As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 20 , 2014

Registration No. 333-

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Neothetics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   20-8527075

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

9191 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 400

San Diego, CA 92122

(858) 750-1008

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended

2014 Equity Incentive Plan

2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plans)

 

 

George W. Mahaffey

President and Chief Executive Officer

Neothetics, Inc.

9191 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 400

San Diego, CA 92122

(858) 750-1008

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Please send copies of all communications to:

 

Larry W. Nishnick, Esq.    Susan A. Knudson
DLA Piper LLP (US)    Chief Financial Officer
4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100    Neothetics, Inc.
San Diego, CA 92121    9191 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 400
Tel: (858) 677-1400    San Diego, CA 92122
Fax: (858) 677-1401    (858) 750-1008

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer   ¨    Accelerated filer   ¨
Non-accelerated filer   x   (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company   ¨


 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Securities

To Be Registered

 

Amount

To Be

Registered(1)

 

Proposed

Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share

 

Proposed

Maximum
Aggregate

Offering Price

  Amount of
Registration Fee

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

               

-      

 

Outstanding Stock Options under the Amended and Restated 2007

Stock Plan, as amended

  1,016,538(2)   $1.60(3)   $1,626,461   $189

-      

 

Outstanding Restricted Stock under the Amended and Restated 

2007 Stock Plan, as amended

  196,721(4)   $10.44(5)   $2,053,768   $239

-      

 

Reserved for future issuance under the 2014 Equity

Incentive Plan

  1,000,731(6)   $14.00(7)   $14,010,234   $1,628

-      

 

Reserved for future issuance under the 2014 Employee

Stock Purchase Plan

  170,000   $11.90(8)   $2,023,000   $235

TOTAL

  2,383,990   N/A   $19,713,463   $2,291

 

 

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock that become issuable in respect of the securities identified in the above table by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the Registrant’s receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of the outstanding shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock.
(2) Represents shares of Registrant’s common stock reserved for issuance pursuant to stock options outstanding under the Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended (the “ 2007 Plan ”), as of the date of this Registration Statement. Any such shares of common stock that are subject to awards under the 2007 Plan that are forfeited, lapse unexercised or would otherwise have been returned to the share reserve under the 2007 Plan, instead will be available for issuance under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. See footnote 6 below.
(3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act on the basis of the weighted average exercise price of $1.60 per share (rounded up to the nearest cent).
(4) Represents shares of Registrant’s outstanding common stock issued pursuant to a restricted stock grant under the 2007 Plan, as of the date of this Registration Statement. Any such shares of common stock that are subject to this restricted stock award under the 2007 Plan that are forfeited, lapse without vesting or would otherwise have been returned to the share reserve under the 2007 Plan, instead will be available for issuance under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. See footnote 6 below.
(5) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act and based on the fair market value of the restricted stock award at the time of grant as determined by the Registrant pursuant to the 2007 Plan (rounded up to the nearest cent).
(6) Represents shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan consisting of (a) 1,000,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan and (b) 731 shares of common stock previously reserved but unissued under the 2007 Plan that are now available for future issuance under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. To the extent outstanding awards under the 2007 Plan are forfeited, lapse unexercised or would otherwise have been returned to the share reserve under the 2007 Plan, the shares of common stock subject to such awards instead will be available for future issuance under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. See footnotes 2 and 4 above.
(7) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act and based upon the initial public offering price of $14.00 per share of the Registrant’s common stock as set forth in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-199449) declared effective on November 19, 2014 (the “ Initial Public Offering Price ”).
(8) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act and based upon the Initial Public Offering Price, multiplied by 85%. Pursuant to the Registrant’s 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the purchase price of a share is 85% of the fair market value of the Registrant’s common stock.

 

 

 


PART I

Information Required in the Section 10(a) Prospectus

The information called for by Part I of Form S-8 is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the instructions to Form S-8. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.


PART II

Information Required in the Registration Statement

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference .

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), are incorporated herein by reference:

 

  (a) the Registrant’s prospectus filed on November 20, 2014 under the Securities Act contained in the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-199449), which contains audited financial statements for the Registrant’s latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed; and

 

  (b) the description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A (Registration No. 001-36754) filed with the Commission on November 18, 2014 under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the filing of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment, which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents, except as to specific sections of such documents as set forth therein. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in any subsequently filed document, which also is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities .

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel .

As of the date of this Registration Statement, Michael Kagnoff and Larry Nishnick of DLA Piper LLP (US) beneficially own an aggregate of 13,937 shares of the Registrant’s common stock, representing approximately 0.15% of the Registrant’s outstanding shares of common stock as of September 30, 2014.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers .

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers under certain circumstances and subject to certain limitations. The terms of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law are sufficiently broad to permit indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act.

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be effective in connection with the closing of the Registrant’s initial public offering contains provisions that eliminate the personal liability of its directors for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as a director, except liability for the following:

 

    any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders;

 

    acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;


    under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (regarding unlawful dividends and stock purchases); or

 

    any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.


As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant’s amended and restated bylaws to be effective upon the closing of the Registrant’s initial public offering, provide that:

 

    the Registrant is required to indemnify its directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to very limited exceptions;

 

    the Registrant may indemnify its other employees and agents as set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law;

 

    the Registrant is required to advance expenses, as incurred, to its directors and executive officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to very limited exceptions; and

 

    the rights conferred in the amended and restated bylaws are not exclusive.

The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its current directors and executive officers to provide these directors and executive officers additional contractual assurances regarding the scope of the indemnification set forth in the Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and to provide additional procedural protections. There is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director or executive officer of the Registrant for which indemnification is sought. The indemnification provisions in the Registrant’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws and the indemnification agreements entered into between the Registrant and each of its directors and executive officers may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of the Registrant’s directors and executive officers for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

The Registrant currently carries liability insurance for its directors and officers.

Two of the Registrant’s directors (Daniel S. Janney and Kim P. Kamdar) are also indemnified by their employers with regard to their service on the Registrant’s board of directors.

See also the undertakings set out in response to Item 9 of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

The following exhibits are filed herewith:

 

Exhibit
Number
  

Exhibit Description

  Incorporated by Reference     Filed
Herewith
     Form     File No.     Exhibit     Filing Date    
  4.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on September 19, 2014, as currently in effect.     S-1        333-199449        3.1        10/17/2014     
  4.2    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be in effect immediately prior to the completion of the Registrant’s public offering.     S-1        333-199449        3.2        10/17/2014     
  4.3    Bylaws, as currently in effect.     S-1        333-199449        3.3        10/17/2014     
  4.4    Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws to be in effect immediately prior to the completion of the Registrant’s public offering.     S-1        333-199449        3.4        10/17/2014     


Exhibit
Number
  

Exhibit Description

  Incorporated by Reference     Filed
Herewith
     Form     File No.     Exhibit   Filing Date    
  4.5    Form of Stock Certificate.     S-1        333-199449      4.1     11/10/2014     
  5.1    Opinion of DLA Piper LLP.           X
23.1    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.           X
23.2    Consent of DLA Piper LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).           X
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement).           X
99.1    Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended.     S-1        333-199449      10.15     11/10/2014     
99.2    Form of Stock Option Agreement under 2007 Stock Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.16     11/10/2014     
99.3    2014 Equity Incentive Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.17     11/10/2014     
99.4    Form of Stock Option Agreement under 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.18     11/10/2014     
99.5    Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.19     11/10/2014     
99.6    Form of Restricted Stock Agreement under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.20     11/10/2014     
99.7    Form of Notice of Grant of Restricted Stock Unit under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.21     11/10/2014     
99.8    Form of Notice of Grant of Restricted Stock under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.22     11/10/2014     
99.9    Form of Notice of Grant of Stock Option under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.23     11/10/2014     
99.10    2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.     S-1        333-199449      10.24     11/10/2014     


Item 9. Undertakings.

A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and

(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided , however , that clauses (A)(1)(i) and (A)(1)(ii) above shall not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those clauses is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement;

(2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

(3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered hereby, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in San Diego, California, on this 20th day of November, 2014.

 

NEOTHETICS, INC.
By:     /s/ George W. Mahaffey
  George W. Mahaffey
  President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints George W. Mahaffey and Susan A. Knudson, and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact, proxy and agent with the full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, proxies and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact, proxies and agents, or their or his or her substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ George W. Mahaffey

George W. Mahaffey

   President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman (Principal Executive Officer)   November 20, 2014

/s/ Susan A. Knudson

Susan A. Knudson

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 20, 2014

/s/ Martha J. Demski

Martha J. Demski

   Director   November 20, 2014

/s/ Maxim Gorbachev

Maxim Gorbachev

   Director   November 20, 2014

/s/ Daniel S. Janney

Daniel S. Janney

   Director   November 20, 2014

/s/ Kim P. Kamdar

Kim P. Kamdar, Ph.D.

   Lead Independent Director   November 20, 2014

/s/ Patricia S. Walker

Patricia S. Walker, M.D., Ph.D.

