Role of Our Compensation Committee
Our compensation committee has the primary authority to determine the Company’s compensation philosophy and approves and administers our executive compensation and benefit programs. Our compensation committee is appointed by our board of directors, and consists entirely of directors who are “outside directors” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or the Code, and “non-employee directors” for purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act. In order to ensure a full and frank exchange of views by its members, the compensation committee maintains the practice of holding executive sessions, without management present, at each meeting of the committee. During fiscal 2008, our compensation committee was comprised of Messrs. Benjamin and Berriman and Drs. Carter, Johann and Stampacchia. Mr. Benjamin serves as the committee’s chairman.
Our compensation committee reviews the performance of our executive officers, including the named executive officers, during the first quarter of each fiscal year, and when circumstances warrant, at times during the year. In connection with this review, the committee reviews and, where appropriate, adjusts base salaries of the executive officers, determines their incentive bonuses relating to performance during the prior year, and approves our management incentive compensation plan for the upcoming year, including targets and individual and corporate objectives for the year, which are then approved by the board of directors. The committee also periodically reviews equity holdings of the executive officers, including stock options, in order to determine whether such officers are appropriately incentivized and whether the grant of additional stock options or other equity awards is appropriate or warranted.
In March 2008 our compensation committee approved a management incentive compensation plan for 2008, which was designed to reward our executive officers for the achievement of corporate and personal objectives for 2008. In March 2009, the compensation committee awarded bonuses under the management incentive compensation plan for 2008 and adopted a similar plan for 2009.
The compensation committee believes that it is important that our executive compensation packages remain competitive with other biopharmaceutical companies of a similar size and stage of clinical development as us. To assist with this benchmarking effort, in December 2007 the committee engaged Remedy Compensation Consulting, an independent compensation consulting firm, to develop a list of comparable biopharmaceutical companies that the committee determined were similar to us in terms of nature of operations, stage of development, market capitalization or number of employees. For 2008, this list consisted of the following peer companies: Anesiva (ANSV), Anika Therapeutics (ANIK), Antigenics (AGEN), Ariad (ARIA), ArQule (ARQL), Avant Immunotherapeutics (AVAN), BioCryst (BCRX), CombinatorRx (CRXX), Curagen (CRGN), Curis (CRIS), Cyclacel (CYCC), Cytokinetics (CYTK), Dyax (DYAX), GenVec (GNVC), Immunogen (IMGN), Immunomedics (IMMU), Infinity (INFI), Kosan (KOSN), Metabasis (MBRX), Novacea (NOVC), Nuvelo (NUVO), SGX Pharmaceuticals (SGXP), Sunesis (SNSS), Synta (SNTA), and Ziopharm Oncology (ZIOP).
For 2009, in light of the fact that the elements of our executive compensation and the amounts and values of such compensation did not materially change compared to 2008, the committee relied on the same data collected by Remedy and the same list of comparable companies in determining compensation for our executives for 2009, except for those companies that had been acquired in the course of 2008 and were no longer independent companies.
Some of these comparable companies have product candidates with a similar therapeutic focus to ours. As part of the committee’s evaluation of our executive compensation, each element of our compensation program described below was compared, or benchmarked, with the compensation programs of this peer group of comparable companies. The committee also benchmarked the total cash-based compensation paid to our executive officers (including target bonuses under our management incentive compensation plan), as well as total compensation (including equity and all other components), with the executive compensation packages of these comparable companies. These comparisons are described below under “Elements of Our Executive Compensation Program.”
Our chief executive officer makes recommendations to the compensation committee relating to compensation for each of the other named executive officers, which the committee takes under advisement in its compensation decisions. However, the committee may accept or reject the chief executive officer’s recommendations in its sole discretion. Executive officers are not present at the time their compensation is discussed by the compensation committee.
Elements of Our Executive Compensation Program
As noted above and discussed more fully below, we utilize a mix of compensation elements to provide short-term and long-term incentives to our executives. The amount of each element of compensation for the named executive officers is determined by the compensation committee. These elements are described below. The committee’s policy for allocating between short-term and long-term compensation is designed to ensure adequate base compensation to attract and retain executive personnel, while providing incentives to maximize long-term value for us and our stockholders. The committee has no predetermined policy or target for the allocation between either cash and non-cash or short-term and long-term incentive compensation. Rather, the committee reviews historical and comparative information regarding current and long-term goals in order to determine the appropriate mix.
In order to specify our expectations with regard to our executive officers’ duties and responsibilities, and to provide greater certainty with regard to the amounts payable to our executive officers in connection with certain terminations or change in control events, our compensation committee has approved, and we have entered into, employment agreements with each of our executive officers. Except as provided below, all of the employment agreements with our executive officers contain substantially similar terms. Pursuant to the employment agreements, each executive officer is required to devote substantially all of his time and attention to our Company.
Short-term Compensation
We utilize short-term compensation in the form of base salary, annual adjustments to base salary and incentive-based bonuses payable in cash or equity, to attract and retain qualified and motivated executives and to reward our senior management for sustaining the high level of engagement and effort required to overcome near-term challenges and achieve near-term corporate goals.
Base Salary. We strive to set an executive officer’s base salary at levels which are necessary to attract and retain qualified executives. Based on our compensation committee’s benchmarking procedures, we generally seek to set the base salaries of our executive officers at approximately the 50th percentile for comparable companies.
As a general matter, the base salary for each of our executive officers is initially established through negotiation at the time the officer is hired, taking into account the executive’s qualifications, experience, prior salary and competitive salary information for corresponding positions in comparable geographic locations. The committee also considers any unique personal circumstances that motivated the executive to leave his or her prior position and join our company. Each of our executive officers then executes an employment agreement that establishes the initial base salary. The employment agreements do not provide for automatic annual increases in salary; rather, the compensation committee annually reviews these base salaries and makes adjustments to the salaries of each executive officer, taking into account seniority, experience, position and functional role, level of responsibility and the executive’s accomplishments against individual and corporate objectives. Salaries may also be reviewed throughout the year in the case of promotions or other significant changes in the executive’s responsibilities. We do not apply specific formulas to determine base salary increases.
In this Compensation Discussion and Analysis, where we have converted Euros to U.S. Dollars, we have used an exchange rate of $1.40974 per Euro, which was the published rate from the OANDA Corporation currency database as of December 31, 2008. Our named executive officers for fiscal year 2008 are all domiciled in Germany and are paid in Euros.
