On November 4, 2019 Pieris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:PIRS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing novel biotherapeutics through its proprietary Anticalin technology platform for respiratory diseases, cancer and other indications, reported that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with existing and new institutional investors to raise $32 million (Press release, Pieris Pharmaceuticals, NOV 4, 2019, View Source [SID1234550211]).
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The private placement was led by BVF Partners L.P., with significant additional participation from EcoR1 Capital, Aquilo Capital Management, Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company), and Samsara BioCapital.
The private placement will consist of 9,014,960 units, at a price of $3.55 per unit. Each unit will consist of (i) one share of Pieris’ common stock or 0.001 non-voting Series C convertible preferred stock, and (ii) one immediately-exercisable warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $7.10 per share. Each share of non-voting Series C convertible preferred stock is convertible into 1,000 shares of Pieris common stock, provided that conversion will be prohibited if, as a result, the holder and its affiliates would own more than 9.99% of the total number of shares of Pieris common stock then outstanding.
The warrants are intended to facilitate Pieris’ exercise of its co-development option for PRS-060/AZ1402 following the conclusion of a positive phase 2a study. If top-line results of that study disclose achievement of the primary efficacy endpoint and the stock reaches a pre-specified price, then the warrants will expire sixty days following such disclosure and may only be exercised for cash. Otherwise, the warrants will be exercisable for a period of five years from the date of issuance.
The closing of the financing is expected to take place on or about November 6, 2019 and is subject to standard closing conditions. Pieris expects to use the proceeds from the financing for continued development of its immuno-oncology franchise, including PRS-343, its 4-1BB/HER2 bispecific, and PRS-344, its 4-1BB/PD-L1 bispecific in co-development with Servier. The Company also expects to use these proceeds for advancement of its proprietary pipeline of inhalable respiratory drug candidates following proof-of-mechanism with respect to PRS-060/AZ1402, validating the inhaled Anticalin platform as a potential drug class, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.
William Blair & Company, L.L.C. acted as sole placement agent for the transaction.
The securities to be sold in this private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and accordingly may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws. Pieris has agreed to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") registering the resale of the shares of common stock, the shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of the Series C convertible preferred stock, and the common stock issuable upon the exercise of the warrants issued in this private placement.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state. Any offering of the securities under the resale registration statement will only be by means of a prospectus.