As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 15, 2022

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

APREA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Delaware		84-2246769
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

 

535 Boylston Street Boston, MA		02116
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

 

Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

Oren Gilad, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Aprea Therapeutics, Inc.

535 Boylston Street

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 463-9385

(Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer	¨		Accelerated filer	¨
Non-accelerated filer	x		Smaller reporting company	x
			Emerging growth company	x

 

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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. x

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

This Registration Statement is being filed by Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Registrant”) for the purpose of registering an additional 2,874,377 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Registrant available for issuance under the Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”).

 

PART I

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

The information specified in this Part I is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In accordance with the rules and regulations of 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 Registrant hereby incorporates by reference in this Registration Statement the following documents and information previously filed with the Commission:

 

1.

The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Commission on March 15, 2022, as amended on Form 10-K/A, filed with the Commission on May 2, 2022;

 

2.

The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, filed with the Commission on May 16, 2022;

 

3.

The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, filed with the Commission on August 12, 2022;

 

4.

The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, filed with the Commission on November 9, 2022;

 

5.

The Registrant’s Current Reports filed with the Commission on May 17, 2022, July 1, 2022, July 29, 2022, August 2, 2022, August 19, 2022, September 16, 2022, November 16, 2022 and November 17, 2022;

 

6.

The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on September 30, 2019, pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description.

 

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement 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 respective dates of filing of such documents (such documents, and the documents enumerated above, being hereinafter referred to as “Incorporated Documents”).

 

Any statement contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed Incorporated Document modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities

 

Not applicable.

 

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of its directors for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that none of its directors shall be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability, except to the extent that the Delaware General Corporation Law prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.

 

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he or she is or is threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

 

The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that it will indemnify each person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of us) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, the Registrant’s director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Registrant’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to as an “Indemnitee”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Registrant’s best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation also provides that the Registrant will indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to an action or suit by or in the right of us to procure a judgment in the Registrant’s favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, the Registrant’s director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Registrant’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) and, to the extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therefrom, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Registrant’s best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Registrant, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, he or she will be indemnified by the Registrant against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith. If the Registrant does not assume the defense, expenses must be advanced to an Indemnitee under certain circumstances.

 

The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its executive officers and directors. In general, these agreements provide that the Registrant will indemnify the director or executive officer to the fullest extent permitted by law for claims arising in his or her capacity as a director or executive officer of the Registrant or in connection with their service at the Registrant’s request for another corporation or entity. The indemnification agreements also provide for procedures that will apply in the event that a director or executive officer makes a claim for indemnification and establish certain presumptions that are favorable to the director or executive officer.

 

 

The Registrant maintains a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of its directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.

 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.		Description
4.1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on October 7, 2019)
4.2		Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, filed with the Commission on November 6, 2020)
4.3		Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (Form S-1/A), filed with the Commission on September 27, 2019)
5.1*		Opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, as to the legality of the securities being registered
23.1*		Consent of Sidley Austin LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)
23.2*		Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
24.1*		Power of Attorney (contained in signature page to this Registration Statement)
107*		Calculation of Filing Fee Table

 

*         Filed herewith.

 

Item 9. Undertakings

 

(a)     The 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 the 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 paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in 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 the 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.

 

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

 

(b)    The 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 in the 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, 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, as amended, 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 the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the 15th day of December, 2022.

 

	APREA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
	By:	/s/ Oren Gilad
	Name	Oren Gilad
	Title	President and Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

 

Each of the undersigned officers and directors of Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. does hereby severally constitute and appoint Oren Gilad and Scott M. Coiante, and each of them acting alone, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution in each of them for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, and in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their or his or her substitute or 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 in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ Oren Gilad		Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Director		December 15, 2022
Oren Gilad, Ph.D.		(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Scott M. Coiante		Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary		December 15, 2022
Scott M. Coiante		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
/s/ Marc Duey		Director		December 15, 2022
Marc Duey
/s/ Michael Grissinger		Director		December 15, 2022
Michael Grissinger
/s/ John B. Henneman		Director		December 15, 2022
John B. Henneman III
/s/ Rifat Pamukcu		Director		December 15, 2022
Rifat Pamukcu, M.D.
/s/ Richard Peters		Director		December 15, 2022
Richard Peters, M.D., Ph.D.
/s/ Christian S. Schade		Director		December 15, 2022
Christian S. Schade

 

/s/ Bernd Seizinger		Director		December 15, 2022
Bernd R. Seizinger, M.D, Ph.D.

