On October 4, 2021 Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc ("Centessa" or "Company") (Nasdaq: CNTA), a clinical-stage company leveraging its innovative asset-centric business model to discover, develop and ultimately deliver impactful medicines to patients, reported that it has entered into a $300 million financing agreement with funds managed by Oberland Capital Management LLC ("Oberland Capital") (Press release, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, OCT 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234590748]).

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Oberland Capital will purchase up to $300 million of 6-year, interest-only, senior secured notes ("Notes") from the Company under the following terms:

•$75 million funded October 4, 2021 ("First Purchase Date")
•$125 million available to be funded in tranches of $75 million and $50 million within 24 months of First Purchase Date at the option of the Company
•$100 million available to fund M&A, in-licensing, or other strategic transactions, at the option of the Company and Oberland Capital
•The Notes are interest-only for the full 6-year term; principal on the Notes will be due
October 4, 2027, with certain contingent and capped payments due up to ten years from First Purchase Date
•Flexible structure with no financial covenants

This $300 million facility, combined with the Company’s existing cash balance as of June 30, 2021, provides access to over $900 million to advance the Company’s pipeline of clinical and pre-clinical programs and enable the Company to pursue strategic business development opportunities.

"Our ability to secure such a flexible, long-term financing arrangement with a 6-year, interest-only period is directly enabled by our broad portfolio of uncorrelated programs based on compelling biology. On the heels of our recent positive Phase 2 readout of SerpinPC and upcoming registrational trial for lixivaptan, this financing will allow us to further scale up our development activities and provide enhanced balance sheet flexibility for pipeline expansion," said Gregory Weinhoff, MD, MBA, Chief Financial Officer of Centessa.

"We are excited to be partnering with Centessa to help bring their portfolio of innovative product candidates to patients as quickly as possible," said Andrew Rubinstein, Managing Partner of Oberland Capital. "Our flexible financing structure is designed to allow the Centessa team to maintain maximum optionality as their pipeline matures, with two programs entering potential registrational studies next year and multiple INDs expected."

Additional details regarding the financing are available in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. The foregoing summary of certain terms of the financing agreement and related agreements is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such agreements, which will be filed as exhibits to our next Form 10-Q.

On October 4, 2021 VBI Vaccines Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIV) (VBI), a biopharmaceutical company driven by immunology in the pursuit of powerful prevention and treatment of disease, reported that members of the management team will participate in analyst-led fireside chats at the following upcoming investor conferences (Press release, VBI Vaccines, OCT 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234590747]):

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Guggenheim 2nd Annual Vaccines & Infectious Disease Conference

Discussion to be held with Evan Wang – Equity Research Senior Associate

Date: Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Time: 10:30-10:55 AM ET
Webcast Link: View Source
H.C. Wainwright 2nd Annual Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Conference

Discussion to be held with Patrick Trucchio – Managing Director, Senior Healthcare Analyst

Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Time: 4-4:30 PM ET
Webcast Link: View Source
Live webcasts of the presentations will also be available on the Investors page of VBI’s website at: View Source A replay of each webcast will be archived on the Company’s website following the presentation.

On October 4, 2021 Dynavax Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: DVAX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing vaccines, and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) reported Dynavax has executed an agreement for approximately $22 million over two and a half years to develop a recombinant plague vaccine adjuvanted with CpG 1018 (Press release, Dynavax Technologies, OCT 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234590746]). Under the agreement, Dynavax will conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial combining its CpG 1018 adjuvant with the DOD’s rF1V vaccine. The Company anticipates the Phase 2 trial will commence in 2022.

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Ryan Spencer, Dynavax’s Chief Executive Officer commented, "We are honored to receive this award and to support the U.S. government in developing a plague vaccine to protect the U.S. military members who put their lives at risk every day in service to the country. The development of a CpG 1018 adjuvanted plague vaccine is an important example of the broad utility of our adjuvant which we are leveraging to build our pipeline of new and improved vaccines. Our confidence in CpG 1018 is built on the successful development of our FDA-licensed 2-dose adult hepatitis B vaccine and the multiple late-stage COVID-19 vaccine candidates utilizing CpG 1018."