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During fiscal 2008, the base salaries for our named executive officers were:
 | |  | |  |
Named Executive Officer | | 2008 Base Salary ($) | | 2008 Base Salary (€) |
Christian Itin | | | 394,727 | | | | 280,000 | |
Patrick Baeuerle | | | 349,616 | | | | 248,000 | |
Carsten Reinhardt | | | 338,338 | | | | 240,000 | |
These base salaries were established by the compensation committee in February 2007. In March 2008, our chief executive officer recommended to the compensation committee that none of the named executive officers should receive an increase in base salaries for 2008 based on our financial situation at that time, and the compensation committee followed that recommendation. For 2009, the compensation committee approved a 4% increase in the base salaries of the named executive officers, in order to partially reflect the increase in the cost of living over the past two-year period.
Annual Cash Bonus. The compensation committee intends that a significant percentage of each executive officer’s total short-term cash compensation be made contingent upon our performance as well as upon his level of performance and contribution toward our performance. With this component of our overall compensation program, we aim to incentivize our executives to strive for exceptional performance and the achievement of short-term corporate goals. We generally seek to set targets for this short-term incentive compensation at levels that, when combined with the executive’s base salary, will cause the total cash compensation target for the year to be close to the median levels for total short-term cash compensation of executives in similar positions at comparable companies.
The compensation committee establishes an annual management incentive compensation plan under which our management and other key employees may be eligible to receive annual performance bonuses. The annual performance bonuses for participants in this plan are based on the achievement of corporate goals and, except for our chief executive officer, personal goals. Under this plan, incentive bonuses may be paid in cash, through the issuance of stock or stock options, or by a combination of cash, stock or stock options, at the discretion of the compensation committee. For 2008, the compensation committee approved the payment of performance bonuses in cash, in amounts as described below. In March 2009, the compensation committee adopted a similar management incentive compensation plan for 2009, with the performance bonuses, if any, payable in the first quarter of 2010.
Generally, in order to be eligible to participate in the management incentive compensation plan, an executive officer must have been employed by us for at least three months prior to the end of the year, and must have received certain minimum performance review ratings. In order to establish the corporate goals for a given year, the chief executive officer presents to the compensation committee for approval a list of the overall corporate objectives for the coming year, which are subject to final approval by the board. The chief executive officer, in consultation with the other executive officers participating in the plan, then develops a list of key individual objectives for each of these executive officers. Before making his recommendations to the compensation committee with respect to the achievement of the individual objectives by each executive officer, the chief executive officer provides each executive officer an opportunity to provide input in assessing whether and to what extent the officer’s individual objectives have been achieved. Under the plan, a target bonus amount is expressed as a percentage of the year-end base salary of the executive officer. If an executive is not employed for the full year, his or her incentive compensation will be prorated.
For 2008, the target bonus percentage for Dr. Itin, our chief executive officer, was 50% of his base salary, and for each of Dr. Baeuerle and Dr. Reinhardt, the other named executive officers, the target bonus was 35% of the annual base salary. The 2009 plan includes the same target bonus percentages for the chief executive officer and the other named executive officers.
The bonus to be paid to our chief executive officer is entirely dependent upon the achievement of our corporate goals. The corporate goals for 2008 included the closing of a collaboration agreement meeting certain parameters with respect to revenues received by us under that collaboration, share price goals, investor relations goals, the hiring of certain key personnel, the achievement of clinical and regulatory milestones in our clinical programs, and the achievement of certain results in our research programs. The corporate goals
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were generally designed to be achievable given effective performance of the executive officers and our company, but also included a target amount for revenues to be generated from new collaboration agreements that required extraordinary efforts and a confluence of favorable circumstances in order to be achieved. The 2009 corporate goals contain the same elements as described above for the 2008 corporate goals, and they are generally designed to be achievable given the effective performance of the executive officers and our company.
For the executive officers other than the chief executive officer, the calculation of the incentive bonus depends upon the achievement of both corporate and personal goals. The personal goals vary between executive officers based upon each executive officer’s job responsibilities, but they are generally designed to provide incentives for the officer to help us achieve our corporate goals. For 2008, the incentive bonus for each of our named executive officers other than the chief executive officer was based 75% on the achievement of corporate goals and 25% on the achievement of personal goals. For 2009, the plan approved by the compensation committee provides for the same weighting of corporate and personal goals.
When establishing the corporate goals for a particular year, the compensation committee assigns a certain weight to each goal, expressed as percentages adding up to one hundred percent (100%) in the aggregate. When evaluating level of achievement for the corporate goals, the compensation committee determines the percentage of achievement with respect to each corporate goal, which percentage is then multiplied by the percentage weighting originally assigned to such goal. The sum of the resulting percentages represents the total achievement of the corporate goals, and is used to calculate that portion of the bonus of the executive officer that is based on the achievement of the corporate goals. The compensation committee may also consider additional corporate goals that have been set by the board of directors during the course of the plan year, and may adjust the corporate goals achievement percentage based on the achievement of such additional corporate goals.
When evaluating the achievement of personal goals, the compensation committee places performance into one of four categories: performance met or exceeded objectives or was excellent in view of prevailing conditions; performance generally met the year’s objectives or was very acceptable in view of prevailing conditions; performance met some, but not all, objectives; and performance was not acceptable in view of prevailing conditions. Each of these categories results in a range of multipliers to the target amount of the executive officers’ bonus that is based on the achievement of the personal goals, except in the case of the chief executive officer whose bonus is based solely on the achievement of the corporate goals. The compensation committee has discretion with respect to the actual multiplier to apply in each case. For 2008 and 2009, the ranges for the four categories were and are 75% to 150%, 50% to 75%, 25% to 50%, and 0%, respectively. As a result, payments under this incentive compensation plan could range from zero to 150% of the respective target bonuses. Additionally, our compensation committee retains the discretion to award additional bonuses outside of the scope of the management incentive compensation plan in extraordinary circumstances.
