As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission June 2, 2017

Registration Statement No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

RECRO PHARMA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Pennsylvania	26-1523233
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

490 Lapp Road

Malvern, PA 19355

(484) 395-2400

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Gerri A. Henwood

President and Chief Executive Officer

Recro Pharma, Inc.

490 Lapp Rd

Malvern, PA 19355

(484) 395-2400

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Rachael M. Bushey, Esq.

Hogan Lovells US LLP

1835 Market Street, 29^th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(267) 675-4600

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time on or after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

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:

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☐  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	☒
		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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered(1)(2)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share(3)	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(3)	Amount of Registration Fee(4)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Warrants
Debt Securities
Units
Subscription Rights
Total			$100,000,000(4)	$11,590.00

(1) Not specified as to each class of security to be registered pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Securities Act.

(2) There are being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of securities of each identified class as may be issued from time to time at indeterminate prices, as well as an indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock as may be issued upon conversion, exercise or exchange of any of the securities issued directly under this registration statement. No separate consideration is payable for any shares of common stock and preferred stock so issued upon conversion, exercise or exchange. Securities registered hereby may be sold separately, together or in units with other securities registered hereby.

(3) The proposed maximum offering price per security and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price per class of security will be determined from time to time by the Registrant in connection with the issuance by the Registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of security pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The aggregate maximum offering price of all securities issued pursuant to this registration statement will not exceed $100,000,000.

(4) The proposed maximum aggregate offering price has been estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.

The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject To Completion, Dated June 2, 2017

PROSPECTUS

$100,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

Subscription Rights

We may offer to the public from time to time in one or more series or issuances:

• shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share;

• shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share;

• warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities;

• debt securities consisting of debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness;

• units consisting of a combination of the foregoing securities;

• subscription rights to purchase any of the foregoing securities; or

• any combination of these securities.

We may offer and sell up to $100,000,000 in the aggregate of the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time that we offer securities under this prospectus, we will provide the specific terms of the securities offered, including the public offering price, in a supplement to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” before you make your investment decision.

The securities may be sold by us to or through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers or through agents designated from time to time. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus and the comparable section of any applicable prospectus supplement. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of the securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable discounts or commissions and over-allotment options will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. No securities may be sold without delivery of this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our common stock trades on the NASDAQ Capital Market, or NASDAQ, under the ticker symbol “REPH.” On June 1, 2017, the last reported sale price per share of our common stock was $7.54 per share.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.

INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INVESTMENT IN OUR SECURITIES WILL BE DESCRIBED IN THE APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND CERTAIN OF OUR FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THIS PROSPECTUS, AS DESCRIBED UNDER “RISK FACTORS” ON PAGE 4.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is                     , 2017.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS		ii
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS		1
THE COMPANY		3
RISK FACTORS		4
USE OF PROCEEDS		4
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF OUR SECURITIES		5
DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK		5
DESCRIPTION OF OUR WARRANTS		8
DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES		9
DESCRIPTION OF OUR UNITS		13
DESCRIPTION OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS		14
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION		15
LEGAL MATTERS		17
EXPERTS		17
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE		17
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		18

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Commission, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer to sell any of the securities, or any combination of the securities, described in this prospectus, in each case in one or more offerings, up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000.

This prospectus provides you only with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time securities are sold under the shelf registration statement, we will provide a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus that will contain specific information about the terms of those securities and the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including all documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, together with the additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information” below.

The registration statement that contains this prospectus, including the exhibits to the registration statement and the information incorporated by reference, contains additional information about the securities offered under this prospectus. That registration statement can be read at the SEC website or at the SEC offices mentioned below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.” You should read the exhibits carefully for provisions that may be important to you.

We have not authorized any dealer, agent or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or an accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, if any, do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, if any, constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, if any, is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of such document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.

References in this prospectus to the terms “the Company,” “Recro,” “we,” “our” and “us” or other similar terms mean Recro Pharma, Inc. and our wholly owned subsidiary, unless we state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein contain, and any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated therein may contain, forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.

