{"url_path":"/sec/nxtc/8-k/2026-07-14/item-8-01","section_key":"item-8-01","section_title":"Item 8.01 ****Other Events**","topic":"sec","document":{"doc_type":"8-K","doc_date":"2026-07-14","source_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1661059/0001104659-26-083326-index.html","accession_number":"0001104659-26-083326","cik":"0001661059","ticker":"NXTC","issuer_name":"NextCure, Inc.","edgar_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1661059/0001104659-26-083326-index.html","primary_entity_key":"0001661059","primary_entity_name":"NextCure, Inc."},"word_count":2031,"has_tables":true,"body_markdown":"**Item 8.01****Other Events**\n\n \n\n*SIM0505 Clinical Program Update*\n\n \n\nOn July 14, 2026, NextCure\nannounced that it no longer intends to expand the clinical site footprint for SIM0505 into Europe and Canada. SIM0505 is a novel antibody\ndrug conjugate (“ADC”) directed to cadherin-6 (or CDH6) and featuring a proprietary topoisomerase 1 inhibitor payload,\nwhich NextCure licensed from Simcere Zaiming Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Simcere Zaiming”). NextCure holds exclusive\nglobal rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize SIM0505, excluding China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, which are retained by Simcere\nZaiming. SIM0505 is being evaluated in an open-label Phase 1 study, with patients being enrolled by Simcere Zaiming at sites in China,\nfor the potential treatment of advanced solid tumors, including ovarian cancer, with an emphasis on platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.\n\n \n\nNextCure has informed all\nU.S. clinical trial sites to stop screening, consenting, enrolling, and delivering first doses to new patients in the SIM0505 study. NextCure\nis working with clinical trial sites and principal investigators to develop and implement plans to cease treatment of patients currently\non study and to transition such patients, as appropriate, to alternative therapies in accordance with applicable requirements. This program-specific\ndecision is not based on any negative safety or efficacy finding or any dispute with Simcere Zaiming. Any strategic alternatives with\nrespect to SIM0505 would be pursued in accordance with the terms of the parties’ existing license agreement.\n\n \n\nNextCure expects to seek opportunities\nto partner, license or otherwise monetize its rights to SIM0505, including in connection with the contingent value right arrangement described\nabove, although there can be no assurance that any such transaction will be entered into or consummated or that any proceeds will become\npayable to holders of the contingent value rights.\n\n \n\nAs previously disclosed, NextCure\nand Simcere Zaiming presented positive Phase 1 dose escalation data for SIM0505 in patients with gynecologic cancers at ASCO 2026, and\nNextCure continues to believe in the potential of SIM0505 based on the clinical activity and safety profile observed to date.\n\n** **\n\n*LNCB74 Collaboration Update*\n\n \n\nIn November 2022, NextCure\nentered into a Research and Collaboration and Co-Development Agreement (the “LigaChem Agreement”) with LigaChem Biosciences,\nInc. (“LigaChem”), which established a collaboration wherein the parties equally share the costs of co-developing ADC\nmolecules and profits on commercialized products arising from such co-development. Under the collaboration, the parties jointly developed\nLNCB74, the only product co-developed under the LigaChem Agreement. LNCB74 is a novel ADC directed to B7-H4 featuring a glucuronidase-cleavable,\nsite-specific linker with MMAE payload designed for improved selective release of payload in tumor cells, and reduced payload release\nin non-tumor cells. LNCB74 is being evaluated in an open-label Phase 1 study for the potential treatment of advanced solid tumors, including\nbreast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. On July 14, 2026, NextCure announced that it has informed LigaChem that NextCure has opted-out\nof continued cost-sharing for LNCB74. NextCure’s specific decision with respect to LNCB74 is not based on any negative safety or\nefficacy finding or any dispute with LigaChem.\n\n \n\nNextCure and LigaChem are\nin active discussions regarding potential continuation of the LNCB74 Phase 1 trial for an interim period at LigaChem’s cost and\nregarding whether LigaChem desires to continue the trial for and further development of LNCB74 as a Sole Developing Party (as defined\nby the LigaChem Agreement).\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n**Forward-Looking Statements**\n\n \n\nThis Current Report on Form\n8-K and the exhibits filed or furnished herewith contain forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the\nExchange Act and Section 27A of the Securities Act) concerning NextCure, Avere, the proposed transactions and other matters. These forward-looking\nstatements include express or implied statements relating to the structure, timing and completion of the proposed Merger; the combined\ncompany’s listing on Nasdaq after closing of the proposed Merger; expectations regarding the ownership structure of the combined\ncompany; expectations regarding the financing transaction and the closing thereof; the expected executive officers and directors of the\ncombined company; the future operations of the combined company; the nature, strategy and focus of the combined company; the development\nand commercial potential and potential benefits of any product candidates of the combined company; anticipated preclinical and clinical\ndrug development activities and related timelines, including the expected timing for data and other clinical results; and any statements\ncontained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify\nforward-looking statements by terminology such as “aim”, “anticipate”, “assume”, “believe”,\n“continue”, “could”, “should”, “due”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”,\n“hope”, “may”, “objective”, “plan”, “predict”, “potential”, “positioned”,\n“seek”, “target”, “towards”, “forward”, “later”, “will”, “would”,\nand other similar expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends, or the negative of these terms or similar\nlanguage. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential\neffects. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting NextCure, Avere or the proposed transaction will be those that have\nbeen anticipated.\n\n \n\nForward-looking statements\ninvolve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking\nstatement. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the possible failure to satisfy the conditions\nto the closing or consummation of the Merger, including NextCure’s failure to obtain stockholder approval for the Merger, risks\nassociated with the potential failure to complete the financing transaction in a timely manner or at all, risks associated with the uncertainty\nas to the timing of the consummation of the Merger and the ability of each of NextCure and Avere to consummate the transactions contemplated\nby the Merger, risks associated with NextCure’s continued listing on Nasdaq until closing of the Merger, the failure or delay in\nobtaining required approvals from any governmental or quasi-governmental entity necessary to consummate the Merger; the occurrence of\nany event, change or other circumstance or condition that could give rise to the termination of the Merger prior to the closing or consummation\nof the Merger, risks associated with the possible failure to realize certain anticipated benefits of the Merger, including with respect\nto future financial and operating results; the effect of the completion of the Merger on the combined company’s business relationships,\noperating results and business generally; risks associated with the combined company’s ability to manage expenses and unanticipated\nspending and costs that could reduce the combined company’s cash resources; risks related to the combined company’s ability\nto correctly estimate its operating expenses and other events; changes in capital resource requirements; risks related to the inability\nof the combined company to obtain sufficient additional capital to continue to advance its product candidates or its preclinical programs;\nthe outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the combined company or any of its directors or officers related to\nthe Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby; the ability of the combined company to obtain, maintain and protect its\nintellectual property rights, in particular those related to its product candidates; the combined company’s ability to advance the\ndevelopment of its product candidates or preclinical activities under the timelines it anticipates in planned and future clinical trials;\nthe combined company’s ability to replicate in later clinical trials positive results found in preclinical studies and early-stage\nclinical trials of its product candidates; the combined company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of its research and\ndevelopment programs, strategic partnerships, licensing programs or other collaborations; regulatory requirements or developments and\nthe combined company’s ability to obtain necessary approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory authorities;\nchanges to clinical trial designs and regulatory pathways; competitive responses to the Merger and changes in expected or existing competition;\nunexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the Merger; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting\nfrom the completion of the Merger; legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments; changes in international relations, tariffs,\nand other trade regulations between the U.S. and China; and the impact of current and future laws and regulations. More detailed information\non these and additional factors that could affect NextCure’s actual results is described under the heading “Risk Factors”\nin NextCure’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in NextCure’s other filings with the\nSecurities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements\nspeak only as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K, and NextCure assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements,\neven if expectations change.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n**No Offer or Solicitation**\n\n \n\nThis Current Report on Form\n8-K and the exhibits filed or furnished herewith are not intended to and do not constitute (i) a solicitation of a proxy, consent or approval\nwith respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed transaction or (ii) an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe\nfor or buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities pursuant to the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there\nbe any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be\nmade except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act or an exemption therefrom. Subject to certain exceptions\nto be approved by the relevant regulators or certain facts to be ascertained, the public offer will not be made directly or indirectly,\nin or into any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction, or by use of the mails or by\nany means or instrumentality (including without limitation, facsimile transmission, telephone and the internet) of interstate or foreign\ncommerce, or any facility of a national securities exchange, of any such jurisdiction.\n\n \n\nNEITHER THE SEC NOR ANY STATE\nSECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K AND THE EXHIBITS\nFILED OR FURNISHED HEREWITH ARE TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE.\n\n \n\n**Important Additional Information About the\nProposed Transaction Will be Filed with the SEC**\n\n \n\nThis Current Report on Form\n8-K and the exhibits filed or furnished herewith are not substitutes for any other document that NextCure may file with the SEC in connection\nwith the proposed transaction, including the registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Form S-4”) that will contain a proxy\nstatement and prospectus. In connection with the proposed transaction between NextCure and Avere, NextCure intends to file relevant materials\nwith the SEC, including the Form S-4. NEXTCURE URGES INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, INCLUDING THE PROXY\nSTATEMENT/PROSPECTUS CONTAINED THEREIN, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR\nSUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT\nINFORMATION ABOUT NEXTCURE, AVERE, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and stockholders will be able to obtain free\ncopies of the Form S-4 and other documents filed by NextCure with the SEC (when they become available) through the website maintained\nby the SEC at *www.sec.gov*. In addition, investors and stockholders should note that NextCure communicates with investors and the\npublic using its website (*https://www.nextcure.com*) and the investor relations website (*https://ir.nextcure.com/*) where\nanyone will be able to obtain free copies of the Registration Statement and included proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed\nby NextCure with the SEC and stockholders are urged to read the Registration Statement and included proxy statement/prospectus and the\nother relevant materials when they become available before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the proposed transaction.\n\n \n\n**Participants in the Solicitation**\n\n \n\nNextCure, Avere and their\nrespective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection\nwith the proposed transaction. Information about NextCure’s directors and executive officers, including a description of their interests\nin NextCure, is included in NextCure’s most recent definitive proxy statement, as filed with the SEC on April 24, 2026. Additional\ninformation regarding these persons and their interests in the proposed transaction will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus\nrelating to the proposed transaction when it is filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated\nabove."}