Apollo Endosurgery Announces New $100 Million Senior Secured Term Loan Facility
from Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC

On December 21, 2021 Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. ("Apollo") (NASDAQ: APEN), a global leader in less invasive medical devices for gastrointestinal and bariatric procedures, reported that it has entered into a debt financing agreement with an affiliate of Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC ("Innovatus") to provide Apollo with up to $100 million in term loan financing (Press release, Apollo Endosurgery, DEC 21, 2021, View Source [SID1234597520]).

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"We are pleased to partner with a long-term strategic investor such as Innovatus in this transaction," said Chas McKhann, president and CEO. "This new loan facility provides us flexibility to invest in our business and fund our growth initiatives through minimally-dilutive financing. Importantly, with this additional capital source, our management team can focus on unlocking the value in our business through continued execution."

The new term loan reduces Apollo’s cost of capital, extends amortization by an additional 33 months over the prior term loan and decreases debt service cash requirements by nearly $30 million over the next three years.

"Innovatus is excited to work with Apollo and its management team," said Claes Ekstrom, Managing Director. "We believe this transaction enables Apollo to accelerate the adoption of its portfolio of highly differentiated products across a wide range of patient needs."

On December 21, 2021, Apollo entered into a loan and security agreement (the "Loan Agreement") pursuant to which Innovatus has agreed to make certain term loans in the aggregate principal amount of up to $100 million, with the first $35 million tranche (Term A Tranche) to be funded at closing and used to retire Apollo’s existing term debt facility with SLR Capital Partners.

Apollo will be eligible to draw on additional tranches commencing June 30, 2022 as follows:
•Term B Tranche of $15 million between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, upon achievement of certain revenue milestones;
•Term C Tranche of $25 million between July 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024, upon achievement of certain revenue milestones; and
•Term D Tranche of up to $25 million second between June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2024, for the purposes of financing all or part of any approved acquisition.

Borrowing under the Loan Agreement will bear interest at the greater of the Wall Street Journal Prime Rate or 3.25%, plus 4.0% (currently, 7.25%). Apollo is entitled to make interest-only payments for 60 months, followed by monthly payments of principal and interest through maturity on the sixth anniversary of the initial funding date.

The Loan Agreement is secured by substantially all of Apollo’s assets.

Prior to December 21, 2025, Innovatus will have the right, but not the obligation, to make a one-time election to convert up to 10% of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the term Loans into shares of common stock of Apollo. Such shares shall be issued at a price per share equal to $11.50.

Credo 180 acted as sole financial advisor to Apollo on this transaction.

Additional details regarding the financing will be included in a Current Report on Form 8-K, which Apollo will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission within four business days of the date of this press release.

Aligos Therapeutics to Present at the 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On December 21, 2021 Aligos Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGS), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics to address unmet medical needs in viral and liver diseases, reported that Lawrence M. Blatt, Ph.D., MBA, Chairman and CEO of Aligos, will present at the 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 5:15 pm ET (Press release, Aligos Therapeutics, DEC 21, 2021, View Source/news-releases/news-release-details/aligos-therapeutics-present-40th-annual-jp-morgan-healthcare" target="_blank" title="View Source/news-releases/news-release-details/aligos-therapeutics-present-40th-annual-jp-morgan-healthcare" rel="nofollow">View Source [SID1234597519]). Both the presentation and the Q&A session will be held virtually.

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An audio webcast of the presentation will be available through the Aligos investor section of the website. View Source

The Aligos management team will also participate in investor 1×1 meetings during the conference. Please contact your J.P. Morgan Healthcare representative to schedule virtual one-on-one meetings with Aligos during the conference. For more information about the 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, please refer to the Conference Website.

Abbott to Present at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On December 21, 2021 Abbott (NYSE: ABT) reported that it will present virtually at the 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022 (Press release, Abbott, DEC 21, 2021, View Source [SID1234597518]). Robert B. Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, will present at 8 a.m. Central time.

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A live webcast of the presentation will be accessible through Abbott’s Investor Relations website at www.abbottinvestor.com. An archived edition of the presentation will be available later that day.

Taiho Pharmaceutical to Provide Matching Funds to Three Crowdfunded Projects Addressing Issues in the Field of Oncology?"The First Taiho Smile Support"

On December 21, 2021 Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. reported that it has selected three projects after rigorous screening of entries submitted for the first Taiho Smile Support, a program to support organizations and individuals working to solve social issues in the field of oncology (Press release, Taiho, DEC 21, 2021, View Source [SID1234597516]).

