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): May 18, 2021

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Delaware

(State or Other

Jurisdiction of

Incorporation)

001-31918

(Commission File

Number)

04-3072298

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

505 Eagleview Blvd., Suite 212
Exton, Pennsylvania		19341
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (484) 348-1600

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 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 CFR 240-14d-2(b)).
¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240-13e-4(c)).

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 $0.001 per share		IDRA		Nasdaq Capital Market

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 5.02.

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

On May 18, 2021, Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release (the “Press Release”) announcing that Dr. Elizabeth Tarka will cease to serve as Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer of the Company, effective May 28, 2021. The full text of the press release is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In connection with her departure, the Company entered into an amendment to the Severance and Change of Control Agreement, dated as of May 18, 2021 (the “Effective Date”) with Dr. Tarka (the “Consulting Agreement”), pursuant to which Dr. Tarka will provide certain consulting services to the Company. The Consulting Agreement terminates six months from the Date of Termination.

The foregoing description of the Consulting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Consulting Agreement filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 8.01.

Other Events.

The Press Release also announced that the Company will not proceed to the overall survival endpoint in its registration trial for ILLUMINATE-301. The full text of the press release is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit Number		Description

10.1		Consulting Agreement, dated May 18, 2021, between the Company and Elizabeth Tarka, M.D.
99.1		Press Release dated May 18, 2021.
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.

	IDERA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

Dated: May 18, 2021	By:	/s/ Bryant D. Lim
		Bryant D. Lim Senior V.P., General Counsel

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. filed SEC Form 8-K: Leadership Update, Other Events, Financial Statements and Exhibits