SEC Form SC 13D/A filed by 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc. (Amendment)

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

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 5)*

9 Meters Biopharma, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

45782F105

(CUSIP Number)

OrbiMed Israel BioFund GP Limited Partnership

OrbiMed Israel GP Ltd.

Nissim Darvish

89 Medinat HaYehudim St.

Building E, 11th Floor

Herzliya 46766, Israel

Telephone: 972 73 2822600

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

June 24, 2021

(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 § 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(b) 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 (however, see the Notes).

SCHEDULE 13D

SCHEDULE 13D

This Amendment No. 5 (“Amendment No. 5”) to Schedule 13D supplements and amends the Statement on Schedule 13D of OrbiMed Israel GP Ltd. and OrbiMed Israel BioFund GP Limited Partnership (the “Statement”) originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 14, 2020 as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto filed with the SEC on July 29, 2020, Amendment No. 2 thereto filed with the SEC on December 16, 2021, Amendment No. 3 thereto filed with the SEC on March 25, 2021, and Amendment No. 4 thereto filed with the SEC on April 7, 2021 (“Amendment No. 4”). This Statement relates to the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), of 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Issuer”), with its principal executive offices located at 8480 Honeycutt Road, Suite 120, Raleigh, North Carolina 27615.  The Shares are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the ticker symbol “NMTR.” Information given in response to each item shall be deemed incorporated by reference in all other items, as applicable.

This Amendment No. 5 is being filed to report that the beneficial ownership of the outstanding Shares held by the Reporting Persons was reduced by more than 1% since Amendment No. 4 following the transactions described in Item 5(c) below.

(a)                  This Statement is being jointly filed by OrbiMed Israel GP Ltd. (“OrbiMed Israel”), an Israeli company, and OrbiMed Israel BioFund GP Limited Partnership (“OrbiMed BioFund”), an Israeli limited partnership, (together, the “Reporting Persons” and each, a “Reporting Person”).

(b) – (c)          OrbiMed Israel, a company that acts as general partner of certain limited partnerships, is the general partner of OrbiMed BioFund, which is the general partner of OrbiMed Israel Partners Limited Partnership (“OIP”), an Israeli limited partnership, which holds the securities to which this Statement relates.

The address of the principal office of each Reporting Person is 89 Medinat HaYehudim St., Build E, 11th Floor, Herzliya 46766 Israel.

The name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and citizenship of each of the directors, executive officers and partners (as applicable) of the Reporting Persons are set forth in Schedules I and II hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.

(d) – (e)          During the last five years, none of the Reporting Persons nor, to the best of their knowledge, any of the persons listed in Schedules I and II hereto, has been: (i) convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or (ii) a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to 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.

Not applicable.

The Shares were acquired by the Reporting Persons for the purpose of making an investment in the Issuer and not for the intention of acquiring control of the Issuer’s business on behalf of OIP.

The Reporting Persons from time to time intend to review their investment in the Issuer on the basis of various factors, including the Issuer’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, general economic and industry conditions, the securities markets in general and those for the Issuer’s Shares in particular, as well as other developments and other investment opportunities.  Based upon such review, the Reporting Persons will take such actions in the future as the Reporting Persons may deem appropriate in light of the circumstances existing from time to time.  If the Reporting Persons believe that further investment in the Issuer is attractive, whether because of the market price of the Shares or otherwise, they may acquire Shares or other securities of the Issuer either in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. Similarly, depending on market and other factors, the Reporting Persons may determine to dispose of some or all of the Shares currently owned by the Reporting Persons or otherwise acquired by the Reporting Persons either in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions.

Except as set forth in this Statement, the Reporting Persons have not formulated any plans or proposals which relate to or 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 the assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries; (d) any change in the present Board 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 Issuer’s capitalization or dividend policy; (f) any other material change in the Issuer’s business or corporate structure: (g) any change in the Issuer’s charter or bylaws or other or instrument corresponding thereto or other action which may impede the acquisition of control of the Issuer by any person; (h) causing a class of the Issuer’s securities to be deregistered or delisted from a national securities exchange or to cease to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of  a 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); or (j) any action similar to any of those enumerated above.

(a)-(b)          As of the date of this filing, the Reporting Persons may be deemed, for purposes of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act, directly or indirectly, including by reason of their mutual affiliation, to be the beneficial owners of the Shares described in Item 6 below.  Based upon information contained in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 13, 2021, such Shares constitute approximately 6.0% of the issued and outstanding Shares. OrbiMed Israel, pursuant to its authority as the general partner of OrbiMed BioFund, the general partner of OIP, may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own the Shares held by OIP.  OrbiMed BioFund, pursuant to its authority as the general partner of OIP, may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own the Shares held by OIP.  As a result, OrbiMed Israel and OrbiMed BioFund share the power to direct the vote and to direct the disposition of the shares of Shares described in Item 6 below.

(c)          

(d)          Not applicable.

(e)          Not applicable.

In addition to the relationships between the Reporting Persons described in Items 2 and 5 above, OrbiMed BioFund is the general partner of OIP pursuant to the terms of the limited partnership agreement of OIP.  OrbiMed Israel is the general partner of OrbiMed BioFund, pursuant to the terms of the limited partnership agreement of OrbiMed BioFund.  As a result, OrbiMed BioFund has the power to direct the vote and to direct the disposition of the Shares held by OIP and such power is exercised through OrbiMed Israel. OrbiMed Israel exercises this investment power through an investment committee (the “Committee”) comprised of Carl L. Gordon, Jonathan T. Silverstein, Nissim Darvish (“Darvish”), Anat Naschitz, and Erez Chimovits, each of whom disclaims beneficial ownership of the Shares held by OIP, except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. As a result, OrbiMed BioFund and OrbiMed Israel may be deemed directly or indirectly, including by reason of their mutual affiliation, to be the beneficial owners of the Shares held by OIP and to share power to direct the vote and the disposition of the Shares held by OIP.  The number of outstanding Shares attributable to OIP is 15,384,418 Shares, which amount includes warrants which are convertible into 6,786,500 Shares (the “Warrants”) and 31,944 Shares held by Darvish, who previously served on the Board of Directors of the Issuer as a designee of the Reporting Persons and who is obligated to transfer the Shares held by him to OrbiMed Israel or an affiliate, which will in turn ensure that such Shares or economic benefits are provided to OIP. OrbiMed Israel maybe be considered to hold indirectly 15,384,418 Shares, and OrbiMed BioFund may be considered to hold indirectly 15,384,418 Shares, which amount includes the Warrants and the Shares held by Darvish.

Registration Rights Agreement

OIP and certain other stockholders of the Issuer entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the Issuer, a summary of which is set forth in Item 6 of the Statement.

Other than as described in this Amendment No. 5, to the best of the Reporting Persons’ knowledge, there are no other contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships (legal or otherwise) among the persons named in Item 2 and between such persons and any person with respect to any securities of the Issuer.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of each of the undersigned’s knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated:  June 28, 2021

SCHEDULE I

The name and present principal occupation of each of the executive officers and directors of OrbiMed Israel GP Ltd. are set forth below.  Unless otherwise noted, all of these persons are Israeli citizens and have as their business address 89 Medinat HaYehudim St., Build E, 11th Floor, Herzliya 46766, Israel.

SCHEDULE II

The business and operations of OrbiMed Israel BioFund GP Limited Partnership are managed by the executive officers and directors of its general partner, OrbiMed Israel GP Ltd.

Exhibit Index