As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2019

Registration No. 333-                    

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

2017 Stock Incentive Plan

Inducement Stock Option Award

2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full Title of the Plan)

Cedric Francois, M.D., Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

6400 Westwind Way, Suite A

Crestwood, KY 40014

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

(502) 241-4114

(Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

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

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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed by Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “registrant”) to register (a) 4,264,538 shares of the registrant’s common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), issuable under the registrant’s 2017 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”), (b) 120,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of non-qualified stock options granted to an employee of the registrant as an inducement material to entry into employment with the registrant, in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and (c) 503,341 shares of Common Stock issuable under the registrant’s 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2017 ESPP”). Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, and only with respect to the Common Stock being registered under the 2017 Plan and the 2017 ESPP, this registration statement incorporates by reference the contents of the registration statement on Form S-8, File No. 333-221528, filed by the Registrant on November 13, 2017 relating to the 2017 Plan and the 2017 ESPP, except (x) to the extent superseded hereby and (y) for Item 8, Exhibits, with respect to which the Exhibit Index immediately preceding the exhibits attached hereto is incorporated herein by reference.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.

The information required by Item 1 is included in documents sent or given to participants in the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

The written statement required by Item 2 is included in documents sent or given to participants in the plans covered by this registration statement pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The registrant is subject to the informational and reporting requirements of Sections 13(a), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). The following documents, which are on file with the Commission, are incorporated in this registration statement by reference:

(a) The registrant’s latest annual report filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or the latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act that contains audited financial statements for the registrant’s latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed.

(b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the document referred to in (a) above.

(c) The description of the securities contained in the registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained

herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP has opined as to the legality of the securities being offered by this registration statement.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 102 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of its directors or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. The registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that none of its directors shall be personally liable to the registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability, except to the extent that the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he or she is or is threatened to be made a party by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

The registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that it will indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the registrant) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer of the registrant, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the registrant’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including any employee benefit plan) (all such persons being referred to as an “Indemnitee”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of the Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the registrant’s best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

The registrant’s certificate of incorporation also provides that it will indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the registrant to procure a judgment in the registrant’s favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer of the registrant, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the registrant’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including any employee benefit plan), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) and, to the extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of the Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therefrom, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the registrant’s best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the registrant, unless, and only to the extent, that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of such liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, he or she is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) which the Court of Chancery of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.

The registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. These indemnification agreements may require the registrant, among other things, to indemnify each such director or executive officer for some expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, and settlement amounts incurred by him or her in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her service as one of the registrant’s directors or officers.

The registrant maintains a general liability insurance policy that covers certain liabilities of the directors and officers of the registrant arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

Item 9. Undertakings.

1. Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

2. Item 512(b) of Regulation S-K. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

3. Item 512(h) of Regulation S-K. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Crestwood, Commonwealth of Kentucky on this 26th day of February, 2019.

POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

We, the undersigned officers and directors of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., hereby severally constitute and appoint Cedric Francois, Timothy Sullivan and David O. Watson and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement on Form S-8 filed herewith and any and all subsequent amendments to said registration statement, and generally to do all such things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said registration statement and any and all amendments thereto.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Exhibit 5.1

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

6400 Westwind Way, Suite A

Crestwood, KY 40014

2017 Stock Incentive Plan

Inducement Stock Option Award

2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have assisted in the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to an aggregate of 4,887,879 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Shares”), of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), issuable under the Company’s 2017 Stock Incentive Plan, an Inducement Stock Option Award and the Company’s 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (collectively, the “Plans”).

We have examined the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, each as amended and restated to date, and originals, or copies certified to our satisfaction, of all pertinent records of the meetings of the directors and stockholders of the Company, the Registration Statement and such other documents relating to the Company as we have deemed material for the purposes of this opinion.

In our examination of the foregoing documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic or other copies, the authenticity of the originals of any such documents and the legal competence of all signatories to such documents.

We assume that the appropriate action will be taken, prior to the offer and sale of the Shares in accordance with the Plans, to register and qualify the Shares for sale under all applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws.

