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):  March 11, 2025
 
IONIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
 
000-19125
33-0336973
(Commission File No.)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

2855 Gazelle Court
Carlsbad, CA 92010
(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (760) 931-9200

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
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $.001 Par Value
“IONS”
The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (Section 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Section 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.          ☐
 
Item 1.01
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
 
On March 11, 2025, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”), issued a press release announcing that the Company has entered into a license agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Ono”) under which Ono obtains exclusive global rights for the development and commercialization of sapablursen, an investigational RNA-targeted medicine for polycythemia vera.
 
A copy of this press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report and incorporated herein by reference. The summary of the license agreement included in Exhibit 99.1 does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the license agreement, which will be attached as an exhibit to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending March 31, 2025.
 
Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
 
(d) Exhibits.
 
Exhibit No.
Description
Press Release dated March 11, 2025.


104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURE
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
   
Dated:  March 11, 2025
By:
/s/ Patrick R. O’Neil
   
Patrick R. O’Neil
   
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel