UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  February 29, 2008

 

United Therapeutics Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

 

(301) 608-9292

 

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

 

o  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 

 

Item 8.01.  Other Events.

 

On February 29, 2008, Roger Jeffs, Ph.D., President & Chief Operating Officer of United Therapeutics Corporation, adopted a prearranged trading plan in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b5-1 and United Therapeutics Corporation’s Securities Trades by Company Personnel Policy. This plan replaces the 10b5-1 plan adopted by Dr. Jeffs on February 28, 2005, which is set to expire in June 2008. The first trade under the successor plan will take place in July 2008.

 

Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 permits officers and directors of public companies to adopt predetermined written plans for trading specified amounts of company stock when they are not in possession of material nonpublic information in order to gradually diversify their investment portfolio, to minimize the market effect of stock sales by spreading them out over an extended period of time, and to avoid concerns about initiating stock transactions while in possession of material nonpublic information.

 

The 10b5-1 plan adopted by Dr. Jeffs involves a market order to sell 4,000 shares on the first and third Thursdays of each month, with all such shares acquired through the exercise of employee stock options.  Shares will be sold under the plan on the open market at prevailing market prices subject to a minimum price threshold.

 

The plan will expire on December 31, 2011, or when the maximum amount of 170,000 shares has been sold, whichever first occurs.

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

			UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION
			(Registrant)
Dated: February 29, 2008			By:	/s/ Paul A. Mahon
			Name:	Paul A. Mahon
			Title:	General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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