Checkpoint Therapeutics Announces $7.5 Million Registered Direct Offering Priced At-the-Market Under Nasdaq Rules

On February 22, 2023 Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. ("Checkpoint") (Nasdaq: CKPT), a clinical-stage immunotherapy and targeted oncology company, reported that it has entered into definitive agreements for the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 1,428,572 shares of its common stock (or common stock equivalents) at a purchase price of $5.25 per share of common stock (or common stock equivalent) in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules (Press release, Checkpoint Therapeutics, FEB 22, 2023, View Source [SID1234627543]).

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In addition, in a concurrent private placement, Checkpoint will issue and sell Series A warrants to purchase up to 1,428,572 shares of common stock and Series B warrants to purchase up to 1,428,572 shares of common stock. The Series A warrants will be exercisable immediately upon issuance and will expire five years following the issuance date and have an exercise price of $5.00 per share and the Series B warrants will be exercisable immediately upon issuance and will expire eighteen months following the issuance date and have an exercise price of $5.00 per share.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as exclusive placement agent for the offering.

The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about February 23, 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be approximately $7.5 million. Checkpoint intends to use the net proceeds of this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, including the manufacturing of cosibelimab and certain pre-commercial activities in anticipation of potential approval and commercial launch.

The shares of common stock (or common stock equivalents) described above (but not the warrants issued in the concurrent private placement or the shares of common stock underlying such warrants) are being offered by Checkpoint pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-251005) that was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on November 27, 2020, and subsequently declared effective on December 17, 2020. The securities offered in the registered direct offering are being offered only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to, and describing the terms of, the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering, when available, may also be obtained by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, at 430 Park Ave., New York, New York 10022, by telephone at (212) 856-5711, or by email at [email protected].

The warrants described above are being made in a transaction not involving a public offering and have not been registered under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and/or Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated thereunder and, along with the shares of common stock underlying the warrants, have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the warrants and underlying shares of common stock may not be reoffered or resold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in this offering, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On February 22, 2023 Eterna Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), reported that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement (the "Exclusive License Agreement") with Factor Bioscience Limited ("Factor"), pursuant to which Factor has granted to the Company an exclusive, sublicensable, worldwide license under certain patents owned by Factor (the "Factor Patents") for the purpose of, among other things, identifying and pursuing certain opportunities to develop products in respect of the Factor Patents and otherwise grant to third parties sublicenses to the Factor Patents (Filing, 8-K, Eterna Therapeutics, FEB 22, 2023, View Source [SID1234627542]).

The term of the Exclusive License Agreement expires on November 22, 2027 (the "Expiration Date"), but will be automatically extended for an additional two and a half years (such period, the "Renewal Term") if the Company receives at least $100 million in fees from sublicenses to the Factor Patents ("Sublicense Fees") granted by it pursuant to the Exclusive License Agreement. Pursuant to the Exclusive License Agreement, the Company will pay Factor 20% of any Sublicense Fees received by the Company before the Expiration Date and 30% of any Sublicense Fees received by the Company during the Renewal Term. The Company may terminate the Exclusive License Agreement upon 120 days’ written notice to Factor, and both parties otherwise have additional customary termination rights, including in connection with certain uncured material breaches of the Exclusive License Agreement and specified bankruptcy events.

Dr. Matthew Angel, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, is the co-founder, President, CEO, and a director of Factor Bioscience Inc., which is the parent of Factor.

The foregoing description of the Exclusive License Agreement is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Exclusive License Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference in this Item 1.01.

Item 1.02
Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.

As previously reported, on November 22, 2022, the Company entered into a First Amendment to that certain exclusive license agreement, dated as of April 26, 2021 (as amended, the "Amended Factor License Agreement"), by and among Eterna Therapeutics LLC (f/k/a Brooklyn ImmunoTherapeutics LLC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ("Eterna LLC"), Novellus Therapeutics Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and Factor. Effective on February 20, 2023, the Exclusive License Agreement terminated and superseded the Amended Factor License Agreement. A description of the material terms of the Amended Factor License Agreement is contained in Item 1.01 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 22, 2022, which description is incorporated by reference in this Item 1.02.

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Center for Breakthrough Medicines and Virion Therapeutics Announce Strategic Partnership to Manufacture Virion’s Proprietary CD8+ T cell-based Clinical Development Programs for Infectious Diseases and Cancers

On February 22, 2023 Center for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM), a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) dedicated to addressing critical challenges associated with the commercialization of cell and gene therapies, and Virion Therapeutics (Virion), a clinical-stage biotech company focused on the development of novel, adaptable, and accessible CD8+ T cell-based technologies focused on cancers and infectious diseases, reported a strategic collaboration agreement wherein CBM will manufacture and partner with Virion on their checkpoint modifier clinical development programs, including the First-in-Human VRON-0200 immunotherapy for patients with chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection (Press release, Center for Breakthrough Medicines, FEB 22, 2023, View Source [SID1234627540]).

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"Virion is working to revolutionize the immunotherapy treatment landscape, and we are honored to partner with them on this bold mission as we share a common goal – to create a future free of cancer and chronic infectious diseases," said Audrey Greenberg, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of CBM. "We have assembled best-in-field technical teams, supported by industry-leading product and process development, manufacturing, and testing capabilities, all located within a single, world-class manufacturing facility. We look forward to working with Virion to bring their life-saving therapies to the patients who need them most, as quickly as possible."

One of the key programs CBM and Virion will be working on together is the VRON-2000, a pan-genotypic, global therapeutic immunotherapy for the treatment of chronic HBV infection, which is estimated to impact over 295 million people around the world. HBV infection impairs CD8+ T cells, resulting in the loss of viral control. Research has shown that VRON-0200 induces a very potent and broad CD8+ T cell response that includes responses to the core and pol regions not normally induced by the infection; as such, a new and highly functional immune response is stimulated to help clear the virus.

"Virion is delighted to expand our partnership with CBM through this key strategic collaboration," said Virion’s Chief Operating Officer Sue Currie, Ph.D. "As we head to the clinic with our first-in-class, first-in-human program, VRON-0200, for a functional cure for HBV, as well as our other IND-enabling activities for our oncology programs, it is critical to have a manufacturing partner like CBM that has not only the capabilities and breadth of services, but also a highly dedicated and experienced team. We are pleased to have this partnership that is also invested in our corporate goals and values."

"CBM is a great partner to support Virion’s pipeline and help address high unmet medical needs for persons with cancer and infectious disease worldwide," stated Andrew Luber, Pharm.D., Virion’s Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to our continued collaborations and for their assistance in advancing our programs from early- to later-stage clinical trials."

Tyra Biosciences to Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences

On February 22, 2023 Tyra Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: TYRA), a precision oncology company focused on developing purpose-built therapies to overcome tumor resistance and improve outcomes for patients with cancer, reported that management will present at the following investor conferences (Press release, Tyra Biosciences, FEB 22, 2023, View Source [SID1234627539])

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Cowen 43rd Annual Healthcare Conference

Todd Harris, CEO of TYRA, will participate in a fireside chat on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 10:30 am ET

Oppenheimer 33rd Annual Healthcare Conference

Mr. Harris will virtually present a company overview on Wednesday, March 15, at 12:00 pm ET
Live and archived webcasts of the events will be available via the For Investors page on the Investor section of the TYRA website.

10x Genomics to Present at the 43rd Annual Cowen Healthcare Conference

On February 22, 2023 10x Genomics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TXG), a life sciences leader focused on mastering biology to advance human health, reported the company will be participating in the upcoming 43rd Annual Cowen Healthcare Conference in Boston, Massachusetts (Press release, 10x Genomics, FEB 22, 2023, View Source [SID1234627537]).

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10x Genomics’ management is scheduled to participate in a fireside chat on Monday, March 6, at 11:10 a.m. Eastern Time. Interested parties may access a live and archived webcast of the presentation on the "Investors" section of the company’s website at: View Source