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Selected Projects
Project Name
Organization Name
Play with Us! We want to create Japan’s first gaming room at a children’s hospice where teenage cancer patients can really have fun! Children’s Hospice Project
Available only in Japanese
We want everyone to read the picture book Beneath the Tree of Kindness: Me, My Illness and the Family House again! Family House
Yokohama Children’s Hospice
UMI TO SORA NO OUCHI (a home of sea and sky): "Connecting Through Green" Project
Yokohama Children’s Hospice Project
Each organization will start crowdfunding for its project at its own timing.

Through this program, Taiho Pharmaceutical aims to support the dreams of organizations and individuals who are working to address challenges in the field of oncology. In partnership with these organizations, individuals, and all of the people who support them via crowdfunding, Taiho Pharmaceutical seeks to create a world where the precious moments of everyday life keep flowing for cancer patients and their families, "Today and Every Day."

Round One of Taiho Smile Support
(View Source; Available only in Japanese)

Taiho Smile Support is an initiative to support organizations and individuals seeking to solve various social issues in the field of oncology that cannot be solved by drugs alone. Taiho Pharmaceutical called for organizations and individuals who plan to use crowdfunding to raise funds to address these social issues. Selected organizations and individuals will conduct a crowdfunding campaign and, if they reach their funding target,1 they will receive from Taiho Pharmaceutical, in the form of a donation, matching funds equal to the target they have raised.

1 The crowdfunding target (not including the crowdfunding fee) is to be 50% of all funds needed to carry out the project. If the target is met, Taiho Pharmaceutical will provide the remaining 50%. Thus, the success of the crowdfunding campaign will determine whether or not Taiho Pharmaceutical will provide support.

●Matching gift support to be provided: Early June 2022
●Project period: June 2022 to May 2023

Sanofi to acquire Amunix immuno-oncology pipeline with next generation Conditionally Activated Biologics

On December 21, 2021 Sanofi reported that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Amunix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an immuno-oncology company leveraging its proprietary, clinically validated XTEN and innovative universal protease-releasable masking technology platform, Pro-XTENTM, to discover and develop transformative T-cell engagers (TCE) and cytokine therapies for patients with cancer (Press release, Sanofi, DEC 21, 2021, View Source [SID1234597514]). Amunix’s pipeline, which includes lead candidate, AMX-818, a masked HER2-directed TCE, offers a strong strategic fit with Sanofi’s focus on developing potentially transformative cancer therapies in immuno-oncology. Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi will acquire Amunix for an upfront payment of approximately $1 billion and up to $225 million upon achievement of certain future development milestones. The acquisition supports Sanofi’s efforts to accelerate and expand its contributions to innovative medicines for oncology patients, with approximately 20 molecules currently in development.

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"This acquisition demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investing in promising research and discovery platforms," said John Reed, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head of Research & Development, Sanofi. "The Amunix technology platform utilizes a next generation smart biologics approach to precisely tailor-deliver medicines to become active only in tumor tissues while sparing normal tissues, thus bringing the promise of more effective and safer treatment options for cancer patients. We are excited to rapidly advance Amunix’s promising pipeline and to combine their innovative candidate medicines with complementary molecules in Sanofi’s immuno-oncology portfolio."

Amunix’s proprietary XTEN masks and cleavable linkers are a next-generation protein engineering approach that allows biologics to circulate in "stealth" mode, becoming active preferentially in disease specific micro-environments, with the aim to enable safer and more efficacious medicines. The technology can be applied to a wide range of existing and potentially new pipeline assets. The molecular design of Amunix’s molecules endows the inactive stealth molecules with long-lasting properties, converting after activation in disease tissues to short half-life agents so that the active molecule is rapidly cleared from the body. Specifically, in immuno-oncology, Amunix’s technology offers the potential to overcome challenges that have plagued the adoption of T-Cell Engager
bi-specific antibodies for solid tumors, including unwanted immune attack of normal healthy cells and systematic widespread immune system activation that leads to side effects such as Cytokine Release Syndrome.

"We are very proud of what the extraordinary and diverse Amunix team has accomplished in the development of our Pro-XTEN technology and rapid expansion of our pipeline," said Angie You, Ph.D., CEO, Amunix.

"We now look forward to combining forces with Sanofi’s team to leverage its expertise and together serve as a center of excellence in bringing these potentially better and safer drug candidates to patients," said Volker Schellenberger, Ph.D., Co-Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer, Amunix.

The closing of the transaction is subject to expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and other customary closing conditions. Sanofi expects to complete the acquisition in Q1 of 2022.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is acting as Sanofi’s legal counsel. Centerview Partners LLC is acting as financial advisor to Amunix and Fenwick & West LLP is acting as its legal counsel.

XTEN, XPAT, XPAC and PRO-XTEN are trademarks in the name of Amunix.