<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-15-177728.txt : 20150508
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-15-177728.hdr.sgml : 20150508
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20150507201200
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-15-177728
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20150504
ITEM INFORMATION:		Triggering Events That Accelerate or Increase a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement
ITEM INFORMATION:		Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
FILED AS OF DATE:		20150508
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20150507

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000886163
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				770160744
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-33093
		FILM NUMBER:		15843697

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11119 NORTH TORREY PINES ROAD
		STREET 2:		SUITE 200
		CITY:			LA JOLLA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92037
		BUSINESS PHONE:		858-550-7500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11119 NORTH TORREY PINES ROAD
		STREET 2:		SUITE 200
		CITY:			LA JOLLA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92037
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d923090d8k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
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<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>Form 8-K</TITLE>
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 <P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:4pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>FORM 8-K
</B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Pursuant
to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May&nbsp;4, 2015 </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:24pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>Delaware</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>001-33093</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>77-0160744</B></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(State or Other Jurisdiction</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>of Incorporation)</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Commission</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>File Number)</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(IRS Employer</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Identification No.)</B></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>11119 North Torrey Pines Road, Suite 200, La Jolla, California 92037 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(858) 550-7500 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>N/A </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Former name or
former address, if changed since last report) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">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: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Item 2.04. Triggering Events That Accelerate or Increase a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under
an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On May&nbsp;4, 2015, Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (&#147;Viking&#148;) closed its initial public
offering of common stock (with a price to the public of $8.00 per share) and, as required by a prior Master License Agreement (as amended), delivered shares of Viking common stock to Ligand and its Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc. subsidiary as upfront
payments for the licenses under the Master License Agreement. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">As a result, the holders of Ligand&#146;s &#147;General&#148; contingent
value rights (&#147;General CVRs&#148;) issued at the time of Ligand&#146;s Metabasis acquisition (OTCQB: LGNYZ) are entitled to receive pro rata $2,187,619. This $2,187,619 shall be distributed pro rata (i.e., approximately $0.062 cash for each of
the 35,147,294 General CVRs) on January&nbsp;1, 2016 to the holders as of December&nbsp;28, 2015 of the General CVRs. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">As an additional
result, the holders of &#147;TR Beta&#148; contingent value rights (&#147;TR Beta CVRs&#148;) issued at the time of Ligand&#146;s Metabasis acquisition (OTC Pink: LGNZZ) are entitled to receive pro rata $1,051,740. This $1,051,740 shall be
distributed pro rata (i.e., approximately $0.030 cash for each of the 35,147,294 TR Beta CVRs) on January&nbsp;1, 2016 to the holders as of December&nbsp;28, 2015 of the TR Beta CVRs. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Viking granted to the underwriters of its initial public offering a customary 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 450,000 shares of
Viking common stock to cover over-allotments. If such option is exercised, Viking would be required to deliver to Ligand/Metabasis, as additional upfront payments in respect of the Master License Agreement, additional shares of Viking common stock;
and the holders of General CVRs and TR Beta CVRs would become entitled to additional cash distributions. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Master License Agreement
also provides for royalties and milestone payments pertaining to the FBPase inhibitor program, the DGAT-1 program and the TR Beta program, respectively. If Viking ever pays Ligand/Metabasis any such royalties and/or milestone payments in respect of
the FBPase inhibitor program and/or the DGAT-1 program, the holders of General CVRs would become entitled to additional cash distributions. If Viking ever pays Ligand/Metabasis any such royalties and/or milestone payments in respect of the TR Beta
program, the holders of TR Beta CVRs would become entitled to additional cash distributions. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Item&nbsp;5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain
Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Company&#146;s
Compensation Committee determined to allow non-employee directors to retain the standard Viking director compensation, and accordingly Ligand will not be retaining any portion of compensation for Viking director service. </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SIGNATURES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">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. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="3"><B>LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED</B></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3">Date: May 8, 2015</TD>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">By:</TD>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">/s/ Charles S. Berkman</P></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">Name:</TD>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">Charles S. Berkman</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">Title:</TD>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary</TD></TR>
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