BiomX Announces Closing of the Acquisition of Adaptive Phage Therapeutics and Concurrent $50 Million Financing
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Insights
The recent acquisition by BiomX of Adaptive Phage Therapeutics and the accompanying $50 million private placement represent a strategic consolidation within the biotech industry, particularly in the niche of phage therapy. By combining the pipelines of both companies, BiomX is poised to become a leader in this emerging field. The focus on Phase 2 assets, BX004 and BX211, is significant because these treatments address high-need areas such as cystic fibrosis and diabetic foot osteomyelitis, both of which have limited effective treatment options.
The involvement of specialized healthcare investors like Deerfield Management and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation not only provides capital but also validates the potential of BiomX's approach. The endorsement by these entities may signal to the market that the company's strategy is sound and that the therapies in development have a promising market potential. However, it's important to note that the success of these assets is not guaranteed and the therapies must demonstrate efficacy and safety in clinical trials to gain regulatory approval. The long-term outlook hinges on these results and investors should be aware of the inherent risks in biotech investments.
The financial implications of this acquisition and subsequent financing for BiomX and its investors are multifaceted. The $50 million in capital is a substantial infusion that should facilitate the company's near-term operations, specifically advancing the Phase 2 clinical trials. The market typically responds favorably to such liquidity events, as they reduce financial risk and extend the company's runway to achieve critical milestones.
However, the success of the investment hinges on the clinical and commercial success of the lead product candidates. Should these candidates progress favorably through Phase 2 readouts, there could be a positive impact on BiomX's stock valuation. Conversely, any setbacks in clinical trials could negatively affect investor sentiment. The involvement of institutional investors may provide a measure of confidence, but the high volatility associated with clinical-stage biotech companies remains. Stakeholders should monitor trial progress and manage expectations based on clinical outcomes rather than market speculation.
The advancement of phage therapy is a critical development in the medical field, given the rising concern over antibiotic resistance. BiomX's acquisition of APT could accelerate the development of targeted phage therapies, potentially offering new solutions to treat bacterial infections that are currently difficult to manage. The two lead product candidates, BX004 and BX211, represent innovative approaches to treating chronic pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis patients and diabetic foot osteomyelitis, respectively.
While the investment community may focus on the financial aspects of this deal, the broader medical implications are noteworthy. Successful Phase 2 trials could lead to significant advancements in treatment options for patients with CF and DFO, who currently have limited therapies available. The efficacy data from these trials will be important in determining the future of these therapies and could set a precedent for the use of phage therapy in other indications. Stakeholders should consider the potential impact on patient care and healthcare costs when evaluating this news.
Acquisition creates leading phage therapy company with an advanced pipeline that includes two Phase 2 assets, BX004 for the treatment of chronic pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis (“CF”) patients and BX211 for the treatment of diabetic foot osteomyelitis (“DFO”)
Financing of
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and NESS ZIONA, Israel, March 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BiomX Inc. (NYSE American: PHGE) (together with its subsidiaries and/or associates, “BiomX”), a clinical-stage company advancing novel natural and engineered phage therapies that target specific pathogenic bacteria, today announced the closing of its previously announced (March 6, 2024) acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc. (“APT”), a U.S.-based privately-held, clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of phage-based therapies to combat bacterial infections, and its previously announced
“We are very pleased to announce the closing of the APT acquisition, which creates a leading phage company and an advanced pipeline that includes two Phase 2 assets each aimed at treating serious infections with unmet medical need,” said Jonathan Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of BiomX. “We also appreciate the continued support of leading institutional healthcare investors. Through this financing, we expect to have sufficient capital to reach multiple data readouts in CF and DFO over the next 12-24 months.”
RBC Capital Markets and Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd. acted as placement agents for the private placement. Haynes and Boone, LLP served as legal counsel to BiomX. Cooley LLP served as legal counsel to APT. McDermott Will & Emery LLP served as legal counsel to Deerfield Management. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP served as legal counsel to the placement agents.
About the Acquisition and the Private Placement
The Acquisition was structured as a stock-for-stock transaction whereby all outstanding equity interests of APT were exchanged in a merger for 9,164,968 shares of BiomX common stock, 40,470 shares of Series X Preferred Stock convertible into 40,470,000 shares of BiomX common stock and warrants (“Merger Warrants”) exercisable for 2,166,497 shares of BiomX common stock. Upon the consummation of the Acquisition, a successor-in-interest of APT became a wholly-owned subsidiary of BiomX. The Merger Warrants will be exercisable at any time after the date of the receipt of BiomX stockholder approval at an exercise price of
Concurrently with the consummation of the Acquisition, BiomX consummated its private placement financing with existing and new investors to raise
Subject to BiomX stockholder approval, each share of Series X Preferred Stock issued in the Acquisition and the private placement initially will be convertible into 1,000 shares of BiomX common stock, and subject to certain beneficial ownership limitations set by each holder not to exceed
In connection with the execution of the definitive merger agreement, certain stockholders of BiomX (including its directors and officers), together holding on as converted basis over
The securities sold in the private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or applicable state securities laws, and 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 applicable state or other jurisdictions' securities laws. BiomX has agreed to file a registration statement (the “Resale Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) registering the resale of (i) the shares of BiomX common stock issued pursuant to the Acquisition, (ii) the shares of BiomX common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series X Preferred Stock purchased in the private placement, (iii) the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of all warrants issued in connection with the Acquisition and the private placement, (iv) the Series X Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the Acquisition and purchased in the private placement and (v) all warrants issued in connection with the Acquisition and the private placement (collectively, the ”Resale Securities”). Additional details regarding the private placement are contained in BiomX’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2024.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of securities of BiomX 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 jurisdiction. Any offering of the Resale Securities under the Resale Registration Statement will only be by means of a prospectus.
