Current Report Filing (8-k)

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): January 19, 2021

Minerva Neurosciences, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

001-36517

26-0784194

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

1601 Trapelo Road

Suite 286

Waltham, MA

02451

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code): (617) 600-7373

(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 class

Trading

Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share

NERV

The Nasdaq Global 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 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On January 19, 2021, Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing that the Company and Royalty Pharma plc (“Royalty Pharma”) had entered into an agreement (the “Royalty Agreement”) pursuant to which Royalty Pharma will acquire the Company’s royalty interest in seltorexant for an upfront payment of $60 million and up to $95 million in additional milestone payments. The additional payments to the Company will be contingent on the achievement of certain clinical, regulatory and commercialization milestones. Seltorexant is currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) with insomnia symptoms by Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. A copy of the above referenced press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The foregoing summary of the material terms of the Royalty Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the full text of the Royalty Agreement. The Company intends to file a copy of such agreement with its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits


Exhibit No.		Description

99.1		Press Release of the Company dated January 19, 2021.

104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

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.