Sec Form 4 Filing - Sarena Francis Willard @ Apexigen, Inc. - 2023-08-23

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

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Sarena Francis Willard 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Apexigen, Inc. [ APGN] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President and COO (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O APEXIGEN, INC., 900 INDUSTRIAL ROAD, SUITE C 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 08/23/2023 (Street) SAN CARLOS, CA94070 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 08/23/2023 F 31,123 ( 1 ) D $ 0.3851 124,296 D Common Stock 08/23/2023 D 124,296 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 Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 4.79 08/23/2023 D 269,847 ( 3 ) 01/23/2032 Common Stock 269,847 ( 3 ) 0 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Sarena Francis Willard C/O APEXIGEN, INC. 900 INDUSTRIAL ROAD, SUITE C SAN CARLOS, CA94070 President and COO Signatures /s/ Francis Sarena 08/25/2023 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )The shares were withheld to satisfy the reporting person's tax liability in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units. ( 2 )Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 23, 2023 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among the Issuer, Pyxis Oncology, Inc. ("Pyxis"), and Ascent Merger Sub Corp., at the effective time of the merger (the "Effective Time"), each share of Issuer common stock was exchanged for 0.1725 shares of Pyxis common stock and rounded down to the nearest whole share. ( 3 )One-fourth of the shares subject to the option vested on January 3, 2023 and 1/36th of the remaining shares vest monthly thereafter. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the Effective Time, the option was assumed by Pyxis and converted into an option to purchase 46,547 shares of Pyxis common stock at an exercise price of $27.77 per share.

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).

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