On August 12, 2020 Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Verrica") (NASDAQ: VRCA), a dermatology therapeutics company developing medications for skin diseases requiring medical interventions, reported that the Company has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Lytix Biopharma AS ("Lytix") to develop and commercialize LTX-315 for dermatologic oncology indications (Press release, Verrica Pharmaceuticals, AUG 12, 2020, View Source [SID1234563524]). Verrica intends to focus initially on basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas as the lead indications for development. LTX-315 is a first-in-class oncolytic peptide that is injected directly into a tumor to induce immunogenic cell death. The compound has demonstrated positive tumor-specific immune cell responses in multi-indication Phase I/II oncology trials.

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"This is an important milestone in the broadening of Verrica’s strategy to bring breakthrough treatments for skin diseases to patients and physicians, as dermatologic cancers are highly prevalent and many patients suffer from them," said Dr. Gary Goldenberg, Verrica’s Chief Medical Officer. "Innovation in dermatology is one of the primary drivers that prompted me to recently join Verrica, and LTX-315’s unique mechanism of action is clearly an innovative approach to potentially provide significant improvement over invasive surgery. LTX-315 has the potential to revolutionize one of the most common disease states in dermatology – non-melanoma skin cancers. We look forward to leveraging Verrica’s depth of clinical development experience to develop this innovative asset for the potential benefit of patients. We intend to submit an IND in the United States for LTX-315 during the first half of 2021 and commence clinical development thereafter."

"Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., with 5 million diagnoses of basal and squamous cell carcinomas each year,"1 said Darrell Rigel, MD, Clinical Professor of Dermatology at NYU. "Patients are typically treated with surgery, which can result in damage to healthy tissue, pain, and permanent scarring. LTX-315 is a clinical-stage, non-surgical immunotherapy product candidate that directly targets cancerous skin cells, with the potential to transform the treatment of skin cancer by offering a therapeutic alternative to surgery."

"We are pleased to enter into this collaboration with Verrica, which has significant expertise within the field of dermatology," said Øystein Rekdal, Lytix`s CEO. "Our lead drug candidate, LTX-315, has shown very promising efficacy and safety signals in cancer patients during Phase I/II studies and we are excited that this partnership with Verrica will expand the applications for LTX-315."

Under the terms of the agreement, Lytix will be entitled to receive an upfront payment, contingent regulatory milestones based on achievement of specified development goals, and sales milestones, with aggregate payments of up to $113.5 million, in addition to tiered royalties based on worldwide annual sales. The agreed upon royalty rates start in the low double digits and increase to the mid-teens based on net sales achieved.

Verrica is solely responsible for the development, regulatory filings, and commercialization of LTX-315 in dermatology, while Lytix is responsible for manufacturing the active pharmaceutical ingredient. The license includes worldwide rights for Verrica to develop and commercialize LTX-315 for all malignant and pre-malignant dermatological indications, except for metastatic melanoma and metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

The Company reaffirms its belief that its existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities will be sufficient to support planned operations, inclusive of this agreement with Lytix and LTX-315 development activities, at least through the fourth quarter of 2021.

On August 12, 2020 Saniona (OMX: SANION), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, reported a conference call and webcast presentation regarding its recent directed share issue generating gross proceeds of USD 65 million (approximately SEK 567 million) (Press release, Saniona, AUG 12, 2020, View Source [SID1234563523]).

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The event will take place on Friday August 14th at 2 p.m. CET and will feature a presentation by Saniona’s management team to discuss the strategy and rationale for the financing, as well as an update on Saniona’s advancement of its late-stage clinical trials with Tesomet in two rare eating disorders, hypothalamic obesity (HO) and Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS), as well as progress building its U.S.-based organization in support of these programs.

View Source

Event number: 137 140 9570

Please add your questions in the Q&A field during the presentation.

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AUDIO DETAILS

US: +1 408 758 98 56 Global call-in numbers

Event number: 137 140 9570

For those who are unable to listen at this time, a replay of the call will be available after the event through the investor section of Saniona’s web site at View Source

On August 12, 2020 Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation reported a combined investment of $300 million as part of a series of commitments (Press release, Bristol-Myers Squibb, AUG 12, 2020, View Source [SID1234563519]). For Bristol Myers Squibb and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, the commitments are designed to address health disparities, increase clinical trial diversity and for Bristol Myers Squibb, to increase the company’s spend with diverse suppliers and continue to increase Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino representation at all levels of the company. These commitments build on each entity’s experience addressing health disparities and, for Bristol Myers Squibb, its investments in increasing the diversity of its workforce.

