Protara Announces Closing of $100 Million Public Offering

Rhea-AI Summary

Protara Therapeutics (Nasdaq: TARA) has completed its public offering, raising $100 million in gross proceeds. The offering included 13,690,000 common stock shares at $6.25 per share and pre-funded warrants for 2,325,372 shares at $6.249 each. Underwriters received a 30-day option to purchase up to 2,402,305 additional shares. The company plans to use the proceeds to fund the clinical development of TARA-002 and other clinical programs, along with working capital and general corporate purposes. The offering was managed by TD Cowen, Cantor, LifeSci Capital, Oppenheimer & Co., and Scotiabank as joint book-running managers.

Positive

• Successful raise of $100 million in gross proceeds
• Funds secured for TARA-002 clinical development
• Multiple top-tier investment banks involved as joint book-running managers

Negative

• Significant shareholder dilution through issuance of 13.69M new shares
• Additional potential dilution from 2.4M share underwriter option
• Further dilution possible from 2.3M pre-funded warrants

Insights

Financial Analyst

This $100 million public offering significantly strengthens Protara's balance sheet, providing important funding for their clinical development pipeline. At a price of $6.25 per share, the offering of 13.69M shares plus pre-funded warrants represents substantial dilution but secures important capital for advancing TARA-002 and other programs. The additional 30-day option for 2.4M shares could bring in extra capital if exercised. The participation of major investment banks like TD Cowen and Cantor as joint book-runners adds credibility to the offering. The company's ability to raise this significant amount in the current market environment suggests institutional confidence in their clinical programs, though investors should monitor cash burn rate and clinical milestone execution.

Market Research Analyst

The successful completion of this offering demonstrates strong institutional interest in Protara's pipeline, particularly TARA-002. With a pre-offering market cap of about $131 million, this $100 million raise is transformative for the company's financial position. The pricing at $6.25 and inclusion of pre-funded warrants suggests a strategic approach to maximize investor participation while minimizing immediate dilution impact. The broad syndicate of respected investment banks indicates robust distribution capabilities and institutional support. This funding provides runway for multiple value-creating clinical milestones, though careful execution will be critical given the competitive landscape in oncology and rare diseases.

NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Protara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TARA), a clinical-stage company developing transformative therapies for the treatment of cancer and rare diseases, today announced the closing of its underwritten public offering of 13,690,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $6.25 per share and pre-funded warrants to purchase 2,325,372 shares of common stock at a price of $6.249 per pre-funded warrant, which represents the per share price for the common stock less the $0.001 per share exercise price for each such pre-funded warrant. In addition, Protara has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,402,305 shares of common stock at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The gross proceeds from the offering were approximately $100 million before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by Protara and excluding any exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares and the exercise of any pre-funded warrants. Protara intends to use the net proceeds received from the offering to fund the clinical development of TARA-002, as well as the development of other clinical programs. Protara may also use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

TD Cowen, Cantor, LifeSci Capital, Oppenheimer & Co. and Scotiabank acted as joint book-running managers of the offering.

The shares of common stock and the pre-funded warrants were issued pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-275290) that was declared effective on November 14, 2023 by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from the offices of TD Securities (USA) LLC, 1 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, New York 10017, by email at TD.ECM_Prospectus@tdsecurities.com or by telephone at (855) 495-9846; Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., 110 East 59th Street, 6th Floor, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Capital Markets, or by email at prospectus@cantor.com; or LifeSci Capital LLC, 1700 Broadway, 40th Floor, New York, New York 10019, or by email at compliance@lifescicapital.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the applicable securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Protara may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “designed,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should” or other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the expected use of proceeds therefrom, are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results, developments and events may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including Protara’s expectations related to the use of proceeds from the offering. Additional important factors to be considered in connection with forward-looking statements, including additional risks and uncertainties, are described more fully under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in Protara’s filings and reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Protara undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Company Contact:
Justine O'Malley
Protara Therapeutics
Justine.OMalley@protaratx.com
646-817-2836

FAQ

How much did Protara Therapeutics (TARA) raise in its December 2024 public offering?

Protara Therapeutics raised $100 million in gross proceeds through its public offering of common stock and pre-funded warrants.

What was the share price for TARA's December 2024 public offering?

The public offering price was $6.25 per common stock share and $6.249 for pre-funded warrants.

How many shares did Protara (TARA) offer in its December 2024 financing?

Protara offered 13,690,000 shares of common stock and pre-funded warrants for 2,325,372 additional shares.

What will Protara Therapeutics use the proceeds from its 2024 offering for?

The proceeds will fund clinical development of TARA-002, other clinical programs, working capital, and general corporate purposes.

Which investment banks managed TARA's December 2024 public offering?

TD Cowen, Cantor, LifeSci Capital, Oppenheimer & Co., and Scotiabank acted as joint book-running managers.