Policy governing the purchase, sale, and other dispositions of our securities by our directors, officers, and
employees, including those persons serving in similar positions with our subsidiaries. Our Insider Trading Policy is
reasonably designed to promote compliance with insider trading laws, rules and regulations, and any listing standards applicable to
us and our directors, officers, and employees. A copy of our Insider Trading Policy is filed as an exhibit to our Annual
Report.
Employee,
Officer and Director Hedging
We
have adopted a policy that no director, officer, or designated employees of Lantern may engage in any short term or speculative transactions,
involving securities of the Company, unless advance approval is obtained from the Company’s compliance officer. These prohibited
speculative transactions include short sales, publicly traded options, hedging transactions, margin accounts, and pledged securities.
Code
of Conduct
We
have adopted a code of conduct for all directors and employees, including the chief executive officer, principal financial officer and
principal accounting officer or controller, and/or persons performing similar functions, which is available on our investor relations
website located at ir.lanternpharma.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents.
Limitation
of Liability of Directors and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The
Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) provides that corporations may include a provision in their certificate of incorporation
relieving directors of monetary liability for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors, provided that such provision shall not eliminate
or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders,
(ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for unlawful
payment of a dividend or unlawful stock purchase or redemption, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper
personal benefit. Our certificate of incorporation provides that directors are not liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages
for breach of their fiduciary duty as directors to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. In addition to the foregoing, our certificate
of incorporation provides that we shall indemnify directors, officers, employees or agents to the fullest extent permitted by law and
we have agreed to provide such indemnification to each of our executive officers and directors by way of written indemnification agreements.
The
above provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and in the written indemnification agreements may have the effect of
reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and may discourage or deter stockholders or management from bringing
a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise have benefited
us and our stockholders. However, we believe that the foregoing provisions are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors.
Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
PROPOSAL
NO. 2
APPROVAL
OF THE ONE-TIME REPRICING OF CERTAIN STOCK OPTIONS GRANTED UNDER THE SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LANTERN PHARMA INC. 2018 EQUITY INCENTIVE
PLAN, AS AMENDED
We
are seeking stockholder approval to reprice certain outstanding stock options granted to our employees, executive officers, and board
members under the Second Amended and Restated Lantern Pharma Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Equity
Incentive Plan”) in order to address employee and board member retention concerns and better align the incentives of employees
and Board members with the interests of investors. The options being considered for the repricing have an exercise price greater than
$10.00 per share (the “Eligible Options”).
On
July 24, 2025 (the “Board Approval Date”), our Board approved, based on the Compensation Committee’s consideration
and recommendation and subject to the approval of the stockholders at the Annual Meeting, the repricing of the Eligible Options, to
be effective as of the date of shareholder approval of this Proposal 2 (the “Repricing Date”). Twelve months after the
Repricing Date, if this Proposal is approved by our stockholders, all Eligible Options with a per share exercise price above $10.00
will be repriced and lowered to a per share exercise price of $5.04 (the “Repriced Exercise Price”) noting the following
conditions:
| ● | The
Repriced Exercise Price is calculated as 125% of our average daily volume weighted average
price as reported by Nasdaq Stock Market, measured over the ten trading days ending and including
the Board Approval Date. |
| ● | All
active employees and serving non-employee directors and consultants, subject to the
service requirement discussed in the paragraph below (the “Service Providers”),
are eligible to have their Eligible Options repriced. The Eligible Options were granted between
June 15, 2020, and November 4, 2021, and have exercise prices ranging from $10.21 to $15.21
per share. |
| ● | The
Repriced Exercise Price is only effective for the Service Providers who remain employed or
serve on the Board or serve as consultants to the Company as of the Repricing Date
and continuing through the date twelve calendar months after the Repricing Date (the “Price
Reduction Date”). In addition to such service requirement, the Repriced Exercise Price
is effective only for Eligible Options exercised on or after the Price Reduction Date. Any
exercises of Eligible Options that occur before this date will be based on the original exercise
price prior to the repricing. |
We
refer to these amendments of Eligible Options as the “Repricing”.
In
approving the Repricing, the Board considered the retentive impact of the current exercise prices of the Eligible Options, the alignment
of incentives of the Service Providers with the interests of investors, and whether other compensation choices could better resolve these
concerns.
The
Board has determined that the Option Repricing is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders and recommends a vote “For”
this proposal.
As
of July 25, 2025, the closing price of our common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market was $4.24 per share.
Rationale
for the Repricing
Over
the past four years, there has been a significant decline in our stock price, which remains at a low level relative to its previous price
levels in 2020 and 2021. As a result, some outstanding stock options have exercise prices significantly above the recent trading prices
of our common stock. Although we continue to believe that stock options are a key component of our compensation philosophy, the Eligible
Options may be perceived by their holders as having little or no incentive and retention effect due to the extent to which the exercise
prices exceed the current stock price.
By
focusing the Repricing on the most deeply underwater options, applying a premium exercise price relative to current market prices, and
requiring that holders of Eligible Options remain with the Company for twelve months after the Repricing Date to be able to utilize the
Repriced Exercise Price, the Repricing can:
| ● | Retain
key employees and directors by offering them meaningful compensation opportunities based
on future Company performance. |
| ● | Better
align employee incentives with current Company strategy and investor interests. |
| ● | Limit
accounting and financial reporting expense to the Company compared to other compensation
alternatives to the Repricing that could also achieve the above goals. (See “Other
Alternatives to the Repricing”) |
| ● | Limit
further dilution of investors through additional retentive equity grants. |
These
considerations have led the Board and Compensation Committee to conclude that the Repricing is in the best interests of both the Company
and our investors.
