uniQure Announces Proposed Public Offering

Rhea-AI Summary

uniQure (Nasdaq: QURE) has announced the launch of an underwritten public offering of ordinary shares and pre-funded warrants to purchase ordinary shares. The gene therapy company plans to grant underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of ordinary shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

Leerink Partners is serving as the bookrunning manager for the proposed offering. The securities will be offered through an automatically effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC on January 7, 2025. The final terms of the offering will be disclosed in a final prospectus supplement to be filed with the SEC.

Positive

• Access to additional capital through public offering
• Automatically effective shelf registration statement already in place
• Engagement of established underwriter (Leerink Partners)

Negative

• Potential dilution for existing shareholders
• Uncertain offering size and terms
• Share price pressure due to increased supply of shares

Insights

Investment Banker

This public offering marks a strategic capital raise for uniQure, potentially diluting existing shareholders but strengthening the company's balance sheet. The inclusion of pre-funded warrants alongside ordinary shares provides flexibility in the offering structure, appealing to different investor preferences. Leerink Partners' involvement as sole bookrunner suggests a targeted approach to institutional investors familiar with the biotech sector.

The 15% overallotment option (green shoe) provides pricing stability post-offering and additional capital raising potential. The use of a shelf registration enables quick market access, indicating management's desire to capitalize on current market conditions. For a company with an $890 million market cap, this offering could materially impact the capital structure. Without specified pricing and size, investors should monitor the final terms closely as they will determine the dilution impact and true cost of capital.

In simpler terms: The company is selling new shares to raise money, similar to a store selling more gift cards to get cash now. The exact price and number of new shares aren't set yet, but current shareholders should expect their ownership percentage to decrease when new shares are sold.

Biotech Analyst

Gene therapy companies like uniQure typically require substantial capital for clinical development and commercialization efforts. This capital raise suggests potential acceleration of their pipeline programs or preparation for commercial activities. The timing, following their recent portfolio developments, indicates a strategic move to strengthen their financial position for upcoming milestones.

The shelf registration and rapid execution approach points to management's assessment that current market conditions present an opportune window for fundraising. For biotech investors, the key focus should be on the intended use of proceeds, which will likely be detailed in the prospectus supplement. The offering's success will largely depend on investors' confidence in uniQure's execution capability and pipeline potential.

Think of it like a biotech company filling up its gas tank before a long journey - they're securing resources needed for their next phase of growth and development, whether that's advancing clinical trials or preparing for potential product launches.

LEXINGTON, Mass. and AMSTERDAM, Jan. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- uniQure N.V. (Nasdaq: QURE), a leading gene therapy company advancing transformative therapies for patients with severe medical needs, today announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of its ordinary shares and pre-funded warrants to purchase its ordinary shares. All securities to be sold in the offering will be offered by uniQure. In addition, uniQure intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 15% additional ordinary shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering.

Leerink Partners is acting as the bookrunning manager for the proposed offering.

The securities described above are being offered by uniQure pursuant to its automatically effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on January 7, 2025. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available for free on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Leerink Partners LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, 53 State Street, 40th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, by telephone at +1 (800) 808-7525, ext. 6105, or by email at syndicate@leerink.com. The final terms of the proposed offering will be disclosed in a final prospectus supplement to be filed with the SEC.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, 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 registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. Any offer, if at all, will be made only by means of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus forming a part of the effective registration statement.

About uniQure

uniQure is delivering on the promise of gene therapy – single treatments with potentially curative results. The approvals of uniQure’s gene therapy for hemophilia B – a historic achievement based on more than a decade of research and clinical development – represent a major milestone in the field of genomic medicine and ushers in a new treatment approach for patients living with hemophilia. uniQure is now advancing a pipeline of proprietary gene therapies for the treatment of patients with Huntington's disease, refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, ALS, Fabry disease, and other severe diseases.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion, timing, and size of uniQure’s anticipated public offering, the grant to the underwriters of an option to purchase additional securities, and other statements identified by words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "shall," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict" and similar words or expressions.

Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information available to management only as of the date of this press release. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the public offering on the anticipated terms, or at all, continued interest in our rare disease portfolio, the ability to develop our product candidates and technologies, the impact of changes in the financial markets and global economic conditions, and other factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" in uniQure’s periodic securities filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 28, 2024, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed November 5, 2024, the preliminary prospectus supplement once filed with the SEC and the accompanying prospectus, and other filings that uniQure makes with the SEC from time to time. Given these risks, uncertainties, and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and uniQure assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

uniQure Contacts
For Investors:	For Media:
Chiara Russo	Tom Malone
Direct: 617-306-9137	Direct: 339-970-7758
Mobile: 617-306-9137	Mobile: 339-223-8541
c.russo@uniQure.com	t.malone@uniQure.com

FAQ

What is the size of uniQure's (QURE) January 2025 public offering?

The exact size of the offering has not been disclosed. The final terms will be revealed in a prospectus supplement to be filed with the SEC.

What type of securities is QURE offering in January 2025?

uniQure is offering ordinary shares and pre-funded warrants to purchase ordinary shares.

Who is the bookrunning manager for QURE's 2025 public offering?

Leerink Partners is acting as the bookrunning manager for the proposed offering.

What is the additional purchase option granted to QURE's underwriters?

uniQure intends to grant underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 15% additional ordinary shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

When did QURE file its shelf registration statement for this offering?

uniQure filed its automatically effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC on January 7, 2025.