SEC Form PRER14A filed by Entero Therapeutics Inc.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
![[MISSING IMAGE: lg_entero-4clr.jpg]](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001604191/000110465925055013/lg_entero-4clr.jpg)
777 Yamato Road, Suite 502
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
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/s/ Richard Joel Paolone
Richard Joel Paolone
Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director |
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IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF
PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON June 27, 2025 |
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The proxy statement and the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports are available at
https://enterothera.com/investors/regulatory-filings. You may also obtain these materials at www.proxyvote.com and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website at www.sec.gov. |
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ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
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Date and Time
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| | June 27, 2025 at 12:00 P.M., Eastern Time. | |
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Place
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The 2025 Annual Meeting will be held solely by remote communication, in a virtual meeting format. You will be able to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting online, vote your shares electronically and submit your questions during the meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ENTO2025, at the meeting date and time described in the accompanying proxy statement. You will not be able to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting in person. You will need the 16 digit control number on your notice or proxy card to participate in the Annual Meeting. Beneficial owners of shares held in street name will need to follow the instructions provided by the broker, bank or other nominee that holds their shares. Online check-in will begin at 11:45 A.M. (Eastern), on June 27, 2025. Once admitted, you may participate in the meeting and vote during the Annual Meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website.
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Items of Business
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1.
Election of five director nominees named in this proxy statement, each for a term of one year expiring at our 2026 annual meeting of stockholders or until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified (the “Director Election Proposal”);
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2.
Adoption and approval of an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), to effect a reverse stock split of our issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, as a specific ratio, ranging from 1:2 to 1:20, at any time prior to the one-year anniversary date of the Annual Meeting, with the exact ratio to be determined by the Board without further approval or authorization of our stockholders (the “Reverse Split Proposal”);
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3.
Approval, on an advisory basis, of the executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers as described in this proxy statement (the “Say on Pay Proposal”);
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4.
Ratification of Machias Gini & O’Connell LLP, as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025 (the “Auditor Ratification Proposal”); and
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5.
Approval of the adjournment of the annual meeting to the extent there are insufficient proxies at the annual meeting to approve any one or more of the foregoing proposals (the “Adjournment Proposal”).
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Adjournments and Postponements
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Any action on the items of business described above may be considered at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) at the time and on the date specified above or at any time and date to which the Annual Meeting may be properly adjourned or postponed.
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Record Date
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May 14, 2025 (the “Record Date”). Only stockholders of record holding shares of our Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) as of the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.
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Meeting Admission
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You are invited to attend the Annual Meeting if you are a stockholder of record or a beneficial owner of shares of our Common Stock as of the Record Date.
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| Availability of Proxy Materials | | |
Copies of the proxy statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2024 are available at https://enterothera.com/investors/regulatory-filings. You may
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also obtain these materials at www.proxyvote.com and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) website at www.sec.gov.
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| Voting | | |
If your shares are held in the name of a bank, broker or other fiduciary, please follow the instructions on the proxy card. Whether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to submit your proxy to vote your shares as promptly as possible by following the instructions on your proxy card so that your shares may be represented and voted at the Annual Meeting. Your vote is very important.
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| | | | BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, | |
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Boca Raton, Florida
May 30, 2025 |
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/s/ Richard Joel Paolone
Richard Joel Paolone
Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director |
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Page
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Proposal
No. |
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Required Vote for Approval
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1.
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Election of Directors (the “Director Election Proposal”). The five director nominees who receive the highest number of affirmative votes cast by shares of our Common Stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting will be elected.
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2.
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Adoption and approval of an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), to effect a reverse stock split of our issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, as a specific ratio, ranging from 1:2 to 1:20, at any time prior to the one-year anniversary date of the Annual Meeting, with the exact ratio to be determined by the Board without further approval or authorization of our stockholders (the “Reverse Split Proposal”). This proposal requires the affirmative (“FOR”) vote of a majority of votes cast by shares of our Common Stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Shares that are not represented at the Annual Meeting, abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, with respect to this proposal are not counted as votes cast and will not affect the outcome of the voting on this proposal.
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3.
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Approval, on an advisory basis, of the executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers as described in this proxy statement (the “Say on Pay Proposal”). This proposal requires the affirmative (“FOR”) vote of a majority of votes cast by shares of our Common Stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Shares that are not represented at the Annual Meeting, abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, with respect to this proposal are not counted as votes cast and will not affect the outcome of the voting on this proposal.