We express no opinion herein as to the laws of any state or jurisdiction other than the state laws of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United States of America.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Beijing        Berlin        Boston         Brussels        Denver        Frankfurt        London        Los Angeles        New York        Palo Alto        Washington

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

February 26, 2019

Page 2

It is understood that this opinion is to be used only in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares while the Registration Statement is in effect.

Please note that we are opining only as to the matters expressly set forth herein, and no opinion should be inferred as to any other matters.

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and, when the Shares are issued and paid for in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plans, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission in connection with the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

Very truly yours,

WILMER CUTLER PICKERING

HALE AND DORR LLP

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the 2017 Stock Incentive Plan, Inducement Stock Option Award, and 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of our report dated March 19, 2018, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Louisville, Kentucky

February 26, 2019

Exhibit 99.2

APELLIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

Nonstatutory Stock Option Inducement Award Agreement

(a)    This agreement evidences the grant by Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), on                     , 20     (the “Grant Date”) to                     , an employee of the Company (the “Participant”) of an option to purchase, in whole or in part, on the terms provided herein, a total of              shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”), at an exercise price of $             per Share. Unless earlier terminated, this option shall expire at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on                     , 20     (the “Final Exercise Date”).

(b)    It is intended that the option evidenced by this agreement shall not be an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Code”). Except as otherwise indicated by the context, the term “Participant”, as used in this option, shall be deemed to include any person who acquires the right to exercise this option validly under its terms.

(c)    The option evidenced by this agreement was granted to the Participant pursuant to the inducement grant exception under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4), and not pursuant to the Company’s 2017 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), or any equity incentive plan of the Company, as an inducement that is material to the Participant’s employment with the Company.

(a)    This option shall become exercisable (“vest”) as to

(b)    The right of exercise shall be cumulative so that to the extent the option is not exercised in any period to the maximum extent permissible it shall continue to be exercisable, in whole or in part, with respect to all Shares for which it is vested until the earlier of the Final Exercise Date or the termination of this option.

(a)    Form of Exercise. Each election to exercise this option shall be in writing, in the form of the Stock Option Exercise Notice attached as Annex A or in such other form (which may be electronic) as is approved by the Company, in each case signed by the Participant and received by the Company at its principal office, accompanied by this agreement and payment in full in the manner provided in this Section 3(a). The Participant may purchase less than the number of shares covered hereby, provided that no partial exercise of this option may be for any fractional share. Payment shall be made as follows:

(1)    in cash or by check, payable to the order of the Company;

(2)    by (i) delivery of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price and any required tax withholding or (ii) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price and any required tax withholding;

(3)    to the extent approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), in its sole discretion, by delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant valued at their fair market value per share as determined by (or in a manner approved by) the Board (the “Fair Market Value”), provided (i) such method of payment is then permitted under applicable law, (ii) such Common Stock, if acquired directly from the Company, was owned by the Participant for such minimum period of time, if any, as may be established by the Board in its discretion and (iii) such Common Stock is not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or other similar requirements;

(4)     to the extent approved by the Board in its sole discretion, by delivery of a notice of “net exercise” to the Company, as a result of which the Participant would receive (i) the number of shares underlying the portion of the option being exercised, less (ii) such number of shares as is equal to (A) the aggregate exercise price for the portion of the option being exercised divided by (B) the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;

(5)    to the extent permitted by applicable law and approved by the Board, in its sole discretion, by payment of such other lawful consideration as the Board may determine; or

(6)    by any combination of the above permitted forms of payment.

(b)    Continuous Relationship with the Company Required. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3, this option may not be exercised unless the Participant, at the time he or she exercises this option, is, and has been at all times since the Grant Date, an employee, director or officer of, or consultant or advisor to, the Company or any other entity the employees, officers, directors, consultants, or advisors of which are eligible to receive option grants under the Plan (an “Eligible Participant”).

(c)    Termination of Relationship with the Company. If the Participant ceases to be an Eligible Participant for any reason, then, except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) below, the right to exercise this option shall terminate three months after such cessation (but in no event after the Final Exercise Date), provided that this option shall be exercisable only to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise this option on the date of such cessation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Participant, prior to the Final Exercise Date, violates the non-competition or confidentiality provisions of any employment contract, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, the right to exercise this option shall terminate immediately upon such violation.

