Elicio Therapeutics, a privately-held, clinical-stage biotechnology
company developing a pipeline of novel immunotherapies for the
treatment of cancer and other diseases, has entered into a
definitive merger agreement with Angion Biomedica Corp
(NASDAQ:ANGN) under which Elicio will merge with a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Angion in an all-stock transaction. The combined
company will continue under the Elicio Therapeutics name and will
focus on advancing Elicio’s proprietary lymph node-targeting
Amphiphile (AMP) technology to develop immunotherapies, with a
focus on ELI-002, a therapeutic cancer vaccine targeting
mKRAS-driven tumors.
“The merger with Angion comes at an ideal time
with ELI-002 now completing the dose escalation portion of Phase 1
clinical studies in patients. We believe Elicio is at the forefront
of changing the tide regarding how cancers with these mutations,
which account for 25% of human solid tumors, are treated,” said
Robert Connelly, Chief Executive Officer of Elicio. “We believe
this merger reflects the strength of the ELI-002 program, our
pipeline, and the value-creating potential of our lymph
node-targeting approach to treating cancer and other diseases by
engaging lymph nodes, the ‘schoolhouse’ of the immune system.”
“We are delighted to announce the proposed
merger with Elicio Therapeutics,” said Jay Venkatesan, MD, MBA,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Angion. “The Angion team
reviewed in detail numerous strategic alternatives for creating
shareholder value, and this transaction with Elicio was the clear
choice. We see tremendous potential in the AMP platform and
ELI-002, right at a time when the oncology community is
rediscovering the value of cancer vaccines. We believe this merger
will provide Angion shareholders the opportunity to meaningfully
participate in a company treating cancer patients in an innovative
way.”
The combined company will work to advance
ELI-002, a therapeutic cancer vaccine designed with Elicio’s
proprietary lymph node-targeting AMP technology. ELI-002 is being
evaluated in the AMPLIFY-201 Phase 1 trial (NCT04853017) in
patients who have mKRAS-driven tumors including pancreatic ductal
adenocarcinoma and colorectal cancer. AMPLIFY-201 has recently
completed enrollment of initial subjects at the final level in the
dose escalation, with an additional Phase 1b/2 trial planned for
the second half of 2023.
About the TransactionUnder the
terms of the merger agreement, pending stockholder approval of the
transaction, Elicio will merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Angion, and stockholders of Elicio will receive newly issued shares
of Angion common stock.
Current Angion stockholders are expected to own
approximately 34.5% of the newly combined company while Elicio
stockholders will own 65.5% of the newly combined company, in each
case on a fully diluted basis. The final percentage of the combined
company owned by Elicio stockholders and Angion stockholders upon
completion of the merger may be subject to certain adjustments,
including potential adjustments based on Angion’s net cash balance
upon deal completion.
The proposed transaction has been unanimously
approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is
expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to
customary closing conditions.
Concurrent with the execution of the merger
agreement, Angion committed up to $10 million in a bridge loan to
Elicio, to be made in two installments, subject to certain
conditions.
Following the merger, the executive team of
Elicio will serve as the executive team of the combined company,
led by Robert Connelly as Chief Executive Officer. The board of
directors will be comprised of nine directors including Mr.
Connelly and Angion’s current President and Chief Executive
Officer, Jay Venkatesan, MD, MBA. Upon completion of the
transaction, the combined company will operate under the Elicio
Therapeutics name, and the combined company’s common stock is
expected to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker
symbol “ELTX”. The corporate headquarters will be in Boston,
Massachusetts.
Oppenheimer & Co., Inc is serving as a
financial advisor and Cooley LLP is providing legal counsel to
Angion. Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. and
Goulston & Storrs PC are legal counsel to Elicio.
Conference CallThe Elicio and
Angion management teams will host a conference call on Wednesday,
January 18, 2023, at 8:00 am Eastern Time to discuss the merger. A
live webcast of the conference call can be accessed at the “Events
& Presentations” page on the Angion website at
https://ir.angion.com/events-presentations. A replay will be
available on the Angion website at the same link shortly after
conclusion of the event.
About Elicio TherapeuticsElicio
Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a
pipeline of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and
other diseases. By combining expertise in immunology and
immunotherapy, Elicio is engineering investigational Amphiphile
(AMP) immunotherapies intended to precisely target and fully engage
the lymph nodes, the site in our bodies where the immune response
is orchestrated. Elicio is engineering lymph node targeted
AMPlifiers, immunomodulators, adjuvants, and vaccines for an array
of aggressive cancers and infectious diseases.
Elicio began dosing subjects in AMPLIFY-201, its
Phase 1 clinical trial in solid tumor subjects for its lead AMP
vaccine, ELI-002, targeting KRAS-driven cancers, in October 2021.
