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): June 21, 2022

TREVENA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

955 Chesterbrook Boulevard, Suite 110

Chesterbrook, PA 19087

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (610) 354-8840

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:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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. ¨

As previously disclosed, on December 21, 2021, Trevena, Inc. (the “Company”) received a letter (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff” or “Nasdaq”) of the Nasdaq Stock Market indicating that, for the last 30 consecutive business days, the bid price for the Company’s common stock had closed below the minimum $1.00 per share required for continued inclusion on The Nasdaq Capital Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Bid Price Requirement”). The Company had 180 days, or until June 20, 2022, to achieve compliance with the minimum Bid Price Requirement.

The Company determined that it would not be in compliance with the minimum Bid Price Requirement by June 20, 2022. As a result, the Company notified Nasdaq and applied for an extension of the compliance period, as permitted under the original notification. In the application, the Company indicated that it met the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly-held shares and all other initial listing standards for the Nasdaq Capital Market, with the exception of the minimum closing bid price, and provided written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period of an additional 180 days by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary. On June 21, 2022, the Company received notification from the Staff that the date to achieve compliance has been extended an additional 180 days until December 19, 2022.

To regain compliance, the minimum bid price of the Company’s common stock must meet or exceed $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days during this 180-day grace period. If the Company fails to regain compliance on or prior to December 19, 2022, the Company’s stock will be subject to delisting by Nasdaq, unless the Company timely requests a hearing before a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. The request for a hearing will stay any suspension or delisting action pending the issuance of the decision of the Nasdaq Hearings Panel following the hearing and the expiration of any additional extension granted by the Nasdaq Hearings Panel.

The Notice has no effect at this time on the listing of the Company’s common stock, which will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “TRVN”.

The Company intends to monitor the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock and consider its available options if the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock remains below $1.00 per share. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement, even if it maintains compliance with the other listing requirements.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “opportunity” and “should,” among others. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and its other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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.