The Board of Directors of NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell” or the “Company”) today announces its intention to resolve on a fully guaranteed rights issue of up to approximately SEK 150 million with preferential rights for the Company’s existing shareholders (the “Rights Issue”). The Board of Directors’ intent to resolve on the Rights Issue requires that the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on 24 November 2020 authorizes the Board of Directors to resolve on share issues. In the notice convening the Annual General Meeting, which was published by press release on 23 October 2020, the Board of Directors proposed a resolution on authorization to resolve on share issues. Due to the Rights Issue, the Board of Directors intends to limit its proposal on authorization prior to the Annual General Meeting. The Company's largest shareholder Diamyd Medical AB has undertaken to subscribe for its pro rata share in the Rights Issue, amounting to approximately SEK 19 million. Furthermore, parts of the Company’s Board of Directors and senior executives have entered into subscriptions undertakings amounting to approximately SEK 5.3 million. In total, the Rights Issue is covered by subscription undertakings to approximately 45 per cent and guarantee commitments to approximately 55 per cent.
Summary
- The Board of Directors of the Company today announces its intention to resolve on the Rights Issue, provided that the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on 24 November 2020 authorizes the Board of Directors to resolve on share issues. The Board of Directors intends to limit its proposal for resolution on authorization to resolve on new issues of shares prior the Annual General Meeting is held.
- The rights issue will, if fully subscribed, provide the Company with approximately SEK 150 million before issue costs.
- The net proceeds will, among other things, be used to finance the clinical phase-III trial ProTrans-3, preparatory work for the application of market approval of ProTrans™, the Company's day-to-day operations, and the development of ProTrans™ for new indications.
- Under the preliminary terms of the Rights Issue, all existing shareholders receive three (3) subscription rights for each one (1) share held on the record date, which is expected to be 3 December 2020. Seven (7) subscription rights entitle the holder to subscribe for one (1) new share at a subscription price of SEK 15.0 per share.
- The subscription period for subscription of shares runs from 7 December 2020 until to and including 21 December 2020.
- The rights issue is covered by approximately 45 per cent of subscription undertaking and approximately 55 per cent of guarantee commitments and is thus fully guaranteed. No compensation is paid for provided subscription undertakings and compensation of 8 per cent of the guaranteed amount is paid for provided guarantee commitments.
- The Company's largest owner Diamyd Medical AB has undertaken to subscribe for its pro rata share in the Rights Issue.
"I am very proud to be able to announce such a strong commitment and interest from both existing owners and new investors," says Mathias Svahn, CEO of NextCell.
Background and reasons in brief
NextCell is a cell therapy company that has recently finished phase II with its leading drug candidate, ProTrans™, a treatment for type 1 diabetes. In the Company's clinical trials, ProTrans™ has demonstrated both safety and efficacy regarding the patient's own preservation of insulin production. Based on the Company's innovative selection algorithm, advanced cell therapies are evaluated for autoimmune diseases, inflammatory conditions and to counteract transplant rejection. In September 2020, positive results were announced in the company's clinical phase II trial, ProTrans-2. The study demonstrated that the patients treated with a dose of ProTrans™ had maintained a statistically significantly higher insulin production after a 12-month period compared to patients treated with placebo and thus the study reached its primary efficacy target. Based on these successful results in Phase II, NextCell intends to take ProTrans™ to market approval via a Phase III study, ProTrans-3. The company has initated preperations for submitting an application to carry out such trials.
To enable phase-III trials in type 1 diabetes, the Company needs to capitalize further. In order to create the conditions for this, the Board of Directors of NextCell intends to carry out a Rights Issue of a total of approximately SEK 150 million, provided that the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on 24 November 2020 authorizes the Board of Directors to resolve on the Rights Issue.
In the event that the Rights Issue is carried out and fully subscribed, the Company receives SEK 150 million before transaction-related costs, which are expected to amount to approximately SEK 15,5 million. The net proceeds from the Rights Issue thus amounts to SEK 134,5 million. The Company intends to mainly use the net proceeds from the Rights Issue in the way presented in the below order of priority:
- Approximately 60 per cent of the net proceeds will be used to finance the clinical phase III trial ProTrans-3 and the preparatory work for the application of market approval of ProTrans™.