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The combined $300 million investment to health equity focuses on raising disease awareness and education, increasing health care access, and improving health outcomes for medically underserved populations. The BMS Foundation’s commitment to clinical trial diversity focuses on building clinical trial infrastructure in diverse communities and high disease burden areas in the U.S. and increasing the diversity of investigators through a fellowship program over five years.

"Our company has a long history of addressing health disparities as part of our overall mission to serve patients with serious disease," said Giovanni Caforio, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer, Bristol Myers Squibb. "Now more than ever, we recognize the urgent need to do more to address serious gaps in care among the underserved in communities around the world. This commitment reflects our belief that investments toward achieving health equity, and increasing diversity and inclusion are opportunities to advance our vision of transforming patients’ lives through science."

This investment follows Bristol Myers Squibb’s previous announcement to expand its existing patient support program to help eligible unemployed patients in the U.S. who have lost their health insurance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent months, though, COVID-19 has exposed the severity of social and health disparities in the U.S. that increase the risk for infection and poorer health outcomes for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino communities.

Bristol Myers Squibb and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation recognize the need to take concrete steps to better serve and collaborate with an increasingly diverse U.S. population and underserved communities around the world.

The commitments include:

Increasing clinical trial diversity: Bristol Myers Squibb will extend the reach of clinical trials into underserved patient communities in urban and rural U.S. geographies. The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation will train and develop 250 new racially and ethnically diverse clinical investigators who will have mentorship and training opportunities, and ultimately to enroll underserved patients into clinical trials.
"Clinical trial diversity needs acceleration. We see tremendous opportunity for longer-term, sustainable impact by supporting ethnically diverse physician scientists to engage in clinical research while also establishing clinical research sites in diverse communities," said Samit Hirawat, M.D., chief medical officer, Bristol Myers Squibb. "Over the next five years, we will extend the reach of our trials into underserved patient communities and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation will train and develop 250 new racially and ethnically diverse clinical investigators that can enroll a diverse patient population in trials conducted across the industry."

Strengthening health equity work across the business: Bristol Myers Squibb will accelerate its efforts to reach at-risk patients with disease awareness and education programs and information about its patient support programs, including programs for people who cannot afford their medicines. Bristol Myers Squibb will also continue to advocate for policies that promote health equity.
Increasing the company’s spend with diverse suppliers: Bristol Myers Squibb will spend $1 billion globally by 2025 with Black/African American and other diverse-owned businesses to help create jobs and generate positive economic impact in diverse communities.
Increasing the diversity of the company’s workforce: Bristol Myers Squibb will expand the diversity of its workforce and leadership to ensure it reflects the evolving demographics of the patients the company serves. The company achieved gender parity across its workforce in 2015. By 2022, Bristol Myers Squibb aims to achieve gender parity at the executive level globally; double executive representation of Black/African American employees in the U.S.; and double executive representation of Hispanic/Latino employees in the U.S.
"As a patient focused company, it is vital that our workforce reflect the people, cultures and communities we serve," added Ann Powell, chief human resources officer, Bristol Myers Squibb. "We recognize that meeting the needs of patients means we must continue to grow a powerfully diverse, and broadly inclusive, workforce."

Expanding our employee giving program: Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation will provide a 2-to-1 match for U.S. employee donations to organizations that fight health disparities and discrimination.
The commitments by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation build on the more than 100 active grantee projects funded by the Foundation globally to improve access to care and support, and health outcomes that have reached nearly 1.5 million people worldwide. For more information on these commitments and the work Bristol Myers Squibb is doing to transform patients’ lives through science, visit BMS.com.

On August 12, 2020 AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) reported the publication of results from the Phase 3 VIALE-A clinical study in patients with AML in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) (Press release, AbbVie, AUG 12, 2020, View Source [SID1234563518]). The study, which evaluated newly-diagnosed AML patients who had not yet been treated and were unable to tolerate traditional intensive chemotherapy, found that venetoclax in combination with azacitidine extended overall survival (OS) compared to azacitidine plus placebo. The manuscript titled, "Azacitidine and Venetoclax in Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia," was published in the August 13, 2020 issue of NEJM.3

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"The ability of venetoclax plus azacitidine to improve outcomes of newly-diagnosed AML patients unable to tolerate intensive chemotherapy represents a potentially practice-changing advance in AML treatment," said Courtney D. DiNardo, M.D., MSCE, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the lead study investigator.

