Hepion Pharmaceuticals (OTC: HEPA) CEO exits as board installs new leaders

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Hepion Pharmaceuticals announced that Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kaouthar Lbiati resigned for personal reasons, effective immediately on March 16, 2026. The Board moved quickly to reconfigure leadership, naming Gary Stetz as interim CEO and a director the same day.

The Board also appointed Vincent LoPriore as Executive Chairman and added Sireesh Appajosyula and Chase LoPriore as directors. The company states there are no special arrangements behind these appointments and no family relationships between the new leaders and existing directors or executive officers.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• CEO resignation: Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kaouthar Lbiati resigned effective immediately for personal reasons, creating a sudden leadership change that may raise concerns about continuity and strategic stability.

Insights

Corporate governance analyst

Hepion’s CEO exit is abrupt, but leadership gaps are immediately backfilled.

The immediate resignation of Dr. Kaouthar Lbiati as CEO for personal reasons represents a notable leadership change at a small pharmaceutical company. Sudden CEO departures can raise questions about continuity, strategy execution, and stakeholder confidence, even when no disagreement is disclosed.

However, the Board simultaneously appointed Gary Stetz as interim CEO and director and restructured the board with an Executive Chairman and two additional directors. This rapid reorganization limits any formal vacancy at the top, though the long-term leadership direction will depend on future permanent CEO and governance decisions.

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 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): March 16, 2026

Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		001-36856		46-2783806
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(Commission File Number)		(IRS Identification No.)

34 Shrewsbury Ave., Suite 1D

Red Bank, NJ 07701

(Address of principal executive offices)

(732) 902-4000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

55 Madison Ave., Suite 400-PMB# 4362

Morristown, NJ 07960

(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:

Title of each class:		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered:
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share		HEPA		OTC QB

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 ☐

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. ☐

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

On March 16, 2026, Dr. Kaouthar Lbiati, the Chief Executive Officer of Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) informed the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company that she was resigning as Chief Executive Officer for personal reasons, effective immediately.

On March 16, 2026, the Board approved the appointment of Gary Stetz as interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company and director and appointed Vincent LoPriore as Executive Chairman, Sireesh Appajosyula as director and Chase LoPriore as director.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Messrs. Stetz, V. LoPriore, Appajosyula and C. LoPriore and any other person pursuant to which such person was selected as an officer or director of the Company, as the case may be, and there is no family relationship between any of Mr. Stetz, Mr. V. LoPriore, Mr. Appajosyula and Mr. C. LoPriore and any of the Company’s other directors or executive officers.

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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.

Date: March 18, 2026	Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
	By:	/s/ Gary Stetz
		Gary Stetz
		Interim Chief Executive Officer

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FAQ

Why did Hepion Pharmaceuticals (HEPA) CEO resign in March 2026?

Hepion Pharmaceuticals’ CEO, Dr. Kaouthar Lbiati, resigned for personal reasons effective immediately on March 16, 2026. The company did not disclose any disagreement or business-related dispute, framing the departure solely as a personal decision in its leadership change disclosure.

Who is the new interim CEO of Hepion Pharmaceuticals (HEPA)?

The Board appointed Gary Stetz as interim Chief Executive Officer on March 16, 2026. Stetz was also named a director the same day, ensuring both management and board roles were filled immediately following Dr. Lbiati’s resignation for personal reasons.

What new board roles were created at Hepion Pharmaceuticals (HEPA)?

The Board appointed Vincent LoPriore as Executive Chairman, and added Sireesh Appajosyula and Chase LoPriore as directors. These changes significantly reshape the company’s board structure following the CEO transition, concentrating new leadership responsibility at both the executive and board levels.

Are there any family relationships among Hepion’s new leaders?

The company states there is no family relationship between Gary Stetz, Vincent LoPriore, Sireesh Appajosyula, or Chase LoPriore and any existing directors or executive officers. This disclosure is intended to clarify independence and potential conflicts in the refreshed leadership group.

Were special arrangements involved in appointing Hepion’s new CEO and directors?

Hepion states there are no arrangements or understandings with any person under which the new officers or directors were selected. This means the interim CEO and newly appointed directors were not installed under side agreements described in the disclosure.

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

4 documents

Other Documents

• EX-101 XBRL SCHEMA FILE 3.2 KB
• EX-101 XBRL DEFINITION FILE 25.6 KB
• EX-101 XBRL LABEL FILE 35.1 KB
• EX-101 XBRL PRESENTATION FILE 24.3 KB