8-K - OTLC - Equibles

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)

December21, 2021

ONCOTELIC

THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exactname of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	000-21990	13-3679168
(State or other jurisdiction<br><br> <br>of incorporation)	(Commission<br><br> <br>File Number)	(IRS Employer<br><br> <br>Identification No.)

29397Agoura Road, Suite 107

AgouraHills, CA 91301

(Addressof principal executive offices and Zip Code)

Registrant’s

telephone number, including area code

(650)635-7000

Not

applicable.

(Formername 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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐	Written<br> communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐	Soliciting<br> material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐	Pre-commencement<br> communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐	Pre-commencement<br> 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<br> of class	Trading<br> Symbols	Name<br> of each exchange on which registered
N/A	OTLC

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 4.01	Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.

(a) On December 21, 2021, the Board of Directors of Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), approved the engagement of Rose, Snyder & Jacobs, LLP (“RSJ”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, effective immediately, and dismissed Baker Tilly US LLP (“Baker Tilly”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.

Baker Tilly’s audit reports on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles, except that the audit reports for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 contained an explanatory paragraph disclosing the uncertainty regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020, and 2019, and the subsequent interim periods through December 21, 2021, there were (i) no disagreements (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) between the Company and Baker Tilly on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which, if not resolved to Baker Tilly’s satisfaction, would have caused Baker Tilly to make reference thereto in their reports on the financial statements for such years, and (ii) no “reportable events” within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S- K.

The Company provided Baker Tilly with a copy of the disclosures it is making in this Current Report on Form 8-K and requested that Baker Tilly furnish a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the statements made herein. A copy of Baker Tilly’s letter dated December 21, 2021, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 hereto.

(b) During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020, and 2019, and the subsequent interim periods through December 21, 2021, neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has consulted with RSJ regarding (i) the application of accounting principles to a specific transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements or the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, and neither a written report or oral advice was provided to the Company that RSJ concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue, (ii) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, or (iii) any reportable event within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

Item 9.01	Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.	Description	Incorporation by reference
16.1	Letter from Baker Tilly US, LLP addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission, dated December 21, 2021.	Filed<br> herewith.
104	Cover<br> Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

| -2- |

| --- |

SIGNATURE

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.

	Oncotelic<br> Therapeutics, Inc.
Date:<br> December 23, 2021	By:	/s/ Vuong Trieu
		Vuong<br> Trieu
		Chief<br> Executive Officer

| -3- |

| --- |

Exhibit16.1

December 21, 2021

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, DC 20549

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are the former independent registered public accounting firm for Oncotelic Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”). We have read the Company’s disclosure set forth in Item 4.01 “Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant” of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 21, 2021 (the “Current Report”) and are in agreement with the disclosure in the Current Report, insofar as it pertains to our firm.

Sincerely,
/s/ Baker Tilly US, LLP