The AMP platform emerged from the laboratories of Darrell Irvine,
Howard Hughes Investigator and Professor of Biomedical Engineering
in the Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. For
more information, please visit https://elicio.com/.
About AngionAngion has focused
on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel small
molecule therapeutics to address fibrotic diseases. For more
information, please visit https://angion.com/.
No Offer or SolicitationThis
communication 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. No public offer of
securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting
the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended.
Additional Information about the
Proposed Merger In connection with the proposed
transaction between Angion and Elicio, Angion intends to file
relevant materials with the SEC, including a registration statement
on Form S-4 that will contain a proxy statement and
prospectus. ANGION URGES INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS TO READ
THESE MATERIALS CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME
AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
ANGION, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Stockholders
will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement,
prospectus and other documents filed by Angion with the SEC (when
they become available) through the website maintained by the SEC
at www.sec.gov. In addition, stockholders will be able to
obtain free copies of the proxy statement, prospectus and other
documents filed by Angion with the SEC by contacting Investor
Relations by email at investors@angion.com. Stockholders are urged
to read the proxy statement, prospectus and the other relevant
materials when they become available before making any voting or
investment decision with respect to the proposed transaction.
Participants in the
SolicitationAngion and Elicio, and each of their
respective directors and executive officers and certain of their
other members of management and employees, may be deemed to be
participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the
proposed transaction. Information about Angion’s directors and
executive officers is included in Angion’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed
with the SEC on March 30, 2022, and the proxy statement for
Angion’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders, filed with the SEC on
April 27, 2022. Additional information regarding these persons and
their interests in the transaction will be included in the proxy
statement relating to the transaction when it is filed with the
SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the
sources indicated above.
Cautionary Statement Regarding
Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements contained in
this communication regarding matters that are not historical facts,
are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of
the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, known as the
PSLRA. These include statements regarding the anticipated
completion and effects of the proposed merger and related timing,
Elicio’s and the combined company’s planned clinical programs,
including planned clinical trials, the potential of Elicio’s
product candidates, the expected trading of the combined company’s
stock on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “ELTX”,
management of the combined company and other statements regarding
management’s intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or forecasts
for the future, and, therefore, you are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on them. No forward-looking statement can be
guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those
projected. Angion and Elicio undertake no obligation to publicly
update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent
required by law. We use words such as “anticipates,” “believes,”
“plans,” “expects,” “projects,” “future,” “intends,” “may,” “will,”
“should,” “could,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,”
“continue,” “guidance,” and similar expressions to identify these
forward-looking statements that are intended to be covered by the
safe-harbor provisions of the PSLRA. Such forward-looking
statements are based on our expectations and involve risks and
uncertainties; consequently, actual results may differ materially
from those expressed or implied in the statements due to a number
of factors, including, but not limited to, risks relating to the
completion of the merger, including the need for stockholder
approval and the satisfaction of closing conditions; the cash
balance of the combined company following the closing of the
merger; and the ability of Angion and the combined company to
remain listed on the Nasdaq Global Market. Risks and uncertainties
related to Elicio that may cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking
statement include, but are not limited to: Elicio’s plans to
develop and commercialize its product candidates, including
ELI-002; the timing of initiation of Elicio’s planned clinical
trials; the timing of the availability of data from Elicio’s
clinical trials; the timing of any planned investigational new drug
application or new drug application; Elicio’s plans to research,
develop and commercialize its current and future product
candidates; Elicio’s ability to successfully collaborate with
existing collaborators or enter into new collaborations, and to
fulfill its obligations under any such collaboration agreements;
the clinical utility, potential benefits and market acceptance of
Elicio’s product candidates; Elicio’s commercialization, marketing
and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; Elicio’s ability to
identify additional products or product candidates with significant
commercial potential; developments and projections relating to
Elicio’s competitors and our industry; the impact of government
laws and regulations; Elicio’s ability to protect its intellectual
property position; and Elicio’s estimates regarding future revenue,
expenses, capital requirements and need for additional financing
following the proposed transaction.
New factors emerge from time to time, and it is
not possible for us to predict all such factors, nor can we assess
the impact of each such factor on the business or the extent to
which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual
results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statements. These risks, as well as other risks
associated with the merger, will be more fully discussed in the
proxy statement/prospectus that will be included in the
registration statement on Form S-4 that will be filed with the SEC
in connection with the proposed transaction. Additional risks and
uncertainties are identified and discussed in the “Risk Factors”
section of Angion’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q and other documents filed from time to time with the
SEC. Forward-looking statements included in this release are based
on information available to Angion and Elicio as of the date of
this release. Neither Angion nor Elicio undertakes any obligation
to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date of this release, except to the extent
required by law.
Media ContactGloria GasaaturaLifeSci
Communicationsggasaatura@lifescicomms.com
Angion Investor ContactDavid D. MillerSr.
Director of Corporate Affairsinvestors@angion.com
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