UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 20-F

(Mark One)

Commission file number 001-32001

APTOSE BIOSCIENCES INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Canada

(Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)

2 Meridian Road

Toronto, Ontario

M9W 4Z7

Canada

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Gregory Chow

Chief Financial Officer

2 Meridian Road

Toronto, Ontario M9W 4Z7

Canada

Telephone: (416) 798-1200

Facsimile: (416) 798-2200

(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act: None

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.

Common Shares, without par value, at December 31, 2014: 11,699,873

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes ¨ No x

If this is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes ¨ No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes ¨ No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated filer ¨ Non-accelerated filer x

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing.

If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow.

Item 17 ¨ Item 18 ¨

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ¨ No x

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL

On July 10, 2007 (the “Arrangement Date”), the Company completed a plan of arrangement and corporate reorganization with, among others, 4325231 Canada Inc. (now Global Summit Real Estate Inc.), formerly Lorus Therapeutics Inc. (“Old Lorus”), 6707157 Canada Inc. and Pinnacle International Lands, Inc. (the “Arrangement”). As a result of the plan of arrangement and reorganization, among other things, each common share of Old Lorus was exchanged for one common share (“Common Share”) of the Company and the assets (excluding certain deferred tax assets) and liabilities of Old Lorus (including all of the shares of its subsidiaries) were transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Company and/or our subsidiaries. We continued the business of Old Lorus after the Arrangement Date with the same officers and employees and continued to be governed by the same directors as Old Lorus prior to the Arrangement Date.

On August 28, 2014 (the “Name Change Date”), we changed our name from Lorus Therapeutics Inc. to Aptose Biosciences Inc. In this Transition Report on Form 20-F, all references to “Aptose”, the “Corporation”, the “Company”, “we”, “our”, “us” and similar expressions, unless otherwise stated, are references to Old Lorus prior to the Arrangement Date, Lorus Therapeutics Inc. after the Arrangement Date and Aptose Biosciences Inc. after the Name Change Date. References to this “Form 20-F” and this “Transition Report” mean references to this Transition Report on Form 20-F for the seven months ended December 31, 2014.

We use the Canadian dollar as our reporting currency. All references in this Transition Report to “dollars” or “$” are expressed in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated. See also “Item 3. Key Information” for more detailed currency and conversion information. Our consolidated financial statements, which form part of this Transition Report, are presented in Canadian dollars and are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), which differ in certain respects from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”).

On October 1, 2014 we consolidated our outstanding Common Shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Common Share for each twelve pre-consolidation Common Shares. Historical trading prices and volumes disclosed are on a post-consolidated basis and reflect the one for twelve consolidation.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Transition Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to:

The forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others:

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions set out in the section entitled “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” underlying those forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this Transition Report or, in the case of documents incorporated by reference herein, as of the date of such documents, and we do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Such statements may not prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management of the Company to predict all of these factors or to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

PART I

Item 1.          Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers

Not applicable.

Item 2.          Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable

Not applicable.

Item 3.          Key Information

The following tables present our selected consolidated financial data. You should read these tables in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in Item 18 of this Transition Report and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in Item 5 of this Transition Report.

The selected consolidated financial information set forth below has been derived from the Company's audited consolidated financial statements that are prepared in accordance with IFRS, which differ in certain respects from the principles the Company would have followed had its consolidated financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The selected audited consolidated financial information should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto.

Effective July 17, 2014, we changed our fiscal year end from May 31 to December 31. As a result of that change, the current transition period is for the seven months ended December 31, 2014.

The following table presents a summary of our consolidated statements of operations derived from our audited consolidated financial statements for the seven months ended December 31, 2014 and fiscal years ended May 31, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011.

Consolidated statements of operations data

The following table presents a summary of our consolidated balance sheets as at December 31, 2014 and May 31, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011. We report our consolidated financial statements in Canadian (“CDN”) dollars. In this Transition Report, except where otherwise indicated, all amounts are stated in CDN dollars.

Consolidated balance sheet data

The following table sets out the average exchange rates of CDN$1.00 for US$1.00 for the following periods as taken from the Bank of Canada’s website.

The following table sets forth the high and low exchange rates of CDN$1.00 for US$1.00 for each month during the previous six months.

On March 3, 2015, the noon buying rate of CDN$1.00 for US$1.00, as per the Bank of Canada was CDN$1.00 = US$0.8031.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision with respect to our Common Shares, you should carefully consider the following risk factors, in addition to the other information included or incorporated by reference in this Transition Report. Additional risks not currently known by us or that we consider immaterial at the present time may also impair our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations would likely be materially adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our Common Shares could decline and you may lose all or part of the money you paid to buy our Common Shares. The risks set out below are not the only risks and uncertainties we currently face; other risks may arise in the future.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS

We are an early stage development company.

We are at an early stage of development. In the past five years, none of our potential products has obtained regulatory approval for commercial use and sale in any country and as such, no significant revenues have resulted from product sales. Significant additional investment will be necessary to complete the development of any of our product candidates. Preclinical and clinical trial work must be completed before our potential products could be ready for use within the markets that we have identified. We may fail to develop any products, obtain regulatory approvals, enter clinical trials or commercialize any products. We do not know whether any of our potential product development efforts will prove to be effective, meet applicable regulatory standards, obtain the requisite regulatory approvals, be capable of being manufactured at a reasonable cost or be accepted in the marketplace. We also do not know whether sales, license fees or related royalties will allow us to recoup any investment we make in the commercialization of our products.

The product candidates we are currently developing are not expected to be commercially viable for at least the next several years and we may encounter unforeseen difficulties or delays in commercializing our product candidates. In addition, our potential products may not be effective or may cause undesirable side effects.

Our product candidates require significant funding to reach regulatory approval assuming positive clinical results. For example, our lead product candidate APTO-253, has begun enrolment in a Phase I clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies. Additional funding or a partnership may be necessary to complete, if required, a Phase II or Phase III clinical trial. Such funding may be very difficult, or impossible to raise in the public or private markets or through partnerships. If funding or partnerships are not attainable, the development of these product candidates may be significantly delayed or stopped altogether. The announcement of a delay or discontinuation of development would likely have a negative impact on our share price.

We need to raise additional capital.

We have an ongoing need to raise additional capital. To obtain the necessary capital, we must rely on some or all of the following: additional share issues, debt issuances (including promissory notes), collaboration agreements or corporate partnerships and grants and tax credits to provide full or partial funding for our activities. Additional funding may not be available on terms that are acceptable to us or in amounts that will enable us to carry out our business plan.

Our need for capital may require us to:

We have a history of operating losses. We expect to incur net losses and we may never achieve or maintain profitability.

We have not been profitable since our inception in 1986. We reported net losses of $7.8 million in the 7 months ended December 31, 2014 and $10.6 million and $5.6 million for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and as of December 31, 2014, we had an accumulated deficit of $218 million.

We have not generated any significant revenue to date and it is possible that we will never have sufficient product sales revenue to achieve profitability. We expect to continue to incur losses for at least the next several years as we or our collaborators and licensees pursue clinical trials and research and development efforts. To become profitable, we, either alone or with our collaborators and licensees, must successfully develop, manufacture and market our current product candidate APTO-253 as well as continue to identify, develop, manufacture and market new product candidates. It is possible that we will never have significant product sales revenue or receive royalties on our licensed product candidates. If funding is insufficient at any time in the future, we may not be able to develop or commercialize our products, take advantage of business opportunities or respond to competitive pressures.

Clinical trials are long, expensive and uncertain processes and Health Canada or the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) may ultimately not approve any of our product candidates. We may never develop any commercial drugs or other products that generate revenues.

In the past five years, none of our product candidates has received regulatory approval for commercial use and sale in North America. We cannot market a pharmaceutical product in any jurisdiction until it has completed thorough preclinical testing and clinical trials in addition to that jurisdiction’s extensive regulatory approval process. Approval in one country does not assure approval in another country. In general, significant research and development and clinical studies are required to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of our product candidates before we can submit any regulatory applications.

Clinical trials are long, expensive and uncertain processes. Clinical trials may not be commenced or completed on schedule and Health Canada or the FDA or any other regulatory body may not ultimately approve our product candidates for commercial sale. The clinical trials of any of our drug candidates could be unsuccessful, which would prevent us from advancing, commercializing or partnering the drug.

Even if the results of our preclinical studies or clinical trials are initially positive, it is possible that we will obtain different results in the later stages of drug development or that results seen in clinical trials will not continue with longer term treatment. Positive results in Phase I clinical trials may not be repeated in larger Phase II or Phase III clinical trials.

Our preclinical studies and clinical trials may not generate positive results that will allow us to move towards the commercial use and sale of our product candidates. Furthermore, negative preclinical or clinical trial results may cause our business, financial condition, or results of operations to be materially adversely affected. For example, our lead product candidate APTO-253 has entered a Phase Ib testing in patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies for which there is a long development path ahead that will take many years to complete and is prone to the risks of failure inherent in drug development.

Preparing, submitting and advancing applications for regulatory approval is complex, expensive and time intensive and entails significant uncertainty. A commitment of substantial resources to conduct time-consuming research, preclinical studies and clinical trials is required if we are to complete development of our products.

Later stage clinical trials of our products require that we identify and enroll a large number of patients with the illness under investigation. We may not be able to enroll a sufficient number of appropriate patients to complete our clinical trials in a timely manner, particularly in smaller indications and indications where this is significant competition for patients. If we experience difficulty in enrolling a sufficient number of patients to conduct our clinical trials, we may need to delay or terminate ongoing clinical trials and will not accomplish objectives material to our success. Delays in planned patient enrolment or lower than anticipated event rates in our current clinical trials or future clinical trials also may result in increased costs, program delays, or both.

In addition, unacceptable toxicities or adverse side effects may occur at any time in the course of preclinical studies or human clinical trials or, if any product candidates are successfully developed and approved for marketing, during commercial use of any approved products. The appearance of any unacceptable toxicities or adverse side effects could interrupt, limit, delay or abort the development of any of our product candidates or, if previously approved, necessitate their withdrawal from the market. Furthermore, disease resistance or other unforeseen factors may limit the effectiveness of our potential products.

Our failure to develop safe, commercially viable drugs would substantially impair our ability to generate revenues and sustain our operations and would materially harm our business and adversely affect our share price.

We may not achieve our projected development goals in the time frames we announce and expect.

We set goals for, and make public statements regarding, the expected timing of the accomplishment of objectives material to our success, such as the commencement and completion of clinical trials, the partnership of our product candidates and our ability to secure the financing necessary to continue the development of our product candidates. The actual timing of these events can vary dramatically due to factors within and beyond our control, such as delays or failures in our clinical trials, the uncertainties inherent in the regulatory approval process, market conditions and interest by partners in our product candidates among other things. Our clinical trials may not be completed, and we may not make regulatory submissions or receive regulatory approvals as planned, or that we will secure partnerships for any of our product candidates. Any failure to achieve one or more of these milestones as planned would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As a result of intense competition and technological change in the biotechnical and pharmaceutical industries, the marketplace may not accept our products or product candidates, and we may not be able to compete successfully against other companies in our industry and achieve profitability.

Many of our competitors have:

Consequently, our competitors may obtain Health Canada, FDA and other regulatory approvals for product candidates sooner and may be more successful in manufacturing and marketing their products than we or our collaborators are.

Our competitor’s existing and future products, therapies and technological approaches will compete directly with the products we seek to develop. Current and prospective competing products may be more effective than our existing and future products insofar as they may provide greater therapeutic benefits for a specific problem or may offer easier delivery or comparable performance at a lower cost.

Any product candidate that we develop and that obtains regulatory approval must then compete for market acceptance and market share. Our products may not gain market acceptance among physicians, patients, healthcare payers, insurers, the medical community and other stakeholders. Further, any products we develop may become obsolete before we recover any expenses we incurred in connection with the development of these products. As a result, we may never achieve profitability.

If we fail to attract and retain key employees, the development and commercialization of our products may be adversely affected.

We depend on the principal members of our scientific and management staff. If we lose any of these persons, our ability to develop products and become profitable could suffer. The risk of being unable to retain key personnel may be increased by the fact that we have not executed long-term employment contracts with our employees, except for our senior executives. Our future success will also depend in large part on our ability to attract and retain other highly qualified scientific and management personnel. We face competition for personnel from other companies, academic institutions, government entities and other organizations.

We may be unable to obtain patents to protect our technologies from other companies with competitive products, and patents of other companies could prevent us from manufacturing, developing or marketing our products.

Patent protection

The patent positions of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions. The United States Patent and Trademark Office and many other patent offices in the world have not established a consistent policy regarding the breadth of claims that they will allow in biotechnology patents.

Allowable patentable subject matter and the scope of patent protection obtainable may differ between jurisdictions. If a patent office allows broad claims, the number and cost of patent interference proceedings in the United States, or analogous proceedings in other jurisdictions and the risk of infringement litigation may increase. If it allows narrow claims, the risk of infringement may decrease, but the value of our rights under our patents, licenses and patent applications may also decrease.

The scope of the claims in a patent application can be significantly modified during prosecution before the patent is issued. Consequently, we cannot know whether our pending applications will result in the issuance of patents or, if any patents are issued, whether they will provide us with significant proprietary protection or will be circumvented, invalidated or found to be unenforceable.

Publication of discoveries in scientific or patent literature often lags behind actual discoveries. Patent applications filed in the United States generally will be published 18 months after the filing date unless the applicant certifies that the invention will not be the subject of a foreign patent application. In many other jurisdictions, such as Canada, patent applications are published 18 months from the priority date. We may not be aware of such literature. Accordingly, we cannot be certain that the named inventors of our products and processes were the first to invent that product or process or that we were the first to pursue patent coverage for our inventions.

In addition, U.S. patent laws may change which could prevent or limit us from filing patent applications or patent claims in the United States to protect our products and technologies or limit the exclusivity periods that are available to patent holders for U.S. patents. For example, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, (the “Leahy-Smith Act”) was signed into law in 2011 and includes a number of significant changes to U.S. patent law. These include changes to transition from a “first-to-invent” system to a “first-to-file” system and to the way issued patents are challenged. These changes may favour larger and more established companies that have more resources to devote to patent application filing and prosecution. It is not clear what, if any, impact the Leahy-Smith Act will ultimately have on the cost of prosecuting our patent applications in the United States, our ability to obtain patents in the United States based on our discoveries and our ability to enforce or defend our U.S. issued patents.

Enforcement of intellectual property rights

Protection of the rights revealed in published patent applications can be complex, costly and uncertain. Our commercial success depends in part on our ability to maintain and enforce our proprietary rights. If third parties engage in activities that infringe our proprietary rights, our management’s focus will be diverted and we may incur significant costs in asserting our rights. We may not be successful in asserting our proprietary rights, which could result in our patents being held invalid or a court holding that the third party is not infringing, either of which would harm our competitive position.

Others may design around our patented technology. We may have to participate in interference proceedings declared by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, European opposition proceedings, or other analogous proceedings in other parts of the world to determine priority of invention and the validity of patent rights granted or applied for, which could result in substantial cost and delay, even if the eventual outcome is favourable to us. Our pending patent applications, even if issued, may not be held valid or enforceable.

Trade secrets

We also rely on trade secrets, know-how and confidentiality provisions in our agreements with our collaborators, employees and consultants to protect our intellectual property. However, these and other parties may not comply with the terms of their agreements with us, and we might be unable to adequately enforce our rights or obtain adequate compensation for the damages caused by unauthorized disclosure or use of our trade secrets or know how. Our trade secrets or those of our collaborators also may be independently discovered by others.

Our products and product candidates may infringe the intellectual property rights of others, or others may infringe on our intellectual property rights which could increase our costs.

Our success also depends on avoiding infringement of the proprietary technologies of others. In particular, there may be certain issued patents and patent applications claiming subject matter which we or our collaborators may be required to license in order to research, develop or commercialize APTO-253, our lead product candidate. In addition, third parties may assert infringement or other intellectual property claims against us. An adverse outcome in these proceedings could subject us to significant liabilities to third-parties, require disputed rights to be licensed from third-parties or require us to cease or modify our use of the technology. If we are required to license third-party technology, a license under such patents and patent applications may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. Further, we may incur substantial costs defending ourselves in lawsuits against charges of patent infringement or other unlawful use of another’s proprietary technology. We may also need to bring claims against others who we believe are infringing our rights in order to become or remain competitive and successful. Any such claims can be time consuming and expensive to pursue.

If product liability, clinical trial liability or environmental liability claims are brought against us or we are unable to obtain or maintain product liability, clinical trial or environmental liability insurance, we may incur substantial liabilities that could reduce our financial resources.

The clinical testing and commercial use of pharmaceutical products involves significant exposure to product liability, clinical trial liability, environmental liability and other risks that are inherent in the testing, manufacturing and marketing of our products. These liabilities, if realized, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

We have obtained limited product liability insurance coverage for our clinical trials on humans; however, our insurance coverage may be insufficient to protect us against all product liability damages. Regardless of merit or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in decreased demand for a future product, injury to reputation, withdrawal of clinical trial volunteers, loss of revenue, costs of litigation, distraction of management and substantial monetary awards to plaintiffs. Additionally, if we are required to pay a product liability claim, we may not have sufficient financial resources to complete development or commercialization of any of our product candidates and our business and results of operations will be adversely affected. In general, insurance will not protect us against some of our own actions, such as negligence.

As the Company’s development activities progress towards the commercialization of product candidates, our liability coverage may not be adequate, and the Company may not be able to obtain adequate product liability insurance coverage at a reasonable cost, if at all. Even if the Company obtains product liability insurance, its financial position may be materially adversely affected by a product liability claim. A product liability claim could also significantly harm the Company’s reputation and delay market acceptance of its product candidates. Additionally, product recalls may be issued at the direction of the FDA, other government agencies or other companies having regulatory control for pharmaceutical sales. If a product recall occurs in the future, such a recall could adversely affect our business, financial condition or reputation.

We may be unable to obtain partnerships for our product candidates, which could curtail future development and negatively affect our share price. In addition, our partners might not satisfy their contractual responsibilities or devote sufficient resources to our partnership.

Our strategy for the research, development and commercialization of our products requires entering into various arrangements with corporate collaborators, licensors, licensees and others, and our commercial success is dependent upon these outside parties performing their respective contractual responsibilities. The amount and timing of resources that such third parties will devote to these activities may not be within our control. These third parties may not perform their obligations as expected and our collaborators may not devote adequate resources to our programs. In addition, we could become involved in disputes with our collaborators, which could result in a delay or termination of the related development programs or result in litigation. We intend to seek additional collaborative arrangements to develop and commercialize some of our products. We may not be able to negotiate collaborative arrangements on favourable terms, or at all, in the future, and our current or future collaborative arrangements may not be successful.

If we cannot negotiate collaboration, licence or partnering agreements, we may never achieve profitability and we may not be able to continue to develop our product candidates. Phase II and Phase III clinical trials for APTO-253 would require significant amounts of funding and such funding may not be available to us.

Exchange rate risk

We may be exposed to fluctuations of the Canadian dollar against certain other currencies because we publish our consolidated financial statements and hold our investments in Canadian dollars, while we incur many of our expenses in foreign currencies, primarily the United States dollar. Fluctuations in the value of currencies could cause us to incur currency exchange losses. We do not currently employ a hedging strategy against exchange rate risk. We cannot assert with any assurance that we will not suffer losses as a result of unfavorable fluctuations in the exchange rates between the Canadian dollar, the United States dollar and other currencies.

We have agreed to indemnify our predecessor corporation Old Lorus and its directors, officers and employees.

In connection with the reorganization that we undertook in July 2007, we have agreed to indemnify our predecessor, Old Lorus, and its directors, officers and employees from and against all damages, losses, expenses (including fines and penalties), other third party costs and legal expenses, to which any of them may be subject arising out of any matter occurring:

This indemnification obligation could result in significant liability to us. To date no amount has been claimed on this indemnification obligation. Should a claim arise under this indemnification obligation it could result in significant liability to the Company which could have a negative impact on our liquidity, financial position, and ability to obtain future funding among other things.

We have no manufacturing capabilities and face supply risks. We depend on third-parties, including a number of sole suppliers, for manufacturing and storage of our product candidates used in our clinical trials. Product introductions may be delayed or suspended if the manufacture of our products is interrupted or discontinued.

Other than limited quantities for research purposes, we do not have manufacturing facilities to produce supplies of APTO-253 or any of our other product candidates to support clinical trials or commercial launch of these products, if they are approved. We are dependent on third parties for manufacturing and storage of our product candidates. If the supply of necessary components is interrupted, components from alternative suppliers may not be available in sufficient volumes or at acceptable quality levels within required timeframes, if at all, to meet the needs of the Company. An inability to contract for a sufficient supply of our product candidates on acceptable terms, or delays or difficulties in the manufacturing process or our relationships with our manufacturers, may lead to us not having sufficient product to conduct or complete our clinical trials or support preparations for the commercial launch of our product candidates, if approved. This may lead to substantial lost revenue opportunity and contract liability to third parties.

Extensive Government Regulation

Government regulation is a significant factor in the development, production and marketing of the Company’s products. Research and development, testing, manufacture, marketing and sales of pharmaceutical products or related products are subject to extensive regulatory oversight, often in multiple jurisdictions, which may cause significant additional costs and/or delays in bringing products to market, and in turn, may cause significant losses to investors. The regulations applicable to the Company's product candidates may change. Even if granted, regulatory approvals may include significant limitations on the uses for which products can be marketed or may be conditioned on the conduct of post-marketing surveillance studies. Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can, among other things, result in warning letters, the imposition of civil penalties or other monetary payments, delay in approving or refusal to approve a product candidate, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approval, product recall or seizure, operating restrictions, interruptions of clinical trials or manufacturing, injunctions or criminal prosecution. In addition, regulatory agencies many not approve the labeling claims that are necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of the Company’s product candidates.

Requirements for regulatory approval vary widely from country to country. Whether or not approved in Canada or the United States, regulatory authorities in other countries must approve a product prior to the commencement of marketing the product in those countries. The time required to obtain any such approval may be longer or shorter than in Canada or the United States. Approved drugs, as well as their manufacturers, are subject to continuing and ongoing review, and discovery of problems with these products or the failure to adhere to manufacturing or quality control requirements may result in regulatory restrictions being imposed.

Risks Related to Our Common Shares

Our share price has been and is likely to continue to be volatile and an investment in our Common Shares could suffer a decline in value.

You should consider an investment in our Common Shares as risky and invest only if you can withstand a significant loss and wide fluctuations in the market value of your investment. We receive only limited attention by securities analysts and frequently experience an imbalance between supply and demand for our Common Shares. The market price of our Common Shares has been highly volatile and is likely to continue to be volatile. This leads to a heightened risk of securities litigation pertaining to such volatility. Factors affecting our Common Share price include but are not limited to:

Future sales of our Common Shares by us or by our existing shareholders could cause our share price to fall.

The issuance of Common Shares by us could result in significant dilution in the equity interest of existing shareholders and adversely affect the market price of our Common Shares. Sales by existing shareholders of a large number of our Common Shares in the public market and the issuance of shares issued in connection with strategic alliances, or the perception that such additional sales could occur, could cause the market price of our Common Shares to decline and have an undesirable impact on our ability to raise capital.

We are susceptible to stress in the global economy and therefore, our business may be affected by the current and future global financial condition.

If the increased level of volatility and market turmoil that have marked recent years continue, our operations, business, financial condition and the trading price of our Common Shares could be materially adversely affected. Furthermore, general economic conditions may have a great impact on us, including our ability to raise capital, our commercialization opportunities and our ability to establish and maintain arrangements with others for research, manufacturing, product development and sales.

An active trading market in our Common Shares may not be sustained.

Our Common Shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) and the NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”). However, an active trading market in our Common Shares on the stock exchanges may not be sustained and we may not be able to maintain our listings.

It may be difficult for non-Canadian investors to obtain and enforce judgments against us because of our Canadian incorporation and presence.

We are a corporation existing under the laws of Canada. Many of our directors and officers, and all of the experts named in this Transition Report and the documents incorporated by reference into this Transition Report, are residents of Canada, and all or a substantial portion of their assets, and a substantial portion of our assets, are located outside the United States. Consequently, although we have appointed an agent for service of process in the United States, it may be difficult for holders of our shares who reside in the United States to effect service within the United States upon our directors and officers and experts who are not residents of the United States. It may also be difficult for holders of our shares who reside in the United States to realize in the United States upon judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon our civil liability and the civil liability of our directors, officers and experts under the United States federal securities laws. Investors should not assume that Canadian courts (i) would enforce judgments of United States courts obtained in actions against us or our directors, officers or experts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the United States federal securities laws or the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state within the United States or (ii) would enforce, in original actions, liabilities against us or our directors, officers or experts predicated upon the United States federal securities laws or any such state securities or “blue sky” laws. In addition, we have been advised by our Canadian counsel that in normal circumstances, only civil judgments and not other rights arising from United States securities legislation are enforceable in Canada and that the protections afforded by Canadian securities laws may not be available to investors in the United States.