In March 2009, the compensation committee awarded bonuses to our named executive officers based on the achievement of corporate and personal goals established for 2008. The committee concluded that 76% of our corporate goals for 2008 had been achieved, and that percentage was used as the multiplier for the portion of each named executive officer’s target bonus that is based on the achievement of corporate goals. Total payments under the plan were calculated as set forth in the following table:
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Name | | Target Bonus in % of Base Salary | | Target Bonus(1) ($) | | Portion of Target Bonus Based on Achievement of Corporate Goals | | Portion of Target Bonus Based on Achievement of Personal Goals | | Percentage of 2008 Corporate Goals Achieved | | Percentage of 2008 Personal Goals Achieved | | Total Award(1) ($) |
Christian Itin | | | 50 | % | | | 197,364 | | | | 100 | % | | | N/A | | | | 76 | % | | | N/A | | | | 150,490 | |
Patrick Baeuerle | | | 35 | % | | | 122,365 | | | | 75 | % | | | 25 | % | | | 76 | % | | | 100 | % | | | 100,569 | |
Carsten Reinhardt | | | 35 | % | | | 118,418 | | | | 75 | % | | | 25 | % | | | 76 | % | | | 80 | % | | | 91,404 | |

| (1) | The targets for and the awards to the named executive officers were determined and paid in Euros. We have converted Euros to U.S. Dollars using an exchange rate of $1.40974 per Euro, which was the published rate from the OANDA Corporation currency database as of December 31, 2008. |
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Performance Stock Options. In order to further enhance the incentive for the executive officers to achieve certain short-term corporate goals, the compensation committee made the vesting of a significant percentage of each named executive officer’s total stock option grants in 2008 and 2009 contingent upon the achievement of specified short-term corporate goals.
Approximately one-third of the total option grants to the named executive officers made in 2008 were contingent upon the achievement of a specific corporate goal relating to the establishment of a corporate partnership for the development and commercialization of our product candidates. These performance-based options covered 100,000 shares for Dr. Itin, and 75,000 shares each for Dr. Baeuerle and Dr. Reinhardt. In March 2009, the compensation committee determined that the specified corporate goal had been achieved at a level of approximately 43% and that the performance-based stock options granted to the executive officers in 2008 had vested at that percentage level, or 42,857 shares for Dr. Itin’s option, and 32,143 shares each for the options granted to Dr. Baeuerle and Dr. Reinhardt.
For 2009, the compensation committee increased the weighting of the performance-based stock option grants, to constitute one-half of the total option grants to the named executive officers, or 100,000 shares for Dr. Itin, 62,500 shares for Dr. Baeuerle, and 40,000 shares for Dr. Reinhardt. The vesting of these options will occur upon the achievement of specified goals relating to the establishment of corporate partnerships and the achievement of certain clinical development goals.
Long-term Compensation
Long-term compensation in the form of stock option grants is intended to incentivize our executives to pursue the creation of long-term stockholder value and remains a meaningful component of our overall executive compensation package. Because of the long development cycles of product candidates in our industry, there can be significant long-term rewards for executives who remain with our company over a long period of time. We seek to establish levels of option grants as part of our long-term compensation philosophy that provide for potential stock ownership levels around the 50th percentile of companies in our peer group, without taking into account any stock ownership outside of the context of equity awards under our equity incentive plans. This benchmarking is individually tailored, however, by our compensation committee, such that the projected stock ownership for some executives receiving high performance ratings are between the 50th and 75th percentiles for our peer group.
In addition to stock option grants, our Amended and Restated 2003 Equity Incentive Award Plan, or 2003 Plan, also allows us to provide other types of equity awards to our executive officers, but our compensation committee does not currently anticipate granting any types of equity awards other than stock options to our executive officers. In addition, prior to the 2006 merger with Micromet AG, CancerVax Corporation maintained an employee stock purchase plan, which was available for all employees, although this plan is not currently in use by us.
The compensation committee believes that grants of stock options to our executive officers will allow us to further align interests between the executive and our stockholders, and maintain competitive levels of total compensation by providing an opportunity for increased equity ownership.
The executive officers, along with all of our other employees, are eligible to participate in the 2003 Plan. Stock option grant levels are determined by the compensation committee based on data from the same group of peer companies described above. Option grants vary among executive officers based on their positions and performance and may be, but are not automatically, granted to our executives on an annual basis. Newly hired or promoted executive officers also typically receive stock option grants in connection with those events. In addition, the compensation committee considers the competitive conditions applicable to the executive officer’s specific position. We believe this strategy is consistent with the approach of other development stage companies in our industry and, in our compensation committee’s view, is appropriate for aligning the interests of our executives with those of our stockholders over the long term.
We believe that option-based compensation encourages retention of our executive officers, as the awards are generally designed to vest over time, usually four years for new hires, with one-fourth of the number of shares vesting on the first anniversary of the date of hire, and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments thereafter. Options granted to existing employees generally vest on a monthly basis in equal
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installments over a three-year period from the date of grant. However, our compensation committee has the discretion to grant options with performance-based vesting criteria, as it has done in both 2008 and 2009 as described above under “Short-term Compensation.”
Stock options generally have a term of ten years from the date of grant, and prior to exercise of an option, the holder has no rights as a stockholder with respect to the shares subject to such option, including voting rights. We generally do not permit the early exercise of stock options prior to vesting.
According to the grant guidelines established by our compensation committee, option grants to employees become effective on the first day of the month following the decision of the compensation committee to make the option grant, with the exercise price being the closing price of our common stock on the last trading day preceding the effective date of the grant. This procedure provides transparency to our employees and our investors, and is followed rigorously to ensure that the exercise price of our options will not be subject to concerns that backdating of the options may have occurred at the time of grant. Our compensation committee does not have any plan or practice to coordinate stock option grants with our release of material non-public information or any other investor relations activities. Stock options are generally approved at meetings of the compensation committee rather than the full board of directors.
We do not have any security ownership guidelines or requirements for our executive officers. The table below entitled “Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2008” summarizes the stock option holdings of our named executive officers as of December 31, 2008.
In connection with the executive compensation review in February 2008, the compensation committee approved option grants of 150,000 shares for Dr. Itin, 100,000 shares for Dr. Baeuerle, and 100,000 shares for Dr. Reinhardt. The option grants took effect in April 2008. In connection with the executive compensation review in March 2009, the compensation committee approved option grants of 100,000 shares for Dr. Itin, 62,500 shares for Dr. Baeuerle, and 40,000 shares for Dr. Reinhardt. The option grants took effect in April 2009. The exercise price of all of these grants was equal to the closing price of our common stock on the last trading day preceding the grant date, and all such options will vest over a three-year period from the date of grant in equal monthly installments.
