Filing Details

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO § 240.13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO 240.13d-2(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Nkarta, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, Par Value $0.0001

(Title of Class of Securities)

65487U 10 8

(CUSIP Number)

Victoria A. Whyte

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

July 14, 2020

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. ☐

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See §240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

^* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act.

 

 

1.		NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) GlaxoSmithKline plc
2.		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (see instructions) (a)    ☐ (b)    ☐
3.		SEC USE ONLY
4.		SOURCE OF FUNDS (see instructions)   WC
5.		CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)     ☐
6.		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION   England and Wales

 

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7.		SOLE VOTING POWER  3,161,432 (1)
		8.		SHARED VOTING POWER   -0-
		9.		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER   3,161,432 (1)
		10.		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER   -0-

 

11.		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 3,150,732 (1)
12.		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (see instructions)   ☐
13.		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 9.7% (2)
14.		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (see instructions) CO
Footnotes:
(1) Includes (i) 79,090 shares of the shares of common stock, par value $0.0001, of Nkarta, Inc. per share (the “Issuer”) held by Glaxo Group Limited, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline plc (“GlaxoSmithKline”) and (ii) 3,071,642 shares of Common Stock held by S.R. One, Limited (“S.R. One”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline. Excludes 10,700 shares of Common Stock for which unvested stock options granted to Simeon J. George as director's compensation are exercisable (the “Stock Options”). As Chief Executive Officer, President and a Member of the Board of Trustees at S.R. One, Mr. Simeon J. George is obligated to transfer any shares issued under exercise of the Stock Option to S.R. One.   (2) Based upon 32,527,537 shares of the Issuer’s Common Stock outstanding after the Issuer’s initial public offering (the “IPO”), as reported in the Issuer’s prospectus dated July 9, 2020 (the “Final Prospectus”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 13, 2020 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which includes the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option in connection with the IPO, as reported in the Issuer’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 14, 2020.

 

Item 1.  Security and Issuer.

This statement on Schedule 13D (this “Statement”) relates to the shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) of Nkarta, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”). The Issuer’s principal executive offices are located at 6000 Shoreline Court, Suite 102, South San Francisco, CA 94080.

Item 2.  Identity and Background.

This Statement is being filed on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. GlaxoSmithKline plc and its subsidiaries constitute a major global healthcare group engaged in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical and consumer health-related products with its principal offices located at 980 Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9GS, England. Set forth in Schedule 1 to this Statement are the name, business address and present principal occupation or employment and citizenship of each executive officer and director of GlaxoSmithKline plc. The Common Stock, which is the subject of this Statement, is held of record by S.R. One, Limited (“S.R. One”) and Glaxo Group, LLC (“GGL”), both indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of GlaxoSmithKline plc..

On September 30, 2016, GlaxoSmithKline plc agreed to a settlement with the SEC relating to an investigation into the commercial practices of certain subsidiaries of GlaxoSmithKline plc in China. The SEC’s order found that GlaxoSmithKline plc violated the internal controls and books and records provisions of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”). GlaxoSmithKline plc consented to the order without admitting or denying the findings and agreed to pay a $20 million civil penalty. GlaxoSmithKline plc also agreed to provide status reports to the SEC for the next two years on its remediation and implementation of anti-corruption compliance measures.

Other than as set forth above in this Item 2, during the last five years prior to the date hereof, neither GlaxoSmithKline plc nor, to the best knowledge of GlaxoSmithKline plc, any of the other persons with respect to whom information is given in response to this Item 2 has been convicted in a criminal proceeding or been a party to a civil proceeding ending in a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws, or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

Item 3.  Source or Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

Between August 2015 and June 2020, GlaxoSmithKline plc, through its wholly-owned indirect subsidiary S.R. One, purchased from the Issuer 1,994,348 shares of Series A convertible preferred stock of the Issuer ( “Series A Preferred Stock”) and 6,337,403 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock of the Issuer (“Series B Preferred Stock” and, together with the Series A Preferred Stock, the “Preferred Stock”). The consideration for each of the convertible preferred units was obtained from working capital of S.R. One.

On March 31, 2017, GlaxoSmithKline plc, through its wholly-owned indirect subsidiary GGL, purchased from the Issuer 292,663 shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The consideration for each of the convertible preferred units was obtained from working capital of GGL.

A 3.7-for-one reverse stock split of the Issuer’s common stock and a proportional adjustment to the conversion ratio of the Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock was effective July 1, 2020.

The Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock automatically converted into Common Stock upon the completion of the Issuer’s initial public offering (the “IPO”) on July 14, 2020, at a conversion ratio of 3.7 shares of Preferred Stock per share of Common Stock. As a result of that conversion, GlaxoSmithKine received an aggregate of 2,238,309 shares of Common Stock held through S.R. One and an aggregate of 79,090 shares of Common Stock held through GGL.

GlaxoSmithKline plc, through its wholly-owned indirect subsidiary S.R. One, acquired from the Issuer 833,333 shares of Common Stock at the IPO at the public offering price of $18.00 per share. The total consideration paid by S.R. One for these shares was $14,999,994 and such consideration was obtained from the working capital of S.R. One.

A stock option was granted to Simeon J. George, as director’s compensation on July 9, 2020 with respect to 10,700 Common Shares and vest 100% on the first anniversary of July 9, 2020, or, if earlier, on the day immediately preceding the first annual meeting of the Issuer’s stockholders in 2021 at which one or more members of the Issuer’s board of directors are to be elected. Each grant, to the extent outstanding and otherwise unvested, will become fully vest should a “change in control” of the Issuer occur (as described in the applicable award agreement) or upon the Simeon George’s separation from service with the Issuer due to the Reporting Person’s death or “disability” (as described in the applicable award agreement). The stock option can be exercised at any time as to vested shares, at an exercise price of $18.00, until the expiration date of July 8, 2030. As Chief Executive Officer, President and a Member of the Board of Trustees at S.R. One, Limited and an employee of GlaxoSmithKline LLC, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline plc. Mr. George is obligated to transfer any shares issued under the stock option to S.R. One, Limited, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline plc.

 

Item 4.  Purpose of Transaction.

S.R. One appointed Simeon J. George, the Chief Executive Officer, President and a Member of the Board of Trustees at S.R. One and an employee of GlaxoSmithKline LLC, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline plc, to the board of the Issuer in February 6, 2020. Mr. George continues to serve on the board of directors of the Issuer.

On August 27, 2019, the Issuer, S.R. One and certain other investors, including the holders of Preferred Stock entered into the Investors’ Rights Agreement which grants S.R. One certain registration rights (the “Investors’ Rights Agreement”). The registration rights granted to S.R. One pursuant to the Investors’ Rights Agreement includes customary demand registration rights, piggyback registration rights, and Form S-3 registration rights, as well as customary indemnification provisions.

In connection with the IPO, S.R. One entered into a lock-up agreement (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 2, with Cowen & Company, LLC, Evercore Group L.L.C. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (in their capacity as representatives of several underwriters for the IPO) (the “Representatives”). Pursuant to the Lock-Up Agreement, S.R. One has agreed that for a period of 180 days following the date of the underwriting agreement entered into by the Issuer in connection with the IPO, subject to specified exceptions, it will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, or announce the invention to otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock of the Issuer or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or enter into, or publicly announce the intention to enter into, any swap, hedge or similar agreement or arrangement that transfers, is designed to transfer or reasonably could be expected to transfer in whole or in part, the economic risk of the beneficially owned shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock, or engage in, or publicly announce the intention to engage in any short selling of the common stock, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the SR One or with respect to which the SR One has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the SEC.

The descriptions of the Investors Rights Agreement and the Lock-Up Agreement in this Item 4 of the Schedule 13D are summaries only and are qualified in their entireties by the actual terms of each such agreement, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Other than as described above, GlaxoSmithKline plc, has no plans or proposals that would result in:

a.

the acquisition by any person of additional securities of the Issuer, or the disposition of securities of the Issuer;

b.

an extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries;

c.

a sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries;

d.

any change in the present board of directors or management of the Issuer, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board;

e.

any material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Issuer;

f.

any other material change in the Issuer’s business or corporate structure including but not limited to, if the Issuer is a registered closed−end investment company, any plans or proposals to make any changes in its investment policy for which a vote is required by Section 13 of the Investment Company Act of 1940;

g.

changes in the Issuer’s charter, bylaws or instruments corresponding thereto or other actions which may impede the acquisition of control of the Issuer by any person;

h.

causing a class of securities of the Issuer to be delisted from a national securities exchange or to cease to be authorized to be quoted in an inter−dealer quotation system of a registered national securities association;

i.

a class of equity securities of the Issuer becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Act; or

j.

any action similar to any of those enumerated above.