The forward-looking statements in this prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference include, among other things, statements about:

• our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and timing and availability of and the need for additional financing;

• the results, timing and outcome of our clinical trials of injectable meloxicam or our other product candidates, and any future clinical and preclinical studies;

• the preparation and filing of the new drug application for injectable meloxicam, including CMC, and our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of injectable meloxicam and our product candidates, and the labeling under any approval that we may obtain;

• our ability to successfully commercialize injectable meloxicam or our other product candidates, upon regulatory approval;

• our ability to comply with the legal and regulatory frameworks applicable to our business and other regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries;

• our ability to raise future financing and attain profitability for continued development of our business and our product candidates and to meet required debt payments, and any milestone payments owing to Alkermes plc, or Alkermes, or our other licensing and collaboration partners;

• our ability to operate under increased leverage and associated lending covenants;

• the performance of third-parties upon which we depend, including third-party contract research organizations and third-party suppliers and manufacturers;

• our ability to obtain patent protection and defend our intellectual property rights against third parties;

• our ability to maintain our relationships and contracts with our key commercial partners;

• our ability to recruit or retain key scientific, technical, commercial, and management personnel or to retain our executive officers;

• our ability to comply with stringent U.S. and foreign government regulation in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, including Good Manufacturing Practice compliance and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA, compliance; and

• the effects of changes in our effective tax rate due to changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities and changes in the tax laws.

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We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. We have included important factors in the cautionary statements included in this prospectus, particularly under “Risk Factors,” that we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, collaborations or investments we may make.

You should read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents that we incorporate by reference herein and therein completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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THE COMPANY

Overview

We are a specialty pharmaceutical company that operates through two business divisions: an Acute Care division and a revenue-generating contract development and manufacturing, or CDMO division, through which we operate a manufacturing facility in Gainesville, Georgia. We believe that we can bring valuable therapeutic options for patients, prescribers and payors, such as our lead product candidate, injectable meloxicam, and other products, to the hospital and related markets. We believe we can create value for our shareholders through the development, approval and commercialization of our pipeline assets as well as through the ongoing contributions of our cash-flow positive CDMO division. In addition to our pipeline, we are always evaluating acquisition and in-licensing opportunities that can contribute additional revenue and cash flow.

Acute Care

Our Acute Care division is primarily focused on developing innovative products for hospital and related settings. Our lead product candidate is a proprietary injectable form of meloxicam, a long-acting preferential COX-2 inhibitor. Intravenous, or IV, meloxicam has successfully completed two pivotal Phase III clinical trials, a large safety trial and other safety studies for the management of moderate to severe pain. We believe that IV meloxicam compares favorably to competitive therapies in onset of pain relief, duration of pain relief, extent of pain relief and time to peak analgesic effect and that it has been well tolerated. Overall, we enrolled a total of approximately 1,100 patients in our Phase III program, and we anticipate filing a new drug application, or NDA, for IV meloxicam with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, early in the third quarter of 2017. We believe injectable meloxicam, as a non-opioid product, will overcome many of the issues associated with commonly prescribed opioid therapeutics, including respiratory depression and constipation, along with excessive nausea and vomiting, as well having no addiction potential while maintaining analgesic, or pain relieving, effects. We are pursuing a Section 505(b)(2) regulatory strategy for injectable meloxicam.

Our pipeline also includes other early-stage product candidates. Dex-IN, a proprietary intranasal formulation of dexmedetomidine, or Dex, is in a class of drugs called alpha-2 adrenergic agonists. We have studied Dex-IN for the treatment of post-operative pain and, based on clinical trial results and feedback from the FDA, we are exploring Dex-IN for use in treatment of peri-procedural pain. In addition to Dex-IN, we have another selective alpha-2 agonist product candidate in our pipeline, Fadolmidine, or Fado, which we believe also shows promise in neuropathic pain based on preclinical data.

CDMO

Our CDMO division leverages our formulation expertise to develop and manufacture pharmaceutical products using our proprietary delivery technologies for commercial partners who commercialize or plan to commercialize these products. These collaborations result in revenue streams including royalties, profit sharing, research and development and manufacturing, which support continued operations for our CDMO division and have contributed funds to be used in our research and development in our Acute Care division. We operate a 97,000 square foot, DEA-licensed manufacturing facility in Gainesville, Georgia and we currently develop and/or manufacture the following key products with our commercial partners: Ritalin LA^®, Focalin XR^®, Verelan PM^®, generic Verapamil and Zohydro ER^®, as well as development stage products.

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 490 Lapp Road, Malvern, PA 19355, and our telephone number is (484) 395-2470. Our website address is www.recropharma.com. The information contained in, or accessible through, our website does not constitute part of this prospectus. We make available free of charge on our website our annual, quarterly and current reports, including amendments to such reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

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Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (1) the beginning of the first fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering, or January 1, 2020, (2) the beginning of the first fiscal year after our annual gross revenue is $1.0 billion or more, (3) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities and (4) as of the end of any fiscal year in which the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700 million as of the end of the second quarter of that fiscal year.

For as long as we remain an “emerging growth company,” we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation and financial statements in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote to approve executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We will take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.”

The JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, and we have elected to use this extended transition period. This election allows us to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. As a result of this election, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates.

RISK FACTORS

Our business is influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict, and that involve uncertainties that may materially affect actual operating results, cash flows and financial condition. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risks, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, as revised or supplemented by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC since the filing of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, each of which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully consider any other information we include or incorporate by reference in this prospectus or include in any applicable prospectus supplement. Each of the risks described in these sections and documents could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and could result in a partial or complete loss of your investment.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, we anticipate that the net proceeds from our sale of any securities will be used to fund the development of our commercial and clinical programs, for other research and development activities and for general corporate purposes, which may include capital expenditures and funding our working capital needs. We expect from time to time to evaluate the acquisition of businesses, products and technologies for which a portion of the net proceeds may be used, although we currently are not planning or negotiating any such transactions. Pending such uses, we may invest the net proceeds in investment grade interest-bearing securities.

The amounts actually expended for each purpose may vary significantly depending upon numerous factors, including the amount and timing of the proceeds from this offering. Expenditures will also depend upon the establishment of collaborative arrangements with other companies, the availability of additional financing and other factors. Investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the proceeds of any sale of securities.

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF OUR SECURITIES

We may offer and sell, at any time and from time to time:

• shares of our common stock;

• shares of preferred stock;

• warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities;

• debt securities consisting of debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness;

• units consisting of a combination of the foregoing securities;

• subscription rights to purchase any of the foregoing securities; or

• any combination of these securities.

The terms of any securities we offer will be determined at the time of sale. We may issue debt securities that are exchangeable for and/or convertible into common stock or any of the other securities that may be sold under this prospectus. When particular securities are offered by us, a supplement to this prospectus will be filed with the SEC, which will describe the terms of the offering and sale of the offered securities.

DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of our capital stock and provisions of our articles of incorporation, bylaws and the Pennsylvania Business Corporation law are summaries and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the articles of incorporation and the bylaws. We have filed copies of these documents with the SEC as exhibits to our registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.

Pursuant to our Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, our authorized capital stock consists of 50,000,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.01 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, to be designated from time to time by our board of directors.

Common Stock

As of June 2, 2017, there were 19,054,566 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders, including the election of directors, and do not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock in person or represented by proxies in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they so choose, other than any directors that holders of any preferred stock that we may issue may be entitled to elect.

Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then-outstanding shares of preferred stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably dividends when, as, and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any preferential dividend rights of outstanding preferred stock. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to ratably receive the net assets of our company available after the payments of all debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of the holders of any then-outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. All outstanding shares of our common stock are, and the common stock to be outstanding upon completion of this offering will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The rights and privileges of the holders of the common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

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Preferred Stock

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our shareholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the dividend, voting and other rights, preferences and privileges of the shares of each wholly unissued series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in our control and may adversely affect the market price of the common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. We have no current plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Common Stock Warrants

We issued to the representatives of the underwriters in our IPO warrants to purchase up to 150,000 shares of our common stock, with a per share exercise price equal to $12.00, or 150% of the public offering price, or IPO warrants, of which 140,000 are currently outstanding. The IPO warrants are exercisable by the underwriters at any time, in whole or in part, during the four-year period commencing one year after the closing of our IPO.

In connection with our acquisition of IV meloxicam and our CDMO business from Alkermes, we issued to Alkermes a seven-year warrant to purchase an aggregate of 350,000 shares of our common stock, with a per share exercise price of $19.46 per share. In addition, we issued to OrbiMed Royalty Opportunities, II, LP, or OrbiMed, the lender under our senior secured credit facility, a seven-year warrant to purchase an aggregate of 294,928 shares of our common stock, with a per share exercise price of $3.28 per share, subject to certain adjustments.

Registration Rights

In July 2015 we completed a private placement to certain investors of 1,379,311 shares of our common stock. In connection with the private placement, we entered into a securities purchase agreement, or Purchase Agreement, with such investors under which we granted the investors certain registration rights with respect to the shares purchased. In particular, the Purchase Agreement required us to file a registration statement with the SEC to register the sale of such shares within 45 days of the consummation of the private placement and to maintain continuous effectiveness of the registration statement. A registration statement relating to such shares was filed on August 20, 2015 and declared effective by the SEC on September 1, 2015.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Pennsylvania Law and Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

Pennsylvania Anti-Takeover Law

Provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, or the PBCL, applicable to us provide, among other things, that:

• we may not engage in a business combination with an “interested shareholder,” generally defined as a holder of 20% of a corporation’s voting stock, during the five-year period after the interested shareholder became such except under certain specified circumstances;

