SEC Form SC 13G filed by Geron Corporation
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
Geron Corporation
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, $0.001 par value
(Title of Class of Securities)
374163103
(CUSIP Number)
April 1, 2022
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:
| ☐ | Rule 13d-1(b) |
| ☒ | Rule 13d-1(c) |
| ☐ | Rule 13d-1(d) |
| * | 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 the 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
| CUSIP No. 374163103 | |
| 1 | NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS |
| Vivo Opportunity, LLC | |
| 2 | CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (See Instructions) |
| (a) ☐ | |
| (b) ☐ | |
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY |
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION |
| Delaware | |
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH |
5 | SOLE VOTING POWER |
| 22,857,143 (1) | ||
| 6 | SHARED VOTING POWER | |
| 0 | ||
| 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER | |
| 22,857,143 (1) | ||
| 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER | |
| 0 |
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON |
| 22,857,143 (1) | |
| 10 | CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions) |
| ☐ | |
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) |
| 5.9 % (2) | |
| 12 | TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) |
| OO |
| (1) | The number of securities includes (i) 15,238,095 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) of Geron Corporation (the “Issuer”) and (ii) 7,619,048 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of certain warrants, the exercise of which is subject to a beneficial ownership limitation of 9.99% of the Issuer’s outstanding shares of Common Stock. The securities are held of record by Vivo Opportunity Fund Holdings, L.P. Vivo Opportunity, LLC is the general partner of Vivo Opportunity Fund Holdings, L.P. |
| (2) | Based on 377,064,925 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer issued and outstanding, as disclosed in the prospectus filed by the Issuer on March 30, 2022, pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5), which forms part of the Issuer’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-248637). |
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| Item 1. (a) | Name of Issuer: |
Geron Corporation
| (b) | Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices: |
919 E. Hillsdale Boulevard, Suite 250
Foster City, California 94404
| Item 2. (a) | Name of Person Filing: |
Vivo Opportunity, LLC
| (b) | Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence: |
192 Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301
| (c) | Citizenship: |
Delaware limited liability company.
| (d) | Title of Class of Securities: |
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
| (e) | CUSIP Number: |
374163103
| Item 3. | If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to §§ 240.13d-1(b), or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a: |
| (a) | ☐ | Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act. |
| (b) | ☐ | Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act. |
| (c) | ☐ | Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act. |
| (d) | ☐ | Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. |
| (e) | ☐ | An investment adviser in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); |
| (f) | ☐ | An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); |
| (g) | ☐ | A parent holding company or control person in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(l)(ii)(G); |
| (h) | ☐ | A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act; |
| (i) | ☐ | A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act; |
| (j) | ☐ | A non-U.S. institution in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J); |
| (k) | ☐ | Group, in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(l)(ii)(K). |
If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1(ii)(j), please specify the type of institution: ________________
Not Applicable.
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| Item 4. | Ownership. |
| (a) | Amount beneficially owned: |
| (1) | Vivo Opportunity, LLC |
The 15,238,095 shares of Common Stock and warrants exercisable into 7,619,048 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer are held of record by Vivo Opportunity Fund Holdings, L.P. Vivo Opportunity, LLC is the general partner of Vivo Opportunity Fund Holdings, L.P. The voting members of Vivo Opportunity, LLC are Gaurav Aggarwal, Hongbo Lu, Kevin Dai, Frank Kung, and Michael Chang, none of whom has individual voting or investment power with respect to these shares and each of whom disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
| (b) | Percent of class: |
5.9 %
| (c) | Number of shares as to which such person has: |
| (i) | Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 22,857,143 shares |
| (ii) | Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 0 |
| (iii) | Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 22,857,143 shares |
| (iv) | Shared power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of: 0 |
| Item 5. | Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 6. | Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 7. | Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company or Control Person. |
Not Applicable.
| Item 8. | Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. |
Not applicable.
| Item 9. | Notice of Dissolution of Group. |
Not applicable.
| Item 10. | Certifications. |
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under §240.14a11.
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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.
| Vivo Opportunity, LLC | |
April 8, 2022 | |
| (Date) | |
| /s/ Gaurav Aggarwal | |
| (Signature) | |
| Managing Member | |
| (Title) |
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