We are likely a “passive foreign investment company” which may have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences for U.S. shareholders.

U.S. investors in our Common Shares should be aware that the Company believes it was classified as a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) during the tax year ended December 31, 2014, and based on current business plans and financial expectations, the Company believes that it will be a PFIC for the current tax year and may be a PFIC in subsequent tax years. If the Company is a PFIC for any year during a U.S. shareholder’s holding period, then such U.S. shareholder generally will be required to treat any gain realized upon a disposition of Common Shares, or any so-called “excess distribution” received on its Common Shares, as ordinary income, and to pay an interest charge on a portion of such gain or distributions, unless the shareholder makes a timely and effective “qualified electing fund” election (“QEF election”) or a “mark-to-market” election with respect to the Common Shares. A U.S. shareholder who makes a QEF election generally must report on a current basis its share of the Company’s net capital gain and ordinary earnings for any year in which the Company is a PFIC, whether or not the Company distributes any amounts to its shareholders. However, U.S. shareholders should be aware that we do not intend to satisfy record keeping requirements that apply to a qualified electing fund, and we do not intend to supply U.S. shareholders with information that such U.S. shareholders require to report under the QEF election rules, in the event that we are a PFIC and a U.S. shareholder wishes to make a QEF election. Thus, U.S. shareholders should assume that they will not be able to make a QEF election with respect to their Common Shares. A U.S. shareholder who makes the mark-to-market election generally must include as ordinary income each year the excess of the fair market value of the Common Shares over the taxpayer’s basis therein. This paragraph is qualified in its entirety by the discussion below under the heading “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.” Each U.S. shareholder should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, U.S. local, and foreign tax consequences of the PFIC rules and the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of our Common Shares.

Item 4.          Information on the Company

Old Lorus was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) on September 5, 1986 under the name RML Medical Laboratories Inc. On October 28, 1991, RML Medical Laboratories Inc. amalgamated with Mint Gold Resources Ltd., resulting in Old Lorus becoming a reporting issuer (as defined under applicable securities law) in Ontario, on such date. On August 25, 1992, Old Lorus changed its name to IMUTEC Corporation. On November 27, 1996, Old Lorus changed its name to Imutec Pharma Inc., and on November 19, 1998, Old Lorus changed its name to Lorus Therapeutics Inc. On October 1, 2005, Old Lorus continued under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

On the Arrangement Date, Old Lorus completed a plan of arrangement and corporate reorganization with, among others, 6650309 Canada Inc. (“New Lorus”), 6707157 Canada Inc. and Pinnacle International Lands, Inc. As a result of the plan of arrangement and reorganization, each Common Share of Old Lorus was exchanged for one Common Share of New Lorus. New Lorus continued the business of Old Lorus after the Arrangement Date with the same officers and employees and continued to be governed by the same board of directors as Old Lorus prior to the Arrangement Date.

On August 28, 2014, New Lorus changed its name from Lorus Therapeutics Inc. to Aptose Biosciences Inc. and on October 1, 2014 we consolidated our outstanding Common Shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Common Share for each twelve pre-consolidation Common Shares.

The address of the Company’s head and registered office is 2 Meridian Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M9W 4Z7 and our phone number is (416) 798-1200. Our corporate website is www.aptose.com. The contents of the website and items accessible through the website are specifically not incorporated in this Transition Report by reference.

Aptose has two subsidiaries: NuChem Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“NuChem”), a company incorporated under the laws of Ontario, Canada, and Aptose Biosciences U.S. Inc. (“Aptose USA”), a company incorporated under the laws of Delaware, USA. Aptose owns 80% of the issued and outstanding voting share capital of NuChem and 100% of the issued and outstanding voting share capital of Aptose USA. NuChem has limited activity and the non-controlling interest is not material to the consolidated financial statements of the Company. Aptose USA was incorporated in April 2014 and did not have any activity during the seven months ended December 31, 2014.

Our Common Shares are listed on the TSX under the symbol “APS” and on NASDAQ under the symbol “APTO.”

Aptose is a clinical stage biotechnology company with a commitment to the development of targeted therapies addressing unmet medical needs in oncology. We develop therapeutics focused on novel cellular targets at the leading edge of cancer research, coupled with companion diagnostics to identify the optimal patient population for our products. Our product pipeline includes cancer drug candidates that exert potent activity as stand-alone agents and that enhance the activities of other anticancer agents without causing overlapping toxicities. Indeed, we believe our targeted products can emerge as first-in-class or best-in-class agents that deliver single agent benefit and can serve as the backbone of combination therapies for specific populations of cancer patients.

We believe the future of cancer treatment and management lies in the prospective selection and treatment of patients having malignancies that are genetically predisposed to response based on a drug’s unique mechanism of action. We are of the view that many drugs currently approved for the treatment and management of cancer are not selective for the specific genetic alterations (targets) that cause the patient’s tumor and hence lead to significant toxicities due to off-target effects. Aptose’s strategy is to develop agents that address a common underlying disease-promoting pathway within a patient population, and we intend to apply this strategy across several therapeutic indications in oncology, including hematologic malignancies and solid tumor indications. Our lead program, APTO-253, is a first-in-class inducer of the Krüppel-like factor 4 gene (the “Klf4 Gene”) for patients with advanced hematologic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (“AML”) and myelodysplastic syndromes (“MDS”).

The following table sets forth various product conditions in our pipeline and their respective stages of development.

Capital Expenditures and Divestitures

Not applicable.

As noted above, Aptose is committed to the development of anticancer drugs that target specific processes that underlie a particular life-threatening malignancy. This targeted approach is intended to impact the disease-causing events in cancer cells without affecting normal processes within cells. Such an approach requires that we first identify the underlying oncogenic mechanism in particular cancer cells and then create a therapeutic that selectively impacts that oncogenic mechanism. As described below, an underlying oncogenic process has been identified as operative in the majority of patients with AML (acute myeloid leukemia), an aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow for which there is a tremendous need for safe and effective anticancer drugs. Aptose has created a small molecule targeted drug (APTO-253) that selectively impacts that underlying oncogenic process, and the drug is under development as a novel therapy for AML and the related MDS.

Krüppel-Like Factor 4 & CDX2

Krüppel-like factors constitute a diverse family of genes (the “Klf Genes”) that act by modifying the expression levels of other genes that control essential cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, differentiation, cell death and metastasis. Approximately 17 Klf Genes are known, with an array of roles that include serving as innate tumor suppressors. The Klf Genes give rise to the production of proteins (the “KLF Proteins”). Structurally, KLF Proteins include DNA binding domains that allow for the identification and regulation of other genes. Of particular importance, the Krüppel-like factor 4 protein (the “KLF4 Protein”) is characterized as a master transcription factor that regulates cell identity and cell fate.

Production of the KLF4 Protein is influenced by the expression of another gene, an embryonic gene known as Cdx2 (the “Cdx2 Gene”).The Cdx2 Gene, while not expressed in the bone marrow and blood cells of normal adults, was observed to be active in the malignant cells in a majority of patients with AML. It was subsequently noted that the protein product of the Cdx2 Gene (“CDX2 Protein”) interacted directly with the Klf4 Gene. It was demonstrated that the CDX2 Protein causes reductions in KLF4 Protein levels by binding and epigenetically silencing the Klf4 Gene (Faber et. al., J Clin Invest. 2013;123(1):299–314). In subsequent studies from Faber et. al., it was demonstrated that activation of the Cdx2 Gene in normal cells lacking the CDX2 Protein caused decreased KLF4 Protein levels and promoted excessive cellular proliferation (Figure 1, First Bullet) It also was demonstrated that genetic manipulation to silence the CDX2 Gene in human AML cells resulted in increased levels of the KLF4 Protein (Figure 1, Second Bullet) and subsequent induction of cellular apoptosis (programmed cell death) in AML cells. Further, in human AML cells possessing an active Cdx2 Gene, Faber et. al. inserted an active Klf4 Gene to overcome innate KLF4 Protein suppression, and revealed that increased KLF4 Protein alone could promote apoptosis (Figure 1, Third Bullet). Thus, KLF4 silencing is a key oncogenic event in AML and merely raising the levels of KLF4 Protein in AML cells can lead to programmed cell death.

Figure 1: Studies Assessing the Role of KLF4 in AML Cells 

It has been reported by Faber et. al. that a multitude of genetic abnormalities in bone marrow stem and progenitor cells can culminate in the aberrant expression of the Cdx2 Gene and lead to decreased Klf4 Gene transcription to yield diminished KLF4 Protein levels. Therefore, this abnormal CDX2-KLF4 signature was speculated by Faber et. al. to be a potential leukemogenic trigger for approximately 90% of AML patients. Separately, it was observed by Scholl et. al. in 2007 (J. Clin. Invest. 117:1037–1048 (2007)) that approximately 40% of patients with higher risk MDS possessed increased CDX2 Protein levels, and may represent the portion of the MDS population progressing to AML. Other opportunities in oncology in which the Klf4 Gene has been implicated to play a role include colorectal, gastric, cervical, prostate and lung cancers, among others.

APTO-253: Lead Clinical Program

Our lead program is APTO-253, a small molecule that induces transcription of the Klf4 Gene in in vitro studies and in in vivo pharmacodynamic studies of human xenograft tumors in mice. APTO-253 was discovered and identified by Aptose scientists based upon the magnitude of its antiproliferative activity across a multitude of cell lines. In vitro studies conducted at Aptose demonstrated significant potency with nanomolar IC50 concentrations of APTO-253 in AML cell lines, and ten to 1000 times greater potency against AML cell lines than against many solid tumor cell lines. In vitro analyses with relevant AML cell lines, including THP1, HL-60 and Kasumi-1, demonstrated that APTO-253 significantly elevated KLF4 mRNA and KLF4 Protein levels, with the anticipated downstream increase in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor I (p21, a protein that halts the cell cycle and prevents cells from proliferating), caspase-3 (an enzyme activated during programmed cell death to chop up other proteins), and Annexin-V (used as a marker for the initiation of programmed cell death), leading to G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (programmed cell death). APTO-253 is administered as an intravenous infusion in patients. We previously reported initial results from a dose-escalating Phase I clinical study of APTO-253 in patients with various solid tumors, and in that study we observed evidence of anti-tumor activity as a single agent at doses that were safe and well tolerated. Our future plans are to advance APTO-253 to a Phase Ib clinical study in relapsed / refractory hematologic malignancies, including patients with AML, MDS, multiple myeloma and various lymphomas, based upon the common underlying, leukemia-causing profile of Klf4 Gene suppression. The development of APTO-253 currently represents the primary focus of Aptose.

On July 28, 2014 we announced that the U.S. FDA had completed its review and cleared the Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application of APTO-253 for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, including AML, high-risk MDS, lymphomas and multiple myeloma. Clearance of the IND allowed us to initiate a Phase Ib, multi-center, open-label, clinical study of APTO-253 in patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies. The Phase Ib trial will evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamic responses and efficacy of APTO-253 as a single agent. The trial is expected to enroll 45-60 patients as part of a dose-escalation program and two separate disease-specific single-agent expansion cohorts.

The dose escalation study will include two separate arms: one group of up to 15 patients dedicated to AML and high-risk MDS only and another group of up to 15 patients for lymphomas and multiple myelomas. The two separate arms will allow for a focused look at AML and high-risk MDS and exploration of the effect of APTO-253 on lymphomas and myelomas. They will also provide patient data on two times the number of patients during 2015 than would have been possible with only a single arm study.

The primary objectives of the Phase Ib trial are: (i) to further assess safety on a new and optimized dosing schedule, and (ii) to identify the recommended dose for APTO-253 for the upcoming Phase Ib single-agent expansion trials which will include one expansion in AML for up to 15 patients and one expansion in MDS for up to 15 patients, in hematologic malignancies as well as in subsequent Phase 2 combination trials.

We plan to monitor patient Krüppel-like factor 4 (“KLF4”) and the product of the embryonic Cdx2 Gene, the CDX2 Protein levels upon entry into the study, throughout the study, and during a post-treatment period. We will not exclude patients based on KLF4 or CDX2 status from participating in this first study as we believe this approach may be useful in further validating our companion diagnostic and observing potential responses among the broader population.

Subsequent to the seven months ended December 31, 2014, we announced on January 13, 2015 that we had dosed the first patient in the Phase Ib dose-escalation study. We anticipate providing a potential update on the dose-escalation study during the summer of 2015, completing enrollment of the Phase Ib dose-escalation study by late-2015 or the first half of 2016, starting the single agent expansion cohort studies for this study in 2016 and starting Phase 2 combination studies in 2016.

Aptose is currently developing and validating a companion diagnostic for APTO-253. The diagnostics will be designed to assess the extent of genetic expression of Cdx2 and Klf4 in patients as a potential predictor of response to therapy with APTO-253, as well as assess post-treatment expression levels as biomarkers of efficacy.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

AML is a rapidly progressing cancer of the blood and bone marrow characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of dysfunctional myeloblasts that do not mature into healthy blood cells. It is the most common form of acute leukemia in adults. The American Cancer Society estimates there were approximately 14,590 new cases of AML and approximately 10,370 deaths from AML in the U.S. in 2013 and that there will be approximately 18,860 new cases of AML and approximately 10,460 deaths from AML in the U.S. in 2014. Standard induction therapy with chemotherapy is successful in many AML patients, but the majority of these patients will relapse with treatment refractory disease. Typical relapse rates in patients less than, and greater than, 60 years of age are approximately 48% and 71% respectively, as reported by Datamonitor Healthcare.

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

MDS are a group of blood and bone marrow disorders. In MDS, stem cells do not mature normally, and the number of blasts (immature cells) and dysplastic (abnormally developed) cells increases. Also, the number of healthy mature cells decreases, meaning there are fewer normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The numbers of blood cells are often called blood cell counts. Because of the decrease in healthy cells, people with MDS often have anemia (a lowered blood cell count), and may have neutropenia (a low white blood cell count) and thrombocytopenia (a low platelet count). Also, the chromosomes (long strands of genes) in the bone marrow cells may be abnormal. According to the American Cancer Society, there are approximately 13,000 new cases of MDS annually in the US. Additionally, Datamonitor Healthcare reports median survival in higher risk MDS patients may range between five months and two years. There are several subtypes of MDS, and some subtypes of MDS may eventually turn into AML.

Solid Tumors

Phase I data with APTO-253 in patients with solid tumors and preclinical data in solid tumor cells, including non-small cell lung cancer (“NSCLC”), identified an opportunity for APTO-253 in patients possessing cancers with reduced Klf4 Gene expression. Our prior Phase I study with APTO-253 also revealed a favorable safety profile for APTO-253. Various solid tumors have exhibited suppressed levels of Klf4 Gene in scientific publications, including colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, prostate and cervical cancers, as well as NSCLC. NSCLC is an indication that we consider to have a large market potential and important unmet need worldwide, in which the Klf4 Gene is a tumor suppressor that is present in case-matched normal cells but depressed in NSCLC tumor cells. Aptose may in the future evaluate the clinical utility of APTO-253 in additional studies in a subset of NSCLC patients that may be predisposed to a response with a therapeutically activating the Klf4 Gene.

In January 2011, Aptose announced the first patient enrolment in a Phase I dose-escalation study for APTO-253 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors who are unresponsive to conventional therapy or for which no effective therapy is available. The study was initially being conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and later added MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston as a second site. Objectives of the study included determination or characterization of the safety profile, maximum tolerated dose, and antitumor activity of APTO-253, as well as pharmacokinetics and a recommended Phase II dose for subsequent clinical trials.

In June 2012, Aptose announced the addition of MD Anderson Cancer Center as a second site in the then ongoing APTO-253 Phase I clinical trial, under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Wheler as the principal investigator. In addition, Aptose announced that the study had successfully completed the accelerated drug dose escalation stage (Stage 1), with further escalation under way in the non-accelerated dose escalation stage (Stage 2) for the purpose of determining the maximal tolerated dose level and recommended Phase II dose. The addition of a second site expanded patient availability for enrollment.

In January 2013, Aptose announced that Phase I clinical study of APTO-253 has successfully escalated to the target dose level based on predicted and observed clinical effects without limitation by toxicity. The success of this study allowed Aptose to initiate a biomarker clinical investigation to further explore the effects of the drug at relevant doses determined in the clinical trial.

In April 2013, Aptose announced the presentation of preclinical data at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (“AACR”), held in Washington, DC from April 6, 2013 through April 10, 2013. The poster presentation titled “Utilization of KLF4 as a pharmacodynamic biomarker for in vivo anticancer activity of a novel small molecule drug APTO-253” covered data from preclinical studies on anticancer activity and tumor biomarker analysis for APTO-253 in animal models of human NSCLC. The studies demonstrate that APTO-253 has antitumor activity with a dose-response effect in NSCLC that is associated with a dose dependent increase of the KLF4 gene.

In July 2013, Aptose announced the results of the Phase I clinical trial of APTO-253. In this first-in-man, dose-escalation clinical study, APTO-253 demonstrated a favorable safety profile, as well as encouraging signs of antitumor activity. The design of this trial consisted of APTO-253 as a single agent in patients with advanced solid tumors resistant to multiple standard therapies. The study enrolled 27 patients, all of which had failed a median of four prior chemotherapies. Although this was primarily a dose-escalation safety study, efficacy and pharmacokinetics were also explored.

The clinical trial enrolled patients at seven dose levels ranging from 20 to 229 mg/m2. Of the 27 patients enrolled, 17 were evaluable for efficacy. Of these 17 patients, seven (41%) achieved stable disease by Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (“RECIST”). This included patients with colorectal, lung, appendiceal, liver and uterine cancers. Dose related activity was demonstrated at the higher dose levels (176 and 229 mg/m2). At these two highest dose levels, four of five evaluable patients (80%) achieved sustained stable disease by RECIST ranging from 5.6 months to 8 months, representative of disease control. Of these, a patient with non-small cell lung cancer at the highest dose level additionally demonstrated non-index tumor shrinkage.

The safety assessment indicated that APTO-253 was well tolerated at all dose levels tested in this trial. The dose escalation was not limited by toxicity. The most common adverse event was Grade 1 or 2 fatigue seen in three patients. There was one Grade 3 toxicity, asymptomatic low blood phosphate level that was reversible by supplementation with phosphates. The pharmacokinetic profile was consistent with the predictive profile seen preclinically, and the elimination profile and half-life in patients were suggestive of a very rapid distribution phase and prolonged retention.

Small Molecular Program

In April 2013, Aptose entered into a research and license option agreement with Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company (“Elanco”), to investigate a new proprietary series of Aptose compounds for veterinary medicine. Pursuant to the agreement, Elanco will fund the research program and was granted an exclusive option to license the worldwide rights to selected compounds for veterinary use; the terms of which will be negotiated if the option is exercised by Elanco. Aptose retains the rights to develop and commercialize these compounds for human use. Lead optimization is underway and the next goal is to identify a clinical drug candidate.

APTO-500

This program aims to discover and develop potent, first-in-class small molecule inhibitors of maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (“MELK”). MELK plays an important role in cancer cell cycle, signaling pathways, and cancer stem cells. MELK is highly expressed in several cancer types and its expression correlates with poor prognosis in glioma and breast cancer. These findings provide strong support that selective targeting of MELK may be an effective cancer treatment strategy. Several compounds targeting MELK have been identified. Cancer associated kinases as drug targets are a very active area for research and development globally and kinase inhibitors are some of the best selling drugs in oncology, which include Imatinib, Sunitinib, Sorafenib and Erlotinib, whose annual global sales amount to billions. Much of the current focus is on the development of selective kinase inhibitors that hit specific targets in cancer cells and cause less toxicity associated with off-target effect. Aptose believes that the APTO-500 program can produce one of the first selective MELK inhibitor in development for cancer treatment and the market potential for this novel drug could exceed $1 billion annually. The APTO-500 program is in the discovery phase of development at the present time.

Large Molecule Program

The Company’s large molecule program includes a molecule to target specific cell-surface receptors expressed in certain cancers expressing the Interleukin-17E receptor (IL-17ER).  The molecule under development is IL-17E, which binds to IL-17ER to lead to targeted cell killing.   IL-17E is also known to have activity in stimulating the anti-cancer properties of the immune system.  IL-17E is a protein-based therapeutic in the pre-clinical stage of development.  The Company is not currently developing IL-17E and is seeking to out-license the program.

In May 2012, Aptose entered into a global license with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, in respect of certain patents owned by Genentech for IL-17E. Through this license, Genentech granted to Aptose the rights to develop IL-17E as a treatment for a large number of cancers on a global basis.

In June 2012, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office issued Aptose’s patent for IL-17E which protects the use of IL-17E to treat cancer, including many different solid tumors such as colon, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and lung cancers as well as melanoma, until 2026.

In August 2012, the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (“NRC-IRAP”) awarded funding to Aptose to support development of IL-17E for cancer therapy. The $50,000 non-repayable contribution from NRC-IRAP was used for a pilot development project to manufacture IL-17E, which was carried out by researchers at the National Research Council who have extensive experience in the development, recovery and purification of recombinant proteins and peptides produced by different expression systems.

In December 2012, Aptose presented new data at the 2012 American Association for Cancer Research (“AACR”) Tumor Immunology: Multidisciplinary Science Driving Basic and Clinical Advances Conference. The presentation provided an overview of recent preclinical studies conducted by Aptose to assess the anticancer activity and safety of IL-17E. The studies show that IL-17E significantly inhibits the growth of colon and melanoma cancers in animal models, with no apparent signs of toxicity. The animal models used provide both a more complete assessment of the safety of IL-17E, and confirmation of the efficacy of IL-17E in animal models at safe doses. This is essential information for Aptose’s strategy to bring IL-17E into clinical studies to treat human cancers.

In January 2013, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued Aptose the U.S. patent protecting methods of treating cancer with IL-17E, both alone and in combination with anticancer therapy drugs including gemcitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, erlotinib, cisplatin, and bevacizumab. The patent covers the treatment of a wide range of cancers, including breast, lung, colon, pancreatic, gastric and ovarian tumors, as well as melanoma. Patents with similar protection for IL-17E are pending in Canada and Europe.

IL-17E is not currently being developed by Aptose as we are primarily focusing on APTO-253 at the present time.

Business OF THE COMPANY

Strategic Review Process

On September 12, 2013, the Company formed a special committee composed of independent directors to review strategic alternatives available to the Company and secure the long-term financial and operational sustainability of the Company with a view to enhance shareholder value (the “Special Committee”). On October 28, 2013, the Special Committee, after having considered and reviewed a number of options, concluded its review. The Special Committee recommended that the board of directors of Aptose (the “Board”) approve the appointments of William G. Rice, Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board and of Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., to serve as a special advisor to fulfill the functions of the Company’s Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs. Additionally, on October 29, 2013, Brian Druker, M.D. was appointed as the Chair of the Company’s newly formed Scientific Advisory Board.

Changes in Management

On October 28, 2013, William G. Rice, Ph.D., was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board while Dr. Aiping Young continued as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company until she departed the Company on March 18, 2014. Aptose also appointed Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., to serve as a special advisor to fulfill the functions of the Company’s Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs. Dr. Von Hoff is an independent contractor and advisor but is not an employee of Aptose. The Board, after receiving the recommendation of the Special Committee, unanimously approved the appointments. In doing so, the Board determined that such appointments were in the best interest of Aptose, as they were considered to enhance the management team and advisory team with the addition of two seasoned and experienced biotechnology executives bringing extensive clinical development and capital raising experience and improving the awareness and presence of the Company in the United States. On April 10, 2014, Dr. Rice was additionally appointed as President of the Company.

On October 29, 2013, Brian Druker, M.D., was appointed as the Chair of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board. Like Dr. Von Hoff, Dr. Druker is an independent contractor and advisor but not an employee of Aptose.

On December 2, 2013, Avanish Vellanki was appointed as Chief Business Officer of the Company, to manage global business development, licensing and corporate strategy, and Gregory K. Chow was appointed as Chief Financial Officer, with responsibility for corporate finance and accounting functions for the Company. On April 10, 2014, Messrs. Vellanki and Chow were additionally appointed as Senior Vice Presidents of the Company.

On September 8, 2014, Stephen B. Howell was appointed Chief Medical Officer of the Company.