Other
Alternatives to the Repricing
The
Board and Compensation Committee considered several other alternatives before deciding that the Repricing was the best strategy. These
alternatives included:
| ● | Doing
Nothing. By not repricing these underwater option awards, we risk not being able to
retain key Service Providers by failing to correct a misaligned and ineffective incentive
structure. |
| ● | Grant
New and Additional Retentive Equity Awards. This choice could achieve the retention and
incentive alignment goals similarly to the Repricing but would increase the accounting and
financial reporting compensation expense to the Company, increase the equity overhang and
potentially cause greater dilution to investors’ current equity holdings. The Repricing
minimizes these negative effects, although the retention and incentive alignment effects
of Repricing could be slightly less than the granting of retentive equity awards. |
| ● | Conduct
a Value-for-Value Exchange of Equity Awards. Implementing a program to exchange underwater
option awards for new equity awards on a value-for-value basis would provide fewer new awards
to Service Providers, limiting the retentive value of the new awards. It could also subject
the Company to the SEC’s Tender Offer rules, resulting in additional costs and operational
complexity for the Company. This choice would increase Company expenses, and risk not having
adequate retention effects on the Service Providers. |
Summary
of Material Terms of the Repricing
Under
the Repricing, on the Repricing Date, the Eligible Options will have the terms of the award agreements amended such that those option
awards held by individuals who are Service Providers as of the Price Reduction Date will automatically be repriced to the Repriced Exercise
Price without any action on their part.
If
any holder of an Eligible Option ceases to be a Service Provider with the Company before the Price Reduction Date, his or her Eligible
Options will not be repriced and will be subject to the original exercise price prior to the Repricing.
Eligible
Options:
Eligible
Options are options to purchase shares of our common stock granted under the Equity Incentive Plan with an exercise price per share greater
than $10.00 per share.
Eligible
Participants:
Eligible
Participants are Service Providers who remain employed by us, or remain in service as a Board member or a consultant to the
Company, from the Repricing Date through at least the Price Reduction Date.
Repriced
Exercise Price:
The
Repriced Exercise Price of $5.04 will be effective as of the Price Reduction Date. It was calculated as 125% of our average daily volume
weighted stock price as reported by Nasdaq Stock Market, measured over the ten trading days ending and including the Board Approval
Date.
Price
Reduction Date:
The
date twelve calendar months after the Repricing Date. The Repriced Exercise Price is only effective for Service Providers who remain
employed or remain in service as a Board member or a consultant to the Company through the Price Reduction Date, and is
only effective for such Service Providers’ exercises of the Eligible Options on or after the Price Reduction Date. Any exercises
of Eligible Options that occur before the Price Reduction Date will be based on the original exercise price prior to the Repricing.
Effects
on Other Terms of Eligible Options:
There
are no changes to the vesting schedules or any other terms and conditions to the Eligible Options as a result of the Repricing.
Outstanding
Eligible Options
Set
forth below are the outstanding options eligible for the Repricing held by our current Named Executive Officers, Board members, all current
named executive officers as a group, all current Board members as a group, and all other employees.
Of
the 1,235,331 outstanding options as of the date of this proxy statement, 314,633, or approximately 25%, are eligible to be included
in the Repricing.
Name
and Position |
|
Number
of Eligible Options Outstanding |
|
Pre-Repricing
Weighted
Average Exercise Price
&
Range |
|
Weighted
Average Remaining Term (years) |
Panna
Sharma,
Chief
Executive Officer, President and Director |
|
76,628 |
|
$15.00
($10.21-$15.00 exercise prices) |
|
4.86 |
David
R. Margrave,
Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary |
|
104,400 |
|
$13.80
($10.21-$15.00) |
|
5.20 |
Kishor
G. Bhatia,
Chief
Scientific Officer |
|
69,600 |
|
$13.80
($10.21-$15.00) |
|
5.20 |
Donald
J. Keyser,
Chairman
of the Board |
|
12,335 |
|
$13.79
($10.32-$15.00) |
|
5.22 |
David
S. Silberstein,
Director |
|
12,335 |
|
$13.79
($10.32-$15.00) |
|
5.22 |
Vijay
Chandru,
Director |
|
12,335 |
|
$13.79
($10.32-$15.00) |
|
5.22 |
Maria
L. Maccecchini,
Director |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
Lee T. Schalop,
Director |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
All
current executive officers, as a group |
|
250,628 |
|
$14.17
($10.21-$15.00) |
|
5.10 |
All
current directors who are not executive officers, as a group |
|
37,005 |
|
$13.79
($10.32-$15.00) |
|
5.22 |
All
employees, including all current officers who are not executive officers, as a group |
|
27,000 |
|
$13.04
($10.33-$15.21) |
|
5.72 |
Accounting
Treatment of the Repricing
We
have adopted the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or ASC Topic 718, regarding accounting for share-based
payments. Under Topic 718, we will recognize any incremental compensation cost of the Eligible Options subject to the Repricing. The
incremental compensation cost will be measured as the excess, if any, of the fair value of the repriced Eligible Options immediately
following the Repricing over the fair value of the Eligible Options immediately prior to the Repricing.
Certain
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
For
purposes of the incentive stock option rules, the repricing of an Eligible Option is treated as a new option granted as of the effective
date of the repricing, and certain options previously denominated as incentive stock options may be converted to nonqualified stock options
as a result of the repricing. The rules concerning the federal income tax consequences with respect to stock options granted to employees
and other service providers are quite technical. Moreover, the applicable statutory provisions are subject to change, as are their interpretations
and applications, which may vary in individual circumstances. Therefore, the following is designed to provide a general understanding
of the U.S. federal income tax consequences with respect to such grants. In addition, the following discussion does not set forth any
gift, estate, social security or state or local tax consequences that may be applicable and is limited to the U.S. federal income tax
consequences to individuals who are citizens or residents of the United States, other than those individuals who are taxed on a residence
basis in a foreign country.
Incentive
Stock Options
No
taxable income is reportable when an incentive stock option is granted or exercised, although the exercise may subject the optionee to
the alternative minimum tax or may affect the determination of the optionee’s alternative minimum tax (unless the shares are sold
or otherwise disposed of in the same year). If the optionee exercises the option and then later sells or otherwise disposes of the shares
acquired more than two years after the grant date and more than one year after the exercise date (a qualifying disposition), the difference
between the sale price and the exercise price will generally be taxed as capital gain or loss. If the optionee exercises the option and
then later sells or otherwise disposes of the shares before the end of the two or one year holding periods described above, he or she
generally will have ordinary income at the time of the sale equal to the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date (or the
sale price, if less) minus the exercise price of the option. For purposes of the alternative minimum tax, the difference between the
option exercise price and the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date is treated as an adjustment item in computing the
optionee’s alternative minimum taxable income in the year of exercise. In addition, special alternative minimum tax rules may apply
to certain subsequent disqualifying dispositions of the shares or provide certain basis adjustments or tax credits for alternative minimum
tax purposes.