(d)    Exercise Period Upon Death or Disability. If the Participant dies or becomes disabled (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code) prior to the Final Exercise Date

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while he or she is an Eligible Participant and the Company has not terminated such relationship for “Cause” as specified in paragraph (e) below, this option shall be exercisable, within the period of one year following the date of death or disability of the Participant, by the Participant (or in the case of death by an authorized transferee), provided that this option shall be exercisable only to the extent that this option was exercisable by the Participant on the date of his or her death or disability, and further provided that this option shall not be exercisable after the Final Exercise Date.

(e)    Termination for Cause. If, prior to the Final Exercise Date, the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company is terminated by the Company for Cause (as defined below), the right to exercise this option shall terminate immediately upon the effective date of such termination of employment or other relationship. If the Participant is party to an employment, consulting or severance agreement with the Company that contains a definition of “cause” for termination of employment or other relationship, “Cause” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in such agreement. Otherwise, “Cause” shall mean willful misconduct by the Participant or willful failure by the Participant to perform his or her responsibilities to the Company (including, without limitation, breach by the Participant of any provision of any employment, consulting, advisory, nondisclosure, non-competition or other similar agreement between the Participant and the Company), as determined by the Company, which determination shall be conclusive. The Participant’s employment or other relationship shall be considered to have been terminated for “Cause” if the Company determines, within 30 days after the Participant’s resignation, that termination for Cause was warranted.

The Participant must satisfy all applicable federal, state, and local or other income and employment tax withholding obligations before the Company will deliver stock certificates or otherwise recognize ownership of Common Stock under this option. The Company may decide to satisfy the withholding obligations through additional withholding on salary or wages. If the Company elects not to or cannot withhold from other compensation, the Participant must pay the Company the full amount, if any, required for withholding or have a broker tender to the Company cash equal to the withholding obligations. Payment of withholding obligations is due before the Company will issue any shares on exercise of this option or at the same time as payment of the exercise price, unless the Company determines otherwise. If approved by the Board in its sole discretion, the Participant may satisfy such tax obligations in whole or in part by delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock, underlying this option, valued at their Fair Market Value; provided, however, except as otherwise provided by the Board, that the total tax withholding where stock is being used to satisfy such tax obligations cannot exceed the Company’s minimum statutory withholding obligations (based on minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income). Shares used to satisfy tax withholding requirements cannot be subject to any forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or other similar requirements.

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This option may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered by the Participant, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and, during the lifetime of the Participant, this option shall be exercisable only by the Participant.

(a)    Changes in Capitalization. In the event of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, reclassification of shares, spin-off or other similar change in capitalization or event, or any dividend or distribution to holders of Common Stock other than an ordinary cash dividend, the number and class of securities and exercise price per share of this option shall be equitably adjusted by the Company (or substitute options may be granted, if applicable) in the manner determined by the Board. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event the Company effects a split of the Common Stock by means of a stock dividend and the exercise price of and the number of shares subject to this option are adjusted as of the date of the distribution of the dividend (rather than as of the record date for such dividend), then the Participant, if he exercises this option between the record date and the distribution date for such stock dividend, shall be entitled to receive, on the distribution date, the stock dividend with respect to the shares of Common Stock acquired upon such option exercise, notwithstanding the fact that such shares were not outstanding as of the close of business on the record date for such stock dividend.

(b)    Reorganization Events. A “Reorganization Event” shall mean: (a) any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity as a result of which all of the Common Stock of the Company is converted into or exchanged for the right to receive cash, securities or other property or is cancelled, (b) any transfer or disposition of all of the Common Stock of the Company for cash, securities or other property pursuant to a share exchange or other transaction or (c) any liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

(c)    Consequences of a Reorganization Event.