 

 

GlaxoSmithKline plc expects to review from time to time its investment in the Issuer and may, depending on the Issuer’s business, assets, operations, financial condition, prospects and other factors, as well as: (i) purchase additional shares of Common Stock, options or other securities of the Issuer in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise; (ii) sell all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock, options or other securities now beneficially owned or hereafter acquired by it; (iii) propose one or more directors for the Issuer’s board of directors; (iv) engage in discussions, negotiations or enter into other transactions with a view to obtaining direct or indirect control of the Issuer; (v) acquire assets of the Issuer and its subsidiaries; and (vi) engage in such other proposals as GlaxoSmithKline plc may deem appropriate under the circumstances, including plans or proposals which may relate to, or could result in, any of the matters referred to in clauses (a) through (j), above.

 

Also, consistent with its investment intent, GlaxoSmithKline plc may engage in communications with, without limitation, one or more shareholders of the Issuer, one or more officers of the Issuer and/or one or more members of the board of directors of the Issuer regarding the Issuer, including but not limited to its operations, governance and control.

Item 5.  Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

The information included in Item 3 of this Schedule 13D is incorporated herein by reference herein.

a.

GlaxoSmithKline plc beneficially owns 3,161,432 shares of Common Stock, which represents 9.7% of the 32,527,537 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of July 9, 2020, upon the closing of the IPO, as reported in the Final Prospectus, which includes the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option in connection with the IPO, as reported in the Issuer’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 14, 2020.

b.

GlaxoSmithKline plc has the sole power to vote or direct the vote, and the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of all 3,161,432 shares of Common Stock described in Item 5a above.

c.

Except as described herein, no transaction in shares of Common Stock were effected during the past 60 days by GlaxoSmithKline plc.

d.

No person, other than GlaxoSmithKline plc, is known to have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or any proceeds from the sale of, the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by GlaxoSmithKline plc.

e.

Not applicable.

Item 6.  Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer.

Except as disclosed in Item 4 of this Statement, there are no contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships (legal or otherwise) between GlaxoSmithKline plc, S.R. One, or GGL and any other person with respect to any securities of the Company.

Item 7.  Material to Be Filed as Exhibits.

Descriptions of documents set forth on this Schedule are qualified in their entirety by reference to the exhibits listed in this Item 7.

Exhibit		Name
1		Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement by and among the Issuer and the parties listed therein dated as of August 27, 2019, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 4.2 to the registration statement on Form S-1/A originally filed by the Issuer on June 19, 2020.
2		Lock-Up Agreement, dated as of February 24, 2020, entered into by and between the Representatives and S.R. One.

 

 

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: July 22, 2020

	GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC
	By:	/s/ Victoria A. Whyte
	Name:    Victoria A. Whyte
	Title:      Authorized Signatory

 

Name	Business Address	Principal Occupation or Employment	Citizenship
Board of Directors
Emma Walmsley	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer	British
Charles Bancroft	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	US
Manvinder Singh Banga	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	British & Indian
Dr. Hal Barron	269 E. Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080	Chief Scientific Officer & President, R&D	US
Dr. Vivienne Cox	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	British
Lynn Elsenhans	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	US
Dr. Jesse Goodman	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	US
Dr Laurie Glimcher	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	US
Judy Lewent	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	US
Iain MacKay	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer	British

 

Name	Business Address	Principal Occupation or Employment	Citizenship
Urs Rohner	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Company Director	Swiss
Sir Jonathan Symonds	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Chairman and Company Director	British

 

 

 

 

Corporate Executive Team
Emma Walmsley	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer	British
Dr. Hal Barron	269 E. Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080	Chief Scientific Officer & President, R&D	US
Roger Connor	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	President, Global Vaccines	Irish
Diana Conrad	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Senior Vice President, Human Resources	Canadian
James Ford	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Senior Vice President & General Counsel	British & US
Nick Hirons	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Senior Vice President, Global Ethics and Compliance	British & US
Sally Jackson	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Senior Vice President, Global Communications and CEO Office	British
Iain MacKay	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer	British

 

 

Brian McNamara	184 Liberty Corner Road Warren NJ, 07059	Chief Executive Officer, GSK Consumer Healthcare	US
Luke Miels	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	President, Global Pharmaceuticals	Australian
David Redfern	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Chief Strategy Officer	British
Regis Simard	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	President Pharmaceutical Supply Chain	French & British
Karenann Terrell	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Chief Digital and Technology Officer	Canadian
Philip Thomson	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	President, Global Affairs	British
Deborah Waterhouse	980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex, England TW8 9GS	Chief Executive Officer of ViiV Healthcare	British