Document

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): November 9, 2018

LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
001-33093
77-0160744
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
 
 
3911 Sorrento Valley Boulevard, Suite 110, San Diego, CA
 
92121(Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
 

(858) 550-7500
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A
(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))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (§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 8.01 Other Events.
On November 9, 2018, we entered into OmniAb platform license agreements with two undisclosed San Francisco-area venture-stage biotechnology companies. Under the licenses, the two respective counterparties will be able to use OmniAb® platform rodents and birds in campaigns to discover fully human mono- and bispecific antibodies.

We are receiving upfront payments and we are eligible to receive development milestone payments and royalties for each product incorporating an OmniAb antibody. The two respective counterparties will be responsible for all costs related to the programs.

OmniAb® is a three-species transgenic-animal platform consisting of four different technologies used for producing mono- and bispecific human therapeutic antibodies. OmniRat® transgenic rats embody the industry’s first human monoclonal antibody technology in rats. OmniRat animals have a complete immune system with a diverse antibody repertoire and generate antibodies with human idiotypes as effectively as wild-type animals make rat antibodies. OmniMouse® is a transgenic mouse that complements OmniRat and expands epitope coverage. OmniFlic® is an engineered rat with a fixed light chain for development of bispecific, fully human antibodies. OmniChicken™ chickens have been genetically modified by Crystal to have the immunoglobulin genes replaced with corresponding human genes, and embody the industry’s first human monoclonal antibody technology in chickens. The four technologies use patented technology, have broad freedom to operate and deliver fully human antibodies with high affinity, specificity, expression, solubility and stability.



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.



LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED


Date:    November 13, 2018
By: /s/ Charles S. Berkman
Name: Charles S. Berkman
Title: Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary