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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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): May 30, 2023

 

 

 

ANNOVIS BIO, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter) 

 

 
     
Delaware 001-39202 26-2540421

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

1055 Westlakes Drive, Suite 300
Berwyn, PA 19312

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, and Zip Code)

 

(610) 727-3913

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code

 

                       Not Applicable                       

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report) 

 

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, par value $0.0001 per share ANVS New York Stock Exchange

 

 

 

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 communication 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 communication pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨Pre-commencement communication 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 Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

 

Emerging growth company x

 

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. x

 

 

 

 

Item 4.01 Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.

 

Dismissal of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

On May 25, 2023, the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Annovis Bio, Inc. (the “Company”) dismissed WithumSmith+Brown PC (“Withum”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. Withum had served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm from 2019 through the period ended May 25, 2023.

 

Withum’s audit reports on the Company’s financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles, except for Withum’s report for the year ended December 31, 2022, which contained an explanatory paragraph regarding the substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and the subsequent interim period through May 25, 2023: (1) there were no “disagreements” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K) with Withum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Withum, would have caused Withum to make reference to the subject matter of such disagreements in connection with its reports on the financial statements for such periods and (2) there were no “reportable events” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K), except for the disclosure of the following material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as disclosed in Part II, Item 9A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022: The Company did not design effective controls and procedures related to the proper classification of research and development expenses, which impacted the Company’s previously issued condensed financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2022, three and six months ended June 30, 2022 and three and nine months ended September 30, 2022. Such material weakness resulted in a restatement of previously issued condensed financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2022, three and six months ended June 30, 2022 and three and nine months ended September 30, 2022. This reportable event was discussed among the Company’s management, the Audit Committee and Withum. Withum has been authorized by the Company to respond fully to the inquiries of Ernst & Young LLP, the successor accountant.

 

The Company provided Withum with a copy of this report prior to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and requested that Withum furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether Withum agrees with the statements made by the Company in this report and, if not, stating the respects, if any, in which Withum does not agree with such statements. A copy of the letter from Withum is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 16.1.

 

Engagement of New Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

Effective May 25, 2023, the Audit Committee approved the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023.

 

During the Company’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and through May 25, 2023, neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf consulted with EY regarding: (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company that EY concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a “disagreement” within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K or a “reportable event” within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number
  Description
16.1   Letter dated May 30, 2023 from WithumSmith+Brown PC to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
     
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

 

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.

 

  ANNOVIS BIO, INC.
     
Date: May 30, 2023 By: /s/ Henry Hagopian III
    Name: Henry Hagopian III
    Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Exhibit 16.1

 

 

May 30, 2023

 

Office of the Chief Accountant

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have read Annovis Bio, Inc. statements included under Item 4.01 of its Form 8-K dated May 30, 2023. We agree with the statements concerning our Firm under Item 4.01, in which we were informed of our dismissal on May 25, 2023. We are not in a position to agree or disagree with other statements contained therein.

 

Very truly yours,  
   
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC  
WithumSmith+Brown, PC  
East Brunswick, New Jersey