Name and year end change

On September 2, 2014, we announced that we had changed our name to Aptose Biosciences Inc. from the previous name of Lorus Therapeutics Inc. The new name reflects our new focus and clinical-stage pipeline strategy, as an oncology research and development organization advancing new therapeutics and molecular diagnostics based on insights into the genetic profiles of certain cancers and patient populations.  Our lead product, APTO-253 (formerly LOR-253) exerts its antitumor effects by activating a key apoptotic pathway in tumor cells. The term "apoptosis" represents the innate self-killing capacity of cells triggered upon the onset of cellular damage, and cancer cells employ various mechanisms to avoid apoptosis. For these reasons, "apoptosis" is the intuitive root of the name of "Aptose Biosciences." In addition, our stated goal with respect to the name change is to align the product portfolio and product development with the strategic course set by its new management team.

Effective July 17, 2014, we changed our fiscal year end from May 31 to December 31. As a result of that change the current period is for the seven months ended December 31, 2014 while the prior year comparative period is for the twelve months ended May 31, 2014 and therefore not directly comparable to the current seven month period.

Reverse Stock Split

On October 1, 2014, Aptose filed articles of amendment to give effect to the reverse stock split (consolidation) of its Common Shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Common Share for each 12 pre-consolidation Common Shares (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The number of Common Shares outstanding as of the time of the announcement was 139,324,451. The number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the Reverse Stock Split was 11,610,402.

NASDAQ listing

On October 21, 2014, Aptose announced that its Common Shares were approved for listing on NASDAQ under the symbol “APTO” and began trading on NASDAQ on October 23, 2014. Aptose has retained its listing on the TSX under the symbol “APS”.

Financial Strategy

To meet our future financing requirements, we intend to finance our operations through some or all of the following methods: public or private equity financings, collaborative and licensing agreements. We intend to pursue financing opportunities as they arise. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” above.

April 2014 Public Offering

In April 2014, we completed a public offering in Canada and a simultaneous private placement in the United States of Common Shares. Aptose issued 4,708,334 (56,500,000 pre-consolidation) Common Shares at a purchase price of $6.00 ($0.50 pre-consolidation) per Common Share including 541,667 (6,500,000 pre-consolidation) Common Shares pursuant to the partial exercise of an over-allotment option, for aggregate gross proceeds of $28,250,000. The total costs associated with the transaction were approximately $2,665,914 which includes a cash commission of $1,977,500 based on 7% of the gross proceeds received as part of the offering.

Mr. Sheldon Inwentash and his joint actors (“Mr. Inwentash”), a former related party of Aptose by virtue of exercising control or direction over more than 10% of the Common Shares of Aptose, participated in this offering and acquired an aggregate of 108,333 (1,300,000 pre-consolidation) Common Shares.

December 2013 Public Offering

On December 10, 2013, we completed a public offering of Common Shares. Aptose issued a total of 1,060,833 (12,730,000 pre-consolidation) Common Shares at a price of $6.60 ($0.55 pre-consolidation) per Common Share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $7,001,500 from this offering.

The total costs associated with the transaction were approximately $999,440 which includes a cash commission of $420,090 based on 6% of the gross proceeds received as part of the offering, and the issuance of 73,198 (878,370 pre-consolidation) broker warrants with an estimated fair value of $349,592 using the Black-Scholes model. Each broker warrant is exercisable into one Common Share of the Company at a price of $6.60 ($0.55 pre-consolidation) for a period of twenty four months following closing of the offering.

Mr. Inwentash, a former related party of the Company by virtue of exercising control or direction over more than 10% of the Common Shares of the Company participated in this offering and acquired an aggregate of 151,667 (1,820,000 pre-consolidation) Common Shares.

On January 8, 2014, the underwriters conducting the offering exercised in full their over-allotment option to purchase an additional 159,125 (1,909,500 pre-consolidation) Common Shares of the Company at a price of $6.60 ($0.55 pre-consolidation) per Common Share for additional gross proceeds of $1,050,225. The total costs associated with the exercise of the over-allotment option were approximately $125,612 based on 6% of the gross proceeds received as part of the exercise of the over-allotment option, and the issuance of 9,548 (114,570 pre-consolidation) broker warrants with an estimated fair value of $45,599 using the Black-Scholes model. Each broker warrant is exercisable into one Common Share of the Company at a price of $6.60 ($0.55 pre-consolidation) for a period of twenty four months following the closing of the over-allotment option exercise.

Fiscal 2014 Warrant Exercises

During the seven months ended December 31, 2014, 1,231,000 Common Share purchase warrants were exercised for proceeds of $6,648,000.

June 2013 Promissory Notes and Warrants

In June 2013, we completed a private placement of units at a price of $1,000 per unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $918,000. Each unit consisted of (i) a $1,000 principal amount of unsecured promissory note and (ii) 1,000 Common Share purchase warrants. The promissory notes bore interest at a rate of 10% per annum, payable monthly and were due June 19, 2014. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one Common Share of Aptose at a price per Common Share equal to $3.00 ($0.25 pre-consolidation) at any time until June 19, 2015.

Certain related parties participated in the transaction. Directors and officers (including Dr. Aiping Young, Dr. Jim Wright and Dr. Mark Vincent) acquired an aggregate of $68,000 of the promissory notes. Mr. Inwentash acquired $100,000 of the promissory notes. These notes and any interest accrued thereon were repaid in full in April 2014.

September 2013 Convertible Promissory Notes

In September 2013, we completed a private placement of convertible promissory notes for aggregate gross proceeds of $600,000. Each convertible promissory note consists of a $1,000 principal amount of unsecured promissory note convertible into Common Shares of the Company at a price per share of $3.60 ($0.30 pre-consolidation). The promissory notes bear interest at a rate of 10% per annum, payable quarterly and are due September 26, 2015. Mr. Inwentash acquired $150,000 of the promissory notes.

At December 31, 2014, $162,500 of the convertible promissory notes had been converted into Common Shares of the Company.

September 2013 Loans payable

In September 2013, we entered into loan agreements for proceeds of $150,000. The loan agreements were unsecured, bore interest at a rate of 10% per annum payable quarterly and were due September 30, 2015. We repaid the loans and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon on April 25, 2014.

June 2012 Private Placement

In June 2012, we completed a private placement of 1,718,750 (20,625,000 pre-consolidation) units at a subscription price of $3.84 ($0.32 pre-consolidation) per unit and each unit consisted of one Common Share and one Common Share purchase warrant for gross proceeds to Aptose of $6,600,000. Each warrant was exercisable for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $5.40 ($0.45 pre-consolidation). We paid a cash finder’s fee of $396,000 based on 6% of the gross proceeds of the private placement and issued 103,125 (1,237,500 pre-consolidation) finder’s warrants at an exercise price of $3.84 ($0.32 pre-consolidation) each. Each finder’s warrant was exercisable into units consisting of 103,125 (1,237,500 pre-consolidation) Common Shares and 103,125 (1,237,500 pre-consolidation) warrants.

August 2011 Unit Offering

In August 2011, we closed a public offering for gross proceeds of $2,193,600 whereby we issued 457,000 (5,484,000 pre-consolidation) Common Shares and 473,126 (5,677,515 pre-consolidation) warrants including broker warrants. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share for five years after the closing of the offering at an exercise price of $5.40 ($0.45 pre-consolidation). If on any date the 10-day volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the TSX equals or exceeds 200% of the $5.40 ($0.45 pre-consolidation) exercise price, then upon sending the holders of warrants written notice of and issuing a news release announcing such accelerated exercise date, the warrants shall only be exercisable for a period of 30 days following the date of notice.

Agreements

Manufacturing Agreements

We currently rely upon Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMO’s) for the manufacture of our drug candidates. The CMO’s manufacture clinical material according to current Good Manufacturing Practices, (GMPs,). Prior to manufacturing, the CMO’s are approved by our quality assurance department staff, after having conducted audits to ensure such manufacturers meet the requirements of the relevant regulatory authorities.

Manufactured product for clinical purposes is tested for conformance with product specifications prior to release. GMP batches of our drug candidates are subjected to prospectively designed stability test protocols.

License Agreements

Genentech Inc.

The Company holds a non-exclusive license from Genentech Inc. (“Genentech”) to certain patent rights to develop and sub-license a specified polypeptide. In consideration of the license, the Company paid an upfront amount and could be required to pay to Genentech additional milestones and royalties on sales. The initial amount paid upfront was a one-time non-creditable, non-refundable fee which was immaterial to the Company. The aggregate milestone amounts payable under the agreement total $2,325,000. Additionally, the Company is obligated to make royalty payments after the first commercial sale of the polypeptide within a range of 1% to 5% on a country by country basis on an aggregate worldwide scale of net sales. No milestone or royalty payments under this agreement have become due and the Company does not expect to make any milestone or royalty payments under this agreement during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015. The Company cannot reasonably predict when such royalties will become payable, if at all. The agreement will terminate upon the expiration of the last patent, which is expected to be in 2020. The agreement may be terminated (i) by the Company for any reason upon 60 days prior written notice to Genentech or (ii) by Genentech for any material breach of the agreement by the Company, provided that the Company has the option to cure such breach within 30 days following written notice by Genentech.

Collaboration Agreements

Elanco

In April 2013, Aptose entered into a research and license option agreement with Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company, to investigate a new proprietary series of Aptose’s compounds for veterinary medicine. Pursuant to the agreement, Elanco agreed to fund the research program and was granted an exclusive option to license from Aptose our worldwide rights for selected compounds for veterinary use; the terms of which will be negotiated if the option is exercised by Elanco. Aptose retains the rights to develop and commercialize these compounds for human use and intends to use the animal data from the collaboration as a basis for a partnership with a third party to develop the technology for the treatment of patients with cancer. Lead optimization is underway and the next goal is to identify a clinical drug candidate that can be developed for both human and animal use.

Other

From time to time, we enter into other research and technology agreements with third parties under which research is conducted and monies expended. These agreements outline the responsibilities of each participant and the appropriate arrangements in the event the research produces a product candidate.

Deferred Share Unit Plan

As at December 31, 2014, no deferred share units under the deferred share unit plan of the Company (the “DSU Plan”) were outstanding (May 31, 2014 – nil).

Intellectual Property and Protection of Confidential Information and Technology

We believe that our issued patents and pending applications are important in establishing and maintaining a competitive position with respect to our products and technology.

Small Molecule

We have been issued 21 patents and have 10 pending patents worldwide for our in-house small molecules.  These patents cover APTO-253 composition of matter and methods of treating different cancers with APTO-253, including solid tumors and leukemia.   Composition of matter patents expire in 2028 in the United States and 2026 in other countries.  Our patents also include several compounds that are similar to APTO-253, which provide protection from competitors seeking to develop anticancer products that are related in chemical structure to APTO-253.

Large Molecule

We have three issued patents for our IL-17E immunotherapy program. The patents, which expire in 2026, cover methods of treating cancer with IL-17E.  Specific cancers listed in the patents include colon, breast, ovarian, cervical, lung gastric and prostate tumors.  Aptose has entered into a license agreement with Genentech, which provides Aptose the right to use Genentech’s IL-17E composition of matter patent for anticancer uses, as described above under License Agreements.

Risks Relating to Intellectual Property

Our pending patent applications may not result in issued patents and our issued patents may not be held valid and enforceable if challenged. Competitors may be able to circumvent any such issued patents by adoption of a competitive, though non-infringing product or process. Interpretation and evaluation of pharmaceutical or biotechnology patent claims present complex and often novel legal and factual questions. Our business could be adversely affected by increased competition in the event that any patent granted to it is held to be invalid or unenforceable or is inadequate in scope to protect our operations.

While we believe that our products and technology do not infringe proprietary rights of others, third parties may assert infringement claims in the future and such claims could be successful. Even if challenges are unsuccessful, we could incur substantial costs in defending ourselves against patent infringement claims brought by others or in prosecuting suits against others. In addition, others may obtain patents that we would need to license, which may not be available to us on reasonable terms. Whether we are able to obtain a necessary license would depend on the terms offered, the degree of risk of infringement and the need for the patent.

