UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

HCW Biologics Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☒

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On August 22, 2023, HCW Biologics Inc. (the "Company") was granted U.S. Patent No. 11,730,762 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office which contains claims for a method to promote the activation and proliferation of natural killer (“NK”) cells or T cells. The patented method is based on contacting the NK cells or T cells in a liquid culture medium with one of the Company's proprietary molecules, all which are constructed with a tissue factor domain and created using the Company's TOBITM discovery platform, and an antibody construct that binds to the molecule’s tissue factor domain. The method covered by this patent encompasses three of the Company’s proprietary immunotherapeutic molecules.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.