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

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): March 11, 2018

Heat Biologics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

801 Capitola Drive

Durham, NC  27713

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(919) 240-7133

(Registrant’s telephone number including area code)

N/A

(Former Name and Former Address)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of registrant under any of the following provisions:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in 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).

If an emerging growth company, indicate by checkmark 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. þ

Item 1.01   Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On March 11, 2018, the Board of Directors of Heat Biologics, Inc. (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one common share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.0002 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).  The dividend is payable on March 23, 2018 (the “Record Date”) to the stockholders of record at the close of business on that date.  Each Right initially entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one share of Common Stock at a price of $14 per share of Common Stock (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment.  The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of March 11, 2018, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).

The Rights are designed to assure that all stockholders of the Company receive fair and equal treatment in the event of a hostile takeover of the Company, to guard against two-tier or partial tender offers, open market accumulations and other tactics designed to gain control of the Company without paying all stockholders a fair price, and to enhance the Board of Director’s ability to negotiate with any prospective acquiror. Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 business days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has become an Acquiring Person (as defined below) or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or public announcement of an intention to make, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to certificates representing Common Stock (or book entry shares of Common Stock) outstanding as of the Record Date, by such certificates (or such book entry shares) together with a copy of a summary of the Rights (the “Summary of Rights”).  Except in certain situations, a person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an “Acquiring Person” upon acquiring beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.  Certain synthetic interests in securities created by derivative positions – whether or not such interests are considered to be ownership of the underlying Common Stock or are reportable for purposes of Regulation 13D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended – are treated as beneficial ownership of the number of shares of the Common Stock equivalent to the economic exposure created by the derivative security, to the extent actual shares of Common Stock are directly or indirectly beneficially owned by a counterparty to such derivative security.

The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration of the Rights), new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuances of Common Stock will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for shares of Common Stock (or book entry shares of Common Stock) outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of the Summary of Rights, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented thereby.  As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.  The Rights will expire at the close of business on March 11, 2019, unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company as described below.

The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Common Stock (or cash, other assets, debt securities of the Company, or any combination thereof equivalent in value thereto) issuable, upon exercise of the Rights is subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Common Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Common Stock with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the Common Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Common Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends or dividends payable in Common Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

The number of outstanding Rights is subject to adjustment in the event of a stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.

In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereupon become void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a Right that number of shares of Common Stock (or cash, property debt securities of the Company, or any combination thereof) having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

In the event that, after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold, proper provisions will be made so that each holder of a Right (other than Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person which will have become void) will thereafter have the right to receive upon the exercise of a Right that number of shares of common stock of the person with whom the Company has engaged in the foregoing transaction (or its parent) that at the time of such transaction have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the earlier of one of the events described in the previous paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such Acquiring Person which will have become void), in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock (or cash, other assets, debt securities of the Company, or any combination thereof with an aggregate value equal to such shares) at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock (or cash, other assets, debt securities of the Company, or any combination thereof equivalent in value thereto) per Right.

With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price.  No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued, and in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made based on then current market price of the Common Stock.

At any time prior to the time an Acquiring Person becomes such, the Board of Directors may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”) payable, at the option of the Company, in cash, shares of Common Stock or such other form of consideration as the Board of Directors shall determine.  The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.  Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may, except with respect to the Redemption Price, amend the Rights Agreement in any manner.  After the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may, except with respect to the Redemption Price, amend the Rights Agreement in any manner that does not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.

Until a Right is exercised or exchanged, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

A copy of the Rights Agreement between the Company and the Rights Agent specifying the terms of the Rights, which includes as Exhibit A the form of Rights Certificate and as Exhibit B the form of the Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Stock, and a press release issued by the Company on March 11, 2018 with respect to the dividend of the Rights, are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.1 and 99.1, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.  The foregoing description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits.

Item 3.03   Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated into this Item 3.03 by reference.

Item 7.01   Regulation FD Disclosure.

On March 11, 2018, the Company issued a press release announcing the adoption of the Rights Agreement. A copy of that press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

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.

EXHIBIT INDEX