Until such time, if ever, that further patents are issued to us, we will rely upon the law of trade secrets to the extent possible given the publication requirements under international patent treaty laws and/or requirements under foreign patent laws to protect our technology and our products incorporating the technology. In this regard, we have adopted certain confidentiality procedures. These include: limiting access to confidential information to certain key personnel; requiring all directors, officers, employees and consultants and others who may have access to our intellectual property to enter into confidentiality agreements which prohibit the use of or disclosure of confidential information to third parties; and implementing physical security measures designed to restrict access to such confidential information and products. Our ability to maintain the confidentiality of our technology is crucial to our ultimate possible commercial success. The procedures adopted by us to protect the confidentiality of our technology may not be effective, third parties may gain access to our trade secrets or disclose our confidential technology. Further, by seeking patent protection in various countries, it is inevitable that a substantial portion of our technology will become available to our competitors, through publication of such patent applications.

Regulatory Strategy

Our overall regulatory strategy is to work with the appropriate government departments which regulate the use and sale of therapeutic drug products. This includes Health Canada in Canada, the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, the European Medicines Agency in Europe, and other local regulatory agencies with oversight of preclinical studies, clinical trials and marketing of therapeutic products. Where possible, we intend to take advantage of opportunities for accelerated development of drugs designed to treat rare and serious or life-threatening diseases. We also intend to pursue priority evaluation of any application for marketing approval filed in Canada, the United States or the European Union and to file additional drug applications in other markets where commercial opportunities exist. We may not be able to pursue these opportunities successfully.

Revenues

The Company has not earned substantial revenues from its drug candidates and is therefore considered to be in the development stage.

Employees

As at December 31, 2014, we employed 18 full-time persons and 3 part-time persons in research and drug development and administration activities. Among our employees, 2 hold Ph.D.’s, 1 holds a DVM degree and numerous others hold degrees and designations such as MSc, BSc, CPA (CA), CPA (California) and MBA. To encourage a focus on achieving long-term performance, employees and members of the Board have the ability to acquire an ownership interest in the Company through Aptose’s share option and alternate compensation plans. See Item 6.B – Compensation.

None of our employees are unionized, and we consider our relations with our employees to be good.

Office Facilities

Our head office, which occupies 20,500 square feet, is located at 2 Meridian Road, Toronto, Ontario. The leased premises include approximately 8,000 square feet of laboratory and research space. Our current lease expires on March 31, 2015 and we entered into a lease for new office facilities in Toronto as described below.

We entered into a lease agreement for office space, located at 12770 High Bluffs Drive, San Diego, California which occupies approximately 2,204 square feet. This leased premise is used for administrative purposes only. This lease expires in January 2020.

In January 2015, the Company entered into a two year lease for laboratory facility space in San Diego and in February 2015 the Company entered into a five year lease facility in Toronto for office space and a one year agreement for laboratory space. The combined annual cost for these new locations is expected to be $300 thousand per year.

Competition

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are characterized by rapidly evolving technology and intense competition. There are numerous companies in these industries that are focusing their efforts on activities similar to ours. Some of these are companies with established positions in the pharmaceutical industry and may have substantially more financial and technical resources, more extensive research and development capabilities, and greater marketing, distribution, production and human resources than Aptose. In addition, we face competition from other companies for opportunities to enter into partnerships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions.

Competition with our potential products may include chemotherapeutic agents, monoclonal antibodies, antisense therapies, small molecules, immunotherapies, vaccines and other biologics with novel mechanisms of action. These drugs may kill cancer cells indiscriminately, or through a targeted approach, and some have the potential to be used in non-cancer indications. We also expect that we will experience competition from established and emerging pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that have other forms of treatment for the cancers that we target, including drugs currently in development for the treatment of cancer that employ a number of novel approaches for attacking these cancer targets. Cancer is a complex disease with more than 100 indications requiring drugs for treatment. The drugs in competition with our potential drugs have specific targets for attacking the disease, targets which are not necessarily the same as ours. These competitive drugs, however, could potentially also be used together in combination therapies with our drugs to manage the disease. Other factors that could render our potential products less competitive may include the stage of development, where competitors’ products may achieve earlier commercialization, as well as superior patent protection, better safety profiles, or a preferred cost-benefit profile.

Government Regulation

Overview

Regulation by government authorities in Canada, the United States, and the European Union is a significant factor in our current research and drug development activities. To clinically test, manufacture and market drug products for therapeutic use, we must satisfy the rigorous mandatory procedures and standards established by the regulatory agencies in the countries in which we currently operate or intend to operate.

The laws of most of these countries require the licensing of manufacturing facilities, carefully controlled research and the extensive testing of products. Biotechnology companies must establish the safety and efficacy of their new products in clinical trials; they must establish current GMP(s) and control over marketing activities before being allowed to market a product. The safety and efficacy of a new drug must be shown through human clinical trials of the drug carried out in accordance with the mandatory procedures and standards established by regulatory agencies.

The process of completing clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval for a new drug takes a number of years and requires the expenditure of substantial resources. Once a new drug or product license application is submitted, regulatory agencies may not review the application in a timely manner and may not approve the product. Even after initial approval has been obtained, further studies, including post-marketing studies, may be required to provide additional data on efficacy and safety necessary to confirm the approved indication or to gain approval for the use of the new drug as a treatment for clinical indications other than those for which the new drug was initially tested. Also, regulatory agencies require post-marketing surveillance programs to monitor a new drug’s side effects and safety. Results of post-marketing programs may limit or expand the further marketing of new drugs. A serious safety or effectiveness problem involving an approved new drug may result in a regulatory agency requiring withdrawal of the new drug from the market and possible civil action. It is possible that we could encounter such difficulties or excessive costs in our efforts to secure necessary approvals, which could delay or prevent us from manufacturing or marketing our products.

In addition to the regulatory product approval framework, biotechnology companies, including Aptose, are subject to regulation under local, provincial, state and federal law, including requirements regarding occupational safety, laboratory practices, environmental protection and hazardous substance control, and may be subject to other present and future local, provincial, state, federal and foreign regulation, including possible future regulation of the biotechnology industry.

Regulation in Canada

In Canada, the manufacture and sale of new drugs are controlled by Health Canada. New drugs must pass through a number of testing stages, including pre-clinical testing and human clinical trials. Pre-clinical testing involves testing the new drug’s chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology in vitro and in vivo. Successful results (that is, potentially valuable pharmacological activity combined with an acceptable low level of toxicity) enable the developer of the new drug to file a clinical trial application to begin clinical trials involving humans.

To study a drug in Canadian patients, a clinical trial application submission must be filed with Health Canada. The clinical trial application submission must contain specified information, including the results of the pre-clinical tests completed at the time of the submission and any available information regarding use of the drug in humans. In addition, since the method of manufacture may affect the efficacy and safety of a new drug, information on manufacturing methods and standards and the stability of the drug substance and dosage form must be presented. Production methods and quality control procedures must be in place to ensure an acceptably pure product, essentially free of contamination, and to ensure uniformity with respect to all quality aspects.

In addition, all federally regulated trials must be approved and monitored by an independent committee of doctors, scientists, advocates and others to ensure safety and ethical standards. These committees are called Institutional Review Boards (“IRBs”) or Ethics Review Boards (“ERBs”). The review boards study and approve all study-related documents before a clinical trial begins and also carefully monitor data to detect benefit or harm, and validity of results.

Provided Health Canada does not reject a clinical trial application submission and IRB or ERB approval has been obtained, clinical trials can begin. Clinical trials for product candidates in Canada, as in the U.S. generally are carried out in three phases. Phase I involves studies to evaluate toxicity and ideal dose levels in healthy humans. The new drug is administered to human patients who have met the clinical trial entry criteria to determine pharmacokinetics, human tolerance and prevalence of any adverse side effects. Phases II and III involve therapeutic studies. In Phase II, efficacy, dosage, side effects and safety are established in a small number of patients who have the disease or disorder that the new drug is intended to treat. In Phase III, there are controlled clinical trials in which the new drug is administered to a large number of patients who are likely to receive benefit from the new drug. In Phase III, the effectiveness of the new drug in patients is compared to that of standard accepted methods of treatment in order to provide sufficient data for the statistical proof of safety and efficacy for the new drug.

If clinical studies establish that a new drug has value, the manufacturer submits a new drug submission application to Health Canada for marketing approval. The new drug submission contains all information known about the new drug, including the results of pre-clinical testing and clinical trials. Information about a substance contained in new drug submission includes its proper name, its chemical name, and details on its method of manufacturing and purification, and its biological, pharmacological and toxicological properties. The new drug submission also provides information about the dosage form of the new drug, including a quantitative listing of all ingredients used in its formulation, its method of manufacture, manufacturing facility information, packaging and labelling, the results of stability tests, and its diagnostic or therapeutic claims and side effects, as well as details of the clinical trials to support the safety and efficacy of the new drug. Furthermore, for biological products, an on-site evaluation is completed to assess the production process and manufacturing facility. It is required prior to the issuance of a notice of compliance. All aspects of the new drug submission are critically reviewed by Health Canada. If a new drug submission is found satisfactory, a notice of compliance is issued permitting the new drug to be sold for the approved use. In Canada, an establishment license must be obtained prior to marketing the product.

Health Canada has a policy of priority evaluation of new drug submissions for all drugs intended for serious or life-threatening diseases for which no drug product has received regulatory approval in Canada and for which there is reasonable scientific evidence to indicate that the proposed new drug is safe and may provide effective treatment.

The monitoring of a new drug does not cease once it is on the market. For example, a manufacturer of a new drug must report any new information received concerning serious side effects, as well as the failure of the new drug to produce desired effects. If Health Canada determines it to be in the interest of public health, a notice of compliance for a new drug may be suspended and the new drug may be removed from the market.

A post surveillance program involves clinical trials conducted after a drug is marketed (referred to as Phase IV studies in the United States) and is an important source of information on as yet undetected adverse outcomes, especially in populations that may not have been involved in the premarketing trials (e.g., children, the elderly, pregnant women) and the drug’s long-term morbidity and mortality profile. Regulatory authorities may require companies to conduct Phase IV studies as a condition of market approval. Companies often conduct post-marketing studies in the absence of a regulatory mandate.

An exception to the foregoing requirements relating to the manufacture and sale of a new drug is the limited authorization that may be available in respect of the sale of new drugs for emergency treatment. Under the special access program, Health Canada may authorize the sale of a quantity of a new drug for human use to a specific practitioner for the emergency treatment of a patient under the practitioner’s care. Prior to authorization, the practitioner must supply Health Canada with information concerning the medical emergency for which the new drug is required, such data as is in the possession of the practitioner with respect to the use, safety and efficacy of the new drug, the names of the institutions at which the new drug is to be used and such other information as may be requested by Health Canada. In addition, the practitioner must agree to report to both the drug manufacturer and Health Canada the results of the new drug’s use in the medical emergency, including information concerning adverse reactions, and must account to Health Canada for all quantities of the new drug made available.

The Canadian regulatory approval requirements for new drugs outlined above are similar to those of other major pharmaceutical markets. While the testing carried out in Canada is often acceptable for the purposes of regulatory submissions in other countries, individual regulatory authorities may request supplementary testing during their assessment of any submission. Therefore, the clinical testing conducted under Health Canada authorization or the approval of regulatory authorities of other countries may not be accepted by regulatory authorities outside Canada or other countries.

Regulation in the United States

In the United States, the FDA controls the manufacture and sale of new drugs. New drugs require FDA approval of a New Drug Application prior to commercial sale. In the case of certain biological products, a Biological License Application must be obtained prior to marketing and batch releasing. As in Canada, to obtain marketing approval, data from adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials, demonstrating to the FDA’s satisfaction a new drug’s safety and effectiveness for its intended use, are required. Data are generated in studies conducted pursuant to an IND submission, similar to that required for a clinical trial application in Canada. As in Canada, clinical studies are characterized as Phase I, Phase II and Phase III trials or a combination thereof. In a marketing application, the manufacturer must also demonstrate the identity, potency, quality and purity of the active ingredients of the new drug involved, and the stability of those ingredients. Further, the manufacturing facilities, equipment, processes and quality controls for the new drug must comply with the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for drugs or biological products both in a pre-licensing inspection before product licensing and in subsequent periodic inspections after licensing. An establishment license grants the sponsor permission to fabricate, package, label, distribute, import, wholesale or test of the newly approved drug.

The above describes briefly what is necessary for a new drug to be approved for marketing in North America. The European Medicines Agency and Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency are also important regulatory authorities in drug development. Together with the FDA, they are the three International Conference on Harmonization parties which oversee the three largest markets for drug sales.