Nonqualified
Stock Options
No
taxable income is reportable when a nonstatutory stock option with a per share exercise price at least equal to the fair market value
of a share of the underlying stock on the date of grant is granted to an optionee. Upon exercise, the optionee will recognize ordinary
income in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value (on the exercise date) of the shares purchased over the exercise price
of the exercised shares subject to the option. Any taxable income recognized in connection with an option exercise by an employee is
subject to tax withholding by us. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon any later disposition of the shares would be capital gain
or loss to the optionee.
Tax
Effect for the Company
We
generally will be entitled to a tax deduction in connection with the repriced Eligible Options in an amount equal to the ordinary income
realized by the holder at the time the holder recognizes such income (for example, the exercise of a nonstatutory stock option). We will
generally not be entitled to a tax deduction in the case of an incentive stock option for which there is a qualifying disposition following
exercise. Special rules limit the deductibility of compensation paid to our Chief Executive Officer and other “covered employees”
within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code, or the Code, Section 162(m). Under Code Section 162(m), the annual compensation paid to
any of these specified employees will be deductible only to the extent that it does not exceed $1,000,000.
Board
Recommendation
OUR
BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE ONE-TIME REPRICING OF CERTAIN STOCK OPTIONS GRANTED UNDER THE EQUITY INCENTIVE
PLAN.
PROPOSAL
NO. 3
RATIFICATION
OF APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The
Audit Committee has appointed EisnerAmper LLP (which we refer to as “Eisner”) as our independent registered public accounting
firm for the year ending December 31, 2025, and our Board has directed that management submit the appointment of Eisner as our independent
registered public accounting firm for ratification by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting. A representative of Eisner is expected
to be available at the Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement if he or she so desires and will be available
to respond to appropriate questions.
Stockholder
ratification of the selection of Eisner as our independent registered public accountants is not required by our Bylaws or otherwise.
However, our Board is submitting the appointment of Eisner to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of corporate practice. If
the stockholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain Eisner. Even if the selection
is ratified, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accountant
at any time during the year if the Audit Committee determines that such a change would be in the Company’s and our stockholders’
best interests.
Board
Recommendation
OUR
BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATION OF EISNERAMPER LLP
AS
OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2025
Fees
Incurred for Services by Principal Accountant
The
following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed to us for services rendered to us for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
by our independent registered public accounting firm, EisnerAmper LLP and their affiliates.
| |
2024 | | |
2023 | |
Audit Fees(A) | |
$ | 215,000 | | |
$ | 168,000 | |
Audit – Related Fees(B) | |
| 144,113 | | |
| 72,450 | |
Tax Fees | |
| 22,050 | | |
| 18,900 | |
| |
$ | 381,163 | | |
$ | 259,350 | |
|
(A)
The audit fees consisted of fees for the audit of our financial statements, the review of the interim financial statements included
in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other professional services provided in connection with the statutory and regulatory filings
or engagements and capital market financings. |
|
|
|
(B)
The audit-related fees are for the review of financial statements and other audit-related services relating to Starlight Therapeutics
Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, for the year ended December 31, 2024, as well as the audit of financial statements
of Starlight Therapeutics Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
Pre-Approval
Policies and Procedures
Our
Audit Committee has responsibility for selecting, appointing, evaluating, compensating, retaining and overseeing the work of the independent
registered public accounting firm. In recognition of this responsibility, our Audit Committee has established policies and procedures
in its charter regarding pre-approval of any audit and non-audit service provided to the Company by our independent registered public
accounting firm and the fees and terms thereof.
The
Audit Committee considered the compatibility of the provision of other services by the Company’s registered public accountant with
the maintenance of their independence. Our Audit Committee pre-approved all of the services provided by our independent registered public
accounting firm during 2024 and 2023.
Audit
Committee Report
The
Audit Committee issued the following report for inclusion in this Proxy Statement and our 2024 Annual Report:
|
● |
The
Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024 with
management of Lantern Pharma Inc. and with Lantern Pharma Inc.’s independent registered public accounting firm, EisnerAmper
LLP. |
|
|
|
|
● |
The
Audit Committee has discussed with EisnerAmper LLP those matters required by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 1301, “Communications
with Audit Committee,” as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”). |
|
|
|
|
● |
The
Audit Committee has received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from EisnerAmper LLP required by the PCAOB regarding
EisnerAmper LLP’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning the accountant’s independence and has discussed
with EisnerAmper LLP its independence from Lantern Pharma Inc. and its management. |
Based
on the review and discussions referenced in paragraphs 1 through 3 above, the Audit Committee recommended to our Board that the audited
consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2024 be included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for
that year for filing with the SEC.
|
AUDIT
COMMITTEE
Donald
Jeff Keyser
Vijay
Chandru
Maria
Maccecchini |
PROPOSAL
NO. 4
APPROVE
AN ADJOURNMENT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING, IF NECESSARY,
TO
SOLICIT ADDITIONAL PROXIES IF THERE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT VOTES IN FAVOR
OF
PROPOSALS 1, 2 OR 3
Introduction
As
described above, our Board has recommended: the election of six (6) directors to serve for the ensuing year as members of the Board (Proposal
1); approval of the one-time repricing of certain stock options granted
under the Equity Incentive Plan (Proposal 2); and ratification of the appointment
of EisnerAmper LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025 (Proposal 3). In
furtherance of these recommendations, we are asking our stockholders to approve an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to
solicit additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes in favor of Proposals 1, 2 or 3.
Proposal
4, to approve an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes in
favor of Proposals 1, 2 or 3, will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes present and entitled to vote at the Annual
Meeting with respect to such matter.
Board
Recommendation
OUR
BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE APPROVAL OF AN ADJOURNMENT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING, IF NECESSARY, TO SOLICIT ADDITIONAL PROXIES
IF THERE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT VOTES IN FAVOR OF PROPOSALS 1, 2 OR 3.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
AND
RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The
following table sets forth, as of July 23, 2025, information concerning the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock held by
our directors, director nominees and our named executive officers, our directors, director nominees and executive officers as a group,
and each person known by us to be a beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock. Unless otherwise indicated, the
business address of each of our directors, director nominees, executive officers and beneficial owners of more than 5% of our outstanding
common stock is c/o Lantern Pharma Inc., 1920 McKinney Avenue, 7th Floor, Dallas, Texas 75201. Each person has sole voting
and investment power with respect to the shares of our common stock, except as otherwise indicated. Beneficial ownership consists of
a direct interest in the shares of common stock, except as otherwise indicated and is based on 10,784,725 outstanding shares of common
stock as of July 23, 2025.
