# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001831363
**File Stem:** 0001193125-26-019426
**Filing Date:** 2026-1
**Character Count:** 6425
**Document Hash:** ab2517f67a4255a3027a3034f21ca666
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-26-019426.hdr.sgml**: 20260122

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-26-019426

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 12

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20260116

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260122

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260122

**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:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-39926
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26551635

**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

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? 8-K

### 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): January 16, 2026

## Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

#### (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Delaware** | **001-39926** | **98-1448275** |
| **(State or Other Jurisdiction<br>of Incorporation)** | **(Commission**<br> **File Number)** | **(IRS Employer<br>Identification No.)** |

---

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **1065 East Hillsdale Blvd.**<br> **Suite 100** |  |
| **Foster City, California** | **94404** |
| **(Address of Principal Executive Offices)** | **(Zip Code)** |

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#### Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (650) 525-5535

#### N/A

#### (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:

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

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

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

☐ Pre-commencement 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:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **<br>Title of each class** | **Trading<br>Symbol(s)** | **Name of each exchange<br>on which registered** |
| Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share | TERN | Nasdaq Global Select Market |

---

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. ☐

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 1.01** | **Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.**  |

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On January 16, 2026, Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the "Company") and its subsidiaries entered into an Amendment (the "Amendment") to its existing Exclusive Option and License Agreement with Hansoh (Shanghai) Healthtech Co., Ltd. and certain of its affiliates (collectively, "Hansoh"), dated July 27, 2020 (the "Option and License Agreement"). Under the Option and License Agreement, Hansoh had previously obtained from the Company an exclusive, sub-licensable and royalty-bearing license under certain patent and other intellectual property rights owned or controlled by the Company to research, develop, manufacture, use, distribute, sell and otherwise exploit therapeutic products containing TERN-701 in the field of oncology in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau (the "Hansoh Territory").

Under the Amendment, Hansoh granted the Company an exclusive, royalty-bearing, sublicensable, perpetual, and worldwide (excluding the Hansoh Territory) license, under certain patents and patent applications that were invented by Hansoh and its affiliate Shanghai Hansoh Biomedical Co., Ltd. during its activities under the Option and License Agreement (the "Exclusively Licensed Hansoh Patents"), to research, develop, manufacture, use, distribute, sell and otherwise exploit therapeutic products containing TERN-701 as the sole active ingredient ("701 Products"). This exclusive, sub-licensable and royalty-bearing license replaces a non-exclusive, non-sublicensable (without Hansoh's consent), royalty-free, fully paid license to the Exclusively Licensed Hansoh Patents that Hansoh had previously granted to CaspianTern, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company, under the Option and License Agreement. Under the terms of the Amendment, the Company is obligated to pay Hansoh a one-time upfront license fee of $1.0 million and tiered royalties ranging from 0.75% to 1.25% on annual net sales of 701 Products in countries in the Company's territory to the extent the sale of 701 Products is covered by a valid claim of an Exclusively Licensed Hansoh Patent, subject to specified reductions.

The foregoing description of the Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amendment, which the Company intends to file as an exhibit to its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Marrch 31, 2026.

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#### SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **TERNS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.** | **TERNS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.** |
| Date: January 22, 2026 | By: | /s/ Caryn McDowell |
|  |  | Caryn McDowell |
|  |  | Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary |

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