TapImmune and Marker Therapeutics enter merger-of-equals agreement
Staff Writer |
TapImmune announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Marker Therapeutics.
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Marker Therapeutics is a privately-held clinical-stage developer of a transformative, non-genetically engineered, multi-antigen T cell therapy platform.
The proposed transaction will be a merger-of-equals under which the stockholders of TapImmune and Marker will each own approximately 50% of the combined company, prior to any issuances of additional shares in a contemplated financing.
The proposed merger remains subject to certain conditions, including that financing and the approval of TapImmune stockholders.
In conjunction with the transaction, TapImmune intends to finalize a strategic alliance with Baylor College of Medicine which will include sponsored research, manufacturing support, and advancing early stage clinical trials at the institution.
TapImmune is currently in discussions with a syndicate of leading healthcare-focused institutional investors with respect to a potential financing in conjunction with the merger that will be expected to fund the combined company into 2020.
In support of TapImmune’s initiatives, including the merger, the company has entered into agreements with certain institutional stockholder and warrant holders that are expected to provide the company with approximately $5.1 million in equity financing.
The company’s largest stockholder, Eastern Capital Limited, has entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement with the company pursuant to which it will purchase 1.3 million shares of common stock at a price per share of $2.40 providing gross proceeds to the company of approximately $3.1 million.
Other selected institutional holders of outstanding warrants have entered into warrant amendment agreements with the company to exercise their warrants at an exercise price of $2.50 per share.
Upon closing of the warrant amendment agreements, such participating institutional holders will exercise approximately 783,000 warrants providing aggregate proceeds to the company of approximately $2.0 million.
In addition, Mr. John Wilson, CEO of Marker, has provided a written commitment for additional financing to the company of up to $1.0 million. ■