Company Update

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   Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 6, 2024   Tenax Therapeutics, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)   Delaware   001-34600   26-2593535 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)   101 Glen Lennox Drive , Suite 300   Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27517   (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)   919 - 855-2100 (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)   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:   ☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) ☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) ☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) ☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))   Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:   Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share TENX The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC   Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR 240.12b-2).   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 February 6, 2024, Tenax Therapeutics, Inc.  issued a press release announcing that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has allowed a patent with claims covering the use of TNX-103 (oral levosimendan), TNX-102 (subcutaneous levosimendan), TNX-101 (IV levosimendan), the active metabolites of levosimendan (OR1896 and OR18955) and various combinations of cardiovascular drugs with levosimendan when used to improve exercise performance in PH-HFpEF patients.  A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.   Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.   (d) Exhibits   Exhibit No.   Description       99.1   Press Release dated February 6, 2024. 104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).     2     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.   Date: February 6, 2024 Tenax Therapeutics, Inc.             By: /s/ Christopher T. Giordano       Christopher T. Giordano     President and Chief Executive Officer       3