APDN to Participate in H.C. Wainwright BIOCONNECT 2021 Conference

On January 5, 2021 Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APDN) (the "Company"), a leader in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based DNA manufacturing, reported that Dr. James A. Hayward, president and CEO, will participate in a fireside chat at the virtual H.C. Wainwright BIOCONNECT 2021 Conference to be held January 11-14, 2021 (Press release, Applied DNA Sciences, JAN 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234573474]). The fireside chat will be hosted by Yi Chen, Managing Director, H.C. Wainwright Equity Research, and Applied DNA covering analyst.

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The fireside chat will be available for on-demand listening beginning on Monday, January 11, 2021, at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the IR Calendar section of the Applied DNA website at www.adnas.com. An archived replay of the fireside chat will be available on the Company’s website for 90 days.

Ultragenyx to Present at 39th Annual J.P. Morgan Virtual Healthcare Conference

On January 5, 2021 Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel products for serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases, reported that Emil D. Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D., the company’s Chief Executive Officer and President, will present at the 39TH Annual J.P. Morgan Virtual Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 2:50 pm EST (Press release, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, JAN 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234573491]).

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The live and archived webcast of the presentation will be accessible from the company’s website at View Source The replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days.

Artiva Biotherapeutics Announces Appointment of Dr. Fred Aslan as President and CEO

On January 5, 2021 Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc., an oncology company focused on developing and commercializing primary allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell therapies to treat cancer, reported the appointment of Fred Aslan, M.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer (Press release, Artiva Biotherapeutics, JAN 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234573508]). Dr. Aslan brings a twenty-year track record as an executive and investor in the life sciences industry.

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"Fred is a highly accomplished leader who can help us deliver the full potential of Artiva’s platform," stated Brian Daniels, M.D., chairman of Artiva Biotherapeutics. "Fred brings strong strategic acumen from his experiences as an investor and proven operating skills building teams, scaling businesses, and orchestrating creative partnerships. We look forward to working with Fred as Artiva grows into a fully integrated oncology cell therapy company."

Prior to Artiva, Dr. Aslan was President and CBO at Vividion Therapeutics where he was responsible for business development, finance, operations, and alliance and project management. He had the opportunity to orchestrate Vividion’s Series B financing and $135M-upfront collaboration with Roche. Prior to Vividion, Dr. Aslan had a 12 year affiliation with Venrock; initially as an investor from 2006 to 2013, when he co-founded and served as a board member of Receptos Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Celgene for more than $7 billion), led Venrock’s investment in Zeltiq (acquired by Allergan for more than $2 billion), and was involved in the early formation of Fate Therapeutics; and subsequently as an entrepreneur from 2013 to 2018, when he was CEO of Adavium Medical, a Brazilian medical device company, which he grew from zero to 350 employees, increased sales to more than $40 million, and established fully integrated R&D, manufacturing, and commercial capabilities. Prior to Venrock, Dr. Aslan was Director of Business Development and Head of Investor Relations for CuraGen, a Nasdaq-listed oncology-focused biotech company. Prior to CuraGen, he was a consultant at Boston Consulting Group. Dr. Aslan currently serves as Chairman of the board of Vydence Medical and as a board member of Cytrellis Biosystems. Fred holds a B.S. in biology from Duke University, an M.D. from Yale School of Medicine, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

"The NK cell therapy landscape is evolving rapidly – few approaches have such broad potential to generate transformational therapies against both hematologic and solid tumors, and I am excited to be joining the Artiva team as we scale our efforts," stated Dr. Aslan. "The available supporting clinical evidence of NK cell therapeutic activity, coupled with our manufacturing head-start to generate an allogeneic, off-the-shelf product thanks to the pioneering work by our strategic partner GC LabCell, positions Artiva as one of the leaders in this exciting emerging field. With our first IND now allowed and two more planned for the next 18 months, we plan to be the first company to dose cord-blood derived NK cells to patients using a highly scaled, cryopreserved, end-to-end GMP manufacturing process. We are also encouraged by the pharmaceutical industry’s growing interest in this field and our work."

