Sec Form 4 Filing - Veness Adam M @ ACCELERON PHARMA INC - 2021-11-19

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: November 30, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Veness Adam M 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ACCELERON PHARMA INC [ XLRN] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) SVP, General Counsel and Sec. (Last) (First) (Middle) 128 SIDNEY STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 11/19/2021 (Street) CAMBRIDGE, MA02139 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 11/19/2021 U( 1 ) 23,423( 1 ) D 0 D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 40.37 11/19/2021 D 6,700 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Common Stock 6,700 ( 2 ) 0 D Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 40.61 11/19/2021 D 7,650 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Common Stock 7,650 ( 2 ) 0 D Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 41.64 11/19/2021 D 8,500 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Common Stock 8,500 ( 2 ) 0 D Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 52.99 11/19/2021 D 24,334 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Common Stock 24,334 ( 2 ) 0 D Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 115.53 11/19/2021 D 18,806 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Common Stock 18,806 ( 2 ) 0 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Veness Adam M 128 SIDNEY STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA02139 SVP, General Counsel and Sec. Signatures /s/ Adam M. Veness 11/22/2021 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )This Form 4 reports securities disposed of pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated as of September 29, 2021, by and among the Issuer, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. ("Parent"), and Astros Merger Sub, Inc., a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"), pursuant to which Merger Sub completed a tender offer for shares of common stock of the Issuer (each, a "Share") and thereafter merged with and into the Issuer (the "Merger") effective as of November 19, 2021 (the "Effective Time"). At the Effective Time, each issued and outstanding Share was cancelled and converted into the right to receive $180.00 in cash (the "Offer Price") without interest and subject to applicable withholding taxes. ( 2 )Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, at the Effective Time, each option to purchase Shares granted under an Issuer equity plan (each, a "Company Stock Option") that was outstanding and unvested immediately prior to the Effective Time vested in full. As of the Effective Time, each Company Stock Option that was outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time was cancelled, and, in exchange therefor, the holder of such cancelled Company Stock Option was entitled to receive (without interest), in consideration of the cancellation of such Company Stock Option, an amount in cash (less applicable tax withholdings) equal to the product of (x) the total number of Shares subject to such Company Stock Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (y) the excess, if any, of the Offer Price over the applicable exercise price per Share under such Company Stock Option.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.