UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 14, 2012
AGENUS INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE |
000-29089 |
06-1562417 |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
3 Forbes Road Lexington, MA |
02421 |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 781-674-4400
________________________________________________________________________________
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
| 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: |
||
| [ ] | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |
| [ ] | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |
| [ ] | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |
| [ ] | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | |
Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On March 14, 2012, Shalini Sharp, Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer and principal financial officer of the Company, announced that she will resign effective May 11, 2012. Effective upon her resignation, Christine M. Klaskin, currently Vice-President, Finance, will become principal financial officer in addition to her current role as principal accounting officer. Ms. Klaskin's biographical information is included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed on March 6, 2012.
On March 19, 2012 the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Shalini Sharp to serve as a new member of the Board of Directors, effective May 11, 2012. She will serve as a Class III Director, subject to her earlier resignation or removal, for a term expiring at the 2012 annual meeting of the Company's stockholders and until the election and qualification of her successor. Ms. Sharp is not being appointed to any committees of the Board of Directors at this time.
Ms Sharp's compensation for serving as a member of the Board of Directors will be in accordance with the Company's Director Compensation Policy as presented in our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on May 3, 2011.
The Company's press release announcing the appointment of Ms. Sharp and providing biographical information is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
The following exhibit is filed herewith:
99.1 Press Release dated March 20, 2012
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| AGENUS INC.
(Registrant) |
||
| March 20, 2012
(Date) |
/s/ GARO H. ARMEN
Garo H. Armen Chief Executive Officer |
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
Exhibit No. |
Description of Exhibit |
|
99.1 |
Press Release dated March 20, 2012 |
EXHIBIT 99.1
LEXINGTON, Mass., March 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq:AGEN) today announced the appointment of Shalini Sharp to its board of directors effective May 11, 2012. Ms. Sharp has served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Agenus since 2006.
"I am delighted that Agenus is now in its strongest financial position in recent history, and I look forward to working with the Agenus team in my new capacity," said Ms. Sharp.
"Shalini has spearheaded numerous financing and business development transactions that have been critical to the success of Agenus, most recently our expanded agreement with GlaxoSmithKline," said Garo H. Armen, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Agenus. "Her strategic insight and record of execution will continue to be an outstanding asset to Agenus."
Effective May 11, 2012, Ms. Sharp will step down as Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Sharp joined Agenus in 2003 and has served in increasing roles of responsibility spanning strategic planning, corporate development, investor relations, corporate finance and business development activities. Prior to Agenus, Ms. Sharp held similar roles at Elan Pharmaceuticals between 1998 and 2003, including serving as chief of staff to the chairman of the board of directors during its restructuring period. Ms. Sharp holds both a BA, magna cum laude, and MBA, from Harvard University.
Effective May 11, 2012, Christine Klaskin, Vice President of Finance, will be responsible for the Company's day-to-day financial operations and serve as Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer. Karen Valentine, Vice President and General Counsel, will direct business development and corporate development transactions. Jonae Barnes, Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, will handle all external communication activities, including business development relationships and alliance management.
About Agenus
Agenus Inc. is a biotechnology company working to develop treatments for cancers and infectious diseases. The company is focused on immunotherapeutic products based on strong platform technologies with multiple product candidates advancing through the clinic, including several product candidates that have advanced into late-stage clinical trials through corporate partners. For more information, please visit www.agenusbio.com.
The Agenus logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8187
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Ms. Sharp's anticipated future contributions to the company's board of directors. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements including without limitation the factors described under the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10K filed with the Securities Exchange Commission for the period ended December 31, 2011. Agenus cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These statements speak only as of the date of this document, and Agenus undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The prior track record of Ms. Sharp does not assure Agenus' future success.
CONTACT: Media and Investor Contact:
Jonae R. Barnes
Vice President
Investor Relations and
Corporate Communications
617-818-2985