In determining the long-term stock option grants to our named executive officers in February 2008 and March 2009, the compensation committee evaluated each named executive’s current stock option holdings and potential ownership percentage of our company on an as-exercised basis, and approved new grants of stock options that, when added to the executive’s existing option holdings, result in total holdings near the median for our peer group.
Other Benefits
Our named executive officers receive cash payments in amounts comparable to those that our German subsidiary Micromet AG is making under government-mandated social security and health insurance benefits programs for its employees in Germany. In addition, we hold a group accident insurance policy that covers those executives in the event of accident-related disability or death.
We believe that these benefits are consistent with those offered by other companies and specifically with those companies with which we compete for employees.
We do not provide pension arrangements or post-retirement health coverage for our executives or employees, nor do we provide any nonqualified defined contribution plans or other deferred compensation plans.
Change of Control and Termination Protection
We believe that reasonable severance benefits for our named executive officers are important because it may be difficult for them to find comparable employment within a short period of time. We also believe that it is important to protect our named executive officers in the event of a change of control transaction involving our company, as a result of which such officers might have their employment terminated. In addition, we believe that the interests of management should be aligned with those of our stockholders as much as possible, and we believe that providing protection upon a change of control is an appropriate counter to any disincentive such officers might otherwise perceive in regard to transactions that may be in the best interest of
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our stockholders. As part of our normal course of business, we engage in discussions with other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies about possible collaborations and licensing transactions, as well as other ways in which the companies may work together to further our respective long-term objectives. In addition, many larger, established pharmaceutical companies consider companies at similar stages of development to ours as potential acquisition targets. We desire to encourage our management team to act in the best interests of our stockholders, even though their employment with us could be terminated as a result of the transaction. As a result of these considerations by our compensation committee, the employment agreements with our named executive officers provide for severance benefits to be paid if the executives are terminated under specified conditions, as well as benefits in connection with a change in control of our company.
Our employment agreements with our named executive officers provide each executive with severance benefits in the event his employment is terminated by us other than for cause, if the executive resigns for good reason or in the case of the permanent disability of the executive. Specifically, in the event of such a termination, the named executive officer will receive, conditioned upon our receipt of a general release of claims, the following benefits:
| • | any accrued but unpaid base salary as of the date of termination; |
| • | an amount that is the greater of (a) twelve months of salary continuation payments (or eighteen months for Dr. Itin upon termination in connection with a change of control) or (b) the benefits under any other severance benefit plan of ours applicable to the named executive officer; |
| • | an amount equal to the average of the named executive officer’s bonuses for the three years prior to the date of termination (which bonus will be prorated for the period of time served by the executive during the year of termination, except if the termination is within six months prior to or twelve months following a change of control, in which case such bonus will not be prorated; in addition, Dr. Itin’s bonus would not be prorated in any event); |
| • | costs associated with the continuation of the payments based on the amounts Micromet AG is paying under government-mandated social security and health insurance benefits programs for its employees in Germany; |
| • | life insurance benefits coverage to the extent the executive was receiving such benefits prior to the date of termination; and |
| • | costs for outplacement services up to €15,000. |
In the event of the death of a named executive officer, the officer’s estate will be entitled to receive accrued but unpaid base salary through the date of death, plus any other amounts to which the officer was entitled under our bonus or compensation plans or practices at the time of the executive’s death; twelve months of salary continuation payments; an amount equal to the officer’s bonus for the year in which the death occurs, payable over the twelve month period commencing on the date of death; and costs associated with the continuation of health insurance for the executive’s dependents for twelve months.
In addition to the foregoing benefits, if the named executive officer’s employment is terminated by us other than for cause, if the executive resigns for good reason or in the case of the permanent disability or death of the executive, that portion of the executive’s stock awards which would have vested if the executive had remained employed for an additional twelve months will immediately vest on the date of termination.
In the event of a change of control of our company, 50% of each named executive officer’s unvested stock awards will immediately become vested and exercisable on the date of the change of control. Further, if the named executive officer’s employment is terminated by us other than for cause, or if the executive resigns for good reason, within six months prior to or twelve months following a change of control, all of the officer’s remaining unvested stock awards will automatically vest and become exercisable on the later of the date of termination or the date of the first closing of any transaction or the stockholder vote resulting in such change of control. For Dr. Itin only, in the event of a change of control any remaining unvested stock awards will become vested and exercisable on the six-month anniversary of the date of the change of control if he is employed by us or our successor at that time.
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For purposes of the employment agreements with our named executive officers, “cause” generally means the executive’s material breach of the executive’s employment agreement or any other written agreement between the executive and us; the executive’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his duties; the executive’s commission of any act or omission constituting dishonesty or fraud that has a material adverse impact on us; the executive’s conviction of, or plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony; conduct by the executive which in the good faith and reasonable determination of the board of directors demonstrates gross unfitness of the executive to serve; the executive’s failure to attempt in good faith to implement a clear and reasonable directive of the board of directors after written notice of such failure, and failure by the executive to cure the same within fifteen business days after receipt of such notice; persistent unsatisfactory performance of the executive’s job duties after written notice of such and failure to cure the deficiency after having been provided with a reasonable opportunity to cure, if deemed curable; or executive’s breach of his fiduciary duty to us. Prior to any determination by us that “cause” has occurred, we will provide the executive with written notice of the reasons for our determination, afford the executive a reasonable opportunity to remedy any breach, and provide the executive an opportunity to be heard prior to the final decision to terminate the executive’s employment.
For purposes of the employment agreements with our named executive officers, “good reason” generally means the assignment to the executive of any duties or responsibilities which result in the material diminution of the executive’s position; a reduction in the executive’s base salary; a relocation of the executive’s place of employment to a location outside the metropolitan area in which the executive works, except for required travel on company business; any material breach by us of the executive’s employment after written notice of the breach and failure by us to cure the breach within fifteen business days after receipt of such notice; any purported termination of the executive’s employment for cause by us that is not in accordance with the definition of cause set forth in the employment agreement; any failure to pay the executive the earned bonus for any period under any management incentive compensation plan adopted by us, if a majority of our other officers have been paid bonuses for such period under such plan; or any failure by us to obtain the assumption of the executive’s employment agreement by any of our successors or assignees.
