On September 30, 2019 Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and Spark Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCE) ("Spark") reported that Roche has extended the offering period of its previously announced tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock (the "Shares") of Spark for USD 114.50 per Share, net to the seller thereof in cash, without interest and subject to any withholding taxes required by applicable law and upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated March 7, 2019 (as it may be amended and supplemented from time to time, the "Offer") (Press release, Hoffmann-La Roche, SEP 30, 2019, View Source [SID1234539901]).
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Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 22, 2019, by and among Roche Holdings, Inc., 022019 Merger Subsidiary, Inc., and Spark (as amended, the "Merger Agreement"), the Offer, which was previously scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, has been extended until 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, unless it is extended further under the circumstances set forth in the Merger Agreement. All terms and conditions of the Offer shall remain unchanged during the extended period.
The Offer was extended to provide additional time for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (the "FTC") and the UK Competition and Markets Authority (the "CMA") to complete their previously disclosed reviews of Roche’s pending acquisition of Spark. The parties remain committed to the transaction and are working cooperatively and expeditiously with the FTC and the CMA.
Citibank, N.A., the depository for the Offer, has advised Roche that, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 27, 2019, approximately 8,251,571 Shares of Spark (62,467 of which were tendered by notice of guaranteed delivery) had been validly tendered and received, and not validly withdrawn, pursuant to the Offer, representing approximately 21.4% of Spark’s outstanding Shares. Stockholders who have already tendered their Shares of Spark do not have to re-tender their Shares or take any other action as a result of the extension of the expiration date of the Offer.
Closing of the tender offer is conditioned upon customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, and there being validly tendered and received, and not validly withdrawn, a majority of the outstanding Spark Shares.
MacKenzie Partners, Inc. is acting as information agent for the Offer. Requests for documents and questions regarding the Offer may be directed to MacKenzie Partners, Inc. by telephone, toll-free at (800) 322-2885 (please call (212) 929-5500 (collect) if you are located outside the US or Canada) or via email at [email protected].