In the VIALE-A study, OS was the sole primary study endpoint in the U.S. OS and composite complete remission rate (CR+CRi) were co-primary endpoints in China, Japan, the European Union (EU) and EU reference countries. CR+CRi is a composite score reflecting the complete remission (CR) and CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi), which is an incomplete CR with blood counts not fully recovered.4,5 Treatment with venetoclax plus azacitidine reduced the risk of death by 34% compared to azacitidine in combination with placebo (Hazard Ratio [HR]=0.66 [95% CI: 0.52-0.85], p<0.001).3

Patients in the venetoclax combination arm had a median OS of 14.7 months (95% CI: 11.9-18.7) versus 9.6 months for patients in the placebo arm (95% CI: 7.4-12.7). Additionally, 66.4% (95% CI: 60.6-71.9) of patients treated with venetoclax plus azacitidine achieved CR+CRi versus 28.3% (95% CI: 21.1-36.3) of patients treated with azacitidine plus placebo (p<0.001). Other secondary endpoints that were published in NEJM include CR and CR with partial hematologic recovery (CR+CRh).3

The observed safety profile in the VIALE-A trial is generally consistent with the known safety profiles of venetoclax combined with azacitidine. The most common adverse events (AEs [occurring in ≥40% of patients]) in patients receiving venetoclax plus azacitidine were mostly hematologic and gastrointestinal in nature and consisted of thrombocytopenia (46%), nausea (44%), constipation (43%), neutropenia (42%), febrile neutropenia (42%) and diarrhea (41%). The most frequent serious adverse reactions (ARs [occurring in >10% of patients]) in patients receiving venetoclax plus azacitidine were febrile neutropenia (30%) and pneumonia (17%). Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) was reported during ramp-up in three patients in the venetoclax arm and none in the placebo arm. All were transient biochemical changes that resolved with uricosuric agents – medications that increase excretion of uric acid in the urine and decrease the concentration of uric acid in blood plasma – and calcium supplements without treatment interruption.

The VIALE-A trial results were presented as late-breaking data during the virtual 25th European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) Annual Congress in June 2020 (abstract #LB2601).6 AbbVie, in collaboration with Genentech, submitted the results of the VIALE-A (M15-656) trial, along with data from the VIALE-C (M16-043) trial and updated data from the Phase 1/2 studies M14-358 and M14-387, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to convert the accelerated approval for venetoclax in combination with azacitidine, decitabine, or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) for the treatment of newly-diagnosed AML in adults who are age 75 years or older, or who have comorbidities that preclude use of intensive induction chemotherapy, to a full approval. AbbVie also submitted these data to additional health authorities around the world.

AML is the most common acute leukemia in the world.7 Not all patients can tolerate standard intensive chemotherapy,8 making it among the most difficult blood cancers to treat.9 Despite advances in available therapies and care, the five-year survival rate for patients diagnosed with AML remains approximately 28%.10

Venetoclax, known by the brand name VENCLEXTA in the U.S., is being developed by AbbVie and Roche. It is jointly commercialized by AbbVie and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, in the U.S. and by AbbVie outside of the U.S.

About the VIALE-A (M15-656) Phase 3 Trial
A total of 433 treatment-naïve, intensive chemotherapy ineligible AML patients were randomized in the double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 VIALE-A trial. The trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of venetoclax in combination with azacitidine (n=286) compared with azacitidine in combination with placebo (n=145).3

About VENCLEXTA (venetoclax)
VENCLEXTA (venetoclax) is a first-in-class medicine that selectively binds and inhibits the B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) protein. In some blood cancers, BCL-2 prevents cancer cells from undergoing their natural death or self-destruction process, called apoptosis. VENCLEXTA targets the BCL-2 protein and works to help restore the process of apoptosis.

VENCLEXTA/VENCLYXTO is being developed by AbbVie and Roche. It is jointly commercialized by AbbVie and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, in the U.S. and by AbbVie outside of the U.S. Together, the companies are committed to BCL-2 research and to studying venetoclax in clinical trials across several blood and other cancers. VENCLEXTA/VENCLYXTO is approved in more than 50 countries, including the U.S.

Uses and Important VENCLEXTA (venetoclax) U.S. Safety Information11

Uses
VENCLEXTA is a prescription medicine used:

to treat adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).
in combination with azacitidine, or decitabine, or low-dose cytarabine to treat adults with newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who:
are 75 years of age or older, or
have other medical conditions that prevent the use of standard chemotherapy.
VENCLEXTA was approved based on response rates. Continued approval for this use may depend on the results of an ongoing study to find out how VENCLEXTA works over a longer period of time.

