Nextera receives Norwegian Research Council funding to expand its NextCore platform with a novel therapeutic T cell receptor discovery pipeline.

On December 11, 2020 Nextera reported that the Norwegian Research Council (NRC) has awarded a prestigious 15.7 MNOK grant funding to expand our NextCore platform with a novel T cell receptor (TCR) discovery pipeline (Press release, Nextera, DEC 11, 2020, View Source [SID1234575788]).

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The latest generation immuno-oncology (IO) therapies have shown a remarkable ability to treat and eventually cure cancer by evoking or grafting an anti-cancer immune response into patients. T cells are at the core of this immune response and they acquire this ability through their TCRs. Therefore, further improvements in harnessing IO therapy will critically depend upon the availability of clinically safe and potent TCRs.

"The NextCore phage display platform is uniquely equipped to address the unmet need in therapeutic TCR supply and development. This project is a natural expansion of our already strong T cell immunology focus in drug discovery, and gives Nextera a solid footprint in current and next generation cancer immunotherapies. The grant is instrumental for the initiation of this project, and represents a validation of Nextera’s commercial pathway." Geir Åge Løset, PhD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Nextera AS, commented.

BiOrion Technologies receives a EUROSTARS grant for their € 1.7 M colorectal cancer imaging program COLOSELECT

On December 11, 2020 BiOrion reported The EUROSTARS grant of a EUR 1.7 million colorectal cancer imaging program is awarded to a multidisciplinary consortium including BiOrion Technologies BV, The Netherlands (Press release, BiOrion, DEC 11, 2020, View Source [SID1234575366]).

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EUROSTARS is a joint program between EUREKA and the European Commission, co-funded from the national budgets of 36 EUROSTARS Participating States and Partner Countries and by the European Union through Horizon 2020. The subsidy is for a three-year period and will allow clinical development of PDGF beta receptor binding single domain antibodies conjugated to PET-imaging and therapeutic radionuclides and to target fibrotic stroma in advanced colorectal cancer.

Herman Steen, CEO of BiOrion, "We are delighted with the recognition and support for our PDGF beta receptor binding single domain antibodies targeting program by EUROSTARS. This strong and synergistic consortium will enable BiOrion to progress clinical development of our novel targeted imaging diagnostics and therapeutics against fibrotic stroma of solid cancers."

XNK Therapeutics partners with Cellect for next generation platform development

On December 11, 2020 XNK Therapeutics AB ("XNK") reported its collaboration agreement with Israel-based Cellect Biotechnology ("Cellect") to develop the next generation version of XNK’s innovative technology platform (Press release, CellProtect Nordic Pharmaceuticals, DEC 11, 2020, View Source [SID1234574490]).

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Under the terms of the agreement, Cellect will work to further improve XNK Therapeutics’ technology platform for targeting cancer across a wide range of indications. Cellect’s functional cell selection technology has the potential to significantly improve the consistency and manufacturing efficiency in autologous cell therapies.

"I am excited that we will be able to continue developing the next generation of XNK Therapeutics’ technology platform in collaboration with Cellect," said Johan Liwing, CEO of XNK Therapeutics.

"We recognize the growing interest in NK cells and decided to work with XNK Therapeutics for further dissemination of our Apograft technology," said Dr. Shai Yarkoni, CEO of Cellect Biotechnology.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

On December 11, 2020, Seelos Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company") reported that it entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Securities Purchase Agreement") with Lind Global Asset Management II, LLC (the "Investor") pursuant to which, among other things, on December 11, 2020, the Company issued and sold to the Investor, in a private placement transaction (the "Private Placement"), in exchange for the payment by the Investor of $10,000,000, (1) a convertible promissory note (the "Note") in an aggregate principal amount of $12,000,000 (the "Principal Amount"), which will bear no interest and mature on December 11, 2022 (the "Maturity Date"), and (2) 975,000 shares (the "Closing Shares") of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share ("Common Stock") (Filing, 8-K, Apricus Biosciences, DEC 11, 2020, View Source [SID1234572982]).