As
used in this section, the term “beneficial ownership” with respect to a security is defined by Rule 13d-3 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as consisting of sole or shared voting power (including the power to vote or direct the vote) and/or
sole or shared investment power (including the power to dispose of or direct the disposition of) with respect to the security through
any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, subject to community property laws where applicable. Beneficial
ownership also includes the number of shares that a person has the right to acquire within 60 days, pursuant to the exercise of options
or warrants or the conversion of notes, debentures or other indebtedness. Two or more persons might count as beneficial owners of the
same share.
There
were approximately 11 holders of record of our shares of common stock as of the date of this Proxy Statement. The number of
holders does not include individual participants in security positions listings.
| |
Shares
Beneficially Owned | |
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) | |
Number | | |
Percent | |
Officers
and Directors | |
| | | |
| | |
Panna Sharma,
Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director(2) | |
| 636,317 | | |
| 5.57 | % |
David R. Margrave, Chief Financial
Officer and Secretary(3) | |
| 134,729 | | |
| 1.23 | |
Kishor G. Bhatia, Chief Scientific
Officer(4) | |
| 90,012 | | |
| * | |
Donald J. Keyser, Chairman
of the Board(5) | |
| 92,566 | | |
| * | |
David S. Silberstein, Director(6) | |
| 22,278 | | |
| * | |
Vijay Chandru, Director(7) | |
| 17,181 | | |
| * | |
Maria Maccecchin Vijay Chandru,
Director (i, Director(8) | |
| 5,134 | | |
| * | |
Lee T. Schalop, Director | |
| 0 | | |
| * | |
All Officers
and Directors as a group (8 people) | |
| 998,217 | | |
| 8.05 | % |
| |
| | | |
| | |
5% Stockholders | |
| | | |
| | |
Bios Equity Entities(9) | |
| 1,075,952 | | |
| 9.98 | % |
Biological Mimetics, Inc.(10) | |
| 844,125 | | |
| 7.83 | % |
ProPhase Labs, Inc.(11) | |
| 631,195 | | |
| 5.85 | % |
* |
Represents
less than 1% of shares outstanding. |
|
|
(1) |
All
addresses above are 1920 McKinney Avenue, 7th Floor, Dallas, Texas 75201, unless otherwise stated. |
|
|
(2) |
Consists
of 636,317 shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 29,171 shares of common stock underlying
options which are subject to vesting conditions. |
|
|
(3) |
Consists
of 134,729 shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 21,671 shares of common stock underlying
options which are subject to vesting conditions. |
|
|
(4) |
Consists
of 90,012 shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 14,588 shares of common stock underlying
options which are subject to vesting conditions. |
|
|
(5) |
Consists
of (i) 46,807 shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days, and (ii) 45,759 shares of common stock. Excludes
3,066 shares of common stock underlying options which are subject to vesting conditions. |
|
|
(6) |
Consists
of 22,278 shares subject to options exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 5,154 shares of common stock underlying options which
are subject to vesting conditions. Dr. Silberstein is a director of Biological Mimetics, Inc. Dr. Silberstein disclaims any beneficial
ownership in the shares of our common stock held by Biological Mimetics, Inc. |
|
|
(7) |
Consists
of 17,181 shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 5,154 shares of common stock underlying
options which are subject to vesting conditions. |
|
|
(8) |
Consists
of 5,134 shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days. Excludes 3,066 shares of common stock underlying
options which are subject to vesting conditions. |
|
|
(9) |
Consists
of (i) 323,335 shares of common stock held by Bios Fund I, LP (“Bios Fund I”), (ii) 189,117 shares of common stock held
by Bios Fund I QP, LP (“Bios Fund I QP”), (iii) 373,178 shares of common stock held by Bios Fund II QP, LP (“Bios
Fund II QP”), (iv) 114,272 shares of common stock held by Bios Fund II, LP (“Bios Fund II”), (v) 49,957 shares
of common stock held by Bios Fund II NT, LP (“Bios Fund II NT”), and (vi) 26,093 shares of common stock held by BP Directors,
LP (“Bios Directors”). Bios Equity Partners, LP (“Bios Equity I”) is the general partner of the following
entities: Bios Fund I, Bios Fund I QP, and Bios Directors. Bios Equity Partners II, LP (“Bios Equity II”) is the general
partner of Bios Fund II QP, Bios Fund II, and Bios Fund II NT. Cavu Management, LP, an entity managed and controlled by Mr. Leslie
W. Kreis, Jr., and Bios Capital Management, LP, an entity managed and controlled by Mr. Aaron Fletcher, are the general partners
of Bios Equity I and Bios Equity II. Cavu Advisors LLC, an entity that is managed and controlled by Mr. Kreis, is the general partner
of Cavu Management LP. Bios Advisors GP, LLC, an entity that is managed and controlled by Mr. Fletcher, is the general partner of
Bios Capital Management, LP. The shares owned by Bios Fund I, Bios Fund I QP, Bios Fund II, Bios Fund II QP, Bios Fund II NT and
Bios Directors (“Bios Equity Entities”) are aggregated for purposes of reporting share ownership information. Mr. Kreis
and Mr. Fletcher share voting and investment control with respect to shares held by the Bios Equity Entities. The address for the
Bios Equity Entities is 1751 River Run, Suite 400, Fort Worth, Texas 76107. |
|
|
(10) |
Consists
of 844,125 shares of common stock. Address is 124 Byte Drive, Frederick, Maryland 21702. |
|
|
(11) |
Consists
of 631,195 shares of common stock based on a Schedule 13-G/A filed by the reporting entity on February 14, 2024. Address is 711 Stewart
Ave, Suite 200, Garden City, New York 11530. |
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS AND COMPENSATION
Executive
Officers
The
following sets forth information regarding the current executive officers of the Company. Biographical information pertaining to Panna
Sharma, whom is both a director and an executive officer of the Company, may be found in the section above entitled “Proposal No.
1, Election of Directors-Information about Director Nominees.”
Name |
|
Age |
|
Position |
Panna
Sharma |
|
54 |
|
Chief
Executive Officer, President and Director |
David
R. Margrave |
|
65 |
|
Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary |
Kishor
G. Bhatia |
|
71 |
|
Chief
Scientific Officer |
David
R. Margrave has served as our Chief Financial Officer since November 2019 and as our Secretary since June 2018. From January
2016 until November 2019, Mr. Margrave served as a life science consultant, providing strategic advisory and legal services to growing
life science companies. From January 1995 to December 2015, he served as an executive officer at BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
life science company focused on advancing innovative cancer therapies. During his time at BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mr. Margrave
served in various positions including service as President and as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. Mr. Margrave has
served as a consultant to BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc. since January 2016. From April 2015 to December 2016, he also served as Senior
Legal Advisor to MedCare Investment Corporation, a private investment firm investing in the medical and healthcare services industries.
Prior to joining BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mr. Margrave was a partner at Andrews & Kurth LLP, a national law firm. Mr. Margrave
serves as Chairman and a board member of the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute and is a past Chairman and board member of the
State of Texas Product Development & Small Business Incubator Board. He is a past board member of the Texas Technology Transfer Association.
Mr. Margrave received a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in Economics and in Petroleum Engineering from Stanford University, and a
J.D. degree from The University of Texas School of Law.
Kishor
G. Bhatia has served as our Chief Scientific Officer since December 2019, and as our scientific consultant since January 2019.
Dr. Bhatia has also served as a scientific consultant to Reprocell, one of our collaborators, since December 2016, and served as a scientific
consultant to Cancer Genetics, Inc. from December 2016 until November 2019. Since 2006, he has been employed as an Adjunct Investigator
with the National Cancer Institute-Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. From January 2007 until July 2016, Dr. Bhatia also served
as a Director-AIDS Malignancy Program at the National Cancer Institute-Office of HIV and AIDS Malignancy, and from January 2004 through
January 2007, he served as a Program Director and the Director of HIV and Cancer at the National Cancer Institute-Division of Cancer
Treatment and Diagnosis. Dr. Bhatia received a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Pune and a Ph.D. in
biochemistry from the University of Mumbai and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathology in the United Kingdom and was a Post-Doctoral
Fellow at Johns Hopkins University and a Research Assistant Professor at Georgetown University from 1985 to 1989.
Summary
Compensation Table
The
following table sets forth information concerning all forms of compensation earned by our named executive officers during the fiscal
years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 for services provided to the Company and its subsidiaries, which compensation exceeded $100,000.
Name and Principal Position | |
Year | | |
Salary ($) | | |
Bonus ($) | | |
Option Awards ($)(1) | | |
Other Compensation ($)(2) | | |
Total ($) | |
Panna Sharma, | |
2024 | | |
$ | 575,000 | | |
$ | 281,750 | | |
$ | 223,534 | | |
$ | 10,350 | | |
$ | 1,090,634 | |
Chief Executive Officer and President | |
2023 | | |
$ | 525,300 | | |
$ | 149,185 | | |
$ | - | | |
| 9,900 | | |
$ | 684,385 | |
| |
| | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
David R. Margrave, | |
2024 | | |
$ | 413,800 | | |
$ | 162,288 | | |
$ | 166,448 | | |
$ | 10,350 | | |
$ | 752,886 | |
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary | |
2023 | | |
$ | 353,290 | | |
$ | 79,490 | | |
$ | - | | |
| 9,900 | | |
$ | 442,680 | |
| |
| | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Kishor Bhatia, Ph.D., | |
2024 | | |
$ | 316,000 | | |
$ | 101,120 | | |
$ | 111,650 | | |
$ | 10,350 | | |
$ | 539,120 | |
Chief Scientific Officer | |
2023 | | |
$ | 235,000 | | |
$ | 39,363 | | |
$ | - | | |
| 8,874 | | |
$ | 283,237 | |
(1) |
For
2024, the fair value of the options granted were estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model using the following weighted
average assumptions: term between 5.26 and 5.88 years, risk free rate of between 4.13% and 4.14%, volatility of between 88.15% and
88.67%, and dividend yield of 0.0%. Based on these assumptions, the grant date fair value is between $3.15 and $3.25 per option share. |
|
|
(2) |
Consists
of employer contributions made to the Company’s 401(k) plan for the benefit of the named executive officer. |
Narrative
Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table
We
have entered into written employment agreements with the named executive officers, as described below. Each of our named executive officers
has also executed our standard form of confidential information and invention assignment agreement.
Employment
Agreement with Panna Sharma
We
entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Sharma on July 23, 2018, that governs the terms of his employment with us as Chief Executive
Officer and President. Mr. Sharma’s employment agreement, as amended, formally expired on November 15, 2024, however, pursuant
to its terms, the employment agreement continues to apply to his continued employment, except for the severance and change in control
payment provisions included in the employment agreement, which expired on November 15, 2024. Mr. Sharma’s employment agreement
provided for an annual base salary of $525,300 for 2023, and was amended to increase his annual base salary to $575,000 commencing January
1, 2024. Pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Sharma is entitled to an annual cash bonus of up to 50% of his annual base salary,
subject to the Company achieving certain operational and strategic milestones mutually agreed upon by the Board and Mr. Sharma and to
additional discretionary bonuses to be determined by the Compensation Committee. Mr. Sharma received a cash bonus of $149,185 for fiscal
year 2023 and a cash bonus of $281,750 for fiscal year 2024.
As
incentive compensation, on July 15, 2024, Mr. Sharma was granted stock options to purchase 70,000 shares of our common stock under the
terms and conditions of our Equity Incentive Plan. The exercise price for these options is $4.35 per share. These options are vesting
in equal monthly increments over a 24-month period that commenced August 15, 2024.
Mr.
Sharma also has the right to participate in the health insurance, vacation and other employee benefit plans and programs generally provided
by us to our executive employees in effect from time to time. In 2023 and 2024, the Company made employer contributions of $9,900 and
$10,350, respectively, to the Company’s 401(k) plan for the benefit of Mr. Sharma.
Employment
Agreement with David Margrave
We
have entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Margrave that governs the terms of his employment with us as our Chief Financial Officer.
