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

APTEVO THERAPEUTICS INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(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:

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company 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. ☐

Item 3.01 Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

On September 13, 2023, Aptevo Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company”) received a letter from the staff (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that, for the last 30 consecutive business days, the bid price of the Company’s common stock had closed below $1.00 per share, the minimum closing bid price required by the continued listing requirements of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Bid Price Requirement”).

In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has 180 calendar days, or until March 11, 2024 (the “Compliance Date”), to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. To regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock must be at least $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days before the Compliance Date.

If the Company does not regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement by the Compliance Date, the Company may be eligible for an additional 180-day period to regain compliance if the Company meets the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards of The Nasdaq Capital Market, with the exception of the bid price requirement, and provides written notice to Nasdaq of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period, by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary. If the Company does not regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement by the Compliance Date and is not eligible for an additional compliance period at that time, the Staff will provide written notification to the Company that its common stock will be delisted. At that time, the Company may appeal the Staff’s delisting determination to the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel (the “Panel”). However, there would be no assurance that, if the Company receives a delisting notice and appeals the delisting determination by the Staff to the Panel, such appeal would be successful.

The Company intends to actively monitor the closing bid price of its common stock and will evaluate available options to resolve the deficiency and regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement.

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.