• holders of our common stock may object to a “control transaction” involving us (a control transaction is defined as the acquisition by a person or group of persons acting in concert of at least 20% of the outstanding voting stock of a corporation), and demand that they be paid a cash payment for the “fair value” of their shares from the “controlling person or group”;

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• holders of “control shares” will not be entitled to voting rights with respect to any shares in excess of specified thresholds, including 20% voting control, until the voting rights associated with such shares are restored by the affirmative vote of a majority of disinterested shares and the outstanding voting shares of the Company; and

• any “profit,” as defined, realized by any person or group who is or was a “controlling person or group” with respect to us from the disposition of any equity securities of within 18 months after the person or group became a “controlling person or group” shall belong to and be recoverable by us.

Pennsylvania-chartered corporations may exempt themselves from these and other anti-takeover provisions. Our articles of incorporation do not provide for exemption from the applicability of these or other anti-takeover provisions in the PBCL.

The provisions noted above may have the effect of discouraging a future takeover attempt that is not approved by our board of directors but which individual shareholders may consider to be in their best interests or in which shareholders may receive a substantial premium for their shares over the then current market price. As a result, shareholders who might wish to participate in such a transaction may not have an opportunity to do so. The provisions may make the removal of our board of directors or management more difficult. Furthermore, such provisions could result our company being deemed less attractive to a potential acquiror and/or could result in our shareholders receiving a lesser amount of consideration for their shares of our common stock than otherwise could have been available either in the market generally and/or in a takeover.

Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

Provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change of control or change in our management, including transactions in which shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares, or transactions that our shareholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. Therefore, these provisions could adversely affect the price of our common stock. Among other things, our articles of incorporation and bylaws:

• divide our board of directors into three classes with staggered three-year terms;

• provide that a special meeting of shareholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors;

• establish advance notice procedures with respect to shareholder proposals to be brought before a shareholder meeting and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors;

• provide that shareholders may only act at a duly organized meeting; and

• provide that members of our board of directors may be removed from office by our shareholders only for cause by the affirmative vote of 75% of the total voting power of all shares entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc.

Stock Market Listing

Our shares of common stock are listed for trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “REPH.”

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR WARRANTS

We may issue warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series together with other securities or separately, as described in each applicable prospectus supplement. Below is a description of certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer. Particular terms of the warrants will be described in the applicable warrant agreements and the applicable prospectus supplement for the warrants.

The applicable prospectus supplement will contain, where applicable, the following terms of and other information relating to the warrants:

• the specific designation and aggregate number of, and the price at which we will issue, the warrants;

• the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

• the designation, amount and terms of the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

• if applicable, the exercise price for shares of our common stock and the number of shares of common stock to be received upon exercise of the warrants;

• if applicable, the exercise price for shares of our preferred stock, the number of shares of preferred stock to be received upon exercise of the warrants, and a description of that series of our preferred stock;

• if applicable, the exercise price for our debt securities, the amount of our debt securities to be received upon exercise of the warrants, and a description of that series of debt securities;

• the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will begin and the date on which that right will expire or, if the warrants may not be continuously exercised throughout that period, the specific date or dates on which the warrants may be exercised;

• whether the warrants will be issued in fully registered form or bearer form, in definitive or global form or in any combination of these forms, although, in any case, the form of a warrant included in a unit will correspond to the form of the unit and of any security included in that unit;

• any applicable material U.S. federal income tax consequences;

• the identity of the warrant agent for the warrants and of any other depositaries, execution or paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or other agents;

• the proposed listing, if any, of the warrants or any securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants on any securities exchange or market;

• if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and the common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities will be separately transferable;

• if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

• information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any

• the anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

• any redemption or call provisions;

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• whether the warrants are to be sold separately or with other securities as parts of units; and

• any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for any warrants will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Description of Outstanding Warrants

As of June 2, 2017, there were 784,928 warrants to purchase shares of our common stock outstanding. See “Description of Our Capital Stock – Common Stock Warrants.”

DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES

This section describes the general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, any of which may be issued as convertible or exchangeable debt securities. We will set forth the particular terms of the debt securities we offer in a prospectus supplement. The extent, if any, to which the following general provisions apply to particular debt securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The following description of general terms relating to the debt securities and the indenture under which the debt securities will be issued are summaries only and therefore are not complete. You should read the indenture and the prospectus supplement regarding any particular issuance of debt securities.