The term of the employment agreement, as amended, formally expired on November 15, 2024, however, pursuant to its terms, the employment
agreement continues to apply to his continued employment, except for the severance and change in control payment provisions included
in the employment agreement, which expired on November 15, 2024. Mr. Margrave’s employment agreement provided for an annual base
salary of $353,290 for 2023, and was amended to increase his annual base salary to $413,800 commencing January 1, 2024. Pursuant to his
employment agreement, Mr. Margrave is eligible for an annual cash bonus of up to 40% of his annual base salary, as determined by the
Compensation Committee and subject to the Company achieving certain operational and strategic milestones to be mutually agreed upon by
the CEO and Mr. Margrave. Mr. Margrave received a cash bonus of $79,490 for fiscal year 2023 and a cash bonus of $162,288 for fiscal
year 2024.
As
incentive compensation, on July 15, 2024, Mr. Margrave was granted stock options to purchase 52,000 shares of our common stock under
the terms and conditions of our Equity Incentive Plan. The exercise price for these options is $4.35 per share. These options are vesting
in equal monthly increments over a 24-month period that commenced August 15, 2024.
Mr.
Margrave also has the right to participate in the health insurance, vacation and other employee benefit plans and programs generally
provided by us to our executive employees in effect from time to time. In 2023 and 2024, the Company made employer contributions of $9,900
and $10,350, respectively, to the Company’s 401(k) plan for the benefit of Mr. Margrave.
Employment
Agreement with Kishor G. Bhatia, Ph.D.
We
have entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Bhatia that governs the terms of his employment with us as our Chief Scientific Officer.
The term of the employment agreement, as amended, will continue until January 15, 2026, unless terminated prior to such time in accordance
with its terms. Dr. Bhatia’s employment agreement provided for an annual base salary of $235,000 for 2023, and was amended to increase
his annual base salary to $316,000 commencing January 1, 2024. Pursuant to his employment agreement, Dr. Bhatia is eligible for an annual
cash bonus of up to 40% of his annual base salary, as determined by the Compensation Committee and subject to the Company achieving certain
operational and strategic milestones to be mutually agreed upon by the CEO and Dr. Bhatia. Dr. Bhatia received a cash bonus of $39,363
for fiscal year 2023 and a cash bonus of $101,120 for fiscal year 2024.
As
incentive compensation, on July 15, 2024, Dr. Bhatia was granted stock options to purchase 35,000 shares of our common stock under the
terms and conditions of our Equity Incentive Plan. The exercise price for these options is $4.35 per share. These options are vesting
in equal monthly increments over a 24-month period that commenced August 15, 2024.
On
January 6, 2025, we entered into an amendment to Dr. Bhatia’s employment agreement to (i) extend the term of the employment agreement
to January 15, 2026, (ii) adjust the minimum hours devoted by Dr. Bhatia per week to the scientific, clinical and therapeutic development
operations and affairs of the Company to 24 hours per week, and (iii) proportionately adjust Dr. Bhatia’s annual base salary to
$189,600, with such adjustment to take effect with the first pay period in January 2025.
Dr.
Bhatia also has the right to participate in the health insurance, vacation and other employee benefit plans and programs generally provided
by us to our executive employees in effect from time to time. In 2023 and 2024, the Company made employer contributions of $8,874 and
$10,350, respectively, to the Company’s 401(k) plan for the benefit of Dr. Bhatia.
Potential
Payments upon Termination and Change in Control
Regardless
of the manner in which our named executive officers’ services terminate, each named executive officer is entitled to receive amounts
earned during their terms of service, including unpaid salary. In addition, each named executive officer is eligible to receive certain
benefits pursuant to their employment agreement with us, as described below.
We
or the named executive officer may terminate their employment agreement upon 30 days’ notice to the other party. If Kishor Bhatia
is terminated without Cause, then Dr. Bhatia will be entitled to severance pay in an amount equal to the greater of (i) his base salary
for the remainder of the term of the employment agreement or (ii) three months of his base salary. In addition, Dr. Bhatia shall be entitled
to an amount equal to his annual bonus amount prorated through the date of termination, if such bonus is earned in the calendar year
of his termination. The foregoing payments are subject to Dr. Bhatia entering into an agreement releasing all claims against us. Panna
Sharma and David Margrave had similar severance rights in their employment agreements, but those rights terminated upon the expiration
of their employment agreements.
Pursuant
to the Equity Incentive Plan, in the event of a change in control, as defined in the Equity Incentive Plan, all unvested securities owned
by a named executive officer shall immediately vest and remain exercisable for the full term of the option. “Cause” is defined
in the named executive officers’ employment agreements to include, but not limited to, (i) a material breach of the named executive
officers’ duties as an employee or obligations under their agreement, subject to notice and an opportunity to cure such breach,
(ii) a breach or threatened breach of the restrictive covenants and confidentiality provisions under their agreement, (iii) a refusal
or failure to follow the reasonable instructions from our Board of Directors, (iv) failure to achieve any mutually agreed and specified
material operational or strategic milestones, (v) a breach of any of our rules or policies that is likely to have a material adverse
effect on us, subject to notice and an opportunity to cure the breach, (vi) a material failure, other than by reason of disability, to
perform satisfactorily to the Board on a regular basis the duties as specified therein, subject to notice and an opportunity to cure
the failure, (vii) any intentional or grossly negligent act or omission that causes or threatens to cause a material loss to us or our
business, (viii) a commission of, indictment for, or conviction or plea of nolo contender to a crime of moral turpitude or fraud, embezzlement
or similar act of dishonesty or any violation of law or rule that materially impairs or injures us or our reputation, and (ix) any appropriation
of any business opportunity belonging to us for the named executive officers’ personal benefit or the benefits of any family member
or affiliated entity.
Benefit
Plans
We
do not have any profit-sharing plan or similar plans for the benefit of our officers, directors or employees. However, we may establish
such plans in the future.
Perquisites,
Health, Welfare and Retirement Benefits
All
of our current named executive officers are eligible to participate in our employee benefit plans, including health insurance for which
we pay portions of the premiums, in each case on the same basis as all of our other employees. We pay portions of the premiums for health
insurance for all of our employees, including our named executive officers. Our executive officers have the right to participate in the
Company’s 401(k) plan, which commenced January 1, 2023. As described in the executive officer narrative disclosure above, the Company
made employer contributions to the Company’s 401(k) plan in 2023 and 2024 for the benefit of our executive officers. We generally
do not provide perquisites or personal benefits to our named executive officers.
