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): May 10, 2016

Apricus Biosciences, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada
0-22245
87-0449967
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

11975 El Camino Real, Suite 300, San Diego, CA
92130
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (858) 222-8041


 (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:

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 240.13a-4(c))








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Item 3.01     Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

On May 10, 2016, Apricus Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) received a Nasdaq Staff Deficiency letter indicating that, for the last thirty consecutive business days, the bid price for the Company’s common stock had closed below the minimum $1.00 per share requirement for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has been provided an initial period of 180 calendar days, or until November 7, 2016, to regain compliance. The letter states that the Nasdaq staff will provide written notification that the Company has achieved compliance with Rule 5550(a)(2) if at any time before November 7, 2016, the bid price of the Company’s common stock closes at $1.00 per share or more for a minimum of ten consecutive business days. The Nasdaq Staff Deficiency letter has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s common stock and the common stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “APRI.”

The Company intends to monitor the bid price of its common stock and consider available options if its common stock does not trade at a level likely to result in the Company regaining compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price rule by November 7, 2016.

If the Company does not regain compliance with Rule 5550(a)(2) by November 7, 2016, the Company may be eligible for an additional 180 calendar day compliance period. To qualify, the Company would be required to meet the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards for The Nasdaq Capital Market, with the exception of the bid price requirement, and would need to provide written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period, by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary. However, if it appears to the Nasdaq Staff that the Company will not be able to cure the deficiency, or if the Company is otherwise not eligible, Nasdaq would notify the Company that its securities would be subject to delisting. In the event of such a notification, the Company may appeal the Staff’s determination to delist its securities, but there can be no assurance the Staff would grant the Company’s request for continued listing.

Except for the factual statements made herein, information contained in this report consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects or future events, as well as words such as “believes,” “intends,” “expects,” “plans,” and similar expressions, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and actual actions or events could differ materially from those contained in such statements. For example, there can be no assurance that the Company will meet the bid price requirement during any compliance period or otherwise in the future, otherwise meet Nasdaq compliance standards, or that Nasdaq will grant the Company any relief from delisting as necessary or whether the Company can agree to or ultimately meet applicable Nasdaq requirements for any such relief. Reference is also made to other factors detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Form 10-K and any subsequent Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements contained in this report speak only as of the date of this report and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in information, events or circumstances after the date of this report, unless required by law.


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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.

 
Apricus Biosciences, Inc.
 
 
 Date: May 13, 2016
By:
/s/ Richard W. Pascoe
 
 
 
Name: Richard W. Pascoe
 
 
 
Title: Chief Executive Officer and Secretary





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