---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001683168-22-003391"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "PHIO"
cik: "0001533040"
company_name: "Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp."
filed_at: "2022-05-10T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-25T21:38:40.110159+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Phio Pharmaceuticals CEO Gerrit Dispersyn departs; Geert Cauwenbergh appointed interim CEO/CFO

## Summary
- President and CEO Gerrit Dispersyn left the company effective May 5, 2022; board reduced from eight to seven.
- Dispersyn to receive six months base salary severance plus six months medical/dental premium contributions.
- Director Geert Cauwenbergh appointed interim principal executive and financial officer effective May 5, 2022.
- Cauwenbergh previously served as Phio CEO from 2012 to 2019; will receive $7,500 monthly cash payment.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001683168-22-003391
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: PHIO
- cik: 0001533040
- company_name: Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.
- filed_at: 2022-05-10T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1533040/000168316822003391/0001683168-22-003391-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1533040/000168316822003391/phio_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-22-003391
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-22-003391.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-22-003391.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Gerrit Dispersyn departed as President and Chief Executive Officer at Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp..
  - Action: departed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On May 5, 2022, Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (the “Company”) announced the departure of Gerrit Dispersyn, Dr. Med. Sc., from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective as of May 5, 2022
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1533040/000168316822003391/0001683168-22-003391-index.htm
- Executive change
  Geert Cauwenbergh was appointed as Principal Executive and Financial Officer at Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Principal Executive and Financial Officer
  source text: On May 4, 2022, the Board appointed Geert Cauwenbergh, Dr. Med. Sc., as the Company’s interim principal executive and financial officer, effective as of May 5, 2022.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1533040/000168316822003391/0001683168-22-003391-index.htm

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