If the employment of each named executive officer had been terminated due to death, permanent disability, termination without cause or termination for good reason as of December 31, 2008, the estimated maximum benefits that each would have received under their employment agreements are set forth in the table below. For amounts payable in Euros, we have used an exchange rate of $1.40974 per Euro, which was the published rate from the OANDA Corporation currency database as of December 31, 2008.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| | Payments Receivable upon Termination from Death, Permanent Disability, Termination without Cause or Termination for Good Reason |
Name | | Salary Continuation ($) | | Bonus Due to Termination from Death ($) | | Healthcare Benefits and Other Compensation ($)(2) | | Intrinsic Value of Additional Vested Stock Options ($)(1) | | Total Receivable due to Termination from Death ($) | | Incremental Change in Bonus Upon Termination for Disability, without Cause or with Good Reason ($) | | Incremental Payment Upon Termination for Disability, without Cause or with Good Reason (Outplacement Costs) ($) | | Total Receivable due to Termination for Disability, without Cause or for Good Reason ($) |
Christian Itin | | | 394,727 | | | | 150,490 | | | | 23,032 | | | | 580,500 | | | | 1,148,749 | | | | (21,626 | ) | | | 21,146 | | | | 1,148,269 | |
Patrick Baeuerle | | | 349,616 | | | | 100,569 | | | | 23,647 | | | | 266,999 | | | | 740,831 | | | | (14,794 | ) | | | 21,146 | | | | 747,183 | |
Carsten Reinhardt | | | 338,338 | | | | 91,405 | | | | 21,235 | | | | 253,977 | | | | 704,955 | | | | (9,775 | ) | | | 21,146 | | | | 716,326 | |

| (1) | The intrinsic value of additional stock options shown above is the difference between the closing stock price of $4.36 per share on December 31, 2008 and the exercise price, times the number of additional shares that would have vested upon termination. |
| (2) | Amounts in this column consist of payments to the named executive officer in lieu of payments on the officer’s behalf into the German state pension, unemployment and health insurance system. |
If we had entered into a change of control transaction on December 31, 2008 and if the employment of each of the named executive officers had been terminated as of December 31, 2008, and such termination was without cause or for good reason the maximum estimated benefits that each named executive officer would have received under their employment agreements are set forth in the following table. For amounts payable in
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Euros, we have used an exchange rate of $1.40974 per Euro, which was the published rate from the OANDA Corporation currency database as of December 31, 2008.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| | Incremental Payments for Termination in Connection with Change of Control |
Name | | Intrinsic Value of Additional Vested Stock Options Upon Change of Control ($)(1) | | Salary Continuation ($) | | Bonus ($) | | Healthcare Benefits and Other Compensation ($)(2) | | Maximum Outplacement Costs ($) | | Intrinsic Value of Additional Vested Stock Options Upon Termination ($)(1) | | Total Receivable due to Termination in Connection with Change of Control ($) |
Christian Itin | | | 489,750 | | | | 592,091 | | | | 128,864 | | | | 34,248 | | | | 21,146 | | | | 489,750 | | | | 1,755,849 | |
Patrick Baeuerle | | | 236,500 | | | | 349,616 | | | | 85,775 | | | | 23,647 | | | | 21,146 | | | | 236,500 | | | | 953,184 | |
Carsten Reinhardt | | | 241,814 | | | | 338,338 | | | | 81,630 | | | | 21,235 | | | | 21,146 | | | | 241,814 | | | | 945,977 | |

| (1) | The intrinsic value of additional stock options which would vest upon a change of control of Micromet and upon a termination in connection with a change of control of Micromet is based upon a closing stock price of $4.36 per share on December 31, 2008. In the event of a change of control of Micromet, on December 31, 2008, 50% of the unvested stock options would have vested at the time of the ownership change,. The remaining 50% vest if the executive officer is terminated within twelve months thereafter, except that in the case of Dr. Itin only, any remaining unvested stock awards will become vested and exercisable on the six-month anniversary of the date of the change of control even if he is employed by us at that time. |
| (2) | Amounts in this column consist of payments to the named executive officer in lieu of payments on the officer’s behalf into the German state pension, unemployment and health insurance system. |
Total Compensation
We intend to continue our strategy of compensating our executive officers at competitive levels consistent with those described above, with the opportunity to earn above-market pay for above-market performance, through programs that emphasize performance-based incentive compensation in the form of cash and equity. To that end, total executive compensation is structured to ensure that, due to the nature of our business, there is an equal focus on our financial performance, individual performance, and the progress toward executing our long-term corporate strategy. For 2008, the total compensation paid to the named executive officers fell near the median of total compensation paid to executives holding equivalent positions in our comparable group of companies. We believe that this position was consistent with our financial performance, the individual performance of each of our named executive officers and the progress towards achieving our long-term strategic goals. We also believe that the total compensation paid to our named executive officers was reasonable.
Evolution of our Compensation Strategy
In light of our compensation philosophy, we believe that the total compensation package for our executives should continue to consist of base salary, annual cash bonus incentives and performance-based stock option grants tied to corporate and individual performance objectives, long-term equity-based incentive compensation, and the other benefits described above. The competitive posture of our total annual compensation versus the market benchmarks will vary from year to year based on corporate and individual performance, as well as the performance of the comparable group companies and their respective levels of annual performance bonus awards made to their executive officers.
Our compensation strategy is necessarily tied to the stage of our corporate development. Accordingly, the specific direction, emphasis and components of our executive compensation program will continue to evolve in parallel with the evolution of our corporate and business strategy. Our Compensation Discussion and Analysis will, in the future, reflect these evolutionary changes.
Impact of Financial Accounting and Tax Considerations on Compensation Decisions
As described in greater detail in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, we account for stock-based compensation provided to our employees in accordance with Statement of Financial
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Accounting Standards, or SFAS, No. 123(R). SFAS No. 123(R) requires us to estimate the fair value of stock-based compensation at the time of the award and record that value as an expense over the vesting period of the award. Applicable accounting rules also require us to record cash compensation as an expense at the time the obligation is accrued.
