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):   September 9, 2016
 
___________________________
 
ACCELERON PHARMA INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
001-36065
(Commission
File Number)
 
27-0072226
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
 
 
 
 
 
128 Sidney Street
Cambridge, MA
 (Address of principal
executive offices)
 
 
 
02139
(Zip Code)
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (617) 649-9200
 
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 Instruction A.2. below):
 
o             Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
o             Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 
 
 
 
 




Item 5.03     Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On September 9, 2016, the Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) of Acceleron Pharma Inc. (the “Company”) approved Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws Amendment”). The Bylaws Amendment changes the voting standard for uncontested director elections from a plurality voting standard to a majority voting standard. Pursuant to the Bylaws Amendment, in future uncontested director elections, a director nominee will be elected only if the votes cast for such nominee’s election exceed the votes cast against such nominee’s election. The Bylaws Amendment retains a plurality voting standard in contested elections, which includes an election for which, as of the record date of any meeting of stockholders, there are more nominees for election than positions on the Board of Directors to be filled by that election.

The summary of the Bylaws Amendment above is qualified in its entirety by the Bylaws Amendment filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits.
 
(d)    Exhibits.
 
3.1    Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Bylaws of Acceleron Pharma Inc.

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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.
 

 
ACCELERON PHARMA INC.
 
 
 
 
 
By:
/s/ John Quisel, J.D., Ph.D.
 
 
John Quisel, J.D., Ph.D.
 
 
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
 
 
 
Date:  September 12, 2016
 
 


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Exhibit 3.1

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
ACCELERON PHARMA INC.
Section 1.9 of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of Acceleron Pharma Inc. is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
“Section 1.9  Voting .  
Except as otherwise required by the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation or pursuant to any law or regulation applicable to the Corporation or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, all matters other than the election of directors shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast on the matter affirmatively or negatively.  When a quorum is present at any meeting of stockholders, a nominee for director shall be elected to the Board of Directors if the votes properly cast for such nominee’s election exceed the votes properly cast against such nominee’s election (with “abstentions” and “broker nonvotes “ not counted as votes cast either “for” or “against” any Director’s election); provided, however, that directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes properly cast at any meeting of stockholders at which there is a contested election of directors. An election shall be considered contested if as of the record date of any meeting of stockholders there are more nominees for election than positions on the Board of Directors to be filled by election at that meeting.”

Approved on September 9, 2016