<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-17-059282.txt : 20171103
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-17-059282.hdr.sgml : 20171103
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20170927204816
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-17-059282
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
FILED AS OF DATE:		20170927

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001377121
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				980505495
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7707 GATEWAY BLVD., SUITE 140
		CITY:			NEWARK
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94560-1160
		BUSINESS PHONE:		(510) 474-0170

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7707 GATEWAY BLVD., SUITE 140
		CITY:			NEWARK
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94560-1160

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	Protagonist Therapeutics Inc
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20130605

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	Protagonist Inc
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20061002
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Michael   E. Tenta</font></p>    </td>
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<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">VIA EDGAR</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1   650 843 5636</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">mtenta@cooley.com</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;27, 2017</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission<br> 100 F Street, N.E.<br> Washington, D.C. 20549<br> Attn:</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Christine Westbrook</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Suzanne Hayes</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Re:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b>Protagonist Therapeutics,&nbsp;Inc.</b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-3</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Filed September&nbsp;1, 2017</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">File No.&nbsp;333-220314</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear Ms.&nbsp;Westbrook and Ms.&nbsp;Hayes:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">On behalf of our client, Protagonist Therapeutics,&nbsp;Inc., (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Company</i></b>&#148;), we submit this letter in response to a comment received from the staff (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Staff</i></b>&#148;) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Commission</i></b>&#148;) by letter dated September&nbsp;21, 2017 (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Comment Letter</i></b>&#148;) with respect to the Company&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-3, filed September&nbsp;1, 2017, File No.&nbsp;333-220314 (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Registration Statement</i></b>&#148;).</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Staff Comment and Company Response</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Prospectus Cover Page</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-indent:-.5in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">1.</font></i><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i>It appears that the aggregate market value of your voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates during the 60 days prior to the date of filing of the registration statement may not have exceeded $75 million, as required by General Instruction I.B.1 of Form&nbsp;S-3. Please provide us with your analysis demonstrating your ability to use Form&nbsp;S-3. Alternatively, please revise your prospectus cover page&nbsp;to disclose the calculation of the aggregate market value of your outstanding voting and non-voting common equity and the amount of all securities offered pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 during the prior 12 calendar month period that ends on, and includes, the date of the prospectus. Refer to Instruction 7 to General Instruction I.B.6.</i></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Response: </font></b>The Company advises the Staff that it meets the public float requirements set forth in General Instruction I.B.1 of&nbsp;Form&nbsp;S-3. General Instruction I.B.1 requires the&nbsp;aggregate market value&nbsp;of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of a company to be at least $75 million.</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The instruction to General Instruction I.B.1 states that the computation of the&nbsp;aggregate market value&nbsp;of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of a company shall be computed using the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average of the bid and asked prices of such common equity, in the principal market for such common equity as of a date within 60 days prior to the date of filing.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Cooley LLP&#160;&#160; 3175 Hanover Street&#160;&#160; Palo Alto, CA&#160;&#160; 94304-1130<br> t: (650) 843-5000&#160; f: (650) 849-7400&#160; cooley.com</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><img width="163" height="61" src="g205514bgi001.jpg"></font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;27, 2017</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Page&nbsp;Two</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company filed the Registration Statement on September&nbsp;1, 2017. As of August&nbsp;31, 2017, there were 16,909,609 shares of the Company&#146;s common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (&#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Common Stock</i></b>&#148;), outstanding, which is the only class of voting and non-voting common equity of the Company currently outstanding. As of such date, the closing per share sales price of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Global Market (the principal market for the Common Stock) was $16.33, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Accordingly, the&nbsp;aggregate market value&nbsp;of the Company&#146;s outstanding voting and non-voting common equity as of August&nbsp;31, 2017 was approximately $276,133,914.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As of August&nbsp;31, 2017, (i)&nbsp;9,699,872 shares of the Company&#146;s Common Stock were held by non-affiliates of the Company and (ii)&nbsp;7,209,737 shares of the Company&#146;s Common Stock were held by affiliates of the Company, consisting of the Company&#146;s directors, executive officers and the following stockholders: Canaan X L.P. (&#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Canaan</i></b>&#148;), Johnson&nbsp;&amp; Johnson Development Corporation (&#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">JJDC</i></b>&#148;) and Lilly Ventures Fund I, LLC (&#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Lilly Ventures</i></b>&#148;). As such, the&nbsp;aggregate market value&nbsp;of the Company&#146;s voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates was $</font>158,398,909 on August&nbsp;31, 2017.