We will issue any debt under an indenture to be entered into between us and the trustee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of the debt securities will include those stated in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in effect on the date of the indenture. We have filed or will file a copy of the form of indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement in which this prospectus is included. The indenture will be subject to and governed by the terms of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

We may offer under this prospectus up to an aggregate principal amount of $100,000,000 in debt securities, or if debt securities are issued at a discount, or in a foreign currency, foreign currency units or composite currency, the principal amount as may be sold for an aggregate initial public offering price of up to $100,000,000. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will represent direct, unsecured obligations of the Company and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured indebtedness.

The following statements relating to the debt securities and the indenture are summaries, qualified in their entirety by reference to the detailed provisions of the indenture and the final form indenture as may be filed with a future prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement will set forth, to the extent required, the following terms of the debt securities in respect of which the prospectus supplement is delivered:

• the title of the series;

• the aggregate principal amount;

• the issue price or prices, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

• any limit on the aggregate principal amount;

• the date or dates on which principal is payable;

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• the interest rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates;

• the date or dates from which interest, if any, will be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable;

• the place or places where principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, is payable;

• the terms and conditions upon which we may, or the holders may require us to, redeem or repurchase the debt securities;

• the denominations in which such debt securities may be issuable, if other than denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple of that number;

• whether the debt securities are to be issuable in the form of certificated securities (as described below) or global securities (as described below);

• the portion of principal amount that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date if other than the principal amount of the debt securities;

• the currency of denomination;

• the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest, will be made;

• if payments of principal and, if applicable, premium or interest, on the debt securities are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than the currency of denomination, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;

• if amounts of principal and, if applicable, premium and interest may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index, then the manner in which such amounts will be determined;

• the provisions, if any, relating to any collateral provided for such debt securities;

• any addition to or change in the covenants and/or the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture;

• any events of default, if not otherwise described below under “Defaults and Notice”;

• the terms and conditions, if any, for conversion into or exchange for shares of our common stock or preferred stock;

• any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents; and

• the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the debt securities shall be subordinated in right of payment to other indebtedness of the Company.

We may issue discount debt securities that provide for an amount less than the stated principal amount to be due and payable upon acceleration of the maturity of such debt securities in accordance with the terms of the indenture. We may also issue debt securities in bearer form, with or without coupons. If we issue discount debt securities or debt securities in bearer form, we will describe material U.S. federal income tax considerations and other material special considerations which apply to these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may issue debt securities denominated in or payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units. If we do, we will describe the restrictions, elections, and general tax considerations relating to the debt securities and the foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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Exchange and/or Conversion Rights

We may issue debt securities which can be exchanged for or converted into shares of our common stock or preferred stock. If we do, we will describe the terms of exchange or conversion in the prospectus supplement relating to these debt securities.

Transfer and Exchange

We may issue debt securities that will be represented by either:

• “book-entry securities,” which means that there will be one or more global securities registered in the name of a depositary or a nominee of a depositary; or

• “certificated securities,” which means that they will be represented by a certificate issued in definitive registered form.

We will specify in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular offering whether the debt securities offered will be book-entry or certificated securities.

Certificated Debt Securities

If you hold certificated debt securities issued under an indenture, you may transfer or exchange such debt securities in accordance with the terms of the indenture. You will not be charged a service charge for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities but may be required to pay an amount sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with such transfer or exchange.

Global Securities

The debt securities of a series may be issued in the form of one or more global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominees identified in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities. In such a case, one or more global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of the series to be represented by such global security or securities.

Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities in definitive registered form, a global security may not be registered for transfer or exchange except as a whole by the depositary for such global security to a nominee of the depositary and except in the circumstances described in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to a series of debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such series.

Protection in the Event of Change of Control

Any provision in an indenture that governs our debt securities covered by this prospectus that includes any covenant or other provision providing for a put or increased interest or otherwise that would afford holders of our debt securities additional protection in the event of a recapitalization transaction, a change of control of the Company, or a highly leveraged transaction will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Covenants

Unless otherwise indicated in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, our debt securities may not have the benefit of any covenant that limits or restricts our business or operations, the pledging of our assets or the incurrence by us of indebtedness. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any material covenants in respect of a series of debt securities.

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Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

We may agree in any indenture that governs the debt securities of any series covered by this prospectus that we will not consolidate with or merge into any other person or convey, transfer, sell or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless such person and such proposed transaction meets various criteria, which we will describe in detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Defaults and Notice

The debt securities of any series will contain events of default to be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, which may include, without limitation:

• failure to pay the principal of, or premium or make-whole amount, if any, on any debt security of such series when due and payable (whether at maturity, by call for redemption, through any mandatory sinking fund, by redemption at the option of the holder, by declaration or acceleration or otherwise);

• failure to make a payment of any interest on any debt security of such series when due;

• our failure to perform or observe any other covenants or agreements in the indenture with respect to the debt securities of such series;

• certain events relating to our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; and

• certain cross defaults, if and as applicable.

