# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001831363
**File Stem:** 0001193125-26-205373
**Filing Date:** 2026-5
**Character Count:** 8748
**Document Hash:** f288eb4c9ab398fe7ae81f6db913d71c
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-26-205373.hdr.sgml**: 20260505

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-26-205373

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: S-8 POS

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 1

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260505

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260505

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20260505

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001831363
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 03 Life Sciences
- **EIN:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** S-8 POS
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-277943
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26941012

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 1065 EAST HILLSDALE BLVD., SUITE 100
- **CITY:** FOSTER CITY
- **STATE:** CA
- **ZIP:** 94404
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 650-525-5535 EXT.101

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 1065 EAST HILLSDALE BLVD., SUITE 100
- **CITY:** FOSTER CITY
- **STATE:** CA
- **ZIP:** 94404

**As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 5, 2026** 

**Registration No. 333-253085** 

**Registration No. 333-268277** 

**Registration No. 333-271944** 

**Registration No. 333-275549** 

**Registration No. 333-277943** 

**Registration No. 333-283169** 

**Registration No. 333-285966** 

**Registration No. 333-294733** 

**Registration No. 333-263340** 

**UNITED STATES** 

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION** 

**WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549** 

**FORM S-8**

**POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO:** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-253085** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-268277** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-271944** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-275549** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-277943** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-283169** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-285966** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-294733** 

**Form S-8 Registration Statement No. 333-263340** 

***UNDER***

***THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933***

## TERNS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
**(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)** 

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Delaware** | **98-1448275** |
| **(State or other jurisdiction of<br>incorporation or organization)** | **(I.R.S. Employer<br>Identification Number)** |

---

**1065 East Hillsdale Blvd., Suite 100** 

**Foster City, California 94404** 

**(650) 525-5535** 

**(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)** 

**Kelly E.W. Grez** 

**Secretary** 

**1065 East Hillsdale Blvd., Suite 100** 

**Foster City, California 94404** 

**(650) 525-5535** 

**(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)** 

***Copies to:***

**Catherine J. Dargan** 

**Andrew Fischer** 

**Alicia Zhang** 

**Covington & Burling LLP** 

**850 Tenth Street, NW** 

**Washington, D.C. 20001** 

**(202) 662-6000**

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
| Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
|  |  | 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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

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**EXPLANATORY NOTE AND DEREGISTRATION OF UNSOLD SECURITIES** 

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 (this "***Post-Effective Amendment***") relates to the deregistration of all shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share ("***Common Stock***"), of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "***Registrant***"), remaining unsold or otherwise unissued under the following Registration Statements on Form S-8 (collectively, the "***Registration Statements***") filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "***SEC***"):

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **File No.** | **Date Originally Filed<br>with the SEC** | **Name of Equity Plan(s) or Agreement(s)** | **Shares of<br>Common Stock** |
| [333-253085](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000119312521041825/d137290ds8.htm) | February 12, 2021 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 5100277 |
| [333-263340](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000119312522067930/d295777ds8.htm) | March 7, 2022 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 1516155 |
| [333-268277](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000095017022023992/tern-s8-q322.htm) | November 9, 2022 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Employment Inducement Award Plan | 1400000 |
| [333-271944](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000095017023022257/tern-s8-q123.htm) | May 15, 2023 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 3223389 |
| [333-275549](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000095017023063755/tern-s8-q323.htm) | November 14, 2023 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Employment Inducement Award Plan | 3113250 |
| [333-277943](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000095017024031601/tern-s8-q124.htm) | March 14, 2024 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 3874602 |
| [333-283169](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000095017024125651/tern-s8-q324.htm) | November 12, 2024 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Employment Inducement Award Plan | 2250000 |
| [333-285966](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000095017025042727/tern-s8-q125.htm) | March 20, 2025 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 5227594 |
| [333-294733](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1831363/000119312526132108/tern-20260330.htm) | March 30, 2026 | Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Incentive Award Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Employment Inducement Award Plan<br> Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 8369288 |

---

On May 5, 2026, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 24, 2026 (the "***Merger Agreement***"), by and among the Registrant, Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company ("***Merck***"), and Thailand Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck ("***Purchaser***"), Purchaser merged with and into the Registrant, with the Registrant surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck.

As a result of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the Registrant has terminated all offerings of its securities pursuant to the Registration Statements. In accordance with an undertaking made by the Registrant in the Registration Statements to remove from registration, by means of a post-effective amendment, any of the securities registered under the Registration Statements that remain unissued at the termination of the offerings, the Registrant hereby deregisters all securities previously registered but unsold or otherwise unissued under the Registration Statements, if any, as of the date hereof.

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**SIGNATURES** 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused these Post-Effective Amendments to the Registration Statements on Form S-8 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Rahway, in the State of New Jersey, on May 5, 2026.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  **Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.** | **Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.** |
| By: | /s/ Kelly E.W. Grez |
|  | Kelly E.W. Grez |
|  | Secretary |

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No other person is required to sign this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statements on Form S-8, in reliance upon Rule 478 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.