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

October 9, 2009

DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED)

Commission File No. 001-33057

 

 

CATALYST PHARMACEUTICAL PARTNERS, INC.

(Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware		76-0837053
(State Or Other Jurisdiction Of Incorporation Or Organization)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)

355 Alhambra Circle, Suite 1370

Coral Gables, Florida 33134

(Address Of Principal Executive Offices)

(305) 529-2522

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

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 CFR240.14d-2(b))

 

¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 

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Item 5.02

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On October 9, 2009, the Board of Directors of Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. (the “Company”) extended the employment agreement between the Company and its President and Chief Executive Officer, Patrick J. McEnany (“McEnany”), for an additional two year period. Mr. McEnany’s employment agreement now expires on November 8, 2011. An amendment to Mr. McEnany’s employment agreement reflecting this change will be filed by the Company when such amendment is executed.

On October 13, 2009, the Company issued a press release announcing the extension of Mr. McEnany’s employment agreement with the Company. In that same press release the Company announced that Steven R. Miller, Ph.D. and Jack Weinstein will assume expanded responsibilities:

 

•

Dr. Miller, currently Vice President, Pharmaceutical Development and Project Management of the Company, will assume additional duties as the Company’s Chief Scientific Officer; and

 

•

Mr. Weinstein, currently Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, will assume formal responsibility for the Company’s business development activities.

A copy of the Company’s press release is Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

99.1

Press release issued by the Company on October 13, 2009

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SIGNATURES

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

 

Dated: October 16, 2009

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Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press release issued by the Company on October 13, 2009

Exhibit 99.1

 

NEWS RELEASE		FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Further Information Contact:
Patrick McEnany, Catalyst Pharmaceutical		Melody Carey, Rx Communications Group
Chief Executive Officer		Co-President
(305) 529-2522		(917) 322-2571
pmcenany@catalystpharma.com		mcarey@rxir.com

CATALYST PHARMACEUTICAL PARTNERS, INC. ANNOUNCES ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES

AND EXTENSION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

CORAL GABLES, FL, October 13, 2009 — Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. (NasdaqCM: CPRX) today announced two organizational changes and the extension of the term of Patrick J. McEnany’s employment agreement with the Company for an additional two years.

Organizational Changes

The Company announced that Steven R. Miller, Ph.D. and Jack Weinstein will assume expanded responsibilities:

 

•

Dr. Miller, currently Catalyst’s Vice President, Pharmaceutical Development and Project Management, will assume additional duties as Catalyst’s Chief Scientific Officer; and

 

•

Mr. Weinstein, currently Catalyst’s Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, will assume formal responsibility for Catalyst’s business development activities.

Commenting on these organizational changes, Patrick J. McEnany, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “As we enter into a new phase of development at Catalyst, I am pleased to announce Steve and Jack’s expanded roles. As a result of our license agreement with Northwestern University, we are now seeking to develop additional products. These products may be developed in several dosage forms and address expanded CNS indications, beyond addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorders, including epilepsy. As our Chief Scientific Officer, Steve will take an expanded role in all of our product development activities, and particularly on new product development and expanding our intellectual property portfolio. In addition, Jack’s role in the management of the Company has now been expanded to include responsibility and oversight for our business development activities, as we seek to attract partnering opportunities for our product candidates.”

Extension of Employment Agreement of Company’s Chief Executive Officer

The Company also announced that the Board of Directors has extended the expiration date of Mr. McEnany’s employment agreement with the Company from November 8, 2009 to November 8, 2011.

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About Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners

Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of prescription drugs targeting diseases of the central nervous system with a focus on the treatment of addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The Company has obtained from Brookhaven National Laboratory an exclusive worldwide license for nine patents in the United States relating to the right to use vigabatrin to treat a wide variety of substance addictions and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Catalyst has also been granted rights to Brookhaven’s vigabatrin-related foreign patents or patents pending in more than 30 countries. The Company’s initial product candidate based on vigabatrin is CPP-109. CPP-109 has been granted “Fast Track” status by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of cocaine addiction. This indicates that the FDA has recognized that CPP-109 is intended for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening condition for which there is no effective treatment and which demonstrates the potential to address unmet medical needs. Catalyst has also recently been granted worldwide rights to another patented drug, CPP-115, by Northwestern University. The Company intends to pursue development of CPP-115 for several indications, including stimulant addiction and epilepsy. For more information about the Company, go to www.catalystpharma.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company’s actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. A number of factors, including those described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), could adversely affect the Company. Copies of the Company’s filings with the SEC are available from the SEC, may be found on the Company’s website or may be obtained upon request from the Company. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein, which speaks only as of this date.

 

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