If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series shall occur and be continuing, we may agree that the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of such series may declare the principal amount (or, if the debt securities of such series are issued at an original issue discount, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of the debt securities of such series) of all debt securities of such series or such other amount or amounts as the debt securities or supplemental indenture with respect to such series may provide, to be due and payable immediately. Any provisions pertaining to events of default and any remedies associated therewith will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Any indenture that governs our debt securities covered by this prospectus may require that the trustee under such indenture shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default, give to holders of debt securities of any series notice of all uncured defaults with respect to such series known to it. However, in the case of a default that results from the failure to make any payment of the principal of, premium or make-whole amount, if any, or interest on the debt securities of any series, or in the payment of any mandatory sinking fund installment with respect to debt securities of such series, if any, the trustee may withhold such notice if it in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the holders of debt securities of such series. Any terms and provisions relating to the foregoing types of provisions will be described in further detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Any indenture that governs our debt securities covered by this prospectus will contain a provision entitling the trustee to be indemnified by holders of debt securities before proceeding to exercise any trust or power under the indenture at the request of such holders. Any such indenture may provide that the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceedings for any remedy available to the trustee, or of exercising any trust or power conferred upon the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series. However, the trustee under any such indenture may decline to follow any such direction that conflicts with law or the indenture, or that the trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the holders of the debt securities of such series not joining in such direction.

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Any indenture that governs our debt securities covered by this prospectus may endow the holders of such debt securities to institute a proceeding with respect to such indenture, subject to certain conditions, which will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement and which may include, that the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of such series then outstanding make a written request upon the trustee to exercise its power under the indenture, indemnify the trustee and afford the trustee reasonable opportunity to act. Even so, such holders may have an absolute right to receipt of the principal of, premium or make-whole amount, if any, and interest when due, on, the debt securities to require conversion or exchange of debt securities if such indenture provides for convertibility or exchangeability at the option of the holder and to institute suit for the enforcement of such rights. Any terms and provisions relating to the foregoing types of provisions will be described in further detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Modification of the Indenture

We and the trustee may modify any indenture that governs our debt securities of any series covered by this prospectus with or without the consent of the holders of such debt securities, under certain circumstances to be described in a prospectus supplement.

Defeasance; Satisfaction and Discharge

The prospectus supplement will outline the conditions under which we may elect to have certain of our obligations under the indenture discharged and under which the indenture obligations will be deemed to be satisfied.

Regarding the Trustee

We will identify the trustee and any relationship that we may have with such trustee, with respect to any series of debt securities, in the prospectus supplement relating to the applicable debt securities. You should note that if the trustee becomes a creditor of Recro Pharma, Inc., the indenture and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 limit the rights of the trustee to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim, as security or otherwise. The trustee and its affiliates may engage in, and will be permitted to continue to engage in, other transactions with us and our affiliates. If, however, the trustee acquires any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, it must eliminate such conflict or resign.

Governing Law

The law governing the indenture and the debt securities will be identified in the prospectus supplement relating to the applicable indenture and debt securities.

DESCRIPTION OF OUR UNITS

The following, together with the additional information we may include in the applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any units we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any series of units in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may, from time to time, issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities that may be offered under this prospectus, in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time, or at any time before a specified date.

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of units, including:

• the material terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

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• the rights and obligations of the unit agent, if any;

• any material provisions relating to the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and

• any material provisions of the governing unit agreement that differ from those described above.

Issuance in Series

We may issue units in such amounts and in numerous distinct series as we determine.

DESCRIPTION OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

As specified in any applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue subscription rights consisting of one or more debt securities, shares of preferred stock, shares of common stock or any combination of such securities.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities being offered by this prospectus separately or together:

• directly to purchasers;

• through agents;

• to or through underwriters;

• through dealers;

• through a block trade in which the broker or dealer engaged to handle the block trade will attempt to sell the securities as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; or

• through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

In addition, we may issue the securities being offered by this prospectus as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may effect the distribution of the securities from time to time in one or more transactions:

• at a fixed price, or prices, which may be changed from time to time;

• at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

• at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

• at negotiated prices.

For example, we may engage in at-the-market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act. We may also sell securities through a rights offering, forward contracts or similar arrangements. In any distribution of subscription rights to shareholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.

The securities issued and sold under this prospectus will have no established trading market, other than our common stock, which is listed on NASDAQ. Any shares of our common stock sold pursuant to this prospectus will be eligible for listing and trading on the NASDAQ, subject to official notice of issuance. Any underwriters to whom securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in the securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The securities, other than our common stock, may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange or other trading market.

