First Wave BioPharma, Inc. Announces Closing of $6.0 Million Public Offering

Rhea-AI Summary

First Wave BioPharma (NASDAQ:FWBI) announced the closure of a public offering involving 3,438,396 shares of common stock and warrants, priced at $1.745 per share, generating approximately $6 million in gross proceeds. The company plans to use these funds primarily for a final payment to former stockholders of First Wave Bio, Inc. under a settlement agreement, along with working capital and corporate purposes. The offering was facilitated by H.C. Wainwright & Co., and the securities were registered with the SEC under Form S-1.

Positive

• Gross proceeds of approximately $6 million from the public offering.
• Funds to be utilized for final payment to former stockholders and working capital.

Negative

• Potential dilution of existing shares due to the issuance of additional common stock and warrants.

BOCA RATON, Fla., Oct. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Wave BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:FWBI) (“First Wave BioPharma” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of targeted, non-systemic therapies for gastrointestinal diseases, today announced the closing of its previously announced public offering of 3,438,396 shares of its common stock (or pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof) and warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 3,438,396 shares of its common stock at an offering price to the public of $1.745 per share (or pre-funded warrant in lieu thereof) and associated warrant. The warrants have an exercise price of $1.62 per share, are exercisable immediately upon issuance, and will expire five years following the date of issuance.

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

The gross proceeds to the Company from the offering were approximately $6.0 million, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to make the final upfront payment owed to the former stockholders of First Wave Bio, Inc. (“FWB”) pursuant to the settlement agreement between the Company and the representative of the former stockholders of FWB. The Company intends to use the remaining net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The securities described above were offered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-267423) originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on September 14, 2022 and became effective on October 6, 2022. The public offering was made only by means of a prospectus, which is part of the effective registration statement. Electronic copies of the final prospectus may be obtained for free on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov and may also be obtained by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC at 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by phone at (212) 856-5711 or e-mail at placements@hcwco.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, 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.

About First Wave BioPharma, Inc.

First Wave BioPharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of targeted, non-systemic therapies for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. The Company is currently advancing a therapeutic development pipeline with multiple clinical stage programs built around its two proprietary technologies – the biologic adrulipase, a recombinant lipase enzyme designed to enable the digestion of fats and other nutrients, and niclosamide, an oral small molecule with anti-inflammatory properties. First Wave is advancing two Phase 2 clinical programs built around adrulipase for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (FW-EPI) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). In developing adrulipase, First Wave is seeking to provide CF and CP patients with a safe and effective therapy to control EPI that is non-animal derived and offers the potential to dramatically reduce their daily pill burden. The company is also advancing multiple programs involving niclosamide, including FW-UP for ulcerative proctitis and ulcerative proctosigmoiditis, FW-UC for ulcerative colitis, and FW-CD for Crohn’s disease. First Wave BioPharma is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information visit www.firstwavebio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results which are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties including, among other things, the intended use of proceeds from the public offering. It is possible that the Company’s actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements, depending on factors including risks and uncertainties related to market conditions; whether results obtained in preclinical and nonclinical studies and clinical trials will be indicative of results obtained in future clinical trials; whether preliminary or interim results from a clinical trial will be indicative of the final results of the trial; whether the Company will be able to regain and maintain compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing criteria; the size of the potential markets for the Company’s drug candidates and its ability to service those markets; the effects of the First Wave Bio, Inc. acquisition, the related settlement and their effect on the Company’s business, operating results and financial prospects; and the Company’s current and future capital requirements and its ability to raise additional funds to satisfy its capital needs. Additional information concerning the Company and its business, including a discussion of factors that could materially affect the Company’s financial results are contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 under the heading “Risk Factors,” as well as the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.

For more information, contact:

First Wave BioPharma, Inc.
777 Yamato Road, Suite 502
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: (561) 589-7020
info@firstwavebio.com

Media contact:
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
David Schemelia
(609) 468-9325
dschemelia@tiberend.com

FAQ

What is the public offering size for FWBI?

First Wave BioPharma closed a public offering of 3,438,396 shares of common stock.

At what price per share was the stock offering made?

The public offering price was $1.745 per share.

What are the intended uses for the proceeds from the FWBI offering?

The proceeds will be used for a final payment to former stockholders of First Wave Bio, Inc., along with working capital and general corporate purposes.

Who acted as the placement agent for the FWBI offering?

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