Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0104
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Wheeler Patrick M
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
12/07/2009
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ARCA biopharma, Inc. [ABIO]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O ARCA BIOPHARMA, INC., 8001 ARISTA PLACE, SUITE 200
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Acting CFO
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

BROOMFIELD, CO 80021
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 3,338
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Option to purchase common stock   (1) 08/03/2016 Common Stock 5,011 $ 0.9 D  
Option to purchase common stock   (2) 05/02/2017 Common Stock 1,669 $ 1.8 D  
Option to purchase common stock   (3) 02/12/2018 Common Stock 24,212 $ 1.86 D  
Option to purchase common stock   (4) 06/25/2019 Common Stock 20,000 $ 2.9 D  
Option to purchase common stock   (5) 01/23/2019 Common Stock 5,844 $ 5.57 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Wheeler Patrick M
C/O ARCA BIOPHARMA, INC.
8001 ARISTA PLACE, SUITE 200
BROOMFIELD, CO 80021
      Acting CFO  

Signatures

Patrick Wheeler 12/15/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The options vested as to 25% on July 31, 2007 and continue to vest by 6.25% at the end of each three month period thereafter. The shares subject to the option will become immediately vested and exercisable in full as of immediately prior to the closing of a change of control of the Company that is consummated on or after May 19, 2009, provided that at the relevant vesting date the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated at the time such change of control is consummated.
(2) The options vested as to 25% on May 3, 2008 and continue to vest by 6.25% at the end of each three month period thereafter. The shares subject to the option will become immediately vested and exercisable in full as of immediately prior to the closing of a change of control of the Company that is consummated on or after May 19, 2009, provided that at the relevant vesting date the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated at the time such change of control is consummated.
(3) The options vested as to 25% on February 12, 2009 and continue to vest by 6.25% at the end of each three month period thereafter. The shares subject to the option will become immediately vested and exercisable in full as of immediately prior to the closing of a change of control of the Company that is consummated on or after May 19, 2009, provided that at the relevant vesting date the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated at the time such change of control is consummated.
(4) The options vest in equal monthly installments over a four year period from the date of grant. If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") approves the New Drug Application for Gencaro (the "FDA Approval") and provided that the Reporting Person remains in service to the Issuer and fewer than 50% of the shares subject to the option have become vested by such date, the vesting of the option will be accelerated such that, on the date of the FDA Approval, the shares subject to the option will be vested as to an aggregate of 50% of the total number of shares subject to the option, with the balance of the shares vesting thereafter on the original vesting schedule described above. In the event of a change of control of the Company in which the option is not assumed or replaced, then all unvested shares subject to the option will become immediately vested prior to the date of the change of control.
(5) The options vest in equal monthly installments over a four year period from the date of grant. The shares subject to the option will become immediately vested and exercisable in full as of immediately prior to the closing of a change of control of the Company that is consummated on or after May 19, 2009, provided that at the relevant vesting date the Reporting Person's continuous service to the Issuer has not been terminated at the time such change of control is consummated.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.