<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001140361-23-017339.txt : 20230407
<SEC-HEADER>0001140361-23-017339.hdr.sgml : 20230407
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20230407162024
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001140361-23-017339
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	DEFA14A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20230407
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20230407

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CATALYST BIOSCIENCES, INC.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001124105
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				562020050
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		DEFA14A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-51173
		FILM NUMBER:		23808963

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		611 GATEWAY BLVD., SUITE 710
		CITY:			SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080
		BUSINESS PHONE:		650-871-0761

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		611 GATEWAY BLVD., SUITE 710
		CITY:			SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94080

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	TARGACEPT INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20000919
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>DEFA14A
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<FILENAME>ny20006478x3_defa14a.htm
<DESCRIPTION>DEFA14A
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        <hr style="border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid black; border-top: 4px solid black; height: 10px; color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" align="center">UNITED STATES</div>
      <div style="text-align: center; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</div>
      <div style="text-align: center; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549</div>
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      <div style="text-align: center; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold;">FORM 8-K</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: center;">
        <hr style="height: 2px; color: #000000; background-color: #000000; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;" align="center" noshade="noshade"></div>
      <div style="text-align: center;"><font style="font-weight: bold;">CURRENT REPORT</font></div>
      <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: center;">Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): <font style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">April 4, 2023</font></div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: center; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold;">Catalyst Biosciences, Inc.<br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: center;">(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <table style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: left; color: #000000;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">

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            <td style="width: 33.33%; vertical-align: bottom;">
              <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Delaware</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 34%; vertical-align: bottom;">
              <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">000-51173</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 33.34%; vertical-align: bottom;">
              <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">56-2020050</div>
            </td>
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              <div style="text-align: center;">(State or Other Jurisdiction</div>
              <div style="text-align: center;">of Incorporation)</div>
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            <td style="width: 34%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div style="text-align: center;">(Commission</div>
              <div style="text-align: center;">File Number)</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 33.34%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div style="text-align: center;">(IRS Employer</div>
              <div style="text-align: center;">Identification No.)</div>
            </td>
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      <div>&#160;<br>
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      <table style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: left; color: #000000;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">