C.           Organizational structure.

Old Lorus was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) on September 5, 1986 under the name RML Medical Laboratories Inc. On October 28, 1991, RML Medical Laboratories Inc. amalgamated with Mint Gold Resources Ltd., resulting in Old Lorus becoming a reporting issuer (as defined under applicable securities law) in Ontario, on such date. On August 25, 1992 Old Lorus changed its name to IMUTEC Corporation. On November 27, 1996, Old Lorus changed its name to Imutec Pharma Inc., and on November 19, 1998, Old Lorus changed its name to Lorus Therapeutics Inc. On October 1, 2005, Old Lorus continued under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

On the Arrangement Date, Old Lorus completed a plan of arrangement and corporate reorganization with, among others, New Lorus, 6707157 Canada Inc. and Pinnacle International Lands, Inc. As a result of the plan of arrangement and reorganization, each Common Share of Old Lorus was exchanged for one Common Share of New Lorus. New Lorus continued the business of Old Lorus after the Arrangement Date with the same officers and employees and continued to be governed by the same board of directors as Old Lorus prior to the Arrangement Date.

On August 28, 2014 New Lorus changed its name from Lorus Therapeutics Inc. to Aptose Biosciences Inc. and on October 1, 2014 we consolidated our outstanding Common Shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Common Share for each twelve pre-consolidation Common Shares.

The address of the Company’s head and registered office is 2 Meridian Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M9W 4Z7 and our phone number is (416) 798-1200. Our corporate website is www.aptose.com. The contents of the website and items accessible through the website are specifically not incorporated in this Transition Report by reference.

Aptose has two subsidiaries: NuChem, a company incorporated under the laws of Ontario, Canada, and Aptose USA, a company incorporated under the laws of Delaware, USA. Aptose owns 80% of the issued and outstanding voting share capital of NuChem and 100% of the issued and outstanding voting share capital of Aptose USA. NuChem has limited activity and the non-controlling interest is not material to the consolidated financial statements of the Company. Aptose USA was incorporated in April 2014 and did not have any activity during the seven months ended December 31, 2014.

Our Common Shares are listed on the TSX under the symbol “APS” and on NASDAQ under the symbol “APTO.”

D.           Property, plant and equipment.

Our head office, which occupies 20,500 square feet, is located at 2 Meridian Road, Toronto, Ontario. The leased premises include approximately 8,000 square feet of laboratory and research space. Our current lease expires on March 31, 2015 and we have entered into a new lease for office facilities in Toronto as described below..

The lease of the current Toronto location contains certain restoration commitments which the Company will need to comply with upon the end of the March 31, 2015 lease. The Company has recorded a provision of $300 thousand as its current estimate of these costs.

We entered into a lease agreement for office space, located at 12770 High Bluffs Drive, San Diego, California which occupies approximately 2,204 square feet. This leased premise is used for administrative purposes only. This lease expires in January 2020.

In January 2015, the Company entered into a two year lease for laboratory facility space in San Diego and in February 2015 the Company entered into a five year lease facility in Toronto for office space and a one year agreement for laboratory space. The combined annual cost for these new locations is expected to be $300 thousand per year.

Item 4A.           Unresolved Staff Comments

Not applicable.

Item 5.          Operating and Financial Review and Prospects

A.           Operating results.

Please see our Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the seven months ended December 31, 2014 in Exhibit 15.1, which is incorporated herein by reference.

B.           Liquidity and capital resources.

Please see our Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the seven months ended December 31, 2014 in Exhibit 15.1, which is incorporated herein by reference.

C.           Research and development, patents and licenses, etc.

Certain information concerning research and development and intellectual property is set forth in Item 4, “Information on the Company”.

D.           Trend information.

We have a history of operating losses and have not been profitable since our inception in 1986. We expect to continue to incur losses for at least the next several years as we and our collaborators and licensees pursue clinical trials and research and development efforts. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” above.

E.           Off-balance sheet arrangements.

As at December 31, 2014, we had not entered into any off-balance sheet arrangements.

F.           Tabular disclosure of contractual obligations.

As December 31, 2014 

The Company’s current facility lease expires in March 2015.

In January 2015, the Company entered into a two year lease for laboratory facility space in San Diego and in February 2015 the Company entered into a five year lease facility in Toronto for office space and a one year agreement for laboratory space. The combined annual cost for these new locations is expected to be $300 thousand per year.

The lease of the current Toronto location contains certain restoration commitments with which the Company will need to comply before the end of the lease on March 31, 201. The Company has recorded a provision of $300 thousand as its current estimate of these costs.

 We hold a non-exclusive license from Genentech Inc. to certain patent rights to develop and sub-license a certain polypeptide. We do not expect to make any milestone or royalty payments under this agreement in the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015, and cannot reasonably predict when such milestones and royalties will become payable, if at all.

On July 10, 2007, we completed a plan of arrangement and corporate reorganization with Old Lorus. As part of the arrangement, we agreed to indemnify Old Lorus and its directors, officers and employees from and against all damages, losses, expenses (including fines and penalties), other third party costs and legal expenses, to which any of them may be subject arising out of the arrangement. We recorded a liability of $50,000, which we believe to be a reasonable estimate of the fair value of the obligation for the indemnifications provided as at December 31, 2014. There have been no claims on this indemnification to date.

G.           Safe Harbor

Please see “Forward Looking Statements” beginning on page 1 above.

Item 6.          Directors, Senior Management and Employees

A.           Directors and senior management.

The following table and notes thereto provide the name, province or state and country of residence, positions with the Company and term of office of each person who serves as a director or executive officer of Aptose as at the date hereof.

Each director has been elected or appointed to serve until the next annual meeting or until a successor is elected or appointed. We have an Audit Committee, a Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and a Compensation Committee, the members of each such committee are shown below.

As at December 31, 2014, our directors and executive officers, as a group, beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, or exercised control over, approximately 8,499 Common Shares or approximately 0.1% of our outstanding Common Shares.

(1)         Member of Audit Committee.

(2)         Member of the Compensation Committee.

(3)         Member of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.

The principal occupation and employment of each of the foregoing persons for the past five years is set forth below:

Dr. Denis Burger: Dr. Burger currently is the Chairman of AMES Devices, a medical device company. Dr. Burger co-founded Trinity Biotech plc, based in Dublin, Ireland, in June 1992 and acted as Chairman from 1992 to 1995 and now serves on the board of directors of the company. Dr. Burger was the past Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and a director of AVI Biopharma Inc., an Oregon based biotechnology company, from 1992 to March 2007. Dr. Burger is also a partner in Sovereign Ventures, a healthcare consulting and funding firm based in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Burger received his MSc and Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Arizona. Dr. Burger also serves on the board of Biocurex Inc.

Dr. Erich Platzer: Dr. Platzer is a board certified physician in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. Previously, Dr. Platzer served as the business director of oncology, as well as the global strategic marketing and therapeutic area head of oncology at Roche, Basel. He was also the medical director in oncology and global development project leader and was responsible for various strategic corporate partnerships. Dr. Platzer is a director of Swiss Business Angel Groups, StartAngels and BioBAC, and has served as a pharmaceutical industry expert on the board of directors of multiple biotech companies in both the U.S. and Europe such as Probiodrug, AOT, Léman Micro Devices, Credentis, and Viroblock. Dr. Platzer co-founded and currently serves as an investment advisor to HBM Healthcare Investments (formerly HBM BioVentures), a global leader in healthcare investing. He has over 12 years of experience in academic medicine and research and was a key member of the team at MSKCC that purified human G-CSF in 1983 (recombinant form: Neupogen®). He earned his M.D. from the Medical School and the Institute of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology of the University of Erlangen, where he also received his “Dr. med. habil.” (M.D., Ph.D.).

Dr. William Rice: Dr. Rice joined Aptose as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in October 2013. Prior to joining Aptose, Dr. Rice served as the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of Cylene Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a private biotechnology company (“Cylene”). Prior to Cylene, Dr. Rice was the founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He also served as Senior Scientist and Head of the Drug Mechanism Laboratory at the National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, and served as a faculty member in the division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Rice received his Ph.D. from Emory University Department of Biochemistry. He continues to serve as the Chairman of the board of Cylene.

Dr. Brad Thompson: Dr. Thompson is an experienced biotechnology professional who has held the positions of Chairman of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. since April 1999. Prior to his role with Oncolytics Dr. Thompson was the Chief Executive Officer of Synsorb Biotech from 1994 to 1999. Dr. Thompson also currently is a board member of Immunovaccine Inc. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

Dr. Mark Vincent: Dr. Mark Vincent is a Professor of Oncology at the University of Western Ontario and a staff medical oncologist at the London Regional Cancer Program, where he has been since 1990. Dr. Vincent is also the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sarissa, Inc. since 2000.

Mr. Warren Whitehead: Mr. Whitehead is a CPA (CMA) who has held senior financial management positions in several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Currently he is the Chief Financial Officer of Amorfix Life Sciences Ltd. Prior to this, he served as Chief Financial Officer of ARIUS Research Inc., providing financial guidance and leadership during the acquisition of ARIUS by Roche in 2008. Prior to ARIUS, Mr. Whitehead was Chief Financial Officer at Labopharm Inc., where he completed a series of public equity financings and a listing on NASDAQ. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of PlantForm Corporation, a life sciences company that develops biosimilar antibody drugs for treatment of cancer and other critical illnesses.

Gregory Chow: Mr. Chow joined Aptose as Chief Financial Officer in December 2013. Previously, Mr. Chow served as Managing Director, Director of Private Placements at Wedbush Securities, where he led the private placement capital activities within the Life Sciences Investment Banking Group. Prior to joining Wedbush, he was a Director in the Private Placements / Equity Capital Markets Group at RBC Capital Markets, where he led life science private capital activities. Previously, he led the Private Capital Group at Wells Fargo Securities and was a Senior Auditor at BDO Seidman, LLP in their Century City, CA office. Mr. Chow is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in the State of California.  Mr. Chow received his MBA in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his BA in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Avanish Vellanki: Mr. Vellanki became Aptose’s Chief Business Officer in December 2013, having most recently served as Senior Vice President, Investment Banking at Wedbush Securities focusing on the biotechnology sector. Prior to Wedbush Securities, Mr. Vellanki held the position of Senior Director of Corporate Development at Proteolix, Inc. (acquired by Onyx Pharmaceuticals), a biotechnology company focused on the development of oncology therapeutics. Previously, Mr. Vellanki served as Vice President in the Global Healthcare Investment Banking team at Citigroup’s Global Healthcare Investment Banking, where he focused on large cap global biopharma strategic and financial advisory. Mr. Vellanki began his career at Bear Stearns as an equity research analyst covering the small/mid-cap biotechnology sector, and held the title of Vice President as a publishing analyst. Mr. Vellanki holds a BA from Carleton College, an MBS in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota and MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

There are no family relationships among the persons named above and there are no arrangements or understanding with major shareholders, customers, suppliers or others pursuant to which any person was selected as a director or member of senior management.

B.           Compensation.

Summary of Executive Compensation

The following table details the compensation information for the seven month transition period ended December 31, 2014 of the Company, for the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and the Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer (“Named Executive Officers”). The figures are in Canadian dollars.

The following table details the compensation information for the last three fiscal years of the Company, for the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, the Former President and Chief Operating Officer, the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and the Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer. The figures are in Canadian dollars.

Directors’ Compensation

The following table details the compensation received by each director for the transition period ended December 31, 2014:

Dr. Rice did not receive any compensation for his role as a director of the Company.

There were no options issued to the directors during the transition period ended December 31, 2014. Compensation for each director consisted of an annual fee of $15,000 and $1,500 per Board meeting attended. Members of the Audit Committee received an annual fee of $8,000 (the Chair of the Audit Committee received $10,000). Each member of the Compensation Committee and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee received an annual fee of $5,000 per committee. Board members receive $500 for meetings held via conference call. Non-executive directors are reimbursed for any out-of pocket travel expenses incurred in order to attend meetings. Executive directors are not entitled to directors’ compensation.

In January 2015, the Board approved certain changes related to the compensation of directors effective for the fiscal year 2015. As of January 1, 2015, directors will be entitled to an annual fee of $30,000 with no per meeting fees. The lead director will be entitled to an additional annual fee of $30,000. The chair of each committee will be entitled to an annual fee of $10,000 with each committee member receiving an annual fee of $6,000 per committee. Upon appointment to the Board a director will be entitled to an option grant of 10,000 options and each year thereafter an additional grant of 6,000 options.

Directors are entitled to participate in the DSU Plan. None of our directors participated in this plan in the seven months ended December 31, 2014 or the fiscal year ended May 31, 2014.

