S-8

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

Emerging growth company

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 18, 2019

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

89bio, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware		36-4946844
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

535 Mission Street, 14^th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94105

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

Amended and Restated 89bio, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan

89bio, Inc. 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the plans)

Rohan Palekar

Chief Executive Officer

89bio, Inc.

535 Mission Street, 14^th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94105

(Name and address of agent for service)

(415) 500-4614

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Ryan A. Murr

Branden C. Berns

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP

555 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA 94105

(415) 393-8373

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



Title of Securities to be Registered (1)	Amount to be Registered⁽²⁾	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price	Amount of Registration Fee
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
To be issued pursuant to future awards under the Amended and Restated 89bio, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”)	1,540,034	$29.22(3)	$44,999,794(3)	$5,840.98
To be issued pursuant to outstanding options under the 2019 Plan	1,304,159	$3.15(4)	$4,108,101(4)	$533.24
89bio, Inc. 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan	225,188	$24.84(5)	$5,593,670(5)	$726.06
Total	3,069,381			$7,101

(1)

In addition to the number of shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) of 89bio, Inc. (the “Company” or “Registrant”) stated above, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement also covers an indeterminate number of options and other rights to acquire Common Stock, that may be granted pursuant to one of the compensatory stock plans listed above.

(2)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act, this registration statement also covers any additional securities that may from time to time be offered or issued in respect of the securities registered by this registration statement to prevent dilution as a result of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction, and any other securities with respect to which the outstanding shares are converted or exchanged.

(3)	Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant’s Common Stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on December 12, 2019.

(4)	Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, based upon the weighted-average exercise price per option currently outstanding.

(5)

Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457 under the Securities Act, based upon a 15% discount from the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant’s Common Stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on December 12, 2019, such discount representing the maximum permissible discount offered pursuant to such plan.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is filed by 89bio, Inc. (the “Registrant”), relating to 1,540,034 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), available for issuance pursuant to future awards to eligible persons under the Amended and Restated 89bio, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”), 1,304,159 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to outstanding options under the 2019 Plan and 225,188 shares of Common Stock issuable to eligible persons under the 89bio, Inc. 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP” and, together with the 2019 Plan, the “Plans”).

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The information required by this Part I has been omitted from this Registration Statement pursuant to the Note to Part I of Form S-8.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.

Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), are incorporated by reference herein and shall be deemed to be a part hereof:

The prospectus dated November 11, 2019, filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), filed on November 12, 2019, relating to the Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (Registration No. 333-234174), which contains the Registrant’s audited financial statements for the latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed;

The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on December 18, 2019;

The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on November 15, 2019 and December 16, 2019; and

The description of the Common Stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on November 1, 2019, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition, all documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date hereof, but prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or that deregisters all such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless specifically stated to the contrary in such filing, none of the information that the Registrant discloses under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K that it may from time to time furnish to the Commission will be incorporated by reference into, or otherwise be included in or deemed to be a part of, this Registration Statement.

For purposes of this Registration Statement, any document or any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a subsequently filed document or a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or supersedes such document or such statement in such document. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement. Subject to the foregoing, all information in this Registration Statement is so qualified in its entirety by the information appearing in the documents incorporated herein by reference.

Item 4.

Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5.

Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Registrant is a Delaware corporation. Section 145(a) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or

completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine, upon application, that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.

Further subsections of DGCL Section 145 provide that:

(1)

to the extent a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith;

(2)

the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided for pursuant to Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise; and

(3)

the corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance of behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under Section 145.

As used in this Item 6, the term “proceeding” means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether or not by or in the right of Registrant, and whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or otherwise.

Section 145 of the DGCL makes provision for the indemnification of officers and directors in terms sufficiently broad to indemnify officers and directors of the company under certain circumstances from liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act. The Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Second Amended and Restated Bylaws provide, in effect, that, to the fullest extent and under the circumstances permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL, the Company will indemnify any and all of its officers and directors. The Company has entered into

indemnification agreements with its officers and directors. The Company may, in its discretion, similarly indemnify its employees and agents. The Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation also relieves the Company’s directors from monetary damages to the Company or its shareholders for breach of such director’s fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. Under Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, a corporation may relieve its directors from personal liability to such corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for any breach of their fiduciary duty as directors except (i) for a breach of the duty of loyalty, (ii) for failure to act in good faith,(iii) for intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law, (iv) for willful or negligent violations of certain provisions in the DGCL imposing certain requirements with respect to stock repurchases, redemptions and dividends or (v) for any transactions from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

The Company has purchased insurance policies that, within the limits and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, cover certain expenses and liabilities that may be incurred by directors and officers in connection with proceedings that may be brought against them as a result of an act or omission committed or suffered while acting as a director or officer of the Company.

Item 7.

Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8.

Exhibits.


Exhibit No.		Exhibit Description

4.1		Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 15, 2019).

4.2		Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 15, 2019).

5.1*		Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

23.1*		Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

23.2*		Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

23.3*		Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1*		Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto).

99.1		Amended and Restated 89bio, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed on October 28, 2019).

99.2		89bio, Inc. 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed on October 28, 2019).

*	Filed herewith.

Item 9.

Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement;

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Francisco, State of California, on December 18, 2019.


89bio, Inc.

By:		/s/ Rohan Palekar
Name:		Rohan Palekar
Title:		Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Rohan Palekar, Ram Waisbourd and Ryan Martins, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement, and any registration statement relating to the offering covered by this Registration Statement and filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully so or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the following persons have signed this Registration Statement in the capacities and on the date(s) indicated.


Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Rohan Palekar Rohan Palekar	Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)	December 18, 2019

/s/ Ryan Martins Ryan Martins	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)	December 18, 2019

/s/ Derek DiRocco Derek DiRocco, Ph.D.	Director	December 18, 2019

/s/ Gregory Grunberg Gregory Grunberg, M.D.	Director	December 18, 2019

/s/ Michael Hayden Michael Hayden, M.B., Ch.B, Ph.D.	Director	December 18, 2019

/s/ Anat Naschitz Anat Naschitz	Director	December 18, 2019