Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. (“Medicenna” or the “Company”)
(TSX: MDNA) (MDNAF: OTCQB), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company
focused on the development of engineered cytokines, today announced
a CA$20 million investment by RA Capital Management, a
multi-stage investment manager based in Boston, MA, by way of a
non-brokered private placement (the “Offering”). Medicenna
intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for further
development of its MDNA11 program, advancement of its preclinical
programs and general corporate purposes.
Pursuant to the terms of a subscription
agreement entered into as of the date hereof between the Company
and RA Capital Healthcare Fund, L.P. (“RAHF”), a fund affiliated
with RA Capital Management, RAHF will subscribe for 5,141,388
common shares in the capital of the Company (the “Shares”) at
a price of CA$1.95 per share and, in lieu of common shares,
pre-funded warrants to purchase 5,141,388 common shares
(the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) at a purchase price of $1.94 per
pre-funded warrant for total net proceeds to the Company of
approximately CA$20 million.
The Offering is expected to close on or about
April 30, 2024 and is subject to the approval of the TSX.
“We are excited to announce the financial
backing by RA Capital Management as a result of promising
single-agent clinical activity of MDNA11, our differentiated IL-2
superkine,” said Dr. Fahar Merchant, President and CEO of
Medicenna. “With this funding, we have strengthened our balance
sheet at a time of strong momentum, demonstrated enthusiasm for our
platform by attracting a prestigious investor and extended our cash
runway well into 2026 enabling us to exploit the deep clinical
potential of MDNA11 and our pipeline of early-stage
superkines.”
The Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants have not been
and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any U.S. state
securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the “United
States” or to “U.S. Persons” (as such terms are defined in
Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under
the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or
pursuant to an applicable exemption from such registration is
available.
This news 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.
About Medicenna
Medicenna is a clinical-stage immunotherapy
company focused on developing novel, highly selective versions of
IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 Superkines and first-in-class empowered
superkines. Medicenna’s long-acting IL-2 Superkine, MDNA11, is a
next-generation IL-2 with superior affinity toward CD122 (IL-2
receptor beta) and no CD25 (IL-2 receptor alpha) binding, thereby
preferentially stimulating cancer-killing effector T cells and NK
cells. Medicenna’s IL-4 Empowered Superkine, bizaxofusp (formerly
MDNA55), has been studied in 5 clinical trials enrolling over 130
patients, including a Phase 2b trial for recurrent GBM, the most
common and uniformly fatal form of brain cancer. Bizaxofusp has
obtained FastTrack and Orphan Drug status from the FDA and FDA/EMA,
respectively. Medicenna’s early-stage BiSKITs™ (Bifunctional
SuperKine ImmunoTherapies) and the T-MASK™ (Targeted
Metalloprotease Activated SuperKine) programs are designed to
enhance the ability of Superkines to treat immunologically “cold”
tumors.
For more information, please
visit www.medicenna.com, and follow us
on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All
statements in this news release, other than statements of
historical facts, that address events or developments that the
Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements,
including, but are not limited to, statements relating to the
Offering and the terms thereof, the anticipated closing date, the
proposed use of proceeds from the Offering, and the receipt of the
approval of the TSX. Forward-looking statements also include
express or implied statements regarding the future operations of
the Company, estimates, plans, strategic ambitions, partnership
activities and opportunities, objectives, expectations, opinions,
forecasts, projections, guidance, outlook or other statements that
are not historical facts, such as statements on the Company’s cash
runway, preclinical and clinical development activities, clinical
trial designs, clinical potential, expectations and beliefs around
safety profiles and upcoming milestones and data reporting,
including with respect to MDNA11, the ABILITY study and its
expansion, bizaxofusp (MDNA55), MDNA113 and MDNA223. Drug
development and commercialization involve a high degree of risk,
and only a small number of research and development programs result
in commercialization of a product. Results in early-stage clinical
studies may not be indicative of full results or results from later
stage or larger scale clinical studies and do not ensure regulatory
approval. You should not place undue reliance on these statements
or the scientific data presented. Forward-looking statements are
often identified by terms such as “will”, “may”, “should”,
“anticipate”, “expect”, “believe”, “seek”, “potentially” and
similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on a
number of assumptions believed by the Company to be reasonable at
the date of this news release. Although the Company believes that
the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are
reasonable, there can be no assurance that such statements will
prove to be accurate. These statements are subject to certain risks
and uncertainties and may be based on assumptions that could cause
actual results and future events to differ materially from those
anticipated or implied in such statements. Important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s
expectations include the risks detailed in the latest Annual Report
on Form 20-F of the Company and in other filings made by the
Company with the applicable securities regulators from time to time
in Canada.
The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in
the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be
incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to
differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of
which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is
cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking
information. Such information, although considered reasonable by
management, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ
materially from those anticipated or implied in forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this news
release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The
forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made
as of the date hereof and except as required by law, we do not
intend and do not assume any obligation to update or revise
publicly any of the included forward-looking statements.
This news release contains hyperlinks to
information that is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in
this news release.
Investor and Media Contact:
Christina CameronInvestor Relations, Medicenna
Therapeuticsir@medicenna.com(647) 953-0673
Medicenna Therapeutics (TSX:MDNA)
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