<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001157523-11-001547.txt : 20110311
<SEC-HEADER>0001157523-11-001547.hdr.sgml : 20110311
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20110311170025
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001157523-11-001547
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20110309
ITEM INFORMATION:		Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
FILED AS OF DATE:		20110311
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20110311

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GERON CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000886744
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				752287752
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-20859
		FILM NUMBER:		11682861

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		230 CONSTITUTION DRIVE
		CITY:			MENLO PARK
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94025
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6504737700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 CONSTITUTION DRIVE
		CITY:			MENLO PARK
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94025

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GERON CORPORATION
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19960521
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a6643622.htm
<DESCRIPTION>GERON CORPORATION 8-K
<TEXT>
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      <font style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Times New Roman"><b>UNITED
      STATES</b></font><font style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Times New Roman"><br style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 14pt"></font><font style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Times New Roman"><b>SECURITIES
      AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</b></font><font style="font-size: 14pt"><br style="font-size: 14pt"></font><font style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Times New Roman"><b>WASHINGTON,
      D.C. 20549</b></font><br>
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    <hr style="height: 1.0 pt; width: 10%; color: #000000; text-align: center">


    <p style="text-align: center">

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    <p style="text-align: center">
      <font style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Times New Roman"><b>FORM 8-K</b></font><br><br><font style="font-size: 12pt"><b>CURRENT
      REPORT</b></font><font style="font-size: 12pt"><br style="font-size: 12pt"></font><font style="font-size: 12pt"><b>PURSUANT
      TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE</b></font><br><font style="font-size: 12pt"><b>SECURITIES
      EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</b></font><font style="font-size: 12pt"><br style="font-size: 12pt"></font><font style="font-size: 12pt"><br style="font-size: 12pt"></font><font style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman">Date
      of Report (Date of earliest event reported):</font><font style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman"><b>
      &#160;March 9, 2011</b></font><font style="font-size: 12pt"><br style="font-size: 12pt"></font><font style="font-size: 12pt"><br style="font-size: 12pt"></font><font style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Times New Roman"><b>GERON
      CORPORATION</b></font><font style="font-size: 12pt"><br style="font-size: 12pt"></font><font style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman">(Exact
      name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font><br><br>
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      <tr>
        <td valign="bottom" style="text-align: center; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 33%">
          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            <b>Delaware</b>
          </p>
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          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            <b>0-20859</b>
          </p>
        </td>
        <td valign="bottom" style="white-space: nowrap; padding-right: 0.0px; text-align: center; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 33%">
          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            <b>75-2287752</b>
          </p>
        </td>
      </tr>
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          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            (State or other jurisdiction
          </p>
          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            of incorporation)
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        <td valign="top" style="text-align: center; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 34%">
          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            (Commission File Number)
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          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            (IRS Employer
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          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            Identification No.)
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      <br>

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      <tr>
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          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            <b>230 CONSTITUTION DRIVE</b>
          </p>
          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            <b>MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025</b>
          </p>
        </td>
      </tr>
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          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
          </p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>
    </div>
    <p style="text-align: center">
      <br>
      <b>(650) 473-7700</b><br>(<font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt">Registrant&#8217;s
      telephone number, including area code)</font><br><br><b>N/A</b><br><font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt">(Former
      name or former address, if changed since last report)</font>
    </p>
    <p>
      <font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt">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</font>:
    </p>
    <p>
      [&#160;&#160;] &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt">Written
      communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
      230.425)</font>
    </p>
    <p>
      [&#160;&#160;] &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt">Soliciting
      material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.14a-12)</font>
    </p>
    <p>
      [&#160;&#160;] &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt">Pre-commencement
      communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.14d-2(b))</font>
    </p>
    <p>
      [&#160;&#160;] &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt">Pre-commencement
      communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.13e-4(c))</font>
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      <br>