Unless and until we achieve sustained profitability, the availability to us of a tax deduction for compensation expense will not be material to our compensation decisions. We structure cash bonuses so that they are taxable to our executive officers at the time they are paid. We currently intend that all cash compensation paid will be tax deductible by us. However, with respect to equity compensation awards, while any gain recognized by employees from nonqualified options should be deductible, to the extent that an option constitutes an incentive stock option, gain recognized by the optionee will not be deductible by us if there is no disqualifying disposition by the optionee. In addition, if we grant restricted stock awards that are not subject to performance vesting, they may not be fully deductible by us at the time the award is otherwise taxable to the recipient. With respect to equity and cash compensation, we generally seek to structure such awards so that they do not constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code, thereby avoiding penalties and taxes on such compensation applicable to deferred compensation.
Limitations on deductibility of compensation may occur under Section 162(m) of the Code, which generally limits the tax deductibility of compensation paid by a public company to its chief executive officer and certain other highly compensated executive officers to $1 million in the year the compensation becomes taxable to the executive officer. There is an exception to the limit on deductibility for performance-based compensation that meets certain requirements.
The non-performance based compensation paid in cash to our executive officers in 2008 did not exceed the $1 million limit per officer, and the compensation committee does not anticipate that the non-performance based compensation to be paid in cash to our executive officers in 2009 will exceed that limit. In addition, our 2003 Plan has been structured so that any compensation paid in connection with the exercise of option grants under that plan with an exercise price equal to at least the fair market value of the option shares on the date of grant will qualify as performance-based compensation and therefore not subject to the deduction limitation.
We periodically review the potential consequences of Section 162(m) and may structure the performance-based portion of our executive compensation to comply with certain exemptions in Section 162(m). However, we reserve the right to use our judgment to authorize compensation payments that do not comply with the exemptions in Section 162(m) when we believe that such payments are appropriate and in the best interests of our stockholders, after taking into account changing business conditions or the officer’s performance.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table shows for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, compensation awarded or paid to, or earned by our principal executive officer and our two other most highly compensated executive officers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. We refer to these individuals in this proxy statement as the Named Executive Officers. For amounts paid in Euros, we have used an exchange rate of $1.40974 per Euro for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 and $1.4729 per Euro for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, which were the published rates from the OANDA Corporation currency database as of December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively.
Summary Compensation Table for Fiscal 2008
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Name and Principal Position | | Year | | Salary(1) ($) | | OptionAwards(2) ($) | | Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation(3) ($) | | All Other Compensation(4) ($) | | Total(5) ($) |
Christian Itin, President and Chief Executive Officer | | | 2008 | | | | 394,727 | | | | 605,181 | | | | 150,490 | | | | 23,032 | | | | 1,173,430 | |
| | 2007 | | | | 412,412 | | | | 523,838 | | | | 125,197 | | | | 24,902 | | | | 1,086,349 | |
Patrick A. Baeuerle Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer | | | 2008 | | | | 349,616 | | | | 301,940 | | | | 100,569 | | | | 23,647 | | | | 775,772 | |
| | 2007 | | | | 365,279 | | | | 321,685 | | | | 86,901 | | | | 24,645 | | | | 798,510 | |
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 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Name and Principal Position | | Year | | Salary(1) ($) | | OptionAwards(2) ($) | | Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation(3) ($) | | All Other Compensation(4) ($) | | Total(5) ($) |
Carsten Reinhardt Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer | | | 2008 | | | | 338,338 | | | | 241,537 | | | | 91,404 | | | | 21,235 | | | | 692,514 | |
| | 2007 | | | | 344,905 | | | | 188,315 | | | | 83,955 | | | | 22,382 | | | | 639,558 | |

| (1) | Amounts in this column reflect base salary for each of the named executive officers earned in 2008 and 2007. For information concerning base salaries for 2008 and 2009, see the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this proxy statement. The lower compensation reflected in this column for 2008 is solely the result of the difference in the exchange rate from December 31, 2007 to December 31, 2008. For 2008, Drs. Itin, Baeuerle and Reinhardt’s base salaries remained at the same levels they were at December 31, 2007. |
| (2) | Amounts in this column represent the compensation costs incurred by us during the indicated year related to stock options held by the named executive officer, including grants made in previous years, rather than an amount paid to or realized by the named executive officer. These amounts were calculated utilizing the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), using a Black-Scholes pricing model and assuming no forfeiture of awards granted to the named executive officers. For additional information regarding assumptions made by us in valuing equity awards under SFAS 123(R), see Notes 3 and 14 to our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008. |
| (3) | Amounts in this column consist of the total performance-based compensation earned by the named executive officers under our 2008 and 2007 incentive compensation plans for service rendered in fiscal year 2008 and 2007, respectively, which amounts were awarded in March 2009 and February 2008, respectively. A discussion of the methodology by which the awards for 2008 were determined is set forth in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this proxy statement. |
| (4) | Amounts in this column consist of payments to the named executive officer in lieu of payments on the officer’s behalf into the German state pension, unemployment and health insurance system. |
| (5) | The dollar values in this column for each named executive officer represent the sum of all compensation referenced in the preceding columns. |
Securities authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table provides certain information with respect to all of our equity compensation plans in effect as of December 31, 2008.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
 | |  | |  | |  |
Plan Category | | Number of Securities to Be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights (a) | | Weighted-Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights (b) | | Number of Securities Remaining Available for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans (Excluding Securities Reflected in Column (a))(c) |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders(1) | | | 6,485,200 | | | | 3.347 | | | | 155,456 | |
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(2) | | | 1,223,945 | | | | 1.66 | | | | 443,614 | |
Total | | | 7,709,145 | | | | 3.284 | | | | 599,070 | |

| (1) | Includes the 2003 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. No shares are currently outstanding under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and 204,819 shares remain available under that plan. |
| (2) | Consists of the 2006 Equity Incentive Award Plan and the Third Amended and Restated 2000 Stock Incentive Award Plan. |
Descriptions of our equity incentive plans that were not approved by our stockholders are contained in Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008.
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Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2008
The following table shows, as of December 31, 2008, certain information regarding outstanding equity awards for the named executive officers, all of which are unexercised stock options.
