UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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): March 28, 2017

OREXIGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (858) 875-8600

(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):

[ ] 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))

On March 28, 2017, Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (“Orexigen”) entered into a Controlled Equity Offering^SM Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as sales agent (“Cantor Fitzgerald”), pursuant to which Orexigen may offer and sell, from time to time, through Cantor Fitzgerald, shares of Orexigen common stock, par value $0.001 per share, having an aggregate offering price of up to $20.0 million (the “ATM Offering”). The shares will be offered and sold pursuant to Orexigen’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-210-224).

Orexigen is not obligated to sell any shares under the Sales Agreement. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, Cantor Fitzgerald will use commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, applicable state and federal law, rules and regulations and the rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market, to sell shares from time to time based upon Orexigen’s instructions, including any price, time or size limits specified by Orexigen. Under the Sales Agreement, Cantor Fitzgerald may sell shares by any method deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any other method permitted by law, including in privately negotiated transactions. Orexigen will pay Cantor Fitzgerald a commission of 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds from each sale of shares, reimburse legal fees and disbursements and provide Cantor Fitzgerald with customary indemnification and contribution rights. The Sales Agreement may be terminated by Cantor Fitzgerald or Orexigen at any time upon notice to the other party, or by Cantor Fitzgerald at any time in certain circumstances, including the occurrence of a material and adverse change in Orexigen’s business or financial condition that makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the shares.

The foregoing description of the Sales Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Sales Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. The legal opinion of Cooley LLP relating to the shares of common stock being offered pursuant to the Sales Agreement is filed as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any shares under the Sales Agreement nor shall there be any sale of such shares in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

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.