We will set forth in a prospectus supplement:

• the terms of any underwriting or other agreement that we reach relating to sales under this prospectus;;

• the method of distribution of the securities;

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• the names of any agents, underwriters or dealers, including any managing underwriters, used in the offering of securities;

• the terms of any direct sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process, or the terms of any other transactions;

• the compensation payable to agents, underwriters and dealers, which may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions;

• any activities that may be undertaken by agents, underwriters and dealers to stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities; and

• any indemnification and contribution obligations owing to agents, underwriters and dealers.

If we sell directly to institutional investors or others, they may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, if we sell through an agent, such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any agent may be deemed to be an “underwriter” of the securities as that term is defined in the Securities Act. If a dealer is used in the sale of the securities, we or an underwriter will sell securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.

We may authorize agents, underwriters and dealers to solicit offers by certain institutional investors to purchase offered securities under contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date specified in a prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also describe the public offering price for the securities and the commission payable for solicitation of these delayed delivery contracts. Delayed delivery contracts will contain definite fixed price and quantity terms. The obligations of a purchase under these delayed delivery contracts will be subject to only two conditions:

• that the institution’s purchase of the securities at the time of delivery of the securities is not prohibited under the law of any jurisdiction to which the institution is subject; and

• that we shall have sold to the underwriters the total principal amount of the offered securities, less the principal amount covered by the delayed contracts.

To the extent permitted by and in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, in connection with an offering an underwriter may engage in over-allotments, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids. Over-allotments involve sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be otherwise. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

To the extent permitted by and in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, any underwriters who are qualified market makers on NASDAQ may engage in passive market making transactions in the securities on NASDAQ during the business day prior to the pricing of an offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the securities. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded.

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The specific terms of any lock-up provisions in respect of any given offering will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate proceeds of the offering.

The underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business for which they receive compensation.

No securities may be sold under this prospectus without delivery, in paper format or in electronic format, or both, of the applicable prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the issuance of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Hogan Lovells US LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As appropriate, legal counsel representing the underwriters, dealers or agents will be named in the accompanying prospectus supplement and may opine to certain legal matters.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Recro Pharma, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, and for the years then ended, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The audited combined historical financial statements of DARA included on page 6 of Recro Pharma, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated June 2, 2015 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information from other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part the information or documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC:

• our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed on March 9, 2017 (including the portions of our proxy statement for our 2017 annual meeting of shareholders incorporated by reference therein);

• our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2017, filed on May 11, 2017;

• our Current Reports on Form 8-K (other than portions thereof furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits accompanying such reports that are related to such items) filed on January 6, 2017; February 27, 2017; March 6, 2017; March 7, 2017; April 5, 2017; May 9, 2017; and May 18, 2017;

• The description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on March 4, 2014 (Registration no. 001-36329) with the SEC, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description;

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In addition, all documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement and all such documents that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of the offering of our securities shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this prospectus and to be a part of this prospectus from the respective dates of filing such documents.

The audited combined financial statements of DARA for the year ended December 31, 2014 and the nine months ended December 31, 2013, the historical unaudited financial statements of DARA as of March 31, 2015 and for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, and the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations of the Company and DARA for the year ended December 31, 2015 are incorporated herein by reference to exhibits 99.1, 99.2 and 99.3, respectively, to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus 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 prospectus.

You may request, orally or in writing, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference. These documents will be provided to you at no cost, by contacting: Susan Kim, Argot Partners, 767 Third Avenue, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10017, (212) 600-1902, email address: susan@argotpartners.com. In addition, copies of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference may be accessed at our website at http://www.recropharma.com. The information on such website is not incorporated by reference and is not a part of this prospectus.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the SEC’s public reference facilities by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You can request copies of these documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC at its principal office at 100 F Street NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549-1004. The SEC maintains an Internet website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. Our SEC filings are accessible through the Internet at that website. Our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and amendments to those reports, are also available for download, free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after these reports are filed with the SEC, at our website at www.recropharma.com. The content contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus.

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$100,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

Subscription Rights

PROSPECTUS

                    , 2017

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

Set forth below is an estimate (except in the case of the registration fee) of the amount of fees and expenses to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the offered securities registered hereby, other than underwriting discounts and commission, if any, incurred in connection with the sale of the offered securities. All such amounts will be borne by Recro Pharma, Inc.

