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 9, 2020
Akcea Therapeutics, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
| Delaware | 001-38137 | 47-2608175 | ||
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||
| 22 Boston Wharf Road 9th Floor Boston, MA |
02210 | |||
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | |||
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (617) 207-0202
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 (see General Instructions 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)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Common stock | AKCA | NASDAQ |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 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. ☐
| Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On January 9, 2020, Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Strategic Advisory Services Agreement (the “Agreement”) with B. Lynne Parshall, the Company’s Chair of the Board of Directors, under which Ms. Parshall will provide the Company strategic advisory services. Pursuant to the Agreement, Ms. Parshall will receive compensation of $139,500 for services provided in the fiscal year ending 2020, paid in four equal installments of $34,875 on a quarterly basis. Payment for services after 2020 will be set by mutual written agreement between the Company and Ms. Parshall. The Agreement will continue until termination by the Company or Ms. Parshall upon 90 days advance written notice.
Ms. Parshall will also continue to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Company. Ms. Parshall will receive for her Board service the same compensation as the Company provides its other nonemployee directors and additional compensation as Chair of the Board.
The foregoing summary of the Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Agreement, which will be attached as an exhibit to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending March 31, 2020.
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 thereunto duly authorized.
| AKCEA THERAPEUTICS, INC. | ||||
| Date: January 10, 2020 | By: | /s/Damien McDevitt | ||
| Damien McDevitt | ||||
| Interim Chief Executive Officer | ||||