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    <p>

    </p>
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          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            <b>Item 5.02</b>
          </p>
        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 90%">
          <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px">
            <b>Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of
            Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory
            Arrangements of Certain Officers.</b>
          </p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>
    </div>
    <p>
      <u>Compensatory Arrangements</u>
    </p>
    <p style="text-indent: 30.0px">
      On March 9, 2011, the board of directors (the &#8220;Board&#8221;) of Geron
      Corporation (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) approved certain compensation arrangements
      in connection with David Greenwood&#8217;s appointment as President, Interim
      Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company,
      effective as of February 8, 2011 (the &#8220;Greenwood Compensation
      Arrangement&#8221;). Under the Greenwood Compensation Arrangement, Mr.
      Greenwood&#8217;s annual salary was increased to $500,000 and he may receive a
      discretionary bonus at the end of the year of up to 60% of his annual
      salary, which will be determined by the Board or the compensation
      committee of the Board (the &#8220;Compensation Committee&#8221;) and is predicated
      on individual and overall corporate performance during the year based on
      criteria established by the Board or Compensation Committee. In
      addition, the Board granted to Mr. Greenwood, a restricted stock award
      for 75,000 shares of the Company&#8217;s common stock that vests in a series
      of four equal consecutive annual installments, commencing on February 8,
      2011 and an option to purchase 150,000 shares of the Company&#8217;s common
      stock which becomes exercisable in a series of 48 equal consecutive
      monthly installments, commencing on February 8, 2011, with an exercise
      price of $5.00 per share, the closing sales price of the Company&#8217;s
      common stock on March 9, 2011.
    </p>
    <p style="text-indent: 30.0px">
      On March 9, 2011, the Board approved certain compensation arrangements
      in connection with Hoyoung Huh&#8217;s appointment as Executive Chairman of
      the Company, effective as of February 8, 2011 (the &#8220;Huh Compensation
      Arrangement&#8221;). Under the Huh Compensation Arrangement, Dr. Huh will be
      entitled to an annual retainer of $250,000 and he may receive an
      additional performance-based fee following the end of the year of up to
      60% of his annual retainer, which will be determined by the Board or the
      Compensation Committee and is predicated on individual and overall
      corporate performance during the year based on criteria established by
      the Board or Compensation Committee. In addition, the Board granted to
      Dr. Huh, a restricted stock award for 37,500 shares of the Company&#8217;s
      common stock that vests in a series of four equal consecutive annual
      installments, commencing on February 8, 2011 and an option to purchase
      75,000 shares of the Company&#8217;s common stock which becomes exercisable in
      a series of 48 equal consecutive monthly installments, commencing on
      February 8, 2011, with an exercise price of $5.00 per share, the closing
      sales price of the Company&#8217;s common stock on March 9, 2011. The
      compensation described above will be provided to Dr. Huh in lieu of the
      equity and cash compensation to which Dr. Huh is otherwise entitled as a
      non-employee director pursuant to the Company&#8217;s non-employee director
      compensation plan.
    </p>
    <p style="text-indent: 30.0px">
      The Company intends to enter into an employment agreement with Mr.
      Greenwood and an executive chairman agreement with Dr. Huh with respect
      to such compensation arrangements.&#160;The foregoing descriptions of the
      Greenwood Compensation Arrangement and the Huh Compensation Arrangement
      are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of any
      such agreements, which the Company intends to file with the Securities
      and Exchange Commission as exhibits to the applicable Company Quarterly
      Report on Form 10-Q.&#160;&#160;
    </p>
    <p>
      <br>

    </p>
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          1
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    <p>

    </p>
    <p>
      <u>Director Departure</u>
    </p>
    <p style="text-indent: 30.0px">
      On March 9, 2011, Charles J. Homcy, M.D., a Class III member of the
      Company&#8217;s Board, notified the Company of his decision to retire as a
      member of the Board, effective as of May 11, 2011, the date of the
      Company&#8217;s next Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
    </p>
    <p style="text-indent: 30.0px">
      <br>

    </p>
    <div style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-indent: 0pt; width: 100%; margin-right: 0pt">
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        <div style="text-align: left">

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          2
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    <p style="text-align: center">

    </p>
    <p style="text-align: center">
      <font style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt"><b>SIGNATURE</b></font><br>
    </p>
    <p style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; text-indent: 30.0px">
      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.<br><br>
    </p>
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        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px" colspan="3">
          GERON CORPORATION
        </td>
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        <td colspan="3">

        </td>
        <td style="width: 17%">
          &#160;
        </td>
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          Date: March 11, 2011
        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="padding-bottom: 2.0px; text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 3%">
          By:
        </td>
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          /s/ Olivia K. Bloom
        </td>
        <td style="width: 17%">

        </td>
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        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 3%">

        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px" colspan="2">
          Olivia K. Bloom
        </td>
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        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 3%">

        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px" colspan="2">
          Vice President and
        </td>
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        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px; width: 3%">

        </td>
        <td valign="top" style="text-align: left; padding-left: 0.0px" colspan="2">
          Chief Accounting Officer
        </td>
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      <br>
      <font style="font-size: 10pt">3</font>
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