Additional details are available in an updated corporate presentation that can be found online at www.biomx.com.
About BX004
BiomX is developing BX004, a fixed multi-phage cocktail, for the treatment of CF patients with chronic pulmonary infections caused by P. aeruginosa, a main contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients with CF. In November 2023, BiomX announced positive topline results from Part 2 of the Phase 1b/2a study where BX004 demonstrated improvement in pulmonary function associated with a reduction in P. aeruginosa burden compared to placebo in a predefined subgroup of patients with reduced lung function1.
BiomX expects to initiate a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase 2b study in CF patients with chronic P. aeruginosa pulmonary infections in the fourth quarter of 2024. The study is designed to enroll approximately 60 patients randomized at a 2:1 ratio to BX004 or placebo. Treatment is expected to be administered via inhalation twice daily for a duration of 8 weeks. The study is designed to monitor the safety and tolerability of BX004 and is designed to demonstrate improvement in microbiological reduction of P. aeruginosa burden and evaluation of effects on clinical parameters such as lung function measured by FEV1 and patient reported outcomes. Study results are expected in the third quarter 2025. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has granted BX004 Fast Track designation and Orphan Drug Designation.
1 Predefined subgroup of patients with baseline ppFEV1<
About BX211
BX211 is a personalized phage treatment developed by APT for the treatment of DFO associated with S. aureus. The personalized phage treatment tailors a specific phage selected from a proprietary phage-bank according to the specific strain of S. aureus biopsied and isolated from each patient. DFO is a bacterial infection of the bone that usually develops from an infected foot ulcer and is a leading cause of amputation in patients with diabetes.
The ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase 2 study investigating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of BX211 for subjects with DFO associated with S. aureus is expected to enroll approximately 45 subjects randomized at a 2:1 ratio to BX211 or placebo. BX211 or placebo is designed to be administered weekly, by topical and IV route at Week 1 and by the topical route only at each of Weeks 2-12. Over the 12-week treatment period, all subjects are expected to continue to be treated in accordance with standard of care which will include antibiotic treatment as appropriate. A first readout of study topline results is expected at Week 13 evaluating healing of the wound associated with osteomyelitis, followed by a second readout at Week 52 evaluating amputation rates and resolution of osteomyelitis based on X-ray, clinical assessments, and established biomarkers (ESR and CRP). These readouts are expected in the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, respectively.
About BiomX
BiomX is a clinical-stage company developing both natural and engineered phage cocktails designed to target and destroy bacteria in the treatment of chronic diseases. BiomX discovers and validates proprietary bacterial targets and customizes phage compositions against these targets. For more information, please visit www.biomx.com, the content of which does not form a part of this press release.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains express or implied “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning BiomX, APT, the private placement, the Acquisition and other matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: future expectations, plans and prospects for BiomX following the consummation of the Acquisition; the use of proceeds from the private placement and the sufficiency of BiomX cash resources; stockholder approval of the conversion of the Series X Preferred Stock and the exercise of the warrants; the milestones of BiomX; the projected cash runway of BiomX; the status and plans for clinical trials, including the timing of data; future product development; the potential market for phage therapies; and the potential commercial opportunity of BX004 and BX211. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “target,” “believe,” “expect,” “will,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “would,” “positioned,” “future,” and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. For example, when BiomX discusses the safety, tolerability and efficacy of BX004 and its potential ability to treat CF patients, as well as the potential to advance the BX004 program to a larger, pivotal Phase 2b/3 trial, if such trial is initiated, including, among other things, timing, design, enrollment, regulatory approvals and funding of such trial, BiomX is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on BiomX management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions. In addition, past and current pre-clinical and clinical results, as well as compassionate use, are not indicative and do not guarantee future success of BiomX clinical trials. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of BiomX’s control. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various important factors, including risks and uncertainties related to the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against BiomX in connection with the Acquisition and related transactions; the ability to obtain or maintain the listing of the common stock of BiomX on the NYSE American; costs related to the Acquisition; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that BiomX may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors, including risks inherent in pharmaceutical research and development, such as: adverse results in BiomX’s drug discovery, preclinical and clinical development activities, the risk that the results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials may not be replicated in later clinical trials, BiomX’s ability to enroll patients in its clinical trials, and the risk that any of its clinical trials may not commence, continue or be completed on time, or at all; decisions made by the FDA and other regulatory authorities; investigational review boards at clinical trial sites and publication review bodies with respect to our development candidates; our ability to obtain, maintain and enforce intellectual property rights for our platform and development candidates; our potential dependence on collaboration partners; competition; uncertainties as to the sufficiency of BiomX’s cash resources to fund its planned activities for the periods anticipated and BiomX’s ability to manage unplanned cash requirements; and general economic and market conditions. Therefore, investors should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements and should review the risks and uncertainties described under the caption “Risk Factors” in BiomX’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 29, 2023, and additional disclosures BiomX makes in its other filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and except as provided by law BiomX expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update forward-looking statements.
BiomX Contacts:
Investor Relations:
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
Managing Director
John Fraunces
(917) 355-2395
jfraunces@lifesciadvisors.com, or
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
Brian Mullen
(203) 461-1175
bmullen@lifesciadvisors.com
BiomX, Inc.
Anat Primovich
Corporate Project Manager
+972 (50) 697-7228
anatp@biomx.com
Source: BiomX Inc.
FAQ
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