	Amount to be paid
SEC registration fee	$	11,590
NASDAQ Capital Market additional listing fee	$		(1)
Printing expenses	$		(1)
Accounting fees and expenses	$		(1)
Legal fees and expenses	$		(1)
Miscellaneous	$		(1)
Total	$		(1)

(1) These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Company’s by-laws provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by Pennsylvania law, any officer or director of the Company who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to, any threatened, or pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, by reason of fact that he/she is or was acting as was a representative of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request or for the benefit of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent, partner, or fiduciary of, or in any other capacity for, another corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall be indemnified by the Company for any losses or expenses incurred in connection with service as an officer or director of the Company, if the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

Pennsylvania law requires that to the extent that a director or officer of the Company has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action or proceeding referred to above or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, that director or officer shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorney fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith. The Company’s by-laws further provide that the right to indemnification includes the right to have expenses reasonably incurred in defending any action or proceeding described above paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of the action or proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by Pennsylvania law; provided that, if required by Pennsylvania law, the payment of such expenses incurred in advance of the final disposition of the action or proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Company of an undertaking to repay all amounts so advanced without interest if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified.

Indemnification shall not be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which the person has been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and only to the extent that a court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for the expenses that the court deems proper. Nor shall indemnification be made in any case where the act or failure to act giving rise to the claim for indemnification is determined by a court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness.

II-1

Item 16. Exhibits.

See the Exhibit Index on the page immediately preceding the exhibits for a list of exhibits filed as part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 17. Undertakings.

(a) 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 of 1933;

(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 in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective 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), (ii) and (iii) 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 SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering

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described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

(6) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) 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 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to 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.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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(j) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Malvern, Pennsylvania, on June 2, 2017.

RECRO PHARMA, INC.
By:	/s/ Gerri A. Henwood
	Gerri A. Henwood
	Chief Executive Officer

Each of the undersigned directors and officers of Recro Pharma, Inc. hereby constitutes and appoints each of Gerri A. Henwood and Michael Celano of Recro Pharma, Inc., his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to execute any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, to sign any registration statement related to this registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, and to cause the same to be filed with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and desirable to be done in and about the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all acts and things that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Signature	Title	Date
/s/ Gerri A. Henwood Gerri A. Henwood	President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)	June 2, 2017
/s/ Michael Celano Michael Celano	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)	June 2, 2017
/s/ Donna Nichols Donna Nichols	Vice President, Corporate Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)	June 2, 2017
/s/ Alfred Altomari Alfred Altomari	Director	June 2, 2017
/s/ William L. Ashton William L. Ashton	Director	June 2, 2017
/s/ Michael Berelowitz Michael Berelowitz	Director	June 2, 2017
/s/ Winston J. Churchill Winston J. Churchill	Director	June 2, 2017
/s/ Karen Flynn Karen Flynn	Director	June 2, 2017

/s/ Bryan M. Reasons Bryan M. Reasons	Director	June 2, 2017
/s/ Wayne B. Weisman Wayne B. Weisman	Director	June 2, 2017

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
1.1*	Form of Underwriting Agreement
4.1	Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Recro Pharma, Inc. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 13, 2014.
4.2	Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of Recro Pharma, Inc. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 13, 2014.
4.3	Specimen certificate evidencing shares of common stock. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed on December 20, 2013.
4.4	Form of Alkermes Warrant. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 11, 2015.
4.5	Form of OrbiMed Warrant. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 11, 2015.
4.6*	Specimen certificate evidencing shares of preferred stock
4.7*	Form of any Certificate of Designation setting forth the preferences and rights with respect to any preferred stock issued hereunder
4.8	Form of Indenture
4.11*	Form of Debt Securities
4.12*	Form of Warrant
4.13*	Form of Warrant Agreement for Common Stock, including Warrant Certificate for Common Stock
4.14*	Form of Warrant Agreement for Preferred Stock, including Warrant Certificate for Preferred Stock
4.15*	Form of Warrant Agreement for Debt Securities, including Warrant Certificate for Debt Securities
4.16*	Form of Unit Agreement
4.17*	Form of Subscription Rights Agreement
5.1	Opinion of Hogan Lovells US, LLP
23.1	Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
23.2	Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
23.3	Consent of Hogan Lovells US LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1	Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto).
25.1**	Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of Trustee for Form of Indenture.

99.1	Audited combined financial statements of DARA for the year ended December 31, 2014 and the nine months ended December 31, 2013. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on June 2, 2015.
99.2	Historical unaudited financial statements of DARA as of March 31, 2015 and for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on July 21, 2015.
99.3	Unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations of the Company and DARA for the year ended December 31, 2015. Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on July 21, 2015.

* To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

** To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Rule 5b-3 thereunder.