SC 13G

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.    )*

Exicure, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

30205M101

(CUSIP Number)

December 1, 2022

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed :

☐ Rule 13d-1(b)

☒ Rule 13d-1(c)

☐ Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act, but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

CUSIP No. 30205M101 SCHEDULE 13G Page 2 of 11 Pages

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSON   Double Black Diamond Offshore Ltd.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)  ☐        (b)  ☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION   Cayman Islands

NUMBER OF SHARES  BENEFICIALLY  OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH	5	SOLE VOTING POWER   0
	6	SHARED VOTING POWER   250,000
	7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER   0
	8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER   250,000

9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON   250,000
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   ☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)   5.0%
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON   CO

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CUSIP No. 30205M101 SCHEDULE 13G Page 3 of 11 Pages

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSON   Carlson Capital, L.P.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)  ☐        (b)  ☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION   Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES  BENEFICIALLY  OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH	5	SOLE VOTING POWER   0
	6	SHARED VOTING POWER   250,000
	7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER   0
	8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER   250,000

9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON   250,000
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   ☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)   5.0%
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON   PN, IA

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CUSIP No. 30205M101 SCHEDULE 13G Page 4 of 11 Pages

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSON   Asgard Investment Corp. II
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)  ☐        (b)  ☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION   Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES  BENEFICIALLY  OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH	5	SOLE VOTING POWER   0
	6	SHARED VOTING POWER   250,000
	7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER   0
	8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER   250,000

9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON   250,000
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   ☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)   5.0%
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON   CO

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CUSIP No. 30205M101 SCHEDULE 13G Page 5 of 11 Pages

1	NAMES OF REPORTING PERSON   Clint D. Carlson
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP   (a)  ☐        (b)  ☐
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION   United States

NUMBER OF SHARES  BENEFICIALLY  OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH	5	SOLE VOTING POWER   0
	6	SHARED VOTING POWER   250,000
	7	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER   0
	8	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER   250,000

9	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON   250,000
10	CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   ☐
11	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)   5.0%
12	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON   IN

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Item 1(a). NAME OF ISSUER

Exicure, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”).

Item 1(b). ADDRESS OF ISSUER’S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES

2430 N. Halstead St.

Chicago, IL 60614

Item 2(a). NAME OF PERSON FILING

This statement is filed by:

(i) Double Black Diamond Offshore Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Fund”), with respect to Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Issuer (the “Common Stock”) held or beneficially owned directly by the Fund;

(ii) Carlson Capital, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Carlson Capital”), which serves as the investment manager to the Fund with respect to any shares of Common Stock of the Issuer held by the Fund;

(iii) Asgard Investment Corp. II, a Delaware corporation (“Asgard II”), which serves as the general partner of Carlson Capital, with respect to the Common Stock directly held by the Fund; and

(iv) Mr. Clint D. Carlson, a United States citizen (“Mr. Carlson”), who is the sole stockholder of Asgard II and serves as president of Asgard II and Carlson Capital, with respect to the Common Stock directly held by the Fund.

The foregoing persons are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Reporting Persons”.

The filing of this statement should not be construed as an admission that any of the Reporting Persons is, for the purposes of Section 13 of the Act, the beneficial owner of the Common Stock reported herein.

Item 2(b). ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE

The address of the principal business office of each of the Reporting Persons is 2100 McKinney Avenue, Suite 1800, Dallas, Texas 75201.

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Item 2(c). CITIZENSHIP

The Fund is a Cayman Islands exempted company. Carlson Capital is a Delaware limited partnership. Asgard II is a Delaware corporation. Mr. Carlson is a United States citizen.

Item 2(d). TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES

Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”).

Item 2(e). CUSIP No.

30205M101

Item 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO §§ 240.13D-1(B), OR 240.13D-2(B) OR (C), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

(a)	☐	Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o);
(b)	☐	Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c);
(c)	☐	Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c);
(d)	☐	Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8);
(e)	☒	An investment adviser in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);
(f)	☐	An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
(g)	☐	A parent holding company or control person in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
(h)	☐	A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
(i)	☐	A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
(j)	☐	A non-U.S. institution in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
(k)	☐	Group, in accordance with § 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K).

If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution: ___________________

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Item 4. OWNERSHIP

A. The Fund:

(a) Amount beneficially owned: 250,000 shares of Common Stock

(b) Percent of class: 5.0%

(c)        (i)           Sole power to vote or direct the vote: 0

(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 250,000

(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: 0

(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition: 250,000

B. Carlson Capital:

(a) Amount beneficially owned: 250,000

(b) Percent of class: 5.0%

(c)        (i)           Sole power to vote or direct the vote: 0

(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 250,000

(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: 0

(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition: 250,000

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C. Asgard II:

(a) Amount beneficially owned: 250,000

(b) Percent of class: 5.0%

(c)        (i)           Sole power to vote or direct the vote: 0

(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 250,000

(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: 0

(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition: 250,000

D. Mr. Carlson:

(a) Amount beneficially owned: 250,000

(b) Percent of class: 5.0%

(c)        (i)           Sole power to vote or direct the vote: 0

(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 250,000

(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: 0

(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition: 250,000

The percentages reported in this Schedule 13G are based on 4,964,630 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of November 11, 2022, as reported in the Form 10-Q filed by the Issuer on November 14, 2022.

Item 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than 5 percent of the class of securities, check the following ☐.

Item 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON

Not applicable.

Item 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY OR CONTROL PERSON

Not applicable.

Item 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

Not applicable.

Item 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP

Not applicable.

Item 10. CERTIFICATION

Each of the Reporting Persons hereby makes the following certification:

By signing below, each Reporting Person certifies that, to the best of his or its knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

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SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his or its knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

DATED: December 6, 2022

DOUBLE BLACK DIAMOND OFFSHORE LTD.
By: Carlson Capital, L.P., its investment manager
By: Asgard Investment Corp. II, its general partner
By:	/s/ Clint D. Carlson
Name:	Clint D. Carlson
Title:	President
CARLSON CAPITAL, L.P.
By: Asgard Investment Corp. II, its general partner
By:	/s/ Clint D. Carlson
Name:	Clint D. Carlson
Title:	President
ASGARD INVESTMENT CORP. II
By:	/s/ Clint D. Carlson
Name:	Clint D. Carlson
Title:	President
CLINT D. CARLSON
/s/ Clint D. Carlson

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EX-99.1

EXHIBIT I

JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, each of the undersigned hereby agrees to the joint filing on behalf of each of them of a statement on Schedule 13G (including amendments thereto) with respect to the Common Stock of Exicure, Inc., and that this Joint Filing Agreement be included as an Exhibit to such joint filing.

Each of the undersigned acknowledges that each shall be responsible for the timely filing of any statement (including amendments) on Schedule 13G, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning him or it contained herein, but shall not be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning the other persons making such filings, except to the extent that he or it knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate.

Dated: December 6, 2022

DOUBLE BLACK DIAMOND OFFSHORE LTD.
By: Carlson Capital, L.P., its investment manager
By: Asgard Investment Corp. II, its general partner
By:	/s/ Clint D. Carlson
Name:	Clint D. Carlson
Title:	President
CARLSON CAPITAL, L.P.
By: Asgard Investment Corp. II, its general partner
By:	/s/ Clint D. Carlson
Name:	Clint D. Carlson
Title:	President
ASGARD INVESTMENT CORP.
By:	/s/ Clint D. Carlson
Name:	Clint D. Carlson
Title:	President
CLINT D. CARLSON
/s/ Clint D. Carlson

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