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4.
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Ratification of Machias Gini & O’Connell LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025 (the “Auditor Ratification Proposal”). To approve the ratification of Machias Gini & O’Connell LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal year. This proposal requires the affirmative (“FOR”) vote of a majority of votes cast by shares of our Common Stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Shares that are not represented at the Annual Meeting and abstentions, if
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Proposal
No. |
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Required Vote for Approval
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any, with respect to this proposal are not counted as votes cast and will not affect the outcome of the voting on this proposal.
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5.
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Approval of the Adjournment of the Annual Meeting to the Extent There Are Insufficient Proxies at the Annual Meeting to Approve Any One or More of the Foregoing Proposals. To approve the adjournment of the Annual Meeting in the event that the number of shares of Common Stock present or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and voting “FOR” the adoption of any one or more of the foregoing proposals are insufficient to approve any proposal. This proposal requires the affirmative (“FOR”) vote of a majority of votes cast by shares of our Common Stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Shares that are not represented at the Annual Meeting, abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, with respect to this proposal are not counted as votes cast and will not affect the outcome of the voting on this proposal.
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Attention: Chief Financial Officer
7901 4th St N # 21135
St. Petersburg, FL 33702
MESSRS. BORKOWSKI, PAOLONE, CORBETT AND UPPAL AND
DR. SYAGE UNDER PROPOSAL ONE.
Director, Title
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Age
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Edward J. Borkowski – Lead Independent Director
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| | | | 65 | | |
Richard Paolone
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| | | | 34 | | |
Eric Corbett
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| | | | 29 | | |
Manpreet Uppal
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| | | | 38 | | |
Jack Syage, Ph.D
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| | | | 70 | | |
Non-Executive Directors
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Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash(4) |
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Stock
Award(5) |
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Option
Award |
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All Other
Compensation |
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Total
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Edward J. Borkowski
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| | | $ | 97,500 | | | | | $ | 74,998 | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 172,498 | | |
Charles J. Casamento(1)
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| | | $ | 40,000 | | | | | $ | 74,998 | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 114,998 | | |
Alastair Riddell(2)
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| | | $ | 71,000 | | | | | $ | 74,998 | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 145,998 | | |
Terry Coelho(1)
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| | | $ | 40,500 | | | | | $ | 74,998 | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 115,498 | | |
Chaitan Khosla(3)
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| | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 56,249 | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 56,249 | | |
Jack Syage
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| | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | |
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Committees
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Director
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Board
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Audit
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Compensation
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Corporate
Governance and Nominating |
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Edward J. Borkowski
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| | | | X | | | | | | CC | | | | | | CC | | | | | | X | | |
Richard Paolone
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| | | | C | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Eric Corbett
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| | | | X | | | | | | X | | | | | | X | | | | | | CC | | |
Manpreet Uppal
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| | | | X | | | | | | X | | | | | | X | | | | | | X | | |
Jack Syage, Ph.D
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| | | | X | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Meetings Held During 2024
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| | | | 15 | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | |
Actions Taken by UWC During 2024
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| | | | 13 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
CC — Committee Chairman
X — Member
Executive Officer
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Age
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Title
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Richard Paolone | | |
34
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| | Interim Chief Executive Officer | |
Anna Skowron | | |
38
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| | Chief Financial Officer | |
Named Executive Officers
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Year
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Salary
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Bonus
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Stock
Award |
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Option
Award |
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All other
Compensation |
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Total
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James Sapirstein
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| | | | 2024 | | | | | $ | 416,300 | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 76,400(2) | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 17,608(4) | | | | | $ | 510,308 | | |
Former Chief Executive Officer
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| | | | 2023 | | | | | $ | 513,600 | | | | | $ | 192,600(1) | | | | | $ | 339,566(3) | | | | | $ | —(4) | | | | | $ | 200,000(5) | | | | | $ | 1,245,766 | | |
Sarah Romano
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| | | | 2024 | | | | | $ | 424,616 | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 26,740(2) | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | $ | 451,356 | | |
Former Chief Financial Officer
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| | | | 2023 | | | | | $ | 390,550 | | | | | $ | 117,165(1) | | | | | $ | 185,676(3) | | | | | $ | —(4) | | | | | $ | 117,165(5) | | | | | $ | 810,556 | | |
Name
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Grant
Date |
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Number of
Securities underlying unexercised options (#) exercisable |
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Number of
