SEC Form SC14D9C filed by Applied Therapeutics Inc.

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14D-9

Solicitation/Recommendation Statement

Under Section 14(d)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Applied Therapeutics, Inc.

(Name of Subject Company)

Applied Therapeutics, Inc.

(Name of Persons Filing Statement)

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

03828A101

(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

Les Funtleyder

Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Applied Therapeutics, Inc.

545 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1400

New York, NY 10017

(212) 220-9226

(Name, address, and telephone number of person authorized to receive notices and communications on behalf of the persons filing statement)

With a copy to:

Sarah H. Young

Ropes & Gray LLP

1211 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10036-8704

(212) 596-9000

This Schedule 14D-9 filing consists of certain communications relating to the proposed acquisition of Applied Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company” or “Applied Therapeutics”), by Cycle Group Holdings Limited, a private limited company incorporated in England and Wales (“Parent”), and AT2B, Inc., a Delaware corporation and indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Purchaser”), pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 11, 2025 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Parent and Purchaser.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, upon the terms and subject to the conditions thereof, Purchaser will commence a tender offer (the “Offer”) to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company in exchange for (i) $0.088 per Share, net to the stockholder in cash, without interest and less any applicable tax withholding, plus (ii) one non-tradeable contingent value right (each, a “CVR”), which represents the contractual right to receive up to four contingent cash payments up to an aggregate of (x) $0.40 per CVR plus (y) an amount equal to each CVR holder’s pro rata portion of any Closing Cash Payment (as defined in the CVR Agreement), net to the stockholder in cash, without interest and less any applicable tax withholding, upon the achievement of the specified milestones and existence of Closing Cash (as defined in the CVR Agreement) that exceeds $500,000 but is less than $1,500,000 at the effective time of the Merger (as defined below) in each case, in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions of a contingent value rights agreement (the “CVR Agreement”) to be entered into with a rights agent selected by Parent and reasonably acceptable to the Company.

If consummated, the Offer will be followed by a merger of Purchaser with and into the Company (the “Merger”) pursuant to Section 251(h) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation in the Merger.

This Schedule 14D-9 filing consists of the following communications relating to the proposed Offer and the Merger:

Additional Information and Where to Find it

The tender offer referred to in this document has not yet commenced. This document is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares, nor is it a substitute for the tender offer materials that Cycle Group Holdings Limited (“Parent”) and AT2B, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Purchaser”) will file with the SEC upon commencement of the tender offer. At the time the tender offer is commenced, Parent and Purchaser will cause to be filed a tender offer statement on Schedule TO with the SEC, and Applied Therapeutics will file a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the tender offer.

THE TENDER OFFER MATERIALS (INCLUDING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE, A RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND CERTAIN OTHER OFFER DOCUMENTS) AND THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE 14D-9 WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION AND THE PARTIES THERETO. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF APPLIED THERAPEUTICS ARE URGED TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS

CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (AND EACH AS IT MAY BE AMENDED OR SUPPLEMENTED FROM TIME TO TIME) BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING TENDERING THEIR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK IN THE OFFER.

Both the tender offer statement and the solicitation/recommendation statement will be mailed to Applied Therapeutics’ stockholders free of charge. A free copy of the tender offer statement and the solicitation/recommendation statement will also be made available to all stockholders of Applies Therapeutics by accessing https://ir.appliedtherapeutics.com/ or by contacting Investor Relations at [email protected]. In addition, the tender offer statement and the solicitation/recommendation statement (and all other documents filed with the SEC) will be available at no charge on the SEC’s website: www.sec.gov, upon filing with the SEC.

APPLIED THERAPEUTICS’ STOCKHOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ THE SCHEDULE TO AND THE SCHEDULE 14D-9, AS EACH MAY BE AMENDED OR SUPPLEMENTED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BEFORE THEY MAKE ANY DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE TENDER OFFER, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES THERETO. 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the proposed acquisition of Applied Therapeutics by Parent, the expected timetable for completing the transaction, and Applied Therapeutics’ future financial or operating performance. These forward-looking statements typically can be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “predict,” “target,” “potential,” “likely,” “continue,” “ongoing,” “could,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “project” and similar expressions, as well as variations or negatives of these words. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the proposed acquisition of Applied Therapeutics by Parent, similar transactions, prospective performance, future plans, events, expectations, objectives, opportunities, and the outlook for Applied Therapeutics; the expected timing of the completion of the transaction; the ability to complete the transaction considering the various closing conditions; and the accuracy of any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties; accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially due to several factors. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially include: risks associated with the timing of the closing of the proposed transaction, including the risks that a condition to closing would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all or that the closing of the proposed transaction will not occur; uncertainties as to how many of Applied Therapeutics’ stockholders will tender their shares in the offer; the possibility that competing offers will be made; the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement, including circumstances requiring the Company to pay a termination fee pursuant to the Merger Agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the parties and others related to the Merger Agreement; unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to the proposed transaction; the response of business partners to the announcement of the proposed transaction, and/or potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the announcement and pendency of the proposed transaction; the possibility that the milestone payments related to the CVR will never be achieved and that no milestone payment may be made or if made the amount of such milestone payment made; the risk that any equityholder litigation in connection with the proposed transactions may result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; Applied Therapeutics’ ability to successfully demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug or drug candidates, and the preclinical or clinical results for its product candidates, which may not support further development of such product candidates; comments, feedback and actions of regulatory agencies; Applied Therapeutics’ dependence on the successful clinical development, regulatory approval and commercialization of its product candidates; the inherent uncertainties associated with developing new products or technologies and operating as clinical stage company; the Company’s obligations under the Promissory Note and its ability to satisfy such obligations; the Company’s ability to receive loans from Parent under the Promissory Note; the Company’s cash sufficiency and runway; and other risks identified in Applied Therapeutics’ SEC filings, including Applied Therapeutics’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, Quarterly

Reports for the quarters ended March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025 and subsequent filings with the SEC. Applied Therapeutics cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The forward-looking statements in this document speak only as of the date of this document. Applied Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.