Tom Farrell, founder and former CEO of Artiva, will transition to Chief Strategy Officer where he will continue to lead several strategic initiatives for the Company. "Tom has done an outstanding job recognizing the potential of GC LabCell’s pioneering work in the NK cell therapy space, establishing strong ties between the two companies, and successfully building Artiva to where it is today," stated Dr. Aslan. "I look forward to working with Tom as we further accelerate Artiva’s rapid pace of progress."

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

On January 5, 2021, Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (the "Company") reported that entered into a securities purchase agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with Geneva Roth Remark Holdings, Inc. ("Geneva"), pursuant to which Geneva purchased a convertible promissory note (the "Note") from the Company in the aggregate principal amount of $68,500, such principal and the interest thereon convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at the option of Geneva (Filing, 8-K, Propanc, JAN 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234573810]). The transaction contemplated by the Purchase Agreement closed on or about January 7, 2021. The Company intends to use the net proceeds ($65,000) from the Note for general working capital purposes.

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The maturity date of the Note is January 5, 2022 (the "Maturity Date"). The Note shall bear interest at a rate of 8% per annum, which interest may be paid by the Company to Geneva in shares of common stock, but shall not be payable until the Note becomes payable, whether at the Maturity Date or upon acceleration or by prepayment, as described below. Geneva has the option to convert all or any amount of the principal face amount of the Note, starting on July 5, 2021 and ending on the later of the Maturity Date and the date of payment of the Default Amount (as defined below) is paid if an event of default occurs, for shares of the Company’s common stock at the then-applicable conversion price. The conversion price for the Note shall be equal to the Variable Conversion Price (as defined herein) (subject to equitable adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends or rights offerings by the Company relating to the Company’s securities or the securities of any subsidiary of the Company, combinations, recapitalization, reclassifications, extraordinary distributions and similar events). The "Variable Conversion Price" shall mean 65% multiplied by the Market Price (as defined herein) (representing a discount rate of 35%). "Market Price" means the average of the lowest three (3) Trading Prices (as defined below) for the Common Stock during the ten (10) Trading Day period ending on the latest complete Trading Day prior to the Conversion Date. "Trading Price" means, for any security as of any date, the closing bid price on the OTCQB, OTCQX, Pink Sheets electronic quotation system or applicable trading market (the "OTC") as reported by a reliable reporting service ("Reporting Service") designated by Geneva (i.e. Bloomberg) or, if the OTC is not the principal trading market for such security, the closing bid price of such security on the principal securities exchange or trading market where such security is listed or traded or, if no closing bid price of such security is available in any of the foregoing manners, the average of the closing bid prices of any market makers for such security that are listed in the "pink sheets". Notwithstanding the foregoing, Geneva shall be restricted from effecting a conversion if such conversion, along with other shares of the Company’s common stock beneficially owned by Geneva and its affiliates, exceeds 4.99% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock.

The Note may be prepaid until 180 days from the issuance date. If the Note is prepaid within 60 days of the issuance date, then the prepayment premium shall be 110% of the face amount plus any accrued interest, if prepaid after 61 days from the issuance date, but less than 91 days from the issuance date, then the prepayment premium shall be 115% of the face amount plus any accrued interest, if prepaid after 91 days from the issuance date, but less than 121 days from the issuance date, then the prepayment premium shall be 120% of the face amount plus any accrued interest, if prepaid after 121 days from the issuance date, but less than 151 days from the issuance date, then the prepayment premium shall be 125% of the face amount plus any accrued interest, and if prepaid after 151 days from the issuance date, but less than 181 days from the issuance date, then the prepayment premium shall be 129% of the face amount plus any accrued interest. So long as the Note is outstanding, the Company covenants not to, without prior written consent from Geneva, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets outside the ordinary course of business which would render the Company a "shell company" as such term is defined in Rule 144. Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the Company paid Geneva’s fees and expenses in the aggregate amount of $3,500.

Other than as described above, the Note contains certain events of default, including failure to timely issue shares upon receipt of a notice of conversion, as well as certain customary events of default, including, among others, breach of covenants, representations or warranties, insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation and failure by the Company to pay the principal and interest due under the Note. Additional events of default shall include, among others: (i) failure to reserve at least five times the number of shares issuable upon full conversion of the Note; (ii) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings, voluntary or involuntary, for relief under any bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors shall be instituted by or against the Company or any subsidiary of the Company; provided, that in the event such event is triggered without the Company’s consent, the Company shall have sixty (60) days after such event is triggered to discharge such event, (iii) the Company’s failure to maintain the listing of the common stock on at least one of the OTC markets (which specifically includes the quotation platforms maintained by the OTC Markets Group) or an equivalent replacement exchange, the Nasdaq National Market, the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, the New York Stock Exchange, or the American Stock Exchange, (iv) The restatement of any financial statements filed by the Company with the SEC at any time after 180 days after the issuance date for any date or period until this note is no longer outstanding, if the result of such restatement would, by comparison to the un-restated financial statement, have reasonably constituted a material adverse effect on the rights of Geneva with respect to this note or the Purchase Agreement, and (v) the Company’s failure to comply with its reporting requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), and/or the Company ceases to be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

In the event that the Company fails to deliver to Geneva shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of principal or interest under the Note within three business days of a notice of conversion by Geneva, the Company shall incur a penalty of $1,000, provided, however, that such fee shall not be due if the failure to deliver the shares is a result of a third party such as the transfer agent.

Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of certain events of default, the Note will become immediately due and payable and the Company will pay Geneva, in full satisfaction of its obligations in the Note an amount equal to 150% of an amount equal to the then outstanding principal amount of the Note plus any interest accrued upon such event of default or prior events of default (the "Default Amount").

The Note was issued, and any shares to be issued pursuant to any conversion of the Note shall be issued, in a private placement in reliance upon an exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder.

Takeda Completes Sale of Select Non-Core Assets to Cheplapharm

On January 5, 2021 Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) ("Takeda") reported the completion of its previously-announced sale of a portfolio of select prescription products to Cheplapharm for a total value of $562 million USD1 (Press release, Takeda, JAN 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234573437]). The portfolio includes 16 prescription pharmaceutical products sold predominantly in Europe which is part of Takeda’s Europe and Canada Business Unit. This divestment agreement was first announced in September 2020.

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The divested portfolio is comprised of non-core prescription pharmaceutical products in a variety of therapeutic categories that includes Cardiovascular/Metabolic and Anti-Inflammatory products along with Calcium. In line with Takeda’s long-term growth strategy, these products, while addressing key patient needs in these countries, are outside of Takeda’s five core business areas: Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases, Plasma-Derived Therapies, Oncology and Neuroscience.

Takeda remains focused on executing its long-term growth strategy to optimize our business mix around our key business areas, and simplifying our operations to better serve patients by delivering innovative treatments in these areas.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale to reduce its debt and accelerate deleveraging towards its target of 2x net debt/adjusted EBITDA within Fiscal Years 2021–2023.

Takeda has sustained momentum in its divestiture strategy in 2020 and exceeded its $10 billion non-core asset divestiture target, announcing 11 deals since January 2019 to date for a total aggregate value of up to approximately $11.6 billion, including agreements to divest:

Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company Limited to Oscar A-Co KK, a company controlled by funds managed by The Blackstone Group Inc. and its affiliates for a total value of approximately JPY 242.0 billion ($2.3 billion USD).
Other non-core portfolio assets within the Growth & Emerging Markets Business Unit, totaling up to approximately $2.3 billion with five separate buyers.2
Select OTC and non-core assets in Europe to Orifarm for up to approximately $670 million.
The TachoSil Fibrin Sealant Patch to Corza Health, Inc. for approximately €350 million.