(1)    In connection with a Reorganization Event, the Board may take any one or more of the following actions with respect to this option (or any portion thereof) on such terms as the Board determines (except to the extent specifically provided otherwise in another agreement between the Company and the Participant): (i) provide that this option shall be assumed, or a substantially equivalent option shall be substituted, by the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof), (ii) upon written notice to the Participant, provide that the unexercised portion of this option will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such Reorganization Event unless exercised by the Participant (to the extent then exercisable) within a specified period following the date of such notice, (iii) provide that this option shall become exercisable, in whole or in part prior to or upon such Reorganization Event, (iv) in the event of a Reorganization Event under the terms of which holders of Common Stock will receive upon consummation thereof a cash payment for each share surrendered in the Reorganization Event (the “Acquisition Price”), make or provide for a cash payment to the Participant with respect to this option equal to (A) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the vested portion of

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this option (after giving effect to any acceleration of vesting that occurs upon or immediately prior to such Reorganization Event) multiplied by (B) the excess, if any, of (I) the Acquisition Price over (II) the exercise price of this option and any applicable tax withholdings, in exchange for the termination of this option, (v) provide that, in connection with a liquidation or dissolution of the Company, this option shall convert into the right to receive liquidation proceeds (if applicable, net of the exercise price hereof and any applicable tax withholdings) and (vi) any combination of the foregoing.

(2)    For purposes of Section 6(c)(1)(i), this option shall be considered assumed if, following consummation of the Reorganization Event, this option confers the right to purchase, for each share of Common Stock subject to this option immediately prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Event, the consideration (whether cash, securities or other property) received as a result of the Reorganization Event by holders of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock held immediately prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Event (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that if the consideration received as a result of the Reorganization Event is not solely common stock of the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof), the Company may, with the consent of the acquiring or succeeding corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of this option to consist solely of such number of shares of common stock of the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof) that the Board determined to be equivalent in value (as of the date of such determination or another date specified by the Board) to the per share consideration received by holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock as a result of the Reorganization Event.

(a)    No Right To Employment or Other Status. The grant of this option shall not be construed as giving the Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company. The Company expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with the Participant free from any liability or claim hereunder.

(b)    No Rights As Stockholder. Subject to the provisions of this option, the Participant shall not have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be distributed with respect to this option until becoming the record holder of such shares.

(c)    Amendment. The Board may amend, modify or terminate this agreement, including but not limited to, substituting another option of the same or a different type and changing the date of exercise or realization. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant’s consent to such action shall be required unless the Board determines that the action, taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely affect the Participant.

(d)    Compliance with Code Section 409A. This agreement does not, and shall not be amended so as to, provide for deferral of compensation that does not comply with Section 409A of the Code, unless the Board, at the time of amendment, specifically provides that this agreement is not intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

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(e)    Acceleration. The Board may at any time provide that this option shall become immediately exercisable in whole or in part, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise realizable in whole or in part, as the case may be.

(f)    Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement until (i) all conditions of this Agreement have been met to the satisfaction of the Company, (ii) in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, all other legal matters in connection with the issuance and delivery of such shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and regulations and any applicable stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Company may consider appropriate to satisfy the requirements of any applicable laws, rules or regulations.

(g)    Administration by Board. The Board will administer this Agreement and may construe and interpret the terms hereof. The Board may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in this Agreement in the manner and to the extent it shall deem expedient to carry the Agreement into effect and it shall be the sole and final judge of such expediency. No director or person acting pursuant to the authority delegated by the Board shall be liable for any action or determination relating to or under this Agreement made in good faith.

(h)    Appointment of Committees. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board may delegate any or all of its powers hereunder to one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board (a “Committee”). All references herein to the “Board” shall mean the Board or a Committee to the extent that the Board’s powers or authority hereunder have been delegated to such Committee.

(i)    Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof, and each such other provision shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

(j)    Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such state that would require the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

(k)    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one in the same instrument.

[Signature pages follow.]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this option to be executed under its corporate seal by its duly authorized officer. This option shall take effect as a sealed instrument.

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PARTICIPANT’S ACCEPTANCE

The undersigned hereby accepts the foregoing option and agrees to the terms and conditions thereof.

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ANNEX A

APELLIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

Stock Option Exercise Notice

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

6400 Westwind Way

Suite A

Crestwood, KY 40014

Dear Sir or Madam:

I,                          (the “Participant”), hereby irrevocably exercise the right to purchase             shares of the Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Shares”), of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) at $             per share pursuant to the stock option agreement with the Company dated                     (the “Option Agreement”). Enclosed herewith is a payment of $             , the aggregate purchase price for the Shares. The certificate for the Shares should be registered in my name as it appears below or, if so indicated below, jointly in my name and the name of the person designated below, with right of survivorship.

Name and address of persons in whose name the Shares are to be jointly registered (if applicable):

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