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Bausch Health Announces It Is Seeking A Refinancing Amendment To Its Existing Credit Agreement And Conditional Redemption Of Existing Senior Secured Notes

On February 19, 2020 Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) ("Bausch Health" or the "Company") reported that it is seeking to amend and refinance its existing credit agreement (the "Credit Agreement") in order to extend and reprice its existing term loan facility and revolving credit facility and make certain other amendments to the terms of the facilities in connection therewith (collectively, the "Credit Agreement Refinancing") (Press release, Bausch Health, FEB 19, 2020, View Source [SID1234554523]). Additionally, the Company intends, subject to market conditions, to have Bausch Health Americas, Inc. ("BHA"), a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Company, issue $3.25 billion of secured debt securities (the "New Debt Securities").

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The proceeds of the Credit Agreement Refinancing and the offering of the New Debt Securities, along with cash on hand, are expected to be used to redeem in full the Company’s existing 6.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 (the "2022 Notes") and 7.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 (the "2024 Notes" and, collectively with the 2022 Notes, the "Existing Notes"), to refinance BHA’s outstanding term B loans under the Credit Agreement and to pay related fees, premiums and expenses.

The Company also announced that it issued today a conditional notice of redemption to redeem the full $3.25 billion aggregate principal amount of outstanding Existing Notes. The redemption of the Existing Notes will be conditioned upon the completion by the Company or its subsidiaries of one or more debt financings in an aggregate principal amount of at least $3.25 billion more than the amount necessary to refinance any existing term B loans outstanding under the Credit Agreement (the "Condition"). The Company intends to discharge the indenture governing the Existing Notes concurrently with satisfying such Condition.

A copy of the conditional notice of redemption with respect to the Existing Notes will be issued to the record holders of the Existing Notes. Payment of the redemption price and surrender of the Existing Notes for redemption will be made through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depository Trust Company on March 19, 2020, unless the Condition is not satisfied, in which case the redemption date will be delayed until the Condition is satisfied. The name and address of the paying agent are as follows: The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., c/o The Bank of New York Mellon; 111 Sanders Creek Parkway, East Syracuse, N.Y. 13057; Attn: Redemption Unit; Tel: (800) 254- 2826.

The foregoing transactions are subject to market and other conditions and are anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2020. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully complete the transactions, on the terms described above, or at all.

The New Debt Securities will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The New Debt Securities have not been and will not be qualified for sale to the public by prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws and, accordingly, any offer and sale of the securities in Canada will be made on a basis which is exempt from the prospectus requirements of such securities laws.

This news release is being issued pursuant to Rule 135c under the Securities Act and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Natera Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2019 Earnings Conference Call

On February 19, 2020 Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a pioneer and global leader in cell-free DNA testing, reported that it will release results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2019, after the market close on February 26, 2020 (Press release, Natera, FEB 19, 2020, View Source [SID1234554522]). Natera will host a conference call and webcast at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET) to discuss its financial results, business activities, and financial outlook.

Earnings Conference Call Information:

Event:

Natera’s Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2019 Financial Results

Date:

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Time:

1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET)

Live Dial-In:

(877) 823-0171, Domestic
(617) 500-6932, International

Conference ID:

9992859

Webcast:

View Source

A webcast replay will be available at investor.natera.com.

Humanetics Corporation Acquires Manufacturing Assets for Radioprotectant Drug

On February 19, 2020 Humanetics Corporation (Humanetics) reported that it has entered into a definitive agreement with DSM Nutritional Products Ltd of Kaiseraugst Switzerland to acquire all of DSM’s assets related to the manufacture of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in BIO 300, a clinical stage drug being developed by Humanetics for oncology and biodefense applications (Press release, Humanetics, FEB 19, 2020, View Source [SID1234554521]). DSM developed and patented a method to produce a highly pure form of the API.

Included in the acquisition are patents, trademarks, trade secret manufacturing processes, analytical methods, regulatory filings, and a large number of nonclinical and clinical safety studies. Humanetics plans to transfer the manufacturing process to a site in the United States.

BIO 300 is a clinical stage drug under development to protect normal tissues from the harm caused by radiation. The drug’s radioprotective effects were originally discovered by researchers within the Department of Defense at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute. Humanetics has received significant federal funding to continue advancement of BIO 300 toward FDA approval. Humanetics has also initiated clinical studies for the use of BIO 300 to reduce the toxicity of radiation used in cancer treatment.

"We have had a long and successful collaboration with DSM, and we are excited to add these important assets to our BIO 300 program," said John Dykstra, Chief Operating Officer at Humanetics. "The assets we are acquiring from DSM will allow us to control and protect our entire manufacturing process from start to finish."

H3 Biomedicine Announces Appointment of Chief Medical Officer, Antonio Gualberto

On February 13, 2020 H3 Biomedicine, Inc. (H3), a U.S.-based precision medicine research & development subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd., reported the appointment of Antonio Gualberto, MD, PhD, to the position of Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. Gualberto will oversee global clinical research & development for the H3 pipeline of clinical stage assets (Press release, H3 Biomedicine, FEB 19, 2020, View Source [SID1234554519]).

"H3 is at a pivotal stage of growth. The breadth of our precision medicine-driven discovery and clinical R&D requires a CMO with vast scientific knowledge and leadership expertise," said Lihua Yu, PhD, President and Chief Data Science Officer, H3. "Dr. Gualberto possesses more than 20 years of experience in developing clinical assets at multiple biopharma companies. His deep acumen and proven success will be instrumental as we work toward our goal of delivering clinically meaningful outcomes for patients with highly unmet medical needs."

Most recently Dr. Gualberto served as co-founder and CMO at Kura Oncology, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer. At Kura, Dr. Gualberto led the discovery of the mechanism of action and clinical proof-of-concept of farnesyl transferase inhibitors as well as bringing a pipeline of new agents to the clinic. Prior to Kura, Dr. Gualberto held positions of increasing responsibility at EMD Serono, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Takeda and Pfizer. Dr. Gualberto received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Seville in Spain. He also completed several fellowships in the field of Molecular Pathology, was a member of the Berkeley National Laboratory and held academic faculty positions at Case Western Reserve University and Brown University.

"Our entire organization is thrilled by the appointment of Dr. Gualberto to the position of CMO here at H3," commented Terushige Iike, Chief Executive Officer of H3 and President of the Oncology Business Group at Eisai Co., Ltd. "We eagerly anticipate the progress we will make as a company with Antonio leading our global clinical research & development organization. His expertise and wide experience will be invaluable to H3 as we advance our pipeline of multiple clinical stage assets."

"With the umbrella of support of a global pharmaceutical company such as Eisai, H3 is uniquely positioned as a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. In creating a prolific drug discovery engine and partnership platform, H3 has shown itself to be a leader in the development of new clinical programs," said Dr. Gualberto. "H3 has a first-rate team that is highly regarded in the oncology community with fantastic discovery and development capabilities, and I look forward to working closely with our entire organization."

Premier Inc. ProvideGx™ Program Partners with Pfizer Inc. to Provide Corvert® and Vincristine to Providers

On February 19, 2020 Premier Inc. (NASDAQ: PINC), through its ProvideGx program, reported that it has partnered with Pfizer Inc. to supply Corvert (ibutilide fumarate injection) and Vincristine Sulfate Injection, USP, to healthcare providers, to help stabilize the long-term supply of two vital medications for its members (Press release, Premier, FEB 19, 2020, View Source [SID1234554518]).

Corvert is an anti-arrhythmic heart medication used to treat atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Vincristine is a chemotherapy drug, primarily used to treat childhood cancers such as acute leukemia, and, in combination with other oncolytic agents, Hodgkin’s and non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma and Wilms’ tumor.

"Supporting a sustainable supply of these important medicines is a top priority for Premier and our members," said Premier’s President, Michael J. Alkire. "This agreement speaks to the core strengths of the ProvideGx program – our ability to provide both short- and long-term solutions to support our members and patients. Together with our members, we have the nimbleness to act quickly when market events require it, thereby improving access and raising the bar for the entire drug supply chain. Moreover, the goal of ProvideGx is to create market stability and give manufacturers assurances to make the necessary investments for a consistent, long-term supply."

Premier’s ProvideGx program identifies safe, high-quality supply sources for drugs that are or may be at risk of being added to the national drug shortage list. Guided by health systems with more than 1,600 hospitals across the nation, Premier’s ProvideGx program has provided members access to more than 150 drugs that are or have been recently designated as shortage drugs, including metoprolol; cysteine hydrochloride; sodium bicarbonate; diphenhydramine; hydromorphone; lidocaine; morphine; thiamine; phytonadione injection; and emergency, pre-filled syringes of calcium chloride, epinephrine, sodium bicarbonate, atropine sulfate, dextrose and lidocaine. The program plans to introduce additional drugs from a target list of more than 50 products in months to come.

"Patients need continued access to these critical drugs and important treatments, "said Jerry Storm, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Services at OSF HealthCare of Peoria, IL. "We commend Premier and Pfizer for reaching this deal to support long-term access to these medications now so that we can go back to the business of providing care to our patients that results in outstanding outcomes. Having a reliable supply of these drugs is critical for patients who can’t afford to wait, and crucial for their survival."

ProvideGx is part of Premier’s ongoing effort to help facilitate the availability of high-quality products, including drugs for which there may be supply challenges. In doing so, Premier is working to insulate its members from supply fluctuations that may affect the market at large.

"Over the past several years, Pfizer has made significant advancements in addressing drug shortages, including investing $2 billion to modernize manufacturing and increase capacity," said Suneet Varma, Global President, Pfizer Hospital. "This agreement with Premier continues to build on these efforts — which we hope will ultimately increase patient access to two vital medicines, Corvert and Vincristine — helping to drive market sustainably in the long term."