On December 21, 2023 HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, ‘HOOKIPA’), a company developing a new class of immunotherapeutics based on its proprietary arenavirus platform, reported that Gilead Sciences (‘Gilead’) has purchased 15 million shares of HOOKIPA’s common stock for approximately $21.25 million, at a price of $1.4167 per share (Press release, Hookipa Biotech, DEC 21, 2023, View Source [SID1234638750]).

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In addition, HOOKIPA has the right, subject to certain terms and conditions, to sell an additional approximately $8.75 million of common stock to Gilead as pro-rata participation in potential future equity raises. The agreement with Gilead replaces the stock purchase agreement that Hookipa entered into with Gilead in 2022.

"We have a tremendous partnership with Gilead, who have been incredible believers in our arenavirus platform since our initial collaboration and license agreement began more than five years ago," said Joern Aldag, Chief Executive Officer at HOOKIPA. "Together, we have made meaningful progress to find a potential functional cure for HIV. Most recently, we received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of our Investigational New Drug application for HB-500 and are excited to begin our Phase 1 trial in the first half of next year. We are excited to continue our relationship with Gilead, and we are collectively optimistic about the potential of our partnership to benefit patients."

The transaction closed on December 20, 2023. Following the completion of the stock purchase, Gilead’s ownership in HOOKIPA increased to 18,759,465 shares, or approximately 19.4% of HOOKIPA’s outstanding shares of Common Stock.

HB-500 is an alternating, 2-vector arenaviral therapeutic vaccine that is being evaluated as part of a potential curative regimen for HIV. One vector is based on lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) as its arenaviral backbone; another vector is based on Pichinde virus (PICV). Both encode the same HIV antigens. The alternating 2-vector approach is designed to further focus the immune response against the target antigen.

HB-500 is one of two separate development programs in HOOKIPA’s collaboration and license agreement with Gilead. HOOKIPA is responsible for advancing the HIV program through the completion of a Phase 1b clinical trial. Gilead has the exclusive right to assume further development of the program thereafter.

For further details, refer to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘SEC’) on December 21, 2023.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. Any offering of the shares of common stock described above under the resale registration statement will only be by means of a prospectus.