HOOKIPA Pharma Announces Intention to Voluntarily Delist and Deregister its Common Stock
HOOKIPA Pharma (NASDAQ: HOOK) has announced its intention to voluntarily delist from the Nasdaq Capital Market and deregister its common stock. This decision follows a significant asset purchase agreement with Gilead Sciences signed on May 21, 2025, where Gilead will acquire HOOKIPA's HB-400 program (for hepatitis B treatment) and certain assets of the HB-500 program (for HIV treatment).
The company will hold a special stockholder meeting on July 29, 2025, to approve both the asset sale and the company's dissolution. If approved, HOOKIPA plans to file for dissolution with Delaware and expects its delisting to become effective around August 8, 2025. The company cited ongoing reporting requirements as economically burdensome and potentially reducing assets available for stockholder distribution.
HOOKIPA Pharma (NASDAQ: HOOK) ha annunciato la sua intenzione di ritirarsi volontariamente dal Nasdaq Capital Market e di cancellare la registrazione delle proprie azioni ordinarie. Questa decisione segue un importante accordo di acquisto di asset con Gilead Sciences firmato il 21 maggio 2025, con cui Gilead acquisirà il programma HB-400 di HOOKIPA (per il trattamento dell'epatite B) e alcuni asset del programma HB-500 (per il trattamento dell'HIV).
L'azienda terrà un incontro speciale degli azionisti il 29 luglio 2025 per approvare sia la vendita degli asset che lo scioglimento della società. In caso di approvazione, HOOKIPA prevede di presentare la richiesta di scioglimento nel Delaware e si aspetta che la cancellazione dalla quotazione diventi effettiva intorno all'8 agosto 2025. La società ha citato gli obblighi di rendicontazione in corso come onerosi dal punto di vista economico e potenzialmente riduttivi delle risorse disponibili per la distribuzione agli azionisti.
HOOKIPA Pharma (NASDAQ: HOOK) ha anunciado su intención de retirarse voluntariamente del Nasdaq Capital Market y cancelar el registro de sus acciones comunes. Esta decisión sigue a un importante acuerdo de compra de activos con Gilead Sciences firmado el 21 de mayo de 2025, mediante el cual Gilead adquirirá el programa HB-400 de HOOKIPA (para el tratamiento de la hepatitis B) y ciertos activos del programa HB-500 (para el tratamiento del VIH).
La compañía celebrará una reunión especial de accionistas el 29 de julio de 2025 para aprobar tanto la venta de activos como la disolución de la empresa. Si se aprueba, HOOKIPA planea presentar la solicitud de disolución en Delaware y espera que la exclusión de la bolsa sea efectiva alrededor del 8 de agosto de 2025. La empresa citó los requisitos continuos de reporte como una carga económica y que podrían reducir los activos disponibles para la distribución a los accionistas.
HOOKIPA Pharma (NASDAQ: HOOK)� 나스� 캐피� 마켓에서 자발적으� 상장폐지하고 보통� 등록� 말소� 계획임을 발표했습니다. � 결정은 2025� 5� 21일에 체결� Gilead Sciences와� 주요 자산 매매 계약� 따른 것으�, Gilead가 HOOKIPA� HB-400 프로그램(간염 B 치료�)� HB-500 프로그램(에이� 치료�)� 일부 자산� 인수하게 됩니�.
사� 2025� 7� 29� 특별 주주총회� 개최하여 자산 매각� 회사 해산� 승인� 예정입니�. 승인� 경우 HOOKIPA� 델라웨어 주에 해산 신청� 하고, 상장폐지� 2025� 8� 8일경 효력� 발생� 것으� 예상합니�. 사� 지속적� 보고 의무가 경제적으� 부담이 되며 주주 배분 가능한 자산� 줄일 � 있다� 밝혔습니�.
HOOKIPA Pharma (NASDAQ : HOOK) a annoncé son intention de se retirer volontairement du Nasdaq Capital Market et de radier l’enregistrement de ses actions ordinaires. Cette décision fait suite à un important accord d’achat d’actifs avec Gilead Sciences signé le 21 mai 2025, par lequel Gilead acquerra le programme HB-400 de HOOKIPA (pour le traitement de l’hépatite B) ainsi que certains actifs du programme HB-500 (pour le traitement du VIH).