   Director   November 20, 2014


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Exhibit Description

   Incorporated by Reference     

Filed

Herewith

      Form      File No.      Exhibit    Filing Date     
  4.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on September 19, 2014, as currently in effect.      S-1         333-199449       3.1      10/17/2014      
  4.2    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be in effect immediately prior to the completion of the Registrant’s public offering.      S-1         333-199449       3.2      10/17/2014      
  4.3    Bylaws, as currently in effect.      S-1         333-199449       3.3      10/17/2014      
  4.4    Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws to be in effect immediately prior to the completion of the Registrant’s public offering.      S-1         333-199449       3.4      10/17/2014      
  4.5    Form of Stock Certificate.      S-1         333-199449       4.1      11/10/2014      
  5.1    Opinion of DLA Piper LLP.                X
23.1    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.                X
23.2    Consent of DLA Piper LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).                X
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement).                X
99.1    Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended.      S-1         333-199449       10.15      11/10/2014      
99.2    Form of Stock Option Agreement under 2007 Stock Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.16      11/10/2014      
99.3    2014 Equity Incentive Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.17      11/10/2014      
99.4    Form of Stock Option Agreement under 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.18      11/10/2014      
99.5    Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.19      11/10/2014      
99.6    Form of Restricted Stock Agreement under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.20      11/10/2014      
99.7    Form of Notice of Grant of Restricted Stock Unit under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.21      11/10/2014      
99.8    Form of Notice of Grant of Restricted Stock under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.22      11/10/2014      
99.9    Form of Notice of Grant of Stock Option under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.23      11/10/2014      
99.10    2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.      S-1         333-199449       10.24      11/10/2014      

Exhibit 5.1

 

DLA Piper LLP (US)
4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100
San Diego, California 92121-2133
www.dlapiper.com
T   858.677.1400
F   858.677.1401

November 20, 2014

Neothetics, Inc.

9191 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 400

San Diego, CA 92122

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as legal counsel for Neothetics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with a registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) to register under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (i) 1,016,538 shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for issuance pursuant to stock options outstanding under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended, (ii) 196,721 shares of the Company’s common stock issued for outstanding stock options to purchase pursuant to a restricted stock grant under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended, (iii) 1,000,731 shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for issuance under the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iv) 170,000 shares of the Company’s common stock reserved for issuance under the Company’s 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (together, in total, the “Shares”). The Company’s Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended, shall be referred to herein as the “2007 Stock Plan,” the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan shall be referred to herein as the “2014 Incentive Plan,” and the Company’s 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan shall be referred to herein as the “2014 Purchase Plan.”

We have examined all instruments, documents and records which we deemed relevant and necessary for the basis of our opinion hereinafter expressed. In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. We express no opinion concerning any law other than the law of the State of California, the corporation law of the State of Delaware and the federal law of the United States. As to matters of Delaware corporation law, we have based our opinion solely upon our examination of such laws and the rules and regulations of the authorities administering such laws, all as reported in standard, unofficial compilations. We have not obtained opinions of counsel licensed to practice in jurisdictions other than the State of California.

Based on such review, subject to the assumptions stated above and relying on the statements of fact contained in the documents, instruments, records, certificates, statements and representations described above, and assuming that the purchase or exercise price is at least equal to, and the Company receives property or cash or any other benefit authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors at least equal to, the par value of the Shares, we are of the opinion that if, as and when the Shares are issued and sold (and the consideration therefor received) pursuant to (a) the provisions of option agreements duly authorized under the 2007 Stock Plan and 2014 Incentive Plan and in accordance with the Registration Statement, or (b) the provisions of stock purchase agreements duly authorized under the 2007 Stock Plan, 2014 Incentive Plan or the 2014 Purchase Plan and in accordance with the Registration Statement, such Shares will be duly authorized, legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and the use of our name wherever it appears in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder or Item 509 of Regulation S-K.


This opinion letter is given to you solely for use in connection with the issuance of the Shares in accordance with the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose. Our opinion is expressly limited to the matters set forth above, and we render no opinion, whether by implication or otherwise, as to any other matters relating to the Company, the Shares or the Registration Statement.

Respectfully submitted,

        /s/ DLA PIPER LLP (US)

        DLA PIPER LLP (US)

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Plan, as amended, 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, and 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of Neothetics, Inc. of our report dated June 20, 2014 except for the retroactive effect of the one for 6.10 reverse stock split as described in paragraph 3 of Note 10, as to which the date is November 7, 2014, with respect to the financial statements of Neothetics, Inc. included in its Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-199449), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Diego, California

November 19, 2014