8-K

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)

June 24, 2019

HEMISPHERX BIOPHARMA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001 - 27072	52-0845822
(state or other jurisdiction	(Commission	(I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)

2117 SW Highway 484, Ocala FL	34473
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (407) 839-0095

(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[  ]	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))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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. [  ]

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

Title of each class	Trading Symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share	HEB	NYSE American

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On June 24, 2019, Adam Pascale informed the Company that he would be retiring as Chief Financial Officer effective September 15, 2019. He timed his retirement date to permit him to prepare and file the Company’s next quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending June 30, 2019. Mr. Pascale has agreed to remain available to the Company after his retirement to assist the Company with future annual and quarterly filings with the SEC.

The Company thanks Mr. Pascale for his almost 24 years of dedicated service to the Company and wishes him well in his retirement.

On June 28, 2019, the Company issued a press release regarding Mr. Pascale’s retirement. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release dated June 28, 2019.

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.

	HEMISPHERX BIOPHARMA, INC.
June 28, 2019	By:	/s/ Thomas K. Equels
		Thomas K. Equels, CEO

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Hemispherx Biopharma CFO Adam Pascale Announces Retirement

OCALA, Fla. (June 28, 2019) – Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (NYSE American: HEB) announced today that Adam Pascale is retiring from the position of Chief Financial Officer after nearly a quarter century with the company.

Pascale joined Hemispherx in 1995 as an accounting manager, rising to the position of Chief Accounting Officer before being named CFO in 2016. Pascale has been an integral part of Hemispherx’s leadership team since being named CFO, helping to execute CEO Thomas K. Equels’ long-term business plan to test the company’s lead product Ampligen in the treatment of cancer. Most recently, Pascale helped guide the company’s successful reverse-stock split, which took effect June 10, 2019.

Although stepping down as CFO, Pascale will still be working with Hemispherx as a consultant to assist with the company’s quarterly and year-end financial reports. In fact, he timed his last day of September 15 to ensure that he could help the company file its 10-Q for the quarter ending June 30, 2019.

“We deeply appreciate Adam’s service and his willingness to delay retirement while the company established a firm business foundation and while grooming a replacement,” said CEO Thomas K. Equels. “While he leaves on a well-deserved long vacation in September, we are grateful that upon his return he will still serve in a consulting capacity.”

About Hemispherx Biopharma

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. is an immuno-pharma R&D and emerging commercial growth company focused on unmet medical needs in immunology. Hemispherx’s flagship products include the Argentina-approved drug rintatolimod (trade names Ampligen^® or Rintamod^®) and the FDA-approved drug Alferon N Injection^®. Based on results of published, peer-reviewed pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, Hemispherx believes that Ampligen^® may have broad-spectrum anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. Clinical trials of Ampligen^® already conducted include studies of the potential treatment of cancer patients with renal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. These and other potential uses will require additional clinical trials to generate the safety and effectiveness data necessary to support regulatory approval. Rintatolimod is a double-stranded RNA being developed for globally important debilitating diseases and disorders of the immune system.

Cautionary Statement

Some of the statements included in this press release may be forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among other things, for those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Among other things, no assurance can be given as to whether the ongoing or planned trials will be successful or yield favorable data and the trials are subject to many factors including lack of regulatory approval(s), lack of study drug, or a change in priorities of the Cancer Centers sponsoring these trials. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. This press release and prior releases are available at www.hemispherx.net. The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.

Contacts:

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.

Phone: 800-778-4042

Email: IR@hemispherx.net

Or

LHA Investor Relations

Miriam Weber Miller

Senior Vice President

Phone: +1-212-838-3777

Email: mmiller@lhai.com