SEC Form DEFA14A filed by Royalty Pharma plc

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): April 7, 2025

Royalty Pharma plc

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 883-0200

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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. ☐

Effective April 7, 2025, Dr. Vlad Coric was appointed to serve as a new member of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Royalty Pharma plc (the “Company”). Dr. Coric will stand for election for the first time at the Company’s 2025 Annual General Meeting and Special Meeting of Shareholders (“Annual Meeting”). If elected to serve on our Board, Dr. Coric is expected to become a member of the Management Development and Compensation Committee after the Annual Meeting. The Board has determined that Dr. Coric meets the independence standards adopted by the Board in compliance with the Nasdaq Global Select Market corporate governance listing standards and Item 407(a) of Regulation S-K.

Dr. Coric does not have any family relationships with any of the executive officers or directors of the Company. There are no arrangements or understandings between Dr. Coric and any other person pursuant to which he was appointed as a director of the Company. In connection with his appointment, Dr. Coric will enter into a standard deed of indemnity in the form previously approved by the Board.

Dr. Coric will receive compensation pursuant to the Company’s Independent Director Compensation Policy, as described in the Company’s Preliminary Proxy Statement filed on February 13, 2025.

On April 8, 2025, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Dr. Coric to the Board, which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

(d) Exhibits

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The information set forth herein does not purport to be complete or to contain all of the information you may desire. Statements contained herein are made as of the date of this document unless stated otherwise, and neither the delivery of this document at any time, nor any sale of securities, shall under any circumstances create an implication that the information contained herein is correct as of any time after such date or that information will be updated or revised to reflect information that subsequently becomes available or changes occurring after the date hereof. This document contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that express the company’s opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results, in contrast with statements that reflect historical facts. Examples include discussion of Royalty Pharma’s strategies, financing plans, growth opportunities, market growth, and plans for capital deployment, plus the benefits of the Transaction (as defined in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 10, 2025), including cash savings, enhanced alignment with shareholders, increased investment returns, expectations regarding management continuity, transparency and governance, and the benefits of simplification to its structure. In some cases, you can identify such forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “target,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “goal,” “predicts,” “project,” “potential” or “continue,” the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to the company. However, these forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of Royalty Pharma’s performance, and you should not place undue reliance on such statements, including because the Transaction is subject to shareholder approval. Forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties and other variable circumstances, and other factors. Such risks and uncertainties may cause the statements to be inaccurate and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. Many of these risks are outside of Royalty Pharma’s control and could cause its actual

results to differ materially from those it thought would occur. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date hereof. Royalty Pharma does not undertake, and specifically declines, any obligation to update any such statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any such statements to reflect future events or developments, except as required by law. For further information, please reference Royalty Pharma’s reports and documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Transaction, Royalty Pharma will file with the SEC a proxy statement on Schedule 14A. The definitive proxy statement will be sent to the shareholders of Royalty Pharma seeking their approval of the Transaction and other related matters.

INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE 14A WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE PROXY STATEMENT, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ROYALTY PHARMA, THE TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS.

Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these documents, including the proxy statement, and other documents filed with the SEC by the Company through the website maintained by the SEC at https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?CIK=1802768&owner=exclude. Copies of documents filed with the SEC by Royalty Pharma will be made available free of charge by accessing its website at https://www.royaltypharma.com/investors/ or by contacting Royalty Pharma via email by sending a message to [email protected].

Participants in the Solicitation

Royalty Pharma and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Royalty Pharma in connection with the Transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information about the interests of the directors and executive officers of Royalty Pharma and other persons who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of shareholders of Royalty Pharma in connection with the Transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the proxy statement related to the Transaction, which will be filed with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of Royalty Pharma and their ownership of Royalty Pharma ordinary shares is also set forth in Royalty Pharma’s definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, as filed with the SEC on April 25, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1802768/000114036124022029/ny20020881x1_def14a.htm) and in Royalty Pharma’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001802768/000180276825000010/rprx-20241231.htm). Information about the directors and executive officers of Royalty Pharma, their ownership of the Royalty Pharma ordinary shares, and Royalty Pharma’s transactions with related persons is set forth in the sections entitled “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance,” “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners,” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” included in Royalty Pharma’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on February 12, 2025 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001802768/000180276825000010/rprx-20241231.htm), and in the sections entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” and “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners,” included in the Company’s definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, as filed with the SEC on April 25, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1802768/000114036124022029/ny20020881x1_def14a.htm). Additional information regarding the interests of such participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the Transaction will be included in the proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or the solicitation of any vote of approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

SIGNATURES

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

Exhibit 99.1

						PRESS RELEASE

ROYALTY PHARMA APPOINTS VLAD CORIC, M.D. TO THE COMPANY’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NEW YORK, NY, April 8, 2025 – Royalty Pharma plc (Nasdaq: RPRX) today announced the appointment of Vlad Coric, M.D. to the company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Vlad Coric is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Biohaven, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of life-changing treatments in key therapeutic areas including neuroscience, immunology and oncology.

“I am excited to announce that we are strengthening our Board with the appointment of Vlad Coric,” said Pablo Legorreta, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Royalty Pharma. “Vlad’s entrepreneurial approach and outstanding leadership skills, honed over a distinguished career in biopharma, will serve as tremendous assets to Royalty Pharma. In addition, Vlad brings notable experience in the royalty funding space, having completed multiple transactions with us during his tenure at Biohaven. We look forward to leveraging his scientific expertise and insights to advance our position as the leading partner funding innovation in life sciences.”

Dr. Coric successfully led Biohaven through the FDA approval and launch of Nurtec ODT for the treatment of migraine. Under his leadership, the company also filed an NDA for its second drug candidate, zavegepant, as the first intranasal CGRP antagonist for ultra-rapid relief of migraine. During his tenure, Dr. Coric oversaw Biohaven’s impressive growth from its founding through its sale to Pfizer in May of 2022 for approximately $13 billion in total consideration.

Dr. Coric has more than 20 years of drug discovery and clinical development experience at Yale School of Medicine and Bristol-Myers Squibb prior to leading Biohaven. Within the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Coric has expertise working across therapeutic areas including neurology, psychiatry, immunology, virology, oncology and immuno-oncology. During his career, he has been involved in multiple drug development programs. Dr. Coric completed his postdoctoral internship, residency and fellowship at Yale School of Medicine, earned his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and was an honors scholar in neurobiology and physiology at the University of Connecticut, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree.

About Royalty Pharma

Founded in 1996, Royalty Pharma is the largest buyer of biopharmaceutical royalties and a leading funder of innovation across the biopharmaceutical industry, collaborating with innovators from academic institutions, research hospitals and non-profits through small and mid-cap biotechnology companies to leading global pharmaceutical companies. Royalty Pharma has assembled a portfolio of royalties which entitles it to payments based directly on the top-line sales of many of the industry’s leading therapies. Royalty Pharma funds innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry both directly and indirectly – directly when it partners with companies to co-fund late-stage clinical trials and new product launches in exchange for future royalties, and indirectly when it acquires existing royalties from the original innovators. Royalty Pharma’s current portfolio includes royalties on more than 35 commercial products, including Vertex’s Trikafta, GSK’s Trelegy, Roche’s Evrysdi, Johnson & Johnson’s Tremfya, Biogen’s Tysabri and Spinraza, AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson’s Imbruvica, Astellas and Pfizer’s Xtandi, Novartis’ Promacta, Pfizer’s Nurtec ODT and Gilead’s Trodelvy, and 15 development-stage product candidates. For more information, visit www.royaltypharma.com. 

Royalty Pharma Investor Relations and Communications

+1 (212) 883-6637

[email protected]