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At any time following June 11, 2021, and from time to time before the Maturity Date, the Investor shall have the option to convert any portion of the then-outstanding Principal Amount of the Note into shares of Common Stock at a price per share of $1.60, subject to adjustment for stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends and similar transactions (the "Conversion Price"). Prior to June 11, 2021, the Company shall have the right to prepay up to sixty-six and two-thirds percent (662/3%) of the then-outstanding Principal Amount of the Note with no penalty. On or after July 11, 2021, the Company shall have the right to prepay up to the then-outstanding Principal Amount of the Note with no penalty; however, if the Company exercises such prepayment right, the Investor will have the option to convert up to thirty-three and one-third percent (331/3%) of the amount that the Company elects to prepay at the Conversion Price.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement for general corporate purposes and to advance the development of its product candidates.

Subject to certain exceptions, the Company will be required to direct proceeds from any subsequent debt financings (including subordinated debt, convertible debt or mandatorily redeemable preferred stock but other than purchase money debt or capital lease obligations or other indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business) to repay the Note, unless waived by the Investor in advance.

Beginning on June 9, 2021, the Note will amortize in eighteen monthly installments equal to the quotient of (i) the then-outstanding Principal Amount of the Note, divided by (ii) the number of months remaining until the Maturity Date. All amortization payments shall be payable solely in cash, plus a 2% premium.

In conjunction with the Securities Purchase Agreement and the Note, on December 11, 2020, the Company and the Investor entered into a security agreement (the "Security Agreement"), which provides the Investor with a first priority lien on the Company’s assets and properties.

Until December 11, 2021, the Investor will, subject to certain exceptions, have the right to participate for up to 10% of any Common Stock equity financing of the Company.

The Securities Purchase Agreement contains customary representations and warranties of the Company and the Investor. In addition, the Note contains restrictive covenants and event of default provisions that are customary for transactions of this type.

The foregoing summaries of the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Note and the Security Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the copies of the Securities Purchase Agreement and Form of Note filed herewith as Exhibits 10.1, 4.1 and 10.2, respectively.

The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Securities Purchase Agreement were made only for purposes of such agreement and as of specific dates, were solely for the benefit of the parties to the Securities Purchase Agreement, and may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties. Accordingly, the Securities Purchase Agreement is incorporated herein by reference only to provide investors with information regarding the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement, and not to provide investors with any other factual information regarding the Company or its business, and should be read in conjunction with the disclosures in the Company’s periodic reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

On December 11, 2020, vTv Therapeutics LLC ("vTv LLC"), a controlled subsidiary of vTv Therapeutics Inc., reported that it entered into a License Agreement with Anteris Bio, Inc. ("Anteris") (the "Anteris License Agreement"), under which Anteris obtained a worldwide, exclusive and sublicensable license to develop and commercialize vTv LLC’s Nrf2 activator, HPP971 (Filing, 8-K, vTv Therapeutics, DEC 11, 2020, View Source [SID1234572873]).

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Under the terms of the Anteris License Agreement, Anteris will pay vTv LLC an initial license fee of $2.0 million. vTv LLC is eligible to receive additional potential development, regulatory, and sales-based milestone payments totaling up to $151 million. Anteris is also obligated to pay vTv royalty payments at a double digit rate based on annual net sales of licensed products. Such royalties will be payable on a licensed product-by-licensed product basis until the latest of expiration of the licensed patents covering a licensed product in a country, expiration of data exclusivity rights for a licensed product in a country, or a specified number of years after the first commercial sale of a licensed product in a country. In addition, vTv LLC received a minority ownership interest in Anteris.

Under the terms of the Anteris License Agreement, Anteris will be responsible for the development and commercialization of the licensed products, at its cost, and is required to use commercially reasonable efforts with respect to such development and commercialization efforts.

The Anteris License Agreement, unless terminated earlier, will continue until expiration of all royalty obligations of Anteris to vTv LLC. Either party may terminate the Anteris License Agreement for the other party’s uncured material breach. Anteris may terminate the Anteris License Agreement at will upon prior written notice. Either party may terminate the Anteris License Agreement for the other party’s insolvency.

The description of the Anteris License Agreement contained herein does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Anteris License Agreement, a copy of which will be filed as an exhibit to the vTv Therapeutics Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2020.