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): July 12, 2023
TONIX PHARMACEUTICALS HOLDING CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Nevada | 001-36019 | 26-1434750 |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
26 Main Street, Chatham, New Jersey 07928
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (862) 904-8182
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):
☐ 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 class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
| Common Stock | TNXP | The NASDAQ Capital Market |
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 Rule 12b-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 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (the “Company”) updated its investor presentation, which is used to conduct meetings with investors, stockholders and analysts and at investor conferences, and which the Company intends to place on its website, which may contain nonpublic information. A copy of the presentation is filed as Exhibit 99.01 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
The information in this Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.01 attached hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the United States Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
| Item 8.01. | Other Events. |
On July 12, 2023, the Company announced that tianeptine, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the Company’s TNX-601 ER (tianeptine hemioxalate extended-release tablets) product candidate for the treatment of major depressive disorder, may promote neuroplasticity in part, by upregulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (“BDNF”) gene expression through activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ (“PPAR-β/δ”). PPAR-β/δ, a receptor for certain polyunsaturated fatty acids, acts as a transcription factor after activation. Tianeptine activates PPAR-β/δ and is known to upregulate BNDF, which is known to play key roles in synaptic plasticity and is diminished in populations suffering from anxiety and depression. Psychedelics have been reported to bind to the BDNF receptor, TrkB, and mimic the effects of BDNF. Together these findings suggest that tianeptine and psychedelics may exert antidepressant and neuroplastic effects by acting at different steps of the BDNF – TrkB pathway.
Forward- Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, as amended, including those relating to the Company’s product development, clinical trials, clinical and regulatory timelines, market opportunity, competitive position, possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, potential growth opportunities and other statement that are predictive in nature. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry and markets in which we operate and management’s current beliefs and assumptions.
These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking expressions, including, but not limited to, “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These statements relate to future events or our financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include those set forth in the Company’s filings with the SEC. Prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibit No. | Description. | ||
104 | Corporate Presentation by the Company for July 2023 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| TONIX PHARMACEUTICALS HOLDING CORP. | |||
| Date: July 12, 2023 | By: | /s/ Bradley Saenger | |
| Bradley Saenger | |||
| Chief Financial Officer | |||