It is not known if VENCLEXTA is safe and effective in children.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about VENCLEXTA?

VENCLEXTA can cause serious side effects, including:

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). TLS is caused by the fast breakdown of cancer cells. TLS can cause kidney failure, the need for dialysis treatment, and may lead to death. Your healthcare provider will do tests to check your risk of getting TLS before you start taking VENCLEXTA. You will receive other medicines before starting and during treatment with VENCLEXTA to help reduce your risk of TLS. You may also need to receive intravenous (IV) fluids into your vein. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check for TLS when you first start treatment and during treatment with VENCLEXTA. It is important to keep your appointments for blood tests. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of TLS during treatment with VENCLEXTA, including fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, confusion, shortness of breath, seizures, irregular heartbeat, dark or cloudy urine, unusual tiredness, or muscle or joint pain.

Drink plenty of water during treatment with VENCLEXTA to help reduce your risk of getting TLS. Drink 6 to 8 glasses (about 56 ounces total) of water each day, starting 2 days before your first dose, on the day of your first dose of VENCLEXTA, and each time your dose is increased.

Your healthcare provider may delay, decrease your dose, or stop treatment with VENCLEXTA if you have side effects.

Who should not take VENCLEXTA?

Certain medicines must not be taken when you first start taking VENCLEXTA and while your dose is being slowly increased because of the risk of increased TLS.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the- counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. VENCLEXTA and other medicines may affect each other causing serious side effects.
Do not start new medicines during treatment with VENCLEXTA without first talking with your healthcare provider.
Before taking VENCLEXTA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

have kidney or liver problems.
have problems with your body salts or electrolytes, such as potassium, phosphorus, or calcium.
have a history of high uric acid levels in your blood or gout.
are scheduled to receive a vaccine. You should not receive a "live vaccine" before, during, or after treatment with VENCLEXTA, until your healthcare provider tells you it is okay. If you are not sure about the type of immunization or vaccine, ask your healthcare provider. These vaccines may not be safe or may not work as well during treatment with VENCLEXTA.
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. VENCLEXTA may harm your unborn baby. If you are able to become pregnant, your healthcare provider should do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with VENCLEXTA, and you should use effective birth control during treatment and for at least 30 days after the last dose of VENCLEXTA. If you become pregnant or think you are pregnant, tell your healthcare provider right away.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if VENCLEXTA passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with VENCLEXTA.
What should I avoid while taking VENCLEXTA?

You should not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit, Seville oranges (often used in marmalades), or starfruit while you are taking VENCLEXTA. These products may increase the amount of VENCLEXTA in your blood.

What are the possible side effects of VENCLEXTA?

VENCLEXTA can cause serious side effects, including:

Low white blood cell counts (neutropenia). Low white blood cell counts are common with VENCLEXTA, but can also be severe. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your blood counts during treatment with VENCLEXTA.
Infections. Death and serious infections such as pneumonia and blood infection (sepsis) have happened during treatment with VENCLEXTA. Your healthcare provider will closely monitor and treat you right away if you have a fever or any signs of infection during treatment with VENCLEXTA.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have a fever or any signs of an infection during treatment with VENCLEXTA.

The most common side effects of VENCLEXTA when used in combination with obinutuzumab or rituximab or alone in people with CLL or SLL include low white blood cell counts; low platelet counts; low red blood cell counts; diarrhea; nausea; upper respiratory tract infection; cough; muscle and joint pain; tiredness; and swelling of your arms, legs, hands, and feet.

The most common side effects of VENCLEXTA in combination with azacitidine or decitabine or low-dose cytarabine in people with AML include low white blood cell counts; nausea; diarrhea; low platelet counts; constipation; fever with low white blood cell counts; low red blood cell counts; infection in blood; rash; dizziness; low blood pressure; fever; swelling of your arms, legs, hands, and feet; vomiting; tiredness; shortness of breath; bleeding; infection in lung; stomach (abdominal) pain; pain in muscles or back; cough; and sore throat.

VENCLEXTA may cause fertility problems in males. This may affect your ability to father a child. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about fertility.

These are not all the possible side effects of VENCLEXTA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you cannot afford your medication, contact www.medicineassistancetool.org for assistance.

The full U.S. prescribing information, including Medication Guide, for VENCLEXTA can be found here.