Nonqualified
Deferred Compensation
Our
named executive officers did not participate in, or earn any benefits under, a nonqualified deferred compensation plan sponsored by us
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. Our board of directors may elect to provide our officers and other employees with nonqualified
defined contribution or other nonqualified deferred compensation benefits in the future if it determines that doing so is in our best
interests.
Second
Amended and Restated 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as Amended
The
Equity Incentive Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors and approved by the stockholders on August 29, 2018, and most recently amended
on June 13, 2024. The Company has reserved 1,864,680 shares of common stock for issuance under the Equity Incentive Plan, of which options
to purchase 1,242,378 shares of our common stock are outstanding as of the date of this report. In addition, as of the date of this Proxy
Statement, the Board of Directors has granted four restricted stock awards pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plan that together totaled
100,512 shares of common stock.
Outstanding
Equity Awards at December 31, 2024
The
following table sets forth certain information concerning equity awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2024:
| |
Option Awards |
Name | |
Award Grant Date | |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options Exercisable | | |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options Unexercisable | | |
Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options | | |
Option Exercise Price ($) | | |
Option Expiration Date |
Panna Sharma, | |
8/29/2018 | |
| 199,558 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 1.03 | | |
8/28/2028 |
Chief Executive Officer, | |
12/17/2018 | |
| 219,302 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 1.03 | | |
12/16/2028 |
and President | |
6/15/2020 | |
| 76,628 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 15.00 | | |
6/14/2030 |
| |
8/8/2022 | |
| 77,774 | | |
| 22,226 | (1) | |
| — | | |
$ | 5.60 | | |
8/5/2032 |
| |
7/15/2024 | |
| 14,580 | | |
| 55,420 | (2) | |
| — | | |
| 4.35 | | |
7/14/2034 |
| |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|
David Margrave, | |
6/15/2020 | |
| 78,300 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 15.00 | | |
6/14/2030 |
Chief Financial Officer | |
10/29/2021 | |
| 26,100 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 10.21 | | |
10/28/2031 |
and Secretary | |
7/15/2024 | |
| 10,830 | | |
| 41,170 | (2) | |
| — | | |
| 4.35 | | |
7/14/2034 |
| |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|
Kishor Bhatia, Ph.D. | |
6/15/2020 | |
| 52,200 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 15.00 | | |
6/14/2030 |
Chief Scientific Officer | |
10/29/2021 | |
| 17,400 | | |
| — | | |
| — | | |
$ | 10.21 | | |
10/28/2031 |
| |
7/15/2024 | |
| 7,290 | | |
| 27,710 | (2) | |
| — | | |
| 4.35 | | |
7/14/2034 |
|
(1) |
The
options vest and first become exercisable in equal monthly increments over a 36-month period commencing on the one-month anniversary
of the date of grant. |
|
|
|
|
(2) |
The
options vest and first become exercisable in equal monthly increments over a 24-month period commencing on the one-month anniversary
of the date of grant. |
Director
Compensation
Below
is a summary of compensation accrued or paid to our non-executive directors during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
Name | |
Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | | |
Option Awards (1) ($) | | |
Total ($) | |
Donald J. Keyser | |
$ | 56,000 | | |
$ | 16,200 | | |
$ | 72,200 | |
David S. Silberstein | |
$ | 46,000 | | |
$ | 32,150 | | |
$ | 78,150 | |
Maria Maccecchini | |
$ | 51,000 | | |
$ | 16,200 | | |
$ | 67,200 | |
Vijay Chandru | |
$ | 51,000 | | |
$ | 32,150 | | |
$ | 83,150 | |
|
(1) |
For
the option awards, the fair value of the options granted were estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model using the following
weighted average assumptions: term between 5.52 and 5.77 years, risk free rate of 4.14%, volatility of 88.32%, and dividend yield
of 0.0%. Based on these assumptions, the grant date fair value is between $3.19 and $3.24 per option share. |
Effective
upon the closing of our initial public offering, our Audit Committee Chair began receiving a cash fee of $10,000 per year and our Compensation
Committee Chair and our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chair began receiving a cash fee of $5,000 per year. In addition,
effective November 1, 2021, each of our non-executive directors began receiving a cash fee of $46,000 per year for their Board service.
Equity
Award Grant Policies
Our
Compensation Committee reviews and approves annual equity award grants to our executive officers. In doing so, our Compensation Committee
takes into account the presence of any material nonpublic information concerning our Company when approving awards of options, and we
do not time the disclosure of material nonpublic information for the purpose of affecting the value of executive compensation. During
2024, our Compensation Committee did not grant any options to a named executive officer of the Company during the period commencing four
business days prior to, and ending one business day following, our disclosure of any material nonpublic information by way of a report
filed with the SEC or otherwise.
Compensation
Recovery and Clawback Policies
On November
27, 2023, our Board approved the adoption of an Executive Officer Clawback Policy (the “Clawback Policy”),
with an effective date of October 2, 2023, in order to comply with the final clawback rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission
under Section 10D and Rule 10D-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Rule 10D-1”), and the listing standards,
as set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5608 (the “Final Clawback Rules”).
The
Clawback Policy provides for the mandatory recovery of erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation from current and former executive
officers as defined in Rule 10D-1 (“Covered Officers”) of the Company in the event that the Company is required to prepare
an accounting restatement, in accordance with the Final Clawback Rules. The recovery of such compensation applies regardless of whether
a Covered Officer engaged in misconduct or otherwise caused or contributed to the requirement of an accounting restatement. Under the
Clawback Policy, our Board may recoup from the Covered Officers erroneously awarded incentive compensation received within a lookback
period of the three completed fiscal years preceding the date on which the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement.
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
In
addition to the compensation arrangements, including employment, termination of employment and change in control arrangements discussed
elsewhere in this report, the following is a description of each transaction since January 1, 2023 to which we were a party, in which:
|
● |
the
amounts involved exceeded or will exceed the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last
two completed fiscal years; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
any
of our directors, executive officers or holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, or any member of the immediate family of, or
person sharing the household with, the foregoing persons, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest. |
On
November 21, 2023, we entered into separate Securities Purchase Agreements with Bios Fund I QP, LP and Bios Fund I, LP (the “Bios
Entities”) pursuant to which we agreed to purchase from the Bios Entities a total of 145,348 shares (the “Shares”)
of our common stock, at a purchase price of $3.44 per share, for a total purchase price of $499,997.12. The agreements contained customary
representations, warranties, and covenants for agreements of such nature. The transactions under the agreements closed prior to November
30, 2023. The Bios Entities are part of a related family of investment partnerships under common control, which collectively beneficially
own greater than 10% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock.
