UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

Form 6-K

 

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16

under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

For the month of July 2021

 

Commission File Number: 001-40106

 

4D pharma plc

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

 

5th Floor, 9 Bond Court

Leeds

LS1 2JZ

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 113 895 013

 

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F. Form 20-F [X] Form 40-F [  ]

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ____

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ____

 

 

 

 

 

 

Announcement of Passing of Chief Financial Officer

 

On July 26, 2021, 4D pharma plc (the “Company”) issued a press release to announce the passing of John Beck, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.

 

“We are deeply saddened by John’s passing. The entire 4D pharma community mourns this loss and, on behalf of our Board of Directors and employees, we extend our sincerest condolences to his family,” said Duncan Peyton, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “John’s 30 years of experience in the financial and biopharmaceutical industries were invaluable to us in his role as Chief Financial Officer, and his vision for the future of 4D pharma was already well on its way to being realized. We grieve this loss and will carry his legacy forward in this next chapter of 4D pharma’s continued growth and progress.”

 

The Company will continue to be actively led by its current management team and Board of Directors and succession planning is underway.

 

A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this current report on Form 6-K and is incorporated by reference herein.

 

 

 

 

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, thereunto duly authorized.

 

  4D pharma plc
   
Date: July 27, 2021 /s/ Duncan Peyton
  Duncan Peyton
  Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit    
Number   Exhibit Title
       
99.1   Press Release, dated July 26, 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

4D pharma PLC

 

4D pharma Announces Passing of Chief Financial Officer John Beck

 

Leeds, UK, July 26, 2021 – 4D pharma plc (AIM: DDDD, NASDAQ, LBPS), a pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs), a novel class of drug derived from the microbiome, announces with great sadness that John Beck, Chief Financial Officer of 4D pharma, has passed away.

 

“We are deeply saddened by John’s passing. The entire 4D pharma community mourns this loss and, on behalf of our Board of Directors and employees, we extend our sincerest condolences to his family,” said Duncan Peyton, Chief Executive Officer of 4D pharma. “John’s 30 years of experience in the financial and biopharmaceutical industries were invaluable to us in his role as Chief Financial Officer, and his vision for the future of 4D pharma was already well on its way to being realized. We grieve this loss and will carry his legacy forward in this next chapter of 4D pharma’s continued growth and progress.”

 

4D pharma will continue to be actively led by its current management team and Board of Directors and succession planning is underway.

 

About 4D pharma

 

4D pharma is a world leader in the development of Live Biotherapeutics, a novel and emerging class of drugs, defined by the FDA as biological products that contain a live organism, such as a bacterium, that is applicable to the prevention, treatment or cure of a disease.  4D has developed a proprietary platform, MicroRx®, that rationally identifies Live Biotherapeutics based on a deep understanding of function and mechanism.

 

4D pharma’s Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs) are orally delivered single strains of bacteria that are naturally found in the healthy human gut. The Company has five clinical programs, namely a Phase I/II study of MRx0518 in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in solid tumors, a Phase I study of MRx0518 in a neoadjuvant setting for patients with solid tumors, a Phase I study of MRx0518 in patients with pancreatic cancer, a Phase I/II study of MRx-4DP0004 in asthma, and Blautix® in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which has completed a successful Phase II trial. Preclinical-stage programs include candidates for CNS disease such as Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The Company has a research collaboration with MSD, a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, to discover and develop Live Biotherapeutics for vaccines.

 

For more information, refer to https://www.4dpharmaplc.com

 

Contact Information:

 

4D pharma

 

Investor Relations: ir@4dpharmaplc.com

 

 
 

 

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4D pharma PLC

 

N+1 Singer - Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker +44 (0)20 7496 3000

 

Philip Davies / Iqra Amin / James Fischer (Corporate Finance)

 

Tom Salvesen (Corporate Broking)

 

Bryan Garnier & Co. Limited - Joint Broker +44 (0)20 7332 2500

 

Dominic Wilson / Phil Walker

 

Stern Investor Relations, Inc. +1-212-362-1200

 

Julie Seidel Julie.seidel@sternir.com

 

Image Box Communications +44 (0)20 8943 4685

 

Neil Hunter / Michelle Boxall

 

neil@ibcomms.agency / michelle@ibcomms.agency