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): February 23, 2022
KIORA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
| 001-36672 | 98-0443284 | |
| (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
1371 East 2100 South
Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 |
84105 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(781) 788-9043
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
(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:
¨ 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, $0.01 par value | KPRX | The Nasdaq Capital Market |
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 3.01. | Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing. |
On February 23, 2022, Kiora Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) received a deficiency letter (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that, for the last 30 consecutive business days, the bid price for the Company’s common stock had closed below $1.00 per share, which is the minimum closing price required to maintain continued listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) (the “Minimum Bid Requirement”).
The Notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company’s common stock on Nasdaq. In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has 180 calendar days to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Requirement. To regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Requirement, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock must be at least $1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days during this 180-day compliance period, unless the Staff exercises its discretion to extend this period pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(G). The compliance period for the Company will expire on August 22, 2022.
In the event that the Company does not regain compliance within the 180-day compliance period, the Company may be eligible for an additional 180 calendar day compliance period. To qualify, the Company would need to meet the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards for Nasdaq, with the exception of the Minimum Bid Requirement, and provide written notice to the Staff of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period. However, if it appears to the Staff that the Company will not be able to cure the deficiency, or if the Company does not meet the other listing standards, the Staff could provide notice that the Company’s common stock will become subject to delisting. In the event the Company receives notice that its common stock is being delisted, the Nasdaq Listing Rules permit the Company to appeal any such delisting determination by the Staff to a Hearings Panel.
The Company intends to actively monitor the closing bid price of its common stock and is evaluating available options to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Requirement. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Requirement or that the Company will otherwise remain in compliance with the other listing standards for the Nasdaq Stock Market.
| Item 5.02. | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
As previously reported, Sarah Romano resigned
as Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective as of February 25, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) to pursue another opportunity.
Following Ms. Romano’s resignation, the Company appointed Michael Meluzio, CPA, the Corporate Controller of the Company, as the
Company’s principal financial officer and principal accounting officer, effective as of the Effective Date.
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.
| KIORA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | |||
| By: | /s/ Brian M. Strem, Ph.D. | ||
| Brian M. Strem, Ph.D. | |||
| President and Chief Executive Officer | |||
| Date: February 28, 2022 | |||