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): June 16, 2016

 


 

ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

British Columbia, Canada

 

001-37691

 

98-1283375

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

7100 West Credit Avenue, Suite 101, Mississauga,
Ontario, Canada

 

L5N 0E4

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (905) 876-1118

 

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:

 

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 5.07.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

Aralez Pharmaceutical Inc.’s (the “Company”) Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) was held at the offices of Stikeman Elliott LLP, 5300 Commerce Court West, 199 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5L 1B9, on Thursday, June 16, 2016.  At the Annual Meeting, the following matters were submitted to a vote of shareholders:

 

·                  The election of eight (8) directors to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are elected;

·                  The ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP (“E&Y”), an independent registered public accounting firm, as the Company’s auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016; and

·                  The non-binding, advisory vote to approve the Company’s approach to the compensation of its named executive officers as disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement dated May 6, 2016.

 

At the close of business on May 3, 2016, the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, there were 64,019,851 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Common Stock”) outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.  The holders of 49,371,169 shares of the Common Stock were represented in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting, constituting a quorum.

 

At the Annual Meeting, the directors were elected, and all other proposals submitted to stockholders were approved.

 

Proposal 1.  Election of Directors

 

The vote with respect to the election of the directors was as follows:

 

 

 

For

 

Withheld

 

Broker Non-Votes

 

Adrian Adams

 

36,924,816

 

640,613

 

11,805,740

 

Jason M. Aryeh

 

34,724,222

 

2,841,207

 

11,805,740

 

Neal F. Fowler

 

34,912,811

 

2,652,618

 

11,805,740

 

Rob Harris

 

36,728,124

 

837,305

 

11,805,740

 

Arthur S. Kirsch

 

36,864,255

 

701,174

 

11,805,740

 

Kenneth B. Lee, Jr.

 

34,432,470

 

3,132,959

 

11,805,740

 

Seth A. Rudnick, M.D.

 

34,916,599

 

2,648,830

 

11,805,740

 

F. Martin Thrasher

 

37,299,273

 

266,156

 

11,805,740

 

 

Proposal 2.  Appointment of Auditors

 

The vote with respect to the approval of the appointment of E&Y, an independent registered public accounting firm, as the Company’s auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016 was as follows:

 

For

 

Withheld

 

48,930,441

 

440,728

 

 

Proposal 3.  Non-Binding Say-on-Pay Vote

 

The vote with respect to the non-binding, advisory vote to approve the Company’s approach to the compensation of its named executive officers as disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement dated May 6, 2016 was as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-
Votes

 

24,695,883

 

12,339,643

 

529,902

 

11,805,741

 

 

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SIGNATURE

 

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.

 

Date: June 16, 2016

ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Eric L. Trachtenberg

 

 

Eric L. Trachtenberg

 

 

General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary

 

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