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): August 29, 2018

AVISTA HEALTHCARE PUBLIC ACQUISITION CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

65 East 55th Street, 18th Floor, New York, New York 10022
(Address of principal executive offices, including Zip Code)

(212) 593-6900

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name 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 Instructions A.2. below):

x     Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o      Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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   x

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.  o

Item 3.01.                Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

On August 29, 2018, Avista Healthcare Public Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”) received a written notice (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) indicating that the Company is not in compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(3) (the “Minimum Public Holders Rule”), which requires the Company to have at least of 300 public holders for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Notice is only a notification of deficiency, not of imminent delisting, and has no current effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

The Notice states that, under Nasdaq rules, the Company has 45 calendar days to submit a plan to regain compliance with the Minimum Public Holders Rule. The Company intends to submit a plan to regain compliance with the Minimum Public Holders Rule within the required timeframe. If Nasdaq accepts the Company’s plan, Nasdaq may grant the Company an extension of up to 180 calendar days from the date of the Notice to evidence compliance with the Minimum Public Holders Rule. If Nasdaq does not accept the Company’s plan, the Company will have the opportunity to appeal the decision in front of a Nasdaq Hearings Panel.

Information Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

The Company makes forward-looking statements in this report within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to expectations or forecasts for future events. These statements may be preceded by, followed by or include the words “may,” “might,” “will,” “will likely result,” “should,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “continue,” “target” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this report, and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein due to a variety of factors, including the Company’s ability to submit a plan of compliance satisfactory to Nasdaq; its ability to evidence that it has a minimum of 300 public holders; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or developments or otherwise.

Item 8.01.     Other Events.

The information contained in Item 3.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference herein.

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SIGNATURES

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.

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