underlying unexercised unearned options (#) |
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Option
exercise price ($) |
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Option
expiration date |
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Number
of Shares or units of stock that have not vested (#) |
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Market
value of shares or units of stock that have not vested ($) |
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Number
of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested (#) |
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Market
or payout value of unearned shares, units or other rights that have not vested ($) |
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Named Executive Officer
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Sarah Romano
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| | | | 03/01/2022 | | | | | | 24 | | | | | | 11(1) | | | | | $ | 4,956.00 | | | | | | 02/28/2032 | | | | | | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
| | | | | 01/02/2024 | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | $ | — | | | | | | 1,750(2) | | | | | $ | 6,685 | | |
Plan category
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Number of
securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights |
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Weighted-
average exercise price of outstanding option, warrants and rights |
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Number of
securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans reflected in column (a) |
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(a)
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(b)
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(c)
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Equity compensation plans approved by security holders(1) (2)
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| | | | 317 | | | | | $ | 2,727.22 | | | | | | — | | |
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Total
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317
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$
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2,727.22
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Year | | | Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO(1) | | | Compensation Actually Paid to PEO(3) | | | Average Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs(2) | | | Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non- PEO NEOs(3) | | | Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based On Total Shareholder Return(4) | | | Net Loss(5) | | ||||||||||||||||||
2024 | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | ( | | | | | $ | ( | | | ||||
2023 | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | ( | | | | | $ | ( | | | ||||
2022 | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | ( | | | | | $ | ( | | |
| | | 2024 | | | 2023 | | | 2022 | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | | PEO | | | Average Non-PEO NEOs | | | PEO | | | Average Non-PEO NEOs | | | PEO | | | Average Non-PEO NEOs | | ||||||||||||||||||
Summary Compensation Table Totals for Non-PEO NEOs | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | ||||||
Add (Subtract): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Fair value of equity awards granted during the year from the Summary Compensation Table | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | |
Fair value at year end of equity awards granted during the year | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||||||
Change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that were unvested as of the end of the year | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | | | |||
Change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that vested during the year | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | | | | ( | | | ||
Compensation Actually Paid Totals | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | | | | $ | | |
![[MISSING IMAGE: bc_tsr-4c.jpg]](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001604191/000110465925055013/bc_tsr-4c.jpg)
![[MISSING IMAGE: bc_netloss-4c.jpg]](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001604191/000110465925055013/bc_netloss-4c.jpg)
MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)
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Number
of Shares(2) |
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Percent
Ownership of Class(3) |
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Current Named Executive Officers and Directors | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Richard Paolone, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director
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| | | | — | | | | | | —% | | |
Anna Skowron, Interim Chief Financial Officer
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Edward J. Borkowski, Director(4)
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| | | | 20,277 | | | | | | * | | |
Eric Corbett, Director
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Manpreet Uppal, Director
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
Jack Syage, Director(5)
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| | | | 15,400 | | | | | | * | | |
All directors and executive officer as a group (6 persons)
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| | | | 35,677 | | | | | | *% | | |
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Current
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1:2
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1:20
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Common Stock Authorized
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| | | | 100,000,000 | | | | | | 100,000,000 | | | | | | 100,000,000 | | |
Common Stock Issued and Outstanding
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| | | | 4,765,729 | | | | | | 2,382,865 | | | | | | 238,286 | | |
Number of Shares of Common Stock Reserved for
Issuance |
| | | | 16,671,545 | | | | | | 8,335,773 | | | | | | 833,577 | | |
Number of Shares of Common Stock Authorized but Unissued and Unreserved
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| | | | 78,562,726 | | | | | | 89,281,362 | | | | | | 98,928,137 | | |
Price per share, based on the closing price of our Common Stock on the Record Date
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| | | $ | 0.43 | | | | | $ | 0.86 | | | | | $ | 8.60 | | |
AS DESCRIBED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2025
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For the years ended
December 31, |
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2024
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2023
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Audit fees(1)
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| | | $ | 280,500 | | | | | $ | 185,000 | | |
Audit-related fees(2)
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| | | | 227,700 | | | | | | 138,000 | | |
Tax fees
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| | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
All other fees(4)
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| | | | 20,249 | | | | | | 8,823 | | |
Total
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| | | $ | 528,449 | | | | | $ | 332,723 | | |
| | | | BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, | |
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Boca Raton, Florida
May 30, 2025 |
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/s/ Richard Paolone
RICHARD PAOLONE
Chief Executive Officer and Director |
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
ENTERO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director