kros-20230413
0001664710FALSE00016647102023-04-132023-04-13

 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
FORM 8-K 
 
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 13, 2023
 
 
Keros Therapeutics, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
 
Delaware 001-39264 81-1173868
(state or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
1050 Waltham Street, Suite 302
Lexington, Massachusetts
 02421
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 314-6297
 
Not applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
 
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) 
 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) 



 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
Title of each class 
Trading
Symbol
 
Name of each exchange
on which registered
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share KROS The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
 
 



Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On April 13, 2023, the board of directors (the “Board”) of Keros Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), based upon a recommendation from the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board, voted to increase the size of the Board to eight members and appoint Dr. Alpna Seth as a director of the Company, effective on May 1, 2023. Dr. Seth was appointed as a Class II director with a term expiring at the Company’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders. The Board also appointed Dr. Seth to serve as a member of the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”).

There are no arrangements or understandings between Dr. Seth and any other person pursuant to which Dr. Seth was appointed as a director. There are no transactions to which the Company is a party and in which Dr. Seth has a material interest that are required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Dr. Seth has not previously held any positions with the Company and has no family relations with any directors or executive officers of the Company.

Dr. Seth will participate in the Company’s standard compensation plan for non-employee directors, including an initial stock option grant, to purchase 20,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price per share to be equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market on that date. This option vests in equal quarterly installments over a three-year period. In addition, pursuant to the Company’s amended and restated non-employee director compensation policy, Dr. Seth will be eligible for an annual option grant to purchase 10,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, which will be granted in connection with the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders each year. Dr. Seth will also be entitled pursuant to the Company's amended and restated non-employee director compensation policy to receive a $40,000 annual retainer for her service on the Board, as well as an additional annual retainer of $6,000 for service as a member of the Compensation Committee.

In connection with her appointment as a member of the Board, the Company will enter into its standard form of indemnification agreement with Dr. Seth. The indemnification agreement will provide, among other things, that the Company will indemnify Dr. Seth for certain expenses, including damages, judgments, fines, penalties, settlements and costs and attorneys’ fees and disbursements, incurred in any claim, action or proceeding arising in her capacity as a director or in connection with service at the Company’s request for another corporation or entity. The indemnification agreement will provide, among other things, that the Company will indemnify Dr. Seth for certain expenses, including damages, judgments, fines, penalties, settlements and costs and attorneys’ fees and disbursements, incurred in any claim, action or proceeding arising in her capacity as a director or in connection with service at the Company’s request for another corporation or entity.

Following Dr. Seth’s appointment to the Board’s Compensation Committee, the membership of the three standing committees of the Board is as follows:

Audit CommitteeCompensation CommitteeNominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Mary Ann Gray (chair)Carl Gordon (chair)Tomer Kariv (chair)
Nima FarzanMary Ann GrayNima Farzan
Julius KnowlesRan NussbaumJulius Knowles
Alpna Seth
A copy of the press release announcing Dr. Seth’s appointment to the Board is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01     Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits




Exhibit No.Description
99.1
104Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document)



SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
KEROS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: /s/ Jasbir Seehra
 
Jasbir Seehra, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Dated: April 19, 2023

Document

Exhibit 99.1
Keros Therapeutics Appoints Alpna Seth, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors

April 19, 2023 at 8:00 AM EDT

LEXINGTON, Mass., April 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keros Therapeutics, Inc. (“Keros” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: KROS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel treatments for patients suffering from hematological, pulmonary and cardiovascular disorders with high unmet medical need, today announced that it appointed Alpna Seth, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors, effective May 1, 2023.

“Dr. Seth’s deep industry experience and expertise in drug development, global operations and product launches will be an invaluable addition to our Board of Directors,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Jasbir Seehra, Ph.D. “We are excited to welcome her to our Board at this pivotal stage in our evolution, and look forward to working with her as we continue to develop innovative product candidates for patients.”

Dr. Seth served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Nura Bio Inc. for three years, until she retired in October 2022. From July 2017 to January 2019, Dr. Seth was the Chief Operating Officer of Vir Biotechnology, Inc. Prior to joining Vir, Dr. Seth was Senior Vice President and Global Head of the Biosimilars business for Biogen, Inc. since 2014. From 1998 through July 2017, Dr. Seth held a range of global leadership and general management roles at Biogen spanning drug development, commercialization and international operations, including founding Managing Director of Biogen Idec India and Program Executive for several of Biogen’s major cross-functional drug development programs and product launches. Dr. Seth currently serves on the board of directors of Bio-Techne Corporation and Seagen Inc.

Dr. Seth received a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from University of Massachusetts Medical School and conducted her post-doctoral research at Harvard University in immunology and structural biology, both as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow. She is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

About Keros Therapeutics, Inc.

Keros is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel treatments for patients suffering from hematological, pulmonary and cardiovascular disorders with high unmet medical need. Keros is a leader in understanding the role of the transforming growth factor-beta family of proteins, which are master regulators of red blood cell and platelet production as well as of the growth, repair and maintenance of a number of tissues, including blood vessels and heart tissue. Keros’ lead protein therapeutic product candidate, KER-050, is being developed for the treatment of low blood cell counts, or cytopenias, including anemia and thrombocytopenia, in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and in patients with myelofibrosis. Keros’ lead small molecule product candidate, KER-047, is being developed for the treatment of functional iron deficiency. Keros’ third product candidate, KER-012, is being developed for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders.

Investor Contact:

Justin Frantz
jfrantz@soleburystrat.com
617-221-9100