L’entreprise tiendra une assemblée générale extraordinaire des actionnaires le 29 juillet 2025 afin d’approuver à la fois la vente des actifs et la dissolution de la société. Si cette approbation est obtenue, HOOKIPA prévoit de déposer une demande de dissolution dans le Delaware et s’attend à ce que la radiation devienne effective aux alentours du 8 août 2025. La société a indiqué que les obligations continues de reporting représentaient un fardeau économique et pouvaient réduire les actifs disponibles pour la distribution aux actionnaires.
HOOKIPA Pharma (NASDAQ: HOOK) hat seine Absicht bekannt gegeben, sich freiwillig vom Nasdaq Capital Market zurückzuziehen und die Registrierung seiner Stammaktien aufzuheben. Diese Entscheidung folgt auf eine bedeutende Vereinbarung zum Erwerb von Vermögenswerten mit Gilead Sciences, die am 21. Mai 2025 unterzeichnet wurde, wonach Gilead das HB-400-Programm von HOOKIPA (zur Behandlung von Hepatitis B) sowie bestimmte Vermögenswerte des HB-500-Programms (zur HIV-Behandlung) übernimmt.
Das Unternehmen wird am 29. Juli 2025 eine außerordentliche Hauptversammlung abhalten, um sowohl den Verkauf der Vermögenswerte als auch die Auflösung der Gesellschaft zu genehmigen. Falls genehmigt, plant HOOKIPA die Einreichung des Auflösungsantrags in Delaware und erwartet, dass die Börsenabmeldung etwa am 8. August 2025 wirksam wird. Das Unternehmen nannte die fortlaufenden Berichtspflichten als wirtschaftliche Belastung, die die für die Aktionärsverteilung verfügbaren Vermögenswerte verringern könnte.
- Asset sale to Gilead Sciences provides value realization for HB-400 and HB-500 programs
- Delisting will reduce operational costs and preserve more assets for stockholder distribution
- Company has a clear exit strategy and timeline for stockholders
- Complete dissolution of the company will end all business operations
- Stock will only trade in private sales or OTC markets with no guaranteed broker support
- Loss of Nasdaq listing may significantly reduce stock liquidity
Insights
HOOKIPA's delisting, asset sale to Gilead, and planned dissolution signal the company's exit strategy, affecting shareholder positions.
HOOKIPA Pharma's announcement represents a significant corporate wind-down process through multiple coordinated steps. The company has strategically decided to sell its key HB-400 and HB-500 clinical programs to Gilead Sciences, its existing collaboration partner, and subsequently dissolve the company entirely.
This liquidation approach follows a rational sequence: first securing stockholder approval for both the asset sale and dissolution (scheduled for July 29), then delisting from Nasdaq (anticipated effective August 8), followed by deregistration of securities and suspension of SEC reporting obligations. The company explicitly cited the economic burden of maintaining SEC compliance during liquidation as justification for the delisting.
The timing of these events is carefully orchestrated - with the Form 25 filing coinciding with the stockholder meeting and the dissolution certificate filing immediately after asset transfer completion. This methodical approach to corporate dissolution maximizes potential value for shareholders by reducing ongoing compliance and operational costs during the wind-down period.
For shareholders, this announcement signals several critical implications: trading of shares will become significantly more difficult after delisting (limited to over-the-counter markets with no guarantee of broker participation), and the eventual liquidation distribution will represent their final return on investment. The company's focus on reducing administrative expenses through delisting suggests management is prioritizing maximizing the final liquidation value.
This announcement effectively confirms that HOOKIPA's board has determined that the company's most valuable path forward is not as an ongoing concern but through monetizing its assets and returning proceeds to shareholders.
NEW YORK and VIENNA, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, “HOOKIPA�), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation immunotherapeutics for the treatment of cancer and serious infectious diseases, today announcedits intention to voluntarily delist from the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq�) and to deregister its common stock under Section 12(b) and Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act�), and suspend its reporting obligations under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
In connection with the consideration and evaluation of HOOKIPA’s long-term prospects and strategies by HOOKIPA’s board of directors, on May21, 2025 HOOKIPA entered into an asset purchase agreement (“Asset Purchase Agreement�) with Gilead Sciences,Inc. (“Gilead�) pursuant to which Gilead will acquire all of HOOKIPA’s assets primarily related to or necessary for the conduct of HOOKIPA’s HB-400 program, currently in clinical development for the treatment of hepatitis B virus, and certain of HOOKIPA’s assets related to HOOKIPA’s HB-500 program, currently in clinical development for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (collectively, the “Asset Sale�). HOOKIPA has been developing the HB-400 and HB-500 programs in collaboration with Gilead pursuant to the collaboration and license agreement with Gilead. HOOKIPA is holding a special meeting of stockholders (the “Special Meeting�) on July 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to seek stockholder approval of the Asset Sale and to approve the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA in accordance with Delaware law.
