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)

January 7, 2015

VIVUS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

351 EAST EVELYN AVENUE

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94041

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(650) 934-5200

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A

(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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

Svai S. Sanford has served as the interim Chief Financial Officer of VIVUS, Inc., or the Company, since November 2013 and the Chief Accounting Officer of the Company since December 2013. On January 7, 2015, the Board of Directors of the Company determined to remove the “interim” from Mr. Sanford’s title, such that Mr. Sanford’s title became the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer effective January 7, 2015.

Mr. Sanford, age 45, served as our Corporate Controller from July 2012 until November 2013. Prior to this, Mr. Sanford was the Corporate Controller at Glam Media, Inc., a digital content provider, from November 2010 to June 2012, and in addition to other senior management roles within the company, he was the Senior Director, Technical Accounting, Reporting and Compliance at Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from March 2004 to November 2010. Mr. Sanford began his career with KPMG LLP, where he earned his license as a certified public accountant. Mr. Sanford holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kansas State University.

No new compensatory or severance arrangements were entered into in connection with the removal of the “interim” from Mr. Sanford’s title. There are no family relationships between Mr. Sanford and any previous or current officers or directors of the Company, and there are no related party transactions reportable under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

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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.

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