  

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

Sidley Austin LLP One South Dearborn Street Chicago, IL 60603 +1 312 853 7000 +1 312 853 7036 Fax     AMERICA • ASIA PACIFIC • EUROPE

 

December 15, 2022

 

Aprea Therapeutics, Inc.

535 Boylston Street

Boston, MA 02166

 

Re:

2,874,377 Shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) being filed by Aprea Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of 2,874,377 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Registered Shares”), of the Company which may be issued under the Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

 

This opinion letter is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

 

We have examined the Registration Statement, the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the Company’s amended and restated bylaws, the Plan, the resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company relating to the Registration Statement and the Plan and the proposal adopted by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders relating to the Plan. We have also examined originals, or copies of originals certified to our satisfaction, of such agreements, documents, certificates and statements of the Company and other corporate documents and instruments, and have examined such questions of law, as we have considered relevant and necessary as a basis for this opinion letter. We have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all persons and the conformity with the original documents of any copies thereof submitted to us for examination. As to facts relevant to the opinions expressed herein, we have relied without independent investigation or verification upon, and assumed the accuracy and completeness of, certificates, letters and oral and written statements and representations of public officials and officers and other representatives of the Company.

 

Sidley Austin LLP is a limited liability partnership practicing in affiliation with other Sidley Austin partnerships. 

 

 

 

 

Aprea Therapeutics, Inc.

December 15, 2022

Page 2

 

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that each Registered Share that is newly issued pursuant to the Plan will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable when: (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended, shall have become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) such Registered Share shall have been duly issued and delivered in accordance with the Plan; and (iii) a certificate representing such Registered Share shall have been duly executed, countersigned and registered and duly delivered to the person entitled thereto against payment of the agreed consideration therefor (in an amount not less than the par value thereof) or, if any Registered Share is to be issued in uncertificated form, the Company’s books shall reflect the issuance of such Registered Share to the person entitled thereto against payment of the agreed consideration therefor (in an amount not less than the par value thereof), all in accordance with the Plan.

 

This opinion letter is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We express no opinion as to the laws, rules or regulations of any other jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the federal laws of the United States of America or any state securities or blue sky laws.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to all references to our Firm included in or made a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

 

	Very truly yours,
	/s/ Sidley Austin LLP

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 23.2

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan of our report dated March 15, 2022, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

 

Iselin, New Jersey

December 15, 2022

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 107

 

Calculation of Filing Fee Table

 

FORM S-8
(Form Type)

 

Aprea Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Newly Registered Securities

 

Security Type		Security Class Title		Fee Calculation Rule		Amount Registered(1)			Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit			Maximum Aggregate Offering Price			Fee Rate			Amount of Registration Fee(2)
Equity(3)		Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share		Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h)			2,874,377		$	0.46		$	1,322,213.42			.00011020		$	145.71
Total Offering Amounts																		$	145.71
Total Fee Offsets																		$	--
Net Fee Due																		$	145.71

 

(1)	The number of shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Aprea Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Registrant”), available for issuance under the Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”) is subject to an automatic annual increase on the first day of each fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020, and continuing until (and including) the fiscal year ending December 31, 2029, with such annual increase equal to the lesser of (i) 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock, (ii) 4% of the number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar year, and (iii) an amount determined by the Board of Directors of the Registrant (the “2019 Plan Evergreen Provision”).  Accordingly, the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the 2019 Plan was automatically increased by 874,377 shares effective January 1, 2022, which is equal to 4% of the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2021. This Registration Statement registers the 874,377 additional shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the 2019 Plan as of January 1, 2022 as a result of the 2019 Plan Evergreen Provision. In addition, this Registration Statement also registers 2,000,000 additional shares of Common Stock which were approved by the Company’s stockholders at its 2022 Annual Meeting held on July 28, 2022. Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement also covers such additional and indeterminate number of securities as may become issuable pursuant to the provisions of the plans relating to adjustments for changes resulting from a stock dividend, stock split or similar change.
(2)	Estimated in accordance with Rules 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The price of $0.46 per share represents the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on December 13, 2022.