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):  July 11, 2018

 

AKCEA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

55 Cambridge Parkway

Suite 100

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)

 

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))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (Section 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Section 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.          ☑

 

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Item 3.02

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

 

On July 11, 2018, Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), an affiliate of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Ionis”), and Ionis issued a press release announcing that TEGSEDI^TM (inotersen) has received marketing authorization approval from the European Commission (“EC”) for the treatment of stage 1 or stage 2 polyneuropathy in adult patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis.  In April 2018, the Company licensed the worldwide rights to commercialize TEGSEDI from Ionis.  Based on the EC authorization of TEGSEDI, Ionis will receive a $40 million milestone payment from the Company payable in shares of the Company’s common stock, priced by reference to a recent trading average.  The securities will be offered and sold in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506 thereunder.

 

Item 8.01.

Other Events.

 

The information set forth in Item 3.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.

 

On July 11, 2018, the Company and Ionis issued a press release with respect to the EC’s approval of TEGSEDI.  A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)  Exhibits.

 

99.1

Press Release dated July 11, 2018.

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

 

 

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