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About AbbVie in Oncology
At AbbVie, we strive to discover and develop medicines that deliver transformational improvements in cancer treatment by uniquely combining our deep knowledge in core areas of biology with cutting-edge technologies, and by working together with our partners – scientists, clinical experts, industry peers, advocates, and patients. We remain focused on delivering these transformative advances in treatment across some of the most debilitating and widespread cancers. We are also committed to exploring solutions to help patients obtain access to our cancer medicines. AbbVie’s oncology portfolio now consists of marketed medicines and a pipeline containing multiple new molecules being evaluated worldwide in more than 300 clinical trials and more than 20 different tumor types. For more information, please visit View Source

On August 12, 2020 Cellular Biomedicine Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBMG) ("Company," "CBMG," "we" or "our"), a biopharmaceutical firm engaged in the drug development of immunotherapies for cancer and stem cell therapies for degenerative diseases, reported that it has signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by a newly-formed entity ("Parent") formed on behalf of a consortium consisting of (i) Bizuo (Tony) Liu (CEO of CBMG) and certain other members of CBMG management (Yihong Yao, Li (Helen) Zhang and Chengxiang (Chase) Dai) (collectively, the "Management Rollover Stockholders"), (ii) Dangdai International Group Co., Limited, Mission Right Limited, Wealth Map Holdings Limited, Earls Mill Limited, OPEA SRL, Maplebrook Limited, Full Moon Resources Limited, Viktor Pan and Zheng Zhou (together with the Management Rollover Stockholders, the "Consortium Rollover Stockholders") and (iii) Yunfeng Fund III, L.P., TF Capital Fund III L.P., Velvet Investment Pte. Ltd., and Bizuo (Tony) Liu (the "Equity Investors") (Press release, Cellular Biomedicine Group, AUG 12, 2020, View Source [SID1234563517]).

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Under the terms of the merger agreement, CBMG’s stockholders will receive US$19.75 in cash for each outstanding share of common stock held immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, other than (i) the shares owned by Parent or its subsidiaries, (ii) the shares held by CBMG as treasury stock, (iii) certain shares held by rollover stockholders, including the Consortium Rollover Stockholders (collectively, the "Rollover Stockholders") and (iv) the shares in respect of which appraisal rights have been properly and validly exercised under Delaware law. In connection with the Merger, the shares held by the Rollover Stockholders will be cancelled without payment of any consideration and the Rollover Stockholders will subscribe for newly-issued shares of Parent. The Rollover Stockholders collectively hold approximately 51.5% of the outstanding CBMG shares.

The US$19.75 per share price represents a premium of approximately 31.4% over the 30 trading-day average price of the Company’s common stock as of August 11, 2020, and a premium of approximately 11.8% over CBMG’s closing stock price on November 8, 2019, the last trading day prior to the public announcement of the consortium’s initial proposal.

The Company’s Board of Directors, acting on the unanimous recommendation of the special committee formed by the Board of Directors (the "Special Committee"), approved the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement and resolved to recommend that the Company’s stockholders adopt the merger agreement and approve the merger. The Special Committee, which is comprised solely of independent and disinterested directors of the Company, exclusively negotiated the terms of the merger agreement with Parent, with the assistance of its independent financial and legal advisors.

Under the terms of the merger agreement, CBMG (at the direction of the Special Committee) will conduct a 30-day "go shop" process, during which CBMG is permitted to solicit, initiate, facilitate or encourage acquisition proposals and to participate in discussions or negotiations with respect to any acquisition proposal. Following the "go shop" process, CBMG may respond to certain unsolicited acquisition proposals and, during the first 15-day period following the "go shop" process, CBMG may continue to engage with certain third parties that have made acquisition proposals during the "go shop" process, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement. CBMG will have the right to terminate the definitive agreement to accept a superior proposal, if one is received, subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement. There can be no assurance that this "go-shop" process will result in a superior proposal or that any other transaction will be approved or completed. CBMG does not intend to disclose developments with respect to the "go-shop" process unless and until the Special Committee makes a determination requiring further disclosure.

Upon closing of the merger, CBMG will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. CBMG is expected to remain headquartered in Maryland. The merger is subject to approval by CBMG’s stockholders, including a non-waivable condition requiring approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of CBMG common stock that are not beneficially owned by Parent, the Rollover Stockholders, the Equity Investors or their respective affiliates, as well as regulatory and certain other customary closing conditions. The merger is not subject to a financing condition. The Company will call a meeting of stockholders for the purpose of voting on the adoption of the merger agreement in due course. If completed, the merger will result in the Company becoming a privately held company, and CBMG’s common stock would no longer be listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market.

Jefferies LLC is serving as sole financial advisor to the Special Committee, and White & Case LLP is serving as legal counsel to the Special Committee. O’Melveny & Myers LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to Parent.