This agreement, funded by the DOD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense’s (JPEO-CBRND) Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical (JPM CBRN Medical), enables Dynavax to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial, submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and generate additional clinical trial results to add to the existing clinical and non-clinical data. Any future commercial supply agreements would be subject to a separate agreement between Dynavax and the U.S government.

COL Ryan Eckmeier, the Joint Project Manager for CBRN Medical commented, "Advancing the development of a recombinant plague vaccine supports the JPM CBRN Medical’s vision to deliver a full, layered medical countermeasure capability to enable a protected and unencumbered Joint Force to fight and win in any global CBRN battlespace. Incorporating the CpG 1018 adjuvant to the DOD’s rF1V vaccine will hopefully allow us to protect our service members with fewer doses administered over a shorter time period."

The planned Phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blind, multicenter clinical trial will evaluate the immunogenicity, safety, and tolerability of the rF1V vaccine antigens provided by the U.S. government combined with Dynavax’s CpG 1018 adjuvant in adults 18 to 55 years of age.

About Plague*
Plague is a potentially deadly infectious disease caused by bacteria found in fleas and rodents or by handling an animal infected with plague. It is caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. It is possible that Pneumonic plague bacteria could be released intentionally in a biological attack to sicken people.

About CpG 1018 Adjuvant
CpG 1018 is the adjuvant used in HEPLISAV-B. Dynavax developed CpG 1018 adjuvant to provide an increased vaccine immune response, which has been demonstrated in HEPLISAV-B. CpG 1018 adjuvant provides a well- developed technology and a significant safety database, potentially accelerating the development and large-scale manufacturing of a COVID-19 vaccine.

On October 4, 2021 Magenta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGTA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel medicines designed to bring the curative power of stem cell transplants to more patients, reported the appointment of Jeffrey Humphrey, M.D., as the company’s Chief Medical Officer where he will be responsible for all clinical development and regulatory initiatives (Press release, Magenta Therapeutics, OCT 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234590745]).

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Dr. Humphrey is a medical oncologist with significant leadership experience in drug development and has been involved with the development of more than 20 drug candidates, including regulatory submissions leading to multiple drug approvals in the United States and Europe.

"As Magenta continues to advance our clinical and pre-clinical programs, Jeff’s physician-scientist background coupled with his broad team-building and innovative clinical-regulatory experience are a welcome addition to the Magenta team," said Jason Gardner, D.Phil., Chief Executive Officer and President, Magenta Therapeutics.

"Magenta’s mobilization and conditioning pipeline represents a powerful approach to maximizing the transformative, curative potential of stem cell transplant for patients," said Dr. Humphrey. "I’m excited to contribute to the clinical advancement of MGTA-145, MGTA-117 and other pipeline programs, expanding the availability and utility of stem cell transplant and gene therapy to more patients."

Dr. Humphrey joins Magenta from Constellation Pharmaceuticals where he was Chief Medical Officer, leading medical affairs, clinical pharmacology, clinical operations and data management, among other responsibilities. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Kyowa Kirin USA Holdings, Inc. and as President and Chief Medical Officer of Kyowa Kirin Pharmaceutical Development, Inc. Dr. Humphrey has also held senior leadership roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bayer and Pfizer.

Dr. Humphrey earned an M.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, completing his residency in internal medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, in addition to fellowships in human medical genetics and medical oncology, at the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, respectively.

On October 4, 2021 ENTEROME SA, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing breakthrough immunomodulatory drugs for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases, reported that Pierre Belichard, CEO, will attend and take part in 1-on-1 meetings with institutional investors at the following conferences (Press release, Enterome, OCT 4, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=enterome-to-attend-upcoming-conferences [SID1234590744]):

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• BMO fall Life Sciences Private Company Showcase: October 14

• Jefferies Annual IBD Next Generation Therapeutics Summit: October 19

• Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference: November 16 -18