- Approximately 30 per cent of the net proceeds will be used to finance the Company’s day-to-day operations.
- Approximately 10 per cent of the net proceeds will be used for other research and development of ProTrans™ in diabetes and for the development of ProTrans™ for new indications.
Prospectus
Subject to the Annual General Meeting on 24 November 2020 authorizing the Board of Directors to resolve on share issues and that the Board of Directors resolves on the Rights Issue, the Company will draft an EU Growth prospectus which will be published once the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority has reviewed and approved the prospectus, which is expected to take place around 3 December 2020.
Authorization to resolve on share issues and terms and conditions for the Rights Issue
Subject to the Annual General Meeting on 24 November 2020 authorizing the Board of Directors to resolve on rights issues the Rights Issue is expected to take place around 7 December to 21 December 2020. According to the preliminary terms and conditions of the Rights Issue, all existing shareholders receive three (3) subscription rights for each one (1) share held on the record date, which is expected to take place around 3 December 2020. Seven (7) subscription rights entitle the holder to subscribe for one (1) new share in the Rights Issue at a subscription price of SEK 15 per share. Trading in subscription rights is expected to take place from 7 December until and including 17 December 2020. An updated limited proposal for resolution on authorization to resolve on rights issues will be published before the Annual General Meeting is held in a separate press release and the final terms and conditions of the Rights Issue will be published when the Board of Directors resolves on the Rights Issue.
Subscription undertakings, guarantee commitments and lock-up
The Rights Issue compromises of subscription undertakings corresponding to approximately 45 per cent of the Rights Issue, and guarantee commitments corresponding to approximately 55 per cent of the Rights Issue. Among those who have submitted subscription undertakings are the Company's largest shareholder Diamyd Medical AB, who has undertaken to subscribe for its pro rata share in the Rights Issue amounting to approximately SEK 19 million. Furthermore, parts of the Company’s Board of Directors and senior executives have undertaken subscriptions undertakings amounting to approximately SEK 5.3 million. Neither subscription undertakings nor guarantee commitments are secured by bank guarantee, blocked funds, pledges or similar arrangements. The guarantee commitments are subject to a guarantee commission paid in cash and amounting to eight (8) per cent of the guaranteed amount. No compensation is paid for provided subscription undertakings. All board members and senior executives holding shares in NextCell as well as the Company's largest shareholder Diamyd Medical AB, intend to enter into so-called lock-up arrangements before the Rights Issue, by undertaking, with customary reservations, not to sell their respective shares or otherwise enter into transactions with a similar effect, during 180 days from the announcement of the outcome of the Rights Issue. Further information on the parties that have entered into guarantee commitments will be disclosed in the EU Growth prospectus which will be published by the Company in connection with the rights issue.
Preliminary time table
24 November 2020 |
Authorization from the Annual General Meeting for the Board of Directors to resolve on rights issues |
Around 26 November 2020 |
Expected date for the Board of Director’s decision on the Rights Issue |
1 December 2020 |
Last trading day in NextCells's shares including the right to receive subscription rights in the Rights Issue |
2 December 2020 |
First trading day in NextCell's shares excluding the right to receive subscription rights in the Rights Issue |
3 December 2020 |
The record date for obtaining subscription rights in the Rights Issue |
3 December 2020 |
The expected date for publication of the prospectus regarding the Rights Issue |
7 December – 21 December 2020 |
Subscription period of the Rights Issue |
7 December – 17 December 2020 |
Trade in subscription rights on Nasdaq First North Growth Market |
Around 23 December 2020 |
The expected date for the announcement of the outcome in the Rights Issue |
Advisors
Vator Securities AB is financial adviser, and Eversheds Sutherland Advokatbyrå AB is legal adviser to NextCell in connection with the Rights Issue. Avanza Bank AB is issuing agent in connection with the Rights Issue.