0001140361-18-031924.txt : 20180709 0001140361-18-031924.hdr.sgml : 20180709 20180709160120 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001140361-18-031924 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20180709 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20180709 GROUP MEMBERS: NOVARTIS AG SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001422142 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834] IRS NUMBER: 611547850 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-83932 FILM NUMBER: 18944711 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 9987 CARVER ROAD CITY: CINCINNATI STATE: OH ZIP: 45242 BUSINESS PHONE: (513) 985-1920 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 9987 CARVER ROAD CITY: CINCINNATI STATE: OH ZIP: 45242 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: ZETA ACQUISITION CORP II DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20071227 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Novartis Bioventures Ltd CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001297709 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: D0 FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: C/O NOVARTIS INTERNATIONAL AG STREET 2: WSJ-200.220 CITY: CH-4002 BASEL STATE: V8 ZIP: 0000000000 BUSINESS PHONE: 41-61-324-6210 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: C/O NOVARTIS INTERNATIONAL AG STREET 2: WSJ-200.220 CITY: CH-4002 BASEL STATE: V8 ZIP: 0000000000 SC 13D/A 1 formsc13da.htm SC 13DA

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No.  1)*

Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
(Title of Class of Securities)

00810B105
(CUSIP Number)

Bart Dzikowski
Secretary of the Board
Novartis Bioventures Ltd.
Lichtstrasse 35
CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
+41 61 324 3714
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

June 28, 2018
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
 
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. ☐
 
*
The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
 
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
 


CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
 
1
NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
 
 
Novartis Bioventures Ltd.
 
 
 
 
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a)
 
(b)
 
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4
SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
 
 
WC
 
 
 
 
5
CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)
 
 
 
 
 
 
6
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
 
Switzerland
 
 
 
 
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:
7
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
 
0
 
 
 
 
8
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
 
5,805,550
 
 
 
 
9
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
 
0
 
 
 
 
10
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
 
5,805,550
 
 
 
 
11
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
 
5,805,550
 
 
 
 
12
CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
 
 
 
 
 
 
13
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
 
 
14.95% (1)
 
 
 
 
14
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
 
 
CO
 
 
 
 
 
(1)
Based upon 38,834,099 outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Issuer”), as set forth in the Issuer’s Prospectus Supplement (which assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 26, 2018 pursuant to SEC Rule 424(b)(5).
 
Page 2 of 10 Pages

CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
 
1
NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
 
 
Novartis AG
 
 
 
 
2
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a)
 
(b)
 
 
3
SEC USE ONLY
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4
SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
 
 
WC
 
 
 
 
5
CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(D) OR 2(E)
 
 
 
 
 
 
6
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 
 
Switzerland
 
 
 
 
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:
7
SOLE VOTING POWER
 
 
0
 
 
 
 
8
SHARED VOTING POWER
 
 
5,805,550
 
 
 
 
9
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
 
0
 
 
 
 
10
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
 
 
5,805,550
 
 
 
 
11
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 
 
5,805,550
 
 
 
 
12
CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
 
 
 
 
 
 
13
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
 
 
14.95% (1)
 
 
 
 
14
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
 
 
CO
 
 
 
 
 
(1)
Based upon 38,834,099 outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Issuer, as set forth in the Issuer’s Prospectus Supplement (which assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares), filed with the SEC on June 26, 2018 pursuant to SEC Rule 424(b)(5).
 
Page 3 of 10 Pages

CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
 
Item 1.
Security and Issuer.
 
This Amendment No. 1 (the “Amendment”) to the statement on Schedule 13D amends the Schedule 13D filed with the SEC on March 27, 2017 (the “Original Schedule 13D”) and relates to the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”).  The address of the Issuer’s principal executive office is 9987 Carver Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242.
 
On June 26, 2018, the Issuer filed a Prospectus Supplement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to SEC Rule 424(b)(5), in which it reported that it anticipated having 38,834,099 shares of Common Stock outstanding (which assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) following completion of the offering, which closed on June 28, 2018. As a result of the reported increase in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, the percentage of outstanding shares of Common Stock that the Reporting Persons may be deemed to beneficially own was reduced by more than one percent of the Issuer’s shares of Common Stock outstanding since the filing of the Original Schedule 13D.
 
Except as otherwise described herein, the information contained in the Original Schedule 13D remains in effect. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Amendment shall have the respective meanings set forth with respect thereto in the Original Schedule 13D.
 
Item 2.
Identity and Background.
 
No changes except as described below.
 
(a) – (c) and (f) The name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and citizenship of the executive officers and members of the Board of Directors of each of the Reporting Persons is set forth on Schedule I hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
(d) - (e) Neither the Reporting  Persons nor, to the best knowledge of each of them, any of the executive officers and members of the Board of Directors of each of the Reporting Persons set forth on Schedule I hereto during  the last  five  years,  (i) has been  convicted  in a criminal  proceeding  (excluding traffic violations or similar  misdemeanors) or (ii) was a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative  body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment,  decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating  activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
 
Item 3.
Source and Amounts of Funds or Other Consideration.
 
No changes.
 
Item 4.
Purpose of Transaction.
 
No changes.
 
Item 5.
Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
 
No changes except as described below.
 
(a)       Based on 38,834,099 shares of Common Stock outstanding (which assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares), as reported in the Issuer’s Prospectus Supplement filed with the SEC on June 26, 2018 pursuant to SEC Rule 424(b)(5), the Common Stock held by the Reporting Persons constitutes 14.95% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Issuer.
 
(b)       With respect to the number of shares of Common Stock as to which each Reporting Person has:
 
(i)        sole power to vote or to direct the vote with respect to such shares of Common Stock, please see row 7 of the applicable cover sheet to this Amendment for such Reporting Person;
 
(ii)       shared power to vote or to direct the vote with respect to such shares of Common Stock, please see row 8 of the applicable cover sheet to this Amendment for such Reporting Person;
 
(iii)      sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of such shares of Common Stock, please see row 9 of the applicable cover sheet to this Amendment for such Reporting Person; and
 
Page 4 of 10 Pages

CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
 
(iv)      shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of such shares of Common Stock, please see row 10 of the applicable cover sheet to this Amendment for such Reporting Person.
 
(c)       Not applicable.
 
(d)       Not applicable.
 
(e)       Not applicable.
 
Item 6.
Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer.
 
No changes.
 
Item 7.
Material to be Filed as Exhibits.
 
Exhibit Number   Description
 
Agreement regarding joint filing of Schedule 13D
 
Page 5 of 10 Pages

CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
Signature

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of the undersigned’s knowledge and belief, the undersigned hereby certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

 
Date: July 9, 2018
NOVARTIS BIOVENTURES LTD.
     
   
By:
/s/ Bart Dzikowski
   
Name:
Bart Dzikowski
   
Title:
Secretary of the Board
       
   
By:
/s/ Stephan Sandmeier
   
Name:
Stephan Sandmeier
   
Title:
Authorized Signatory
 
   
NOVARTIS AG
     
   
By:
/s/ Bart Dzikowski
   
Name:
Bart Dzikowski
   
Title:
Authorized Signatory
       
   
By:
/s/ Campbell Murray
   
Name:
Campbell Murray
   
Title:
Authorized Signatory
 
Page 6 of 10 Pages

CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
 
SCHEDULE I

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF
NOVARTIS AG AND NOVARTIS BIOVENTURES LTD.

Directors and Executive Officers of Novartis AG

The name, function, citizenship and present principal occupation or employment of each of the directors and executive officers of Novartis AG are set forth below. Unless otherwise indicated below, (i) each occupation set forth opposite an individual’s name refers to employment with Novartis AG and (ii) the business address of each director and executive officer of Novartis AG is Novartis Campus, Lichtstrasse 35, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.

Name
 
Relationship to
Novartis AG
 
Present Principal Occupation
 
Citizenship
Joerg Reinhardt, Ph.D.
 
Chairman of the Board of Directors
 
Chairman of the Board of Directors
 
German
             
Enrico Vanni, Ph.D.
 
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
 
Independent Consultant
 
Swiss
             
Nancy C. Andrews, M.D., Ph.D.
 
Director
 
Dean Emerita of the Duke University School of Medicine and Vice Chancellor Emerita for Academic Affairs at Duke University; Professor of Pediatrics, Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University
 
American
             
Dimitri Azar, M.D., MBA
 
Director
 
Senior Director of Ophthalmological Innovation at Verily Life Sciences; Dean of the College of Medicine and Professor of Ophthalmology, Bioengineering and Pharmacology at the University of Illinois
 
American
             
Ton Buechner
 
Director
 
Member of the Supervisory Board of Voith GmbH; Former CEO and Chairman of the executive board of AkzoNobel
 
Dutch
             
Srikant Datar, Ph.D.
 
Director
 
Arthur Lowes Dickinson Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration at Harvard University
 
American
             
Elizabeth (Liz) Doherty
 
Director
 
Non-executive director and chairman of the audit committee of Dunelm Group plc; Member of the Supervisory Board and Audit Committee of Corbion NV
 
British
 
Page 7 of 10 Pages

CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
 
Name
 
Relationship to
Novartis AG
 
Present Principal Occupation
 
Citizenship
Ann Fudge
 
Director
 
Vice Chairman and Senior Independent Director of Unilever NV; Chair of the United States Program Advisory Panel of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Director of Northrop Grumman Corporation
 
American
             
Franz van Houten
 
Director
 
CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee and the Board of Management of Royal Philips; Vice-Chairman and Member of the Supervisory Board of Philips Lighting
 
Dutch
             
Andreas von Planta, Ph.D.
 