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Name | | 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 ($) | | Market Price of Common Stock on Date of Grant ($)(3) | | Option Expiration Date |
Christian Itin | | | 340,772 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1.66 | | | | 6.51 | (4) | | | 5/4/16 | |
| | | 375,000 | | | | 375,000 | (2) | | | — | | | | 2.56 | | | | 2.56 | | | | 6/10/17 | |
| | | 33,333 | | | | 116,667 | (2) | | | — | | | | 1.75 | | | | 2.00 | | | | 3/31/18 | |
| | | — | | | | — | | | | 100,000 | | | | 1.75 | | | | 2.00 | | | | 4/1/18 | |
Patrick Baeuerle | | | 272,253 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1.66 | | | | 6.51 | (4) | | | 5/5/16 | |
| | | 150,000 | | | | 150,000 | (2) | | | — | | | | 2.56 | | | | 2.56 | | | | 6/10/17 | |
| | | 22,222 | | | | 77,778 | (2) | | | — | | | | 1.75 | | | | 2.00 | | | | 3/31/18 | |
| | | — | | | | — | | | | 75,000 | | | | 1.75 | | | | 2.00 | | | | 4/1/18 | |
Carsten Reinhardt | | | 79,936 | | | | — | | | | — | | | | 1.66 | | | | 6.51 | (4) | | | 5/4/16 | |
| | | 92,118 | | | | 77,946 | (1) | | | — | | | | 2.62 | | | | 2.62 | | | | 10/3/16 | |
| | | 50,000 | | | | 50,000 | (2) | | | — | | | | 2.56 | | | | 2.56 | | | | 6/10/17 | |
| | | 22,222 | | | | 27,778 | (2) | | | — | | | | 2.38 | | | | 2.31 | | | | 8/1/17 | |
| | | 22,222 | | | | 77,778 | (2) | | | — | | | | 1.75 | | | | 2.00 | | | | 4/1/18 | |
| | | — | | | | — | | | | 75,000 | | | | 1.75 | | | | 2.00 | | | | 4/1/18 | |

| (1) | Twenty-five percent of the shares underlying this option vested on October 3, 2007, with the remainder vesting in 36 equal monthly installments through October 3, 2010. |
| (2) | The shares underlying these grants vest over a three year period from the date of grant in equal monthly installments. |
| (3) | This column lists the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant. |
| (4) | These options were granted by our subsidiary Micromet Holdings, Inc. prior to the merger with CancerVax Corporation at a time when that company’s shares were not publicly traded. The options were assumed by us upon the closing of the merger as of May 5, 2006, at which time the exercise price became fixed at 25% of the closing price of our common stock on May 4, 2006, the trading date immediately preceding the merger. The closing price as of May 4, 2006 was $6.63 per share, after giving pro forma effect to a 1-for-3 reverse stock split of our common stock on that date. |
Option Exercises and Stock Vested
None of the named executive officers exercised any stock options during 2008, and no awards of shares of our common stock vested during 2008.
Pension Benefits
None of our named executive officers participates in or has account balances in non-qualified defined benefit plans or supplemental executive retirement plans sponsored by us.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
None of our named executive officers participates in or has account balances in any non-qualified defined contribution plans or other deferred compensation plans maintained by us.
Director Compensation
The following table shows for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 certain information with respect to the compensation of all our non-employee directors. Dr. Itin did not receive any compensation as director in 2008. Dr. Itin’s compensation in his capacity as our President and Chief Executive Officer has been fully reflected in the Summary Compensation Table contained in this proxy statement.
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Director Compensation for Fiscal Year 2008
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Name | | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)(1) | | Option Awards ($)(2),( 3) | | Other Compensation ($) | | Total ($) |
Jerry C. Benjamin | | | 31,500 | (4) | | | 86,274 | (14) | | | — | | | | 117,774 | |
John E. Berriman | | | 36,500 | (5) | | | 82,716 | (15) | | | — | | | | 119,216 | |
Michael G. Carter | | | 29,000 | (6) | | | 86,890 | (16) | | | — | | | | 115,890 | |
David F. Hale | | | 110,500 | (7) | | | 221,006 | (17) | | | 38,000 | (8) | | | 369,506 | |
Christian Itin | | | — | (9) | | | — | (9) | | | — | (9) | | | — | (9) |
Peter Johann | | | 30,500 | (10) | | | 72,041 | (18) | | | — | | | | 102,541 | |
Barclay A. Phillips | | | 25,500 | (11) | | | 82,140 | (19) | | | 111,260 | (22) | | | 218,900 | |
Joseph P. Slattery | | | 33,500 | (12) | | | 34,028 | (20) | | | — | | | | 67,528 | |
Otello Stampacchia | | | 27,500 | (13) | | | 78,005 | (21) | | | — | | | | 105,505 | |

| (1) | Pursuant to our Director Compensation Policy, non-employee directors receive an annual retainer fee paid in quarterly installments. The annual retainer fee was $16,000 during the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2008, and was increased to $20,000 per year starting with the 3rd quarter of 2008. Our chairman receives an additional annual retainer fee of $85,000 paid in quarterly installments. In addition, pursuant to our Director Compensation Policy, non-employee directors receive a meeting stipend of $1,500 for each board meeting attended and a meeting stipend of $1,000 for each committee meeting attended. Non-employee directors receive the meeting stipend also with respect to telephonic board meetings and committee meetings if such telephonic meetings last two hours or longer. |
| (2) | Pursuant to our Director Compensation Policy, each non-employee director, other than the chairman of the board, received at the time of the merger with CancerVax Corporation, or receives upon the initial appointment or election to the board, a non-qualified stock option to purchase 35,000 shares of our common stock. The chairman received a non-qualified stock option to purchase 70,000 shares of our common stock at the time of the merger between CancerVax Corporation and Micromet AG. Each of these options vests in equal installments at the end of each calendar month over a period of three years from the date of grant, such that each stock option is 100% vested on the third anniversary of its date of grant, subject to a director’s continuing service on the board through each vesting date. In addition, on the date of each annual meeting of stockholders, (i) the chairman of the audit committee receives a non-qualified stock option to purchase 7,500 shares of our common stock, (ii) the chairman of the compensation committee receives a non-qualified stock option to purchase 5,000 shares of our common stock, and (iii) the chairman of the nominating & corporate governance committee receives a non-qualified stock option to purchase 2,500 shares of our common stock. Each of these options vests in equal installments at the end of each calendar month over a period of one year from the date of grant, such that each stock option is 100% vested on the first anniversary of the date of grant, subject to a director’s continuing service on the board through each vesting date. In addition, on the date of each annual meeting of stockholders, all non-employee directors, other than the chairman of the board, receive a non-qualified stock option to purchase 15,000 shares of our common stock, and the chairman receives a non-qualified stock option to purchase 30,000 shares of our common stock. Each of these options vests in equal installments at the end of each calendar month over a period of one year from the date of grant, such that each stock option is 100% vested on the first anniversary of the date of grant, subject to a director’s continuing service on the board through each vesting date. Pursuant to our Director Compensation Policy, the exercise price for each of the grants is the closing price on the date of grant. |