In
May 2021, we entered into a Collaboration Agreement with Actuate Therapeutics, Inc. (“Actuate”), a clinical stage private
biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of compounds for use in the treatment of cancer, and inflammatory diseases leading
to fibrosis. Pursuant to the agreement, we and Actuate have collaborated on the utilization of our RADR® platform to develop
novel biomarker derived signatures for use with one of Actuate’s product candidates. As part of the collaboration, we received
25,000 restricted shares of Actuate stock, subject to meeting certain conditions of the collaboration, as well as the potential to receive
additional Actuate stock if results from the collaboration are utilized in future development efforts. In August 2024, Actuate announced
the closing of its initial public offering (“IPO”), which also included a reverse stock split. Following the reverse stock
split and the IPO, we hold 13,889 shares of Actuate common stock. The Collaboration Agreement expired on March 31, 2024, however we are
currently evaluating the possibility of further collaborations with Actuate. Certain of the Bios Equity Entities hold substantial beneficial
ownership interests in both the Company and Actuate. Leslie W. Kreis, Jr., a director of the Company until June 8, 2022, is also a director
of Actuate.
Our
audit committee has the primary responsibility for reviewing and approving or disapproving “related party transactions,”
which are transactions between us and related persons in which the aggregate amount involved exceeds or may be expected to exceed the
lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years, and in which a related
person has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. Our policy regarding transactions between us and related persons provides
that a related person is defined as a director, executive officer, nominee for director or greater than 5% beneficial owner of our common
stock, in each case since the beginning of the most recently completed year and any of their immediate family members. Our audit committee
charter provides that our audit committee will review and approve or disapprove any related party transactions.
OTHER
MATTERS
Stockholder
Proposals and Director Nominations for 2026 Annual Meeting
For
any proposal, other than director nominees, to be considered for inclusion in our Proxy Statement and form of proxy for submission to
the stockholders at our 2026 annual meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, it must be submitted in writing
and comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8. Such proposals must be received by the Company at its offices at 1920 McKinney Avenue,
7th Floor, Dallas, Texas 75201 on or before April 10, 2026; provided, however, that if our 2026 annual meeting of stockholders
is held before August 19, 2026 or after October 19, 2026, then the deadline is a reasonable amount of time prior to the date we begin
to print and mail our proxy statement for the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders. In addition, pursuant
to the proxy access provisions of our bylaws, a stockholder, or group of up to 10 stockholders, that has owned continuously for at least
three years shares of our common stock representing an aggregate of at least 3% of our outstanding shares, may nominate and include in
our proxy materials director nominees constituting up to the greater of two or 20% of our Board, provided that the stockholder(s) and
nominee(s) satisfy the requirements in the proxy access provisions of our bylaws. Notice of proxy access director nominees must be received
not earlier than the close of business on March 10, 2026 and not later than the close of business on April 10, 2026. Our
Board will review any proposals from eligible stockholders that it receives by the required date and will make a determination whether
any such proposals will be included in our proxy materials. Any proposal received after the required date shall be considered untimely
and shall not be made a part of our proxy materials.
A
stockholder who wishes to make a proposal, including director nominees other than through proxy access, at the 2026 annual meeting of
stockholders without including the proposal in our proxy statement must also notify us no later than June 21, 2026 and not earlier
than May 21, 2026; provided, however, if our 2026 annual meeting of stockholders is held prior to August 19, 2026 or after November
18, 2026, then to be timely the proposal should be received by us not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day
prior to the 2026 annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of: (1) the 90th day prior to the 2026
annual meeting and (2) the close of business on the tenth day following the first date of our public disclosure of the date of the 2026
annual meeting. If a stockholder fails to give us advance notice in accordance with the foregoing, then, except as otherwise required
by law, the chair of the 2026 annual meeting shall have the power and duty to declare that any such nomination shall be disregarded or
that any such proposal shall not be transacted. In addition, notice of a nomination must comply with the additional requirements of Rule
14a-19(b) of the Exchange Act.
Householding
of Proxy Materials
The
SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (such as banks and brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy
statements and annual reports with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single proxy statement
addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience
for stockholders and cost savings for companies.
This
year, a number of banks and brokers with account holders who are our stockholders will be householding our proxy materials. A single
proxy statement will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the
affected stockholders. Once you have received notice from your bank or broker that it will be householding communications to your address,
householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to
participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate proxy statement and annual report, please notify your bank or broker,
direct your written request to Lantern Pharma Inc., 1920 McKinney Avenue, 7th Floor, Dallas, Texas 75201, Attention: Investor
Relations, or contact Investor Relations by telephone at 972-277-1136; or find our materials posted online at https://ir.lanternpharma.com/.
Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the proxy statement at their address and would like to request householding of
their communications should contact their bank or broker.
Other
Matters
We
will also consider any other business that properly comes before the Annual Meeting, or any adjournment or postponement thereof. As of
the record date, we are not aware of any other matters to be submitted for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters
are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, the persons designated as proxies will vote the shares they represent using their best
judgment.
Incorporation
by Reference
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in any of our previous filings under the Securities Act, or the Exchange Act, which might incorporate
future filings made by us under those statutes, the preceding Audit Committee Report will not be incorporated by reference into any of
those prior filings, nor will any such report be incorporated by reference into any future filings made by us under those statutes. In
addition, information on our website, other than our Proxy Statement, notice and form of proxy, is not part of the proxy soliciting materials
and is not incorporated herein by reference.
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors |
|
|
|
/s/
Donald J. Keyser |
|
Donald
J. Keyser, |
|
Chairman
of the Board of Directors |
Dallas,
Texas
August 7, 2025
A
copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 is available without charge upon written
request to: Corporate Secretary, Lantern Pharma Inc., 1920 McKinney Avenue, 7th Floor, Dallas, Texas 75201.