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): June 1, 2023

CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-36279	75-3175693
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

4 Stamford Plaza 107 Elm Street, 9^th Floor Stamford, Connecticut		06902
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (203) 406-3700

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.):

¨	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	CARA	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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 5.07

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On June 1, 2023, Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders (“Annual Meeting”). At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders voted on the three proposals set forth below. A more detailed description of each proposal is set forth in the Company’s Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 20, 2023.

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors

Mr. Martin Vogelbaum and Dr. Lisa von Moltke were each elected to serve as a director of the Company’s Board of Directors until the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their successor is duly elected or until their earlier resignation or removal, by the following votes:

Nominee	Votes For		Votes Withheld		Broker Non-Votes
Martin Vogelbaum		28,082,224		6,629,677		9,302,045
Lisa von Moltke, M.D.		32,087,634		2,624,267		9,302,045

Proposal 2 – Approval, on a Non-Binding Advisory Basis, of the Compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers

The stockholders approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, by the following votes:

	Votes For				Votes Against				Abstentions				Broker Non-Votes
	26,928,795				7,711,887				71,219				9,302,045

Proposal 3 – Ratification of the Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The stockholders ratified the selection by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2023, by the following votes:

Votes For

Votes Against

Abstentions

Broker Non-Votes

43,767,233

179,748

66,965

–

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.

	CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

	By:	/s/ RYAN MAYNARD
		Ryan Maynard
		Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

Date: June 2, 2023

Cara Therapeutics Inc. filed SEC Form 8-K: Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders