Cara Therapeutics (CARA) 8-K Departure of Directors or Certain Officers

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM8-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) October 18, 2018

CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-36279	75-3175693
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

4 Stamford Plaza 107 Elm Street, 9th Floor Stamford, Connecticut	06902
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (203)406-3700

Check the appropriate box below if the Form8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (seeGeneral Instruction A.2.):

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934(§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 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

In connection with the appointment of Dr. Joana Goncalves, MD, to serve as the Company’s new Chief Medical Officer, as described in further detail in Item 8.01 below, on October 18, 2018, the Company and Dr. Joseph Stauffer, D.O., MBA agreed to the transition of Dr. Stauffer’s role with the Company from Chief Medical Officer to a consultant. On October 22, 2018, Dr. Stauffer and the Company entered into a Separation and Consulting Agreement, pursuant to which Dr. Stauffer will provide consulting services to the Company for a period of up to nine months.

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On October 23, 2018, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Dr. Goncalves as the Company’s Chief Medical Officer. A copy of the press release is being furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form8-K and is incorporated by reference to this Item 7.01.

The information furnished pursuant to this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any of the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such a filing.

Item 8.01. Other Events.

Effective October 22, 2018, Dr. Joana Goncalves, MD was appointed to serve as the Company’s Chief Medical Officer.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press release, dated October 23, 2018

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.

CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:	/s/ Mani Mohindru, Ph.D.
	Mani Mohindru, Ph.D.
	Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

Date: October 23, 2018