NeuroVive buys stake in Isomerase Therapeutics
Lund, Sweden, 14 January 2016 – NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ), the mitochondrial medicine company, announces the partial acquisition of British company Isomerase Therapeutics (“Isomerase”) with the overall goal to strengthen the partnership and accelerate NeuroVive’s research and development (R&D) program.
The acquisition aims to further enhance the collaboration and to ensure that NeuroVive’s projects remain a key priority for Isomerase. Furthermore, the partnership will support the discovery of new compounds, based on the additional expertise Isomerase brings to the partnership. This is a key step forward for NeuroVive, who are committed to advancing the R&D portfolio as quickly as possible. Most recently, the joint teams at NeuroVive and Isomerase have been able to advance the drug candidate process for the Complex I program (NVP015) and the project is progressing well.
“We highly value our strong partnership with the team at Isomerase and want to ensure we remain aligned on project priorities moving forward. Isomerase brings additional expertise to the table which supports our R&D efforts and allows us to both accelerate our current R&D program as well as identify new compounds to fuel our future portfolio” said Jan Nilsson, interim CEO of NeuroVive Pharmaceutical.
“Through our collaboration with Isomerase, our discovery platform for complex I deficiency has already seen advancements through the generation of new molecules and we expect to further progress this project as the aim is to select a drug candidate for preclinical development in 2016” continued Jan Nilsson.
Isomerase is a world leader in the discovery and development of molecules that target peptidyl-prolyl isomerases such as cyclophilins. The team is actively involved in the pharmacology, chemistry and manufacturing for many of NeuroVive’s projects.
"We have built up a very strong relationship with the team at NeuroVive over the last couple of years and this partial acquisition is a natural extension of this. It will enable us to take part in the future success of NeuroVive’s exciting early stage projects and in return give NeuroVive confidence that we are fully engaged with our excellent collaboration. We also hope that it will enable NeuroVive to access future returns on our new ground-breaking drug discovery technologies and our own early stage in-house drug discovery projects." said Matt Gregory, CEO of Isomerase Therapeutics.
The acquisition will be executed in two steps. The first step in the acquisition was executed on January 13, 2016 when NeuroVive acquired approximately 5% shares in Isomerase with payment in own shares. The next step in the acquisition will be completed later this year where NeuroVive will acquire approximately 5% further of the shares in Isomerase as a cash payment of 550 000 GBP.
In order to make payment for the shares in Isomerase acquired January 13, 2016, the NeuroVive board of directors approved the same day, with prior authorization from the AGM on March 30 2015, the issue of 738,533 new shares. The purchase price for the first step amounting to approximately 6.8 million was based on the average closing price of NeuroVive shares on Nasdaq Stockholm from 23 December 2015 to January 12, 2016 inclusive.
The Non-Cash Consideration increases the number of shares of NeuroVive with an additional 738,533 shares from 30,735,152 shares to 31,473,685 shares in total and increases the share capital by SEK 36,926.65 from SEK 1,536,757.60 to SEK 1.573.684.25 in total. The Non-Cash Consideration entails a dilution of approximately 2.4%.
About NeuroVive
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ), the mitochondrial medicine company, is committed to the discovery and development of highly targeted candidates that preserve mitochondrial integrity and function in areas of therapeutic need. NeuroVive’s business approach is driven by value-adding partnerships with leading research institutions and commercial partners across the globe.
NeuroVive’s portfolio consists of two clinical projects in acute kidney injury (AKI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) with candidates in clinical and preclinical development and two drug discovery platforms. NeuroSTAT® has orphan drug status in Europe and in the US for treatment of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury and is currently being evaluated in a Phase II study (CHIC). CicloMulsion® is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase II study (CiPRICS) in acute kidney injury during major surgery. NeuroVive’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Sweden.
For investor relations and media questions, please contact:
Johannes Nebel, Laika Consulting, Tel: +46 (0)735 81 71 68 or ir@neurovive.com
It is also possible to arrange an interview with NeuroVive’s interim CEO Jan Nilsson at the above contacts.
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ)
Medicon Village, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)46 275 62 20 (switchboard), Fax: +46 (0)46 888 83 48
info@neurovive.com, www.neurovive.com
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ) is required to publish the information in this news release under The Swedish Securities Market Act. The information was submitted for publication on the 14 January 2016, at 08.30 CET.
