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): May 4, 2021  

Aptose Biosciences Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Canada001-3200198-1136802
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)(Commission File Number)(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

 

251 Consumers Road, Suite 1105, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2J 4R3
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

647-479-9828
(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 classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Shares, no par valueAPTOThe Nasdaq Stock Market

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). 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 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On May 4, 2021, Aptose Biosciences Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On May 4, 2021, the Company announced that Dr. Jotin Marango was appointed as Chief Financial Officer, in addition to his Chief Business Officer role. Dr. Marango was also appointed to serve as the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer on May 4, 2021, taking over those duties from the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. William Rice, who served as the interim Chief Accounting Officer following Gregory Chow’s departure on March 26, 2021.

The Company plans to amend its employment agreement with Dr. Marango in the coming weeks.

Dr. Marango, M.D, Ph.D., age 42, joined Aptose as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer in June 2019 and Chief Business and Strategy Officer in January 2021. Prior to joining Aptose, from 2017 to 2019, Dr. Marango was a managing director and senior research analyst at Roth Capital Partners covering biotechnology and therapeutics. Dr. Marango joined Roth from H.C. Wainwright & Co., where he worked from 2015 to 2017 and covered hematology, oncology, and pulmonary therapeutics, with a focus on epigenetic and molecularly targeted therapies. Dr. Marango began his career in equity research with Collins Stewart/Canaccord Genuity in 2010. Previously, Dr. Marango also served as Chief Operating Officer at the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation from 2012 to 2015, where he oversaw academic collaborations in translational therapeutics, as well as venture philanthropy initiatives in drug development. Dr. Marango studied theoretical chemistry and classical literature at Harvard University and later received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Dr. Marango and any other person pursuant to which Dr. Marango was appointed as an officer of the Company.  Dr. Marango does not have any family relationship with any director or officer of the Company or any other person nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director or executive officer, and there are no transactions in which Dr. Marango has an interest requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

99.1        Press release, dated May 4, 2021


SIGNATURE

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.

 Aptose Biosciences Inc.
   
  
Date: May 4, 2021By: /s/ Jotin Marango        
  Jotin Marango, M.D., Ph.D.
  Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer