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): August 4, 2020

AERPIO PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-38560	61-1547850
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
9987 Carver Road Cincinnati, OH		45242
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (513) 985-1920

Not Applicable

(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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.0001 par value per share	ARPO	Nasdaq Capital Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Emerging growth company  ☒

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. ☒

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”, “we” or “us”) is furnishing a corporate presentation, attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which we intend to use from time to time in meetings with investors and others beginning on August 4, 2020. The corporate presentation will also be available in the investor relations section of the Company’s website at http://aerpio.com.

The information in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.2 attached hereto shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 8.01 Other Events

On August 4, 2020, we issued a press release announcing the receipt of funding to evaluate subcutaneous razuprotafib in a new randomized, investigational trial for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (“ARDS”) in adult patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. The trial is part of the MTEC-20-09-COVID-19 Treatment Military Infectious Disease Research Program (“MIDRP”). The Phase 2 clinical trial is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021. The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (“MTEC”), a non-profit organization primarily funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, will provide up to $5.1 million in funding toward the clinical trial, while we will support the trial with “in-kind” spending in the aggregate amount of $2.8 million.

A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press release issued by Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., on August 4, 2020.
99.2	Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., corporate presentation.

SIGNATURES

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.

Date: August 4, 2020	AERPIO PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
	By:	/s/ Joseph Gardner, Ph.D.
		Joseph Gardner
		President and Founder