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            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: bottom;">
              <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">611 Gateway Blvd<br>
              </div>
              <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Suite 120<br>
              </div>
              <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">South San Francisco,
                CA</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: bottom;">
              <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">94080</div>
            </td>
          </tr>
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            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div style="text-align: center;">(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div style="text-align: center;">(Zip Code)</div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: center;">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number, including area code: <font style="font-weight: bold;">(650) 871-0761</font></div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: center;">&#160;<font style="font-weight: bold;">Not Applicable</font></div>
      <div style="text-align: center;">(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)</div>
      <div><br>
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      <div>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 style="font-style: italic;">see</font> General Instruction A.2. below):</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div>&#9744; Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
        under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div>&#9746; Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12
        under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div>&#9744; Pre-commencement communications pursuant to
        Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div>&#9744; Pre-commencement communications pursuant to
        Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div>
        <div>Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
      </div>
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              <div style="text-align: center;">&#160;Title of each class</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 2%; vertical-align: bottom;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 32%; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);">
              <div style="text-align: center;">Trading Symbol(s)</div>
            </td>
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              <div style="text-align: center;">Name of each exchange on which</div>
              <div style="text-align: center;">registered</div>
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              <div style="text-align: center;">Common Stock</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 2%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 32%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div style="text-align: center;">CBIO</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 2%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 32%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div style="text-align: center;">The Nasdaq Capital Market</div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div>Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (&#167;230.405 of this chapter)
        or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (&#167;240.12b-2 of this chapter).</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-indent: 36pt;">Emerging growth company &#9744;</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div>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. &#9744;
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      <div style="text-align: justify;"><font style="font-weight: bold;">Item 3.01</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;<font style="font-weight: bold;">Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.</font></div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify;">On April 4, 2023, Catalyst Biosciences, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221; or &#8220;Catalyst&#8221;) received a written notice (the &#8220;Notice&#8221;) from the Listing Qualifications
        Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market (&#8220;Nasdaq&#8221;) indicating that the Company was not in compliance with the $2,500,000 minimum stockholders&#8217; equity requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1) for continued listing on Nasdaq. Further,
        the Notice states that the Company does not meet the alternatives of market value of listed securities or net income from continuing operations. Under the Nasdaq rules, the Company has 45 calendar days to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain
        compliance. If Nasdaq accepts the plan, it can grant an extension of up to 180 calendar days from April 4, 2023 to evidence compliance. The Company plans to submit a plan to regain compliance within the specified time period.</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify;">There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in regaining compliance with all applicable requirements for continued listing on Nasdaq.
        As previously announced, Catalyst, GNI USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation, GNI Group Ltd., a company incorporated under the laws of Japan with limited liability, GNI Hong Kong Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of Hong Kong with limited
        liability, Shanghai Genomics, Inc., a company organized under the laws of the People&#8217;s Republic of China (collectively the &#8220;Contributors&#8221;), the individuals listed on Annex A thereto (the &#8220;Minority Holders&#8221;) and Continent Pharmaceuticals Inc., a
        Cayman Islands company limited by shares (the &#8220;CPI&#8221;), entered into the Business Combination Agreement on December 26, 2022, as amended on March 29, 2023 (the &#8216;&#8216;Business Combination Agreement&#8217;&#8217;). Maintaining Catalyst&#8217;s Nasdaq listing is one of the
        closing conditions to the transaction under the Business Combination Agreement. As such, the Company&#8217;s delisting from Nasdaq could result in the termination or delayed completion of the transaction contemplated by the Business Combination
        Agreement, along with the attendant termination fees, costs, or loss of benefits thereunder. In addition, the delisting of the common stock from a national exchange could materially adversely affect the Company&#8217;s access to capital markets, and any
        limitation on market liquidity or reduction in the price of the common stock as a result of that delisting could adversely affect the Company&#8217;s ability to raise capital on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all.</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;">Forward-Looking Statements</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify;">Statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K regarding matters that are not historical facts are &#8220;forward-looking statements&#8221; within the
        meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include Catalyst&#8217;s plans to submit a plan to Nasdaq to regain compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements and the potential that Catalyst will regain compliance.
        Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks are described more fully in the Company&#8217;s filings with the Securities and
        Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the Company&#8217;s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in
        this Current Report on Form 8-K speak only as of the date on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;">No Offer or Solicitation</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify;">This Current Report on Form 8-K is not intended to be, and does not constitute, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy
        or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote in any jurisdiction pursuant to the proposed transactions or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction
        in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Subject to certain exceptions to be approved by the relevant regulators or
        certain facts to be ascertained, the public offer will not be made directly or indirectly, in or into any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction, or by use of the mails or by any means or
        instrumentality (including without limitation, facsimile transmission, telephone and the internet) of interstate or foreign commerce, or any facility of a national securities exchange, of any such jurisdiction.</div>
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      <div style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;">Important Additional Information Will be Filed with the SEC</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify;">In connection with the proposed transactions between Catalyst, the Contributors, the Minority Holders and CPI, Catalyst intends to file relevant
        materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#8220;SEC&#8221;), including a proxy statement and registration statement on Form S-3 that will contain a prospectus of Catalyst. CATALYST URGES ITS INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS TO READ THESE
        MATERIALS CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CATALYST, CPI, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and stockholders will be able to obtain free copies
        of the proxy statement and prospectus and other documents filed by Catalyst with the SEC (when they become available) through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and stockholders will be able to obtain free
        copies of the proxy statement and prospectus and other documents filed by Catalyst with the SEC by contacting Catalyst Biosciences, Inc. at 611 Gateway Blvd. Suite 120, South San Francisco, California 94080. Investors and stockholders are urged to
        read the proxy statement and prospectus and the other relevant materials when they become available before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the proposed transactions.</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;">Participants in the Solicitation</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-align: justify;">Catalyst, the Contributors, the Minority Holders, the entities held by the Minority Holders, and CPI, and their respective directors and executive
        officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transactions. Information about Catalyst&#8217;s directors and executive officers is included in Catalyst&#8217;s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K,
        including any information incorporated therein by reference, as filed with the SEC, the preliminary proxy statement for Catalyst&#8217;s 2023 special meeting of stockholders filed with the SEC on March 30, 2023, and Catalyst&#8217;s Form 8-K filed with the SEC
        on December 27, 2022. Additional information regarding the persons who may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies will be included in the proxy statement and prospectus relating to the proposed transactions when it is filed with the
        SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.</div>
      <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br>
      </div>
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      <br>
      <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">SIGNATURES</div>
      <div><br>
      </div>
      <div style="text-indent: 36pt;">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.</div>
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            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;" colspan="2">
              <div>CATALYST BIOSCIENCES, INC.</div>
            </td>
          </tr>
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            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 3%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 47%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
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            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div>Date: April 7, 2023</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 3%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div>By:</div>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 47%; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: #000000 2px solid;">
              <div>/s/ Nassim Usman, Ph.D.</div>
            </td>
          </tr>
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            <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 3%; vertical-align: top;">&#160;</td>
            <td style="width: 47%; vertical-align: top;">
              <div>Nassim Usman, Ph.D.</div>
              <div>President and Chief Executive Officer</div>
            </td>
          </tr>

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