If the stockholders approve the Asset Sale and the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA, HOOKIPA intends to file a Certificate of Dissolution (the “Certificate of Dissolution�) with the Delaware Secretary of State as soon as practicable following the closing of the Asset Sale and the completion of the transfer plan under the Asset Purchase Agreement. Upon HOOKIPA’s filing of a Certificate of Dissolution with the Delaware Secretary of State, the winding up and liquidation of HOOKIPA will commence.
In determining to voluntarily delist and deregister its common stock, HOOKIPA considered that, assuming its stockholders approve the Asset Sale and the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA at the Special Meeting, following the Asset Sale and through the subsequent liquidation and dissolution of the company, HOOKIPA would have an obligation to continue to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, even though compliance with these reporting requirements would be economically burdensome in light of the Asset Sale and HOOKIPA’s announced intent to dissolve and liquidate. Further, the expenses incurred by HOOKIPA in complying with the applicable reporting requirements would reduce the assets available for ultimate distribution to stockholders.
On July 18, 2025, HOOKIPA notified Nasdaq of its intent to voluntarily delist its common stock from Nasdaq. HOOKIPA currently anticipates that it will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC�) a Form 25 relating to the delisting and deregistration of its common stock on or about July 29, 2025, and anticipates that the delisting and deregistration under Section 12(b) of its common stock will then become effective on or about August 8, 2025. Following the delisting, any trading in HOOKIPA’s common stock would only occur in privately negotiated sales and potentially on an over-the-counter market; however, there is no guarantee that a broker will make a market in the common stock and that trading of the common stock will continue on an over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Following the delisting of its common stock from Nasdaq, HOOKIPA intends to file a Form 15 with the SEC to deregister its common stock under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and suspend its reporting obligations under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As a result of the filing of the Form 15, HOOKIPA’s obligation to file certain Exchange Act reports and forms with the SEC, including certain Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, will cease. HOOKIPA will generally be relieved of all reporting obligations under theExchange Actupon the effectiveness of the Form 15.The Company expects that the deregistration of its common stock will become effective 90 days after the filing of the Form 15 with the SEC.
About HOOKIPA
HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next generation immunotherapeutics based on its proprietary arenavirus platform. The company’s product candidates are designed to induce specific, robust and durable CD8+ T cells and antibodies to eliminate cancers and serious infectious diseases. HOOKIPA’s pipeline includes biological therapies for oncology, targeting human papillomavirus type 16-positive (HPV16+) cancers, KRAS mutated cancers, and other targets. In addition, HOOKIPA has partnered with Gilead Sciences, Inc. to develop therapies that are intended to provide functional cures for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1).Find out more about HOOKIPA online at.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute “forward-looking� statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “anticipates,� “believes,� “expects,� “plans,� “potential,� “will,� “would� or similar expressions and the negative of those terms. Forward-looking statements in this press release include HOOKIPA’s statements regarding its plans and its ability to successfully delist from Nasdaq and to deregister its common stock as well as the anticipated benefits thereof, the potential for a trading market in HOOKIPA’s common stock following the delisting, and HOOKIPA’s expectations to close the Asset Sale and to dissolve and liquidate. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the uncertainty of stockholder approval of the Asset Sale and the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA, the timing and ability of HOOKIPA to close the Asset Sale, the timing and effectiveness of HOOKIPA’s delisting and deregistration of the common stock, and the sufficiency of existing cash to fundoperations. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of HOOKIPA in general, see HOOKIPA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December31,2024, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in HOOKIPA’s subsequent filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at and HOOKIPA’s website at. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and HOOKIPA undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.
Availability of Other Information About HOOKIPA
Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website,, SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company, and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the social media channels listed on our investor relations website.
For further information, please contact:
Investors
Chuck Padala
