---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-24-000860"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "HEPA"
cik: "0001583771"
company_name: "Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc."
filed_at: "2024-01-03T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-07T04:40:40.503509+00:00"
event_type: "other_material"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Hepion Pharmaceuticals dismisses BDO, appoints Grassi as new auditor

## Summary
- BDO dismissed as independent auditor effective Jan 1, 2024; Grassi Advisors engaged to audit FY 2023 financials.
- BDO reports for FY 2021 and 2022 contained going-concern explanatory paragraph due to recurring losses and accumulated deficit.
- Material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting identified in prior annual and quarterly reports.
- No disagreements with BDO on accounting principles or audit scope during the past two years.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-24-000860
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: HEPA
- cik: 0001583771
- company_name: Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- filed_at: 2024-01-03T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other_material
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 4.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1583771/000110465924000860/0001104659-24-000860-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1583771/000110465924000860/tm241750d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-24-000860
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-24-000860.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-24-000860.txt

## Key facts
- Auditor Changes
  Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. engaged Grassi Advisors as its auditor.
  - Action: engagement
  - Auditor: Grassi Advisors
  source text: approved the engagement of Grassi Advisors (“Grassi”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1583771/000110465924000860/0001104659-24-000860-index.htm
- Auditor Changes
  Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. dismissed BDO USA, P.C. as its auditor.
  - Action: dismissal
  - Auditor: BDO USA, P.C.
  source text: the audit committee of the Board of Directors of Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) approved the dismissal of BDO USA, P.C. (“BDO”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1583771/000110465924000860/0001104659-24-000860-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.