Management Contracts

The employment agreements of Dr. Rice, Mr. Chow and Mr. Vellanki provide that if their employment is terminated by the Company other than for cause, each of Dr. Rice, Mr. Chow and Mr. Vellanki shall be entitled to a payment equivalent to 12 months of their respective annual base salaries at the time of termination (Dr. Rice’s current annual base salary represents US$480,000, Mr. Chow’s current annual base salary represents US$315,000 and Mr. Vellanki’s current annual base salary represents US$315,000), plus an amount equal to the average bonus remuneration received from the Company during the last three years of employment completed prior to the termination date, prorated based on the number of days the executive worked during the year of the termination. In addition, the employment agreements of Dr. Rice, Mr. Chow and Mr. Vellanki provide that certain payments related to health benefits will continue to be made for a period of 12 months following termination of their employment.

If the employment agreements are terminated by the Company other than for cause, then all unexercised options then held by each are governed by the terms of the share option plan of the Company (“Share Option Plan”).

The employment agreements of Dr. Rice, Mr. Chow and Mr. Vellanki provide that, in the event their employment with the Company is terminated within three months immediately preceding or 12 months immediately following the consummation of a change of control, each of Dr. Rice, Mr. Chow and Mr. Vellanki would be eligible, subject to certain conditions, to receive a payment equivalent to 18 months of their annual base salaries at the time of termination, plus an amount equal to 150% of the average bonus remuneration received from the Company during the last three years of employment completed prior to the termination date, prorated based on the number of days the executive worked during the year of the termination, as well as continuation of the payments related to health benefits for a period of 12 months following the termination following a change of control.

The following table sets out the amount that would have been payable to each Named Executive Officer had there been a change of control of the Company on December 31, 2014 and the severance payment that would have been payable to each Named Executive Officer had the Company terminated employment of the Named Executive Officer without cause on December 31, 2014:

Equity Compensation Plans

The following table sets forth certain details as at the end of the transition period ended December 31, 2014 with respect to compensation plans pursuant to which equity securities of the Company are authorized for issuance.

Share Option Plan

The Share Option Plan was established to advance the interests of Aptose by:

The Compensation Committee, as authorized by the Board, administers the Share Option Plan. The maximum total number of Common Shares available for issuance from treasury under the Share Option Plan, together with the DSU Plan, the ACP and any other security based compensation arrangement is 15% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares at any given time. Any exercise of options pursuant to the Share Option Plan will make new option grants available under the Share Option Plan, provided that the maximum number of Common Shares reserved for issuance collectively under the Share Option Plan, the DSU Plan and the ACP may not exceed 15% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares at any given time.

Under the Share Option Plan, options may be granted to any executive officer, employee, subsidiary of an executive officer or employee, or consultant or consultant entity (“Eligible Persons”). The exercise price of options granted under the Share Option Plan is established by the Board and will be equal to the closing market price of the Common Shares on the TSX on the last trading day preceding the date of grant. If there is no trading on that date, the exercise price will be the average of the bid and ask on the TSX on the last trading date preceding the date of grant. If not otherwise determined by the Board, an option granted under the Share Option Plan will vest as to 50% on the first anniversary of the date of grant of the option and an additional 25% on the second and third anniversaries after the date of grant. The Board fixes the term of each option when granted, but such term may not be greater than 10 years from the date of grant. If the date on which an option expires pursuant to an option agreement occurs during, or within 10 days after the last day of, a black out period or other restriction period imposed on the trading of Common Shares by the Company, the expiry date for the option will be the last day of the 10-day period. Options are personal to the participant and a participant may not transfer an option except in accordance with the Share Option Plan.

The Board may, its sole discretion, amend, suspend or terminate the Share Option Plan or any portion of it at any time in accordance with applicable legislation, without obtaining the approval of Shareholders. Any amendment to any provision of the Share Option Plan is subject to any required regulatory or Shareholder approval. The Company is, however, required to obtain the approval of the Shareholders for any amendment related to (i) the maximum number of Common Shares reserved for issuance under the Share Option Plan, and under any other security based compensation arrangements of the Company; (ii) a reduction in the exercise price for options held by insiders of the Company; and (iii) an extension to the term of options held by insiders of the Company.

If an option holder is terminated without cause, resigns or retires, each option that has vested will cease to be exercisable three months after the option holder’s termination date. Any portion of an option that has not vested on or prior to the termination date will expire immediately. If an option holder is terminated for cause, each option that has vested will cease to be exercisable immediately upon the Company’s notice of termination. Any portion of an option that has not vested on or prior to the termination date will expire immediately.

Alternate Compensation Plan

The Company has an alternate compensation plan (“ACP”) which enables Aptose to meet its obligations to pay directors’ fees, salary and performance bonuses to certain employees in the form of Common Shares. The ACP permits the Company to, in circumstances considered appropriate by the Board, encourage the ownership of equity of the Company by its directors and senior employees (“ACP Participants”), enhance the Company’s ability to retain key personnel and reward significant performance achievements while preserving the cash resources of the Company.

Under the ACP, ACP Participants have the option of receiving director’s fees, salary, bonuses or other remuneration, as applicable (“Remuneration”) by the allotment and issuance from treasury of such number of Common Shares as will be equivalent to the cash value of the Remuneration determined by dividing the Remuneration by the weighted average closing Common Share price for the five (5) trading days prior to payment date (the “5-day VWAP”). The issue price of Common Shares issued under the ACP is the 5-day VWAP. Upon ceasing to be an ACP Participant, such ACP Participant will no longer be eligible to receive Common Shares under the ACP and any amounts owing to such ACP Participant shall be paid without reference to the ACP Participant.

The maximum number of Common Shares reserved for issuance under the ACP, when combined with the Share Option Plan and the DSU Plan, shall not exceed 15% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares at any given time.

There have been nil Common Shares issued under the ACP during the seven months ended December 31, 2014. Since December 31, 2014, there have been nil Common Shares issued under the ACP.

The Board may, at any time and from time to time, amend, suspend or terminate the ACP without Shareholder approval, provided that no such amendment, suspension or termination may be made without obtaining any required approval of any regulatory authority or stock exchange. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may not, without the approval of the shareholders, make amendments to the ACP to increase the maximum number of Common Shares issuable under the ACP, or to amend the provisions regarding Shareholder approval.

Deferred Share Units Plan

The Company adopted the DSU Plan which provides that participating directors and senior officers (“DSU Participants”) may elect to receive either a portion or all of the remuneration to be received from the Company in deferred share units. Such remuneration includes all amounts payable in cash or Common Shares (subject to election otherwise under the DSU Plan) to a DSU Participant by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company in respect of the services provided to the Company or subsidiary by the DSU Participant in any calendar year, including (a): in the case of a director, without limitation, (i) annual Board or committee of the Board or advisory retainer fees, (ii) fees for attending meetings of the Board or a committee of the Board and (iii) fees for serving as chairman or chairwoman of any committee of the Board, but, for greater certainty, excluding amounts payable to a DSU Participant as a reimbursement for expenses incurred in attending meetings; and (b): in the case of a senior officer, without limitation, those services for which a salary or cash bonus would normally be paid, provided that the relevant performance criteria which serve as a basis for the granting of such bonuses have been met.

Under the DSU Plan, the deferred share units that DSU Participants elect to receive for remuneration earned are credited to each DSU Participant’s account in an amount of units equal to the gross amount of remuneration to be deferred divided by the fair market value of the Common Shares, being the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX on the day immediately preceding the recommendation by the Compensation Committee or such other amount as determined by the Board and permitted by the applicable regulatory authorities. Rights respecting deferred share units are not transferable or assignable other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

A DSU Participant who has retired, resigned or has been terminated without cause from all positions with the Company and any subsidiary of the Company may redeem the deferred share units credited to the DSU Participant’s account. Subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee, the DSU Participant may indicate what portion of the payment is to be paid in cash and what portion is to be paid in Common Shares. A DSU Participant who has been terminated with cause may not redeem the deferred share units held by that DSU Participant and those deferred share units so held will be deemed cancelled as of the date of termination of the DSU Participant.

The maximum number of Common Shares reserved for issuance under the DSU Plan, when combined with the Share Option Plan and the ACP, shall not exceed 15% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares at any given time.

During the period from June 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014, nil deferred share units were outstanding under the DSU Plan. Since December 31, 2014, there have been nil deferred share units issued under the DSU Plan.

The Board may amend the DSU Plan as it deems necessary or appropriate without Shareholder approval, subject to applicable corporate, securities and tax law requirements, but no amendment will, without the consent of the DSU Participant or unless required by law, adversely affect the rights of a DSU Participant with respect to deferred share units that have been credited to the account of the DSU Participant at the time of such amendment to the DSU Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board must obtain Shareholder approval to increase to the maximum number of securities reserved for issuance under the DSU Plan or any other security based compensation arrangement, or to amend the provisions regarding Shareholder approval.

Employee Share Purchase Plan

We have an Employee Share Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), the purpose of which is to assist the Company in retaining the services of its employees, securing and retaining the services of new employees and providing incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company. The ESPP provides a means by which employees of the Company and its affiliates may purchase Common Shares on the stock market at a 15% discount through accumulated payroll deductions. Eligible participants in the ESPP include all employees, including executive officers, who work at least 20 hours per week and are customarily employed by the Company or an affiliate of the Company for at least six months per calendar year. Generally, each offering is of three months’ duration with purchases occurring every quarter. Participants may authorize payroll deductions of up to 15% of their base compensation for the purchase of Common Shares under the ESPP.

During the transition period ended December 31, 2014, under the ESPP, Named Executive Officers, as a group, and employees did not purchase any Common Shares pursuant to the ESPP. Since December 31, 2014, there have been no Common Shares purchased pursuant to the ESPP.

Option Grants During The Seven Months Ended December 31, 2014

The following tables set forth the options granted to and exercised by each of the Named Executive Officers during the seven months ended December 31, 2014:

Option/SAR Grants During the Most Recently Completed Financial Year

Incentive Compensation Plans

Outstanding Share-Based Awards and Option-Based Awards

The following table shows all awards outstanding to each Named Executive Officer as at December 31, 2014:

Aggregated Option/SAR Exercises During the Seven Months Ended December 31, 2014 

and Financial Year-End Option/SAR Values

Aptose is authorized to have a board of at least one director and no more than ten. Aptose currently has six directors. Directors are elected for a term of approximately one year, from annual meeting to annual meeting, or until an earlier resignation, death or removal. For the dates our current directors assumed their directorships, see Item 6.A. – “Directors and Senior Management” above.

Each officer serves at the discretion of the Board or until an earlier resignation or death. There are no family relationships among any of our directors or officers.

Our non-management directors have no service contracts with us or our subsidiaries that provide for benefits upon termination of employment. See “—Management Contracts” above for a summary of key employment agreements.

Committees of the Board of Directors

The Company has an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a Compensation Committee.

The members of these committees during the seven months ended December 31, 2014 were as follows:

On December 15, 2014 Brian Underdown resigned from the Board and also from the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee. On January 16, 2015 Bradley Thompson was appointed to the Audit Committee and Erich Platzer was appointed to the Compensation Committee.

Compensation Committee

Composition of the Compensation Committee

The Board, upon the advice of the Compensation Committee, determines executive compensation. The Compensation Committee is currently comprised of independent Board members Dr. Burger and Dr. Underdown. Dr. Burger is chair of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee met 3 times during the period from June 1, 2014 until December 31, 2014.

Members of the Compensation Committee each have direct experience relevant to compensation matters resulting from their respective current and past activities. The members of the Compensation Committee have experience dealing with compensation matters in comparable organizations, including public companies, as well as companies with a strong emphasis on governance in their current and former roles as principal executives.

Compensation Objectives and Philosophy

The Compensation Committee’s mandate is to review and advise the Board on the recruitment, appointment, performance, compensation, benefits and termination of executive officers. The Compensation Committee also administers and reviews procedures and policies with respect to the Share Option Plan, the DSU Plan, the ACP, employee benefit programs, pay equity and employment equity and reviews executive compensation disclosure where it is publicly disclosed.

Aptose’s executive compensation program is designed to:

These objectives are achieved by offering executives and employees a compensation package that is competitive and rewards the achievement of both short-term and long-term objectives of the Company. As such, our compensation package consists of three key elements:

The Compensation Committee reviews each of these items on a stand-alone basis and also reviews compensation as a total package. Adjustments to compensation are made as appropriate following a review of the compensation package as a whole.

Base Salary — Initial Share Options