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 7, 2017

Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Exact Name of Company as Specified in Charter)

100 Beaver Street, Suite 201

Waltham, MA 02453

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Company’s telephone number, including area code: (781) 996-5252

(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 Instruction A.2. below):

o                          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 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.  x

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On August 7, 2017, Charles McDermott notified Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) of his decision to resign as President and Chief Business Officer of the Company, effective August 7, 2017.  Mr. McDermott’s resignation is not due to any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.

In connection with Mr. McDermott’s resignation, the Board appointed Mark Iwicki (age 50), the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), as President, effective August 7, 2017.  In addition to serving as President, Mr. Iwicki will continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, positions he has held since September 2015. Previously, Mr. Iwicki served as Executive Chairman of the Board from April 2015 to September 2015. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Iwicki served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Civitas Therapeutics, Inc., or Civitas, a biopharmaceutical company which was acquired by Acorda Therapeutics, from January 2014 to November 2014. Prior to Civitas, Mr. Iwicki served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Blend Therapeutics, Inc., or Blend, a biopharmaceutical company, from December 2012 to January 2014. Prior to Blend, Mr. Iwicki was President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (formerly Sepracor Inc.), or Sunovion, a pharmaceutical company. Mr. Iwicki was at Sepracor/Sunovion from October 2007 to June 2012. Prior to joining Sepracor Inc., Mr. Iwicki was Vice President and Business Unit Head at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. He was at Novartis from March 1998 to October 2007. Prior to that, Mr. Iwicki held management positions at Astra Merck Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc. In addition to serving on the Company’s Board, Mr. Iwicki also currently serves on the boards of AimmuneTherapeutics, Inc., Merus N.V. and Pulmatrix Inc., all public companies, and privately held companies Nimbus Therapeutics, Inc., Taris Biomedical LLC, and Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Mr. Iwicki holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Ball State University and an M.B.A. from Loyola University.

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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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