DFAN14A

 

 

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

Filed by the Registrant  ☐                             Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☒

Check the appropriate box:

 

  Preliminary Proxy Statement
  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
  Definitive Proxy Statement
  Definitive Additional Materials
  Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12

INNOVIVA, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

Sarissa Capital Domestic Fund LP

Sarissa Capital Offshore Master Fund LP

Sarissa Capital Fund GP LLC

Sarissa Capital Fund GP LP

Sarissa Capital Offshore Fund GP LLC

Sarissa Capital Management GP LLC

Sarissa Capital Management LP

Dr. Alexander J. Denner

Mr. Mark DiPaolo

Mr. George W. Bickerstaff, III

Mr. Jules Haimovitz

Dr. Odysseas Kostas

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (check the appropriate box):

  No fee required.
  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rule 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
  1)  

Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

 

     

  2)  

Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

 

     

  3)  

Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

 

     

  4)  

Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

 

     

  5)  

Total fee paid:

 

     

  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
  1)  

Amount Previously Paid:

 

     

  2)  

Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

 

     

  3)  

Filing Party:

 

     

  4)  

Date Filed:

 

     

 

 

 


On April 12, 2017, Sarissa Capital Management LP, together with the other Participants (as defined below), issued the following press release in connection with its solicitation of proxies for the 2017 annual meeting of shareholders of Innoviva, Inc. The Participants also posted the press release to www.dfking.com/INVA:

SARISSA CAPITAL FILES PRESENTATION IN PROXY CONTEST WITH INNOVIVA

************

Sarissa believes Innoviva directors have breached their fiduciary duties by

overpaying executives and overpaying themselves

Greenwich, CT, April 12, 2017 – Sarissa Capital Management LP announced today that it filed a presentation with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with its intent to nominate a minority slate to the Board of Directors of Innoviva, Inc. (NASDAQ: INVA) at its 2017 annual meeting to be held on April 20, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. EDT in Philadelphia. The presentation, which is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov or on the website maintained by D.F. King & Co., Inc. at http://www.dfking.com/INVA, highlights that:

Sarissa believes that Innoviva’s directors Barbara Duncan, Catherine J. Friedman, Patrick G. LePore, Paul A. Pepe, James L. Tyree and William H. Waltrip have breached their fiduciary duties by overpaying their executives and overpaying themselves.

INNOVIVA DOES NOT MARKET OR SELL ANY DRUGS. IT JUST COLLECTS ROYALTIES.

SO WHY IS INNOVIVA’S SPENDING AND COMPENSATION SO EXORBITANT?

IT IS TIME FOR INNOVIVA TO BE OPTIMIZED FOR SHAREHOLDERS.

Time is of the essence. We urge you to VOTE THE GOLD PROXY CARD to help us fix the problems at Innoviva. If you want to follow the recommendations of ISS, Glass Lewis and Egan-Jones and vote for Sarissa nominees YOU MUST VOTE ON THE GOLD CARD AND YOU CANNOT VOTE THE WHITE CARD. Returning a white card, even if you withhold on Innoviva’s nominees, will not be a vote for the Sarissa nominees, and it would revoke any vote you previously submitted on the GOLD CARD. PLEASE VOTE NOW by signing, dating and returning the GOLD proxy card or by voting by phone or internet.

If you have any questions regarding your GOLD proxy card or need assistance in voting, please contact our proxy solicitor:

D.F. KING & CO., INC.

STOCKHOLDERS CALL TOLL-FREE: (800) 549-6746

BANKS AND BROKERAGE FIRMS CALL: (212) 269-5550

WWW.DFKING.COM/INVA.

Contacts:

 

Sarissa Capital Management LP

Melinda Zech

203-302-2330

  

D.F. King & Co., Inc.

Edward McCarthy or Peter Aymar

212-269-5550

 

-2-


CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PARTICIPANTS

ON MARCH 22, 2017, SARISSA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP (“SARISSA”), TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN SARISSA’S PROXY SOLICITATION (THE “PARTICIPANTS”), FILED A DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND ACCOMPANYING GOLD PROXY CARD WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE “SEC”) TO BE USED TO SOLICIT PROXIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE 2017 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF INNOVIVA, INC. (THE “COMPANY”). STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES FROM THE STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION RELATING TO THE PARTICIPANTS. THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND A FORM OF PROXY IS AVAILABLE TO STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY AT NO CHARGE AT THE SEC’S WEBSITE AT WWW.SEC.GOV. THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND A FORM OF PROXY IS ALSO AVAILABLE BY CONTACTING SARISSA’S PROXY SOLICITOR, D.F. KING & CO., INC., BY TELEPHONE AT THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS: STOCKHOLDERS CALL TOLL-FREE: (800) 549-6746 AND BANKS AND BROKERAGE FIRMS CALL: (212) 269-5550, OR THROUGH THE INTERNET AT WWW.DFKING.COM/INVA

 

-3-