| (3) | Amounts in this column represent the compensation costs incurred by us during 2008 related to stock options held by the director, rather than an amount paid to or realized by the director. These amounts were calculated utilizing the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), using a Black-Scholes pricing model and assuming no forfeiture of awards granted to the director. For additional information regarding assumptions made by us in valuing equity awards under SFAS 123(R), see Notes 3 and 14 to our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008. |
| (4) | Comprised of $18,000 in annual director retainer fees, $7,500 in board meeting attendance fees, and $6,000 in committee meeting attendance fees. |
| (5) | Comprised of $18,000 in annual director retainer fees, $7,500 in board meeting attendance fees, and $11,000 in committee meeting attendance fees. |
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| (6) | Comprised of $18,000 in annual director retainer fees, $6,000 in board meeting attendance fees, and $5,000 in committee meeting attendance fees. |
| (7) | Comprised of $103,000 in annual director and chairman retainer fees, and $7,500 in board meeting attendance fees. |
| (8) | Reimbursement of expenses incurred by Mr. Hale for his administrative assistant. |
| (9) | Dr. Itin did not receive any compensation as a director of the Company during 2008. Dr. Itin’s compensation in his capacity as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company is reflected in the Summary Compensation Table. |
| (10) | Comprised of $18,000 in annual director retainer fees, $7,500 in board meeting attendance fees, and $5,000 in committee meeting attendance fees. All fees were paid to NGN Capital LLC. |
| (11) | Comprised of $13,000 in annual director retainer fees, $4,500 in board meeting attendance fees, and $8,000 in committee meeting attendance fees. All fees were paid to Vector Fund Management L.P. Mr. Phillips resigned as a director in August 2008 upon his appointment as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Compensation paid to Mr. Phillips in his capacity as an employee of our company are described in footnotes 19 and 22 below. |
| (12) | Comprised of $18,000 in annual director retainer fees, $7,500 in board meeting attendance fees, and $8,000 in committee meeting attendance fees. |
| (13) | Comprised of $18,000 in director retainer fees, $7,500 in board meeting attendance fees and $2,000 in committee meeting attendance fees, in each case paid to Omega Fund I, L.P. and Omega III, L.P. in proportion to their relative shareholdings in the Company. |
| (14) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 80,000 shares. |
| (15) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 83,155 shares. |
| (16) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 98,608 shares. |
| (17) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 609,295 shares. |
| (18) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 65,000 shares, which are held in the name of NGN Capital LLC. |
| (19) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 79,166 shares, which are held by Mr. Phillips for the benefit of Vector Fund Management L.P. In connection with the appointment of Mr. Phillips as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, on September 1, 2008 we granted him an additional option to purchase 300,000 shares of common stock. Options to purchase 25% of the shares will vest on September 1, 2009, and the remainder of the options will vest in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, such that all of the options will be vested by the fourth anniversary of the date of grant. |
| (20) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 57,500 shares. |
| (21) | The aggregate number of option awards outstanding at December 31, 2008 was 65,000 shares. Pursuant to the limited partnership agreements of Omega Fund I, L.P. and Omega Fund III, L.P., Omega Fund I, L.P. and Omega Fund III, L.P. are the beneficiaries of any remuneration, including stock options, received by Mr. Stampacchia in connection with his service as a director of the Company. Mr. Stampacchia disclaims beneficial ownership of the stock options or such shares that may be purchased upon exercise of the stock options, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. |
| (22) | In connection with the appointment of Mr. Phillips as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Phillips, effective as of August 30, 2008. In 2008 Mr. Phillips received a base salary of $300,000 per year, which amounted to $100,000 during 2008. Mr. Phillips did not participate in our management incentive compensation plan for 2008. During 2008, we also paid to Mr. Phillips $11,260 in relocation expenses, which include temporary housing expenses and reimbursement of expenses incurred by Mr. Phillips in connection with the sale of his previous residence. |
Transactions With Related Persons
Related-Person Transactions Policy and Procedures
Under its charter, our audit committee is responsible for reviewing and approving all related party transactions. We annually require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a director and officer questionnaire that elicits information about related person transactions, including any such transactions which
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are required to be disclosed under the rules of the SEC. In addition, under our Code of Ethics, our directors, officers and employees are expected to avoid conflicts of interest with us and are required to report any such conflicts of interest to our General Counsel or, in the case of our directors, to the full board. Our audit committee reviews all such transactions and relationships which come to its attention either through the director and officer questionnaires or otherwise, and considers whether to approve or take other appropriate action with respect to such transactions or relationships.
Certain Related-Person Transactions
We have entered into indemnity agreements with our officers and directors which provide, among other things, that we will indemnify such officer or director, under the circumstances and to the extent provided for therein, for expenses, damages, judgments, fines and settlements he or she may be required to pay in actions or proceedings which he or she is or may be made a party by reason of his or her position as our director, officer or other agent, and otherwise to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and our bylaws.
Householding of Proxy Materials
The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for annual meeting materials with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single set of annual meeting materials 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 brokers with account holders who are Micromet stockholders will be “householding” our proxy materials. A single set of annual meeting materials 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 broker that they 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 set of annual meeting materials, please notify your broker. Direct your written request to Micromet, Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 505, Bethesda, Maryland 20817. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the annual meeting materials at their addresses and would like to request “householding” of their communications should contact their brokers.
Other Matters
The board of directors knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the annual meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on such matters in accordance with their best judgment.
By Order of the board of directors
/S/ MATTHIAS ALDER
Matthias Alder
Secretary
April 30, 2009
A copy of our Annual Report to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 is available without charge upon written request to: Corporate Secretary, Micromet, Inc., 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 505, Bethesda, Maryland 20817.
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