Avalo Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVTX), a clinical stage
biotechnology company focused on the treatment of immune
dysregulation, today announced that it has received $69.4 million
in gross proceeds from the full exercise of the warrants issued in
a March 2024 private placement.
“We appreciate the outstanding support of our
investors by fully exercising their warrants from the private
placement earlier this year. While our primary focus remains on the
execution of our Phase 2 LOTUS trial in hidradenitis suppurativa,
we are excited to expand the AVTX-009 program into additional
inflammatory indications,” said Dr. Garry Neil, Chief Executive
Officer and Chairman of the Board. “We are hard at work identifying
our next indication, the launch and execution of which will benefit
from our improved cash position and extended cash runway.”
The warrants were issued as part of the private
placement in March 2024 that was led by Commodore Capital and TCGX,
with participation from BVF Partners, Deep Track Capital, OrbiMed,
Petrichor, and RA Capital Management. 11,967,526 warrants were
issued and all have been exercised at an exercise price of
$5.796933 per underlying share of common stock, resulting in gross
proceeds to Avalo of $69.4 million and the issuance of 781,259
shares of common stock and 11,186.267 shares of series C non-voting
convertible preferred stock. As of November 8, 2024, Avalo has
10,463,633 shares of common stock outstanding and 24,895.92 shares
of series C preferred stock outstanding. Each share of series C
preferred stock is convertible into 1,000 shares of common stock,
subject to certain beneficial ownership limitations.
About Avalo Therapeutics
Avalo Therapeutics is a clinical stage
biotechnology company focused on the treatment of immune
dysregulation. Avalo’s lead asset is AVTX-009, an anti-IL-1β mAb,
targeting inflammatory diseases. Avalo also has two additional drug
candidates, which include quisovalimab (anti-LIGHT mAb) and
AVTX-008 (BTLA agonist fusion protein). For more information about
Avalo, please visit www.avalotx.com.
About AVTX-009
AVTX-009 is a humanized monoclonal antibody
(IgG4) that binds to interleukin-1β (IL-1β) with high affinity and
neutralizes its activity. IL-1β is a central driver in the
inflammatory process. Overproduction or dysregulation of IL-1β is
implicated in many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
IL-1β is a major, validated target for therapeutic intervention.
There is evidence that inhibition of IL-1β could be effective in
hidradenitis suppurativa and a variety of
inflammatory diseases in dermatology, gastroenterology, and
rheumatology.
About the LOTUS Trial
The LOTUS Trial is a randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled, parallel-group Phase 2 trial with two
AVTX-009 dose regimens to evaluate the efficacy and safety of
AVTX-009 in approximately 180 adults with moderate to severe
hidradenitis suppurativa. Subjects will be randomized (1:1:1) to
receive either one of two dosing regimens of AVTX-009 or placebo
during a 16-week treatment phase. The primary efficacy endpoint is
the proportion of subjects achieving Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Clinical Response (HiSCR75) at Week 16. Secondary objectives
include but are not limited to: proportion of patients achieving
HiSCR50 and HiSCR90 as well as change from baseline in:
International HS Severity Score System (IHS4), draining fistula
count, abscess and inflammatory nodule (AN) count and patients
achieving at least a 30% reduction on a numerical rating scale in
Patient's Global Assessment of Skin Pain (PGA Skin Pain). The
number of patients with anti-drug antibodies, safety, and
tolerability will be assessed. For additional information this
trial (NCT06603077), please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Hidradenitis
Suppurativa
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic
inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful nodules,
abscesses, and tunnels that form in areas of the body such as the
armpits, groin, and buttocks, severely impacting the quality of
life of affected individuals.1 HS is often underdiagnosed or
misdiagnosed and therefore estimates of HS vary between 0.2-1.7% of
the population worldwide.2-5 The exact cause of HS is not fully
understood but is believed to involve a combination of genetic,
hormonal, and environmental factors. While advances in treatment
have been made, limited treatment options are available. IL-1β
plays a crucial role in the inflammatory cascade underlying HS,
contributing to tissue damage, inflammation, and disease
progression. Given the involvement of IL-1β in the inflammatory
process of HS, we believe therapies that target IL-1β offer a
potential treatment option for HS.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include forward-looking
statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that
are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are
subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are subject to
change based on various factors (many of which are beyond Avalo’s
control), which could cause actual results to differ from the
forward-looking statements. Such statements may include, without
limitation, statements with respect to Avalo’s plans, objectives,
projections, expectations and intentions and other statements
identified by words such as “projects,” “may,” “might,” “will,”
“could,” “would,” “should,” “continue,” “seeks,” “aims,”
“predicts,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,”
“intends,” “plans,” “potential,” or similar expressions (including
their use in the negative), or by discussions of future matters
such as: the intended use of proceeds from the warrant exercise;
drug development costs, timing of trials and trial results and
other risks, including reliance on investigators and enrollment of
patients in clinical trials; reliance on key personnel; regulatory
risks; integration of AVTX-009 into our operations; general
economic and market risks and uncertainties, including those caused
by the war in Ukraine and the Middle East; and those other risks
detailed in Avalo’s filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, available at www.sec.gov. Actual results may differ
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Except as
required by applicable law, Avalo expressly disclaims any
obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or
revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to
reflect any change in Avalo’s expectations with respect thereto or
any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any
statement is based.
References1Patel ZS et al. Curr
Pain Headache Rep. 2017;21(12):49.2Egeberg A, et al. JAMA Dermatol
2016;152:429–343Phan K, et al Biomed Dermatol 2020; 4: 2-64Jfri, A,
et al. JAMA Dermatol. 2021;157(8):924-315Nguyen TV, et al. J Eur
Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021;35(1):50-61
For media and investor inquiries
Christopher Sullivan, CFO Avalo Therapeutics,
Inc. ir@avalotx.com410-803-6793
or
Meru AdvisorsLauren
Glaserlglaser@meruadvisors.com
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