</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company has determined that its directors, executive officers, Canaan, JJDC and Lilly Ventures are the only &#147;affiliates&#148; of the Company, as that term is defined in Rule&nbsp;405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Canaan, JJDC and Lilly Ventures are large stockholders of the Company, holding approximately 14.5%, 14.5% and 12.4%, respectively.&#160; Each of these stockholders owned stock in the Company prior to the Company&#146;s initial public offering (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">IPO</i></b>&#148;), had representatives on the Company&#146;s board of directors prior to the IPO and, in the case of Canaan and Lilly Ventures, continue to have a representative on the Company&#146;s board of directors.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">To the Company&#146;s knowledge, the only other stockholders owning 5% or more of the Company&#146;s Common Stock are Adage Capital Partners, LP, FMR LLC and Pharmstandard International, S.A. (each, an &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Other 5% Holder</i></b>&#148; and collectively, the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Other 5% Holders</i></b>&#148;). However, the Company does not consider any of the Other 5% Holders to be an affiliate of the Company because of the passive nature of their investments, their lack of representation on the Company&#146;s board of directors and inability, by contract or otherwise, to affect the management or policies of the Company.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Given the lack of any control relationship between any of the Other 5% Holders and the Company, the Company has concluded that none of the Other 5% Holders is an affiliate of the Company. If FMR LLC, the largest non-affiliate stockholder of the Company, were characterized as an affiliate, the aggregate market value of the Company&#146;s outstanding voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates would still be greater than $75 million as of August&nbsp;31, 2017.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:24.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Based on the foregoing, the&nbsp;aggregate market value&nbsp;of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Company as of August&nbsp;31, 2017 (a date within 60 days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement) is at least as follows:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<tr>
<td width="69%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:69.78%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.1pt;text-indent:-10.1pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Aggregate Market Value&nbsp;of Outstanding Common   Equity (16,909,609&nbsp;* $16.33)</font></p>    </td>
<td width="9%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.38%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.48%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>    </td>
<td width="16%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.64%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">276,133,914</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.74%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="69%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:69.78%;">
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.1pt;text-indent:-10.1pt;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Minus</font></i>&nbsp;Aggregate   Market Value&nbsp;of Common Equity Held by Affiliates (7,209,737 * $16.33)</p>    </td>
<td width="9%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.38%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.48%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>    </td>
<td width="16%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.64%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">117,735,005</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.74%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="69%" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:69.78%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.1pt;text-indent:-10.1pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="9%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.38%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="18%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.12%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" bgcolor="#CCEEFF" style="background:#CCEEFF;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.74%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="69%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:69.78%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.1pt;text-indent:-10.1pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Aggregate   Market Value&nbsp;of Common Equity Held by Non-Affiliates</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="9%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.38%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="1%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.48%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">$</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="16%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.64%;">
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">158,398,909</font></p>    </td>
<td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.74%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><img width="163" height="61" src="g205514bgi001.jpg"></font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;27, 2017</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Page&nbsp;Three</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Based on the foregoing calculations and other information, the&nbsp;aggregate market value&nbsp;of the Company&#146;s outstanding voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates was greater than $75 million as of August&nbsp;31, 2017. The Company is therefore not relying on General Instruction I.B.6 of&nbsp;Form&nbsp;S-3&nbsp;and is eligible to use&nbsp;Form&nbsp;S-3&nbsp;in accordance with General Instruction I.B.1.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">**********</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Please advise us if we can provide any further information or assistance to facilitate your review. Please direct any further comments or questions regarding the Form&nbsp;S-3 or this response letter to me at (650) 843-5636.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sincerely,</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Michael E. Tenta</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Michael E. Tenta</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">cc:</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Dinesh V. Patel, Ph.D., Protagonist Therapeutics,&nbsp;Inc.</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Kenneth L. Guernsey, Cooley LLP</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Josh Seidenfeld, Cooley LLP</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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