Director
 
Board member of Helvetia Holding AG; Chairman of the Regulatory Board of the SIX Swiss Exchange AG
 
Swiss
             
Charles L. Sawyers, M.D.
 
Director
 
Chair of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Professor of Medicine and of Cell and Developmental Biology at the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences; Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
 
American
             
William T. Winters
 
Director
 
CEO and a board member of Standard Chartered
 
British
             
Vasant (Vas) Narasimhan, M.D.
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Chief Executive Officer
 
Member of the Executive Committee, Chief Executive Officer
 
American
             
Steven Baert
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Head of Human Resources
 
Member of the Executive Committee, Head of Human Resources
 
Belgian
             
Elizabeth (Liz) Barrett
 
Member of the Executive Committee; CEO, Novartis Oncology
 
Member of the Executive Committee; CEO, Novartis Oncology
 
American
             
Bertrand Bodson
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Chief Digital Officer
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Chief Digital Officer
 
Belgian
 
Page 8 of 10 Pages

Name
 
Relationship to
Novartis AG
 
Present Principal Occupation
 
Citizenship
James (Jay) Bradner, M.D.
 
Member of the Executive Committee; President, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
 
Member of the Executive Committee; President, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research; 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
 
American
             
Richard Francis
 
Member of the Executive Committee; CEO, Sandoz
 
Member of the Executive Committee; CEO, Sandoz
 
British
             
Paul Hudson
 
Member of the Executive Committee; CEO, Novartis Pharmaceuticals
 
Member of the Executive Committee; CEO, Novartis Pharmaceuticals
 
British
             
Harry Kirsch
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Chief Financial Officer
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Chief Financial Officer
 
German
             
Shannon Thyme Klinger
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Group General Counsel
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Group General Counsel
 
American
             
Steffen Lang, Ph.D.
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Global Head of Novartis Technical Operations
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Global Head of Novartis Technical Operations
 
German
             
John Tsai, M.D.
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Head of Global Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Head of Global Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer
 
American
             
Robert Weltevreden
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Head of Novartis Business Services
 
Member of the Executive Committee; Head of Novartis Business Services
 
Dutch
 
Page 9 of 10 Pages

CUSIP No. 00810B105
Schedule 13D
 
Directors and Officers of Novartis Bioventures Ltd.

The name, address, citizenship and present principal occupation or employment of each of the directors and executive officers of Novartis Bioventures Ltd. are set forth below. Unless otherwise indicated below, (i) each occupation set forth opposite an individual’s name refers to employment with Novartis Bioventures Ltd. and (ii) the business address of each director and executive officer of Novartis Bioventures Ltd. is Novartis Campus, Lichtstrasse 35, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.

Name
 
Relationship to
Novartis Bioventures
Ltd.
 
Present Principal Occupation
 
Citizenship
             
Prof. Dr. Patrick Aebischer
 
Chairman of the Board of Directors
 
President emeritus of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL); Member of the Board of Directors at Lonza AG, Nestlé S.A. and Logitech International S.A.
 
Swiss
             
Dr. Paul Herrling
 
Director
 
Vice-President of the Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Rat); Professor for Drug Discovery Science at the University of Basel
 
Swiss
             
Harry Kirsch
 
Director
 
Member of the Executive Committee of Novartis; Chief Financial Officer at Novartis
 
German
             
Prof. Dr. Christoph Meier
 
Director
 
Chief Medical Officer at the University Hospital Basel; Professor at the Medical Faculty of the University of Geneva
 
Swiss
             
Dr. Raj Parekh
 
Director
 
General Partner at Advent Life Sciences
 
British
 
 
Page 10 of 10 Pages

EX-99.1 2 ex99_1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

Exhibit 99.1
 
Joint Filing Agreement
 
In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k)(1) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the undersigned hereby agree to the joint filing with each other on behalf of each of them of such a statement on Schedule 13D (including amendments thereto) with respect to the Common Stock beneficially owned by each of them of Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  This Joint Filing Agreement shall be included as an Exhibit to such Schedule 13D.
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby execute this Joint Filing Agreement as of the 9th day of July, 2018.
 
 
NOVARTIS BIOVENTURES LTD.
   
 
By:
/s/ Bart Dzikowski
 
Name:
Bart Dzikowski
 
Title:
Secretary of the Board
     
 
By:
/s/ Stephan Sandmeier
 
Name:
Stephan Sandmeier
 
Title:
Authorized Signatory
     
 
NOVARTIS AG
     
 
By:
/s/ Bart Dzikowski
 
Name:
Bart Dzikowski
 
Title:
Authorized Signatory
     
 
By:
/s/ Campbell Murray
 
Name:
Campbell Murray
 
Title:
Authorized Signatory