Traws Pharma Inc
For the period ended Mar 31, 2024. Filed May 15, 2024.
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Mar 31, 2024 · Filed May 15, 2024
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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
1. Nature of Business
The Company
Traws Pharma, Inc. (“Traws Pharma”), formerly known as Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), was incorporated in the State of Delaware on December 22, 1998 and commenced operations on January 1, 1999. The Company's headquarters are located in Newtown, Pennsylvania. On April 1, 2024, the Company acquired Trawsfynydd Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Trawsfynydd”), and the name change to Traws Pharma was effected (See Note 9 – Subsequent Events in these Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements). Traws Pharma is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to address unmet medical needs in respiratory viral diseases and cancer. The viral respiratory disease program includes an oral inhibitor drug candidate of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro (3CL protease) and an oral antiviral drug candidate for influenza. In the cancer program, Traws Pharma is developing the novel, proprietary multi-kinase CDK2/4/6 inhibitor narazaciclib for refractory endometrial cancer and potentially for other cancers.
Liquidity
The Company has incurred recurring operating losses since inception. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company incurred a net loss of $4,983,000 and as of March 31, 2024 the Company had generated an accumulated deficit of $487,614,000. Traws Pharma anticipates that operating losses will continue for the foreseeable future due to, among other things, costs related to research, development of its product candidates and its preclinical programs, strategic alliances and its administrative organization. At March 31, 2024, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $16,390,000. On April 1, 2024, the Company received $14,000,000 in a private placement of securities described in detail in Note 9 – Subsequent Events in these Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Based on current projections, Traws Pharma does not have sufficient cash and cash equivalents to support its operations for at least the 12 months following the date that these financial statements are issued. These conditions raise substantial doubt about Traws Pharma’s ability to continue as a going concern through the one-year period after the date that the financial statements are issued. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making estimates and the risks associated with the research, development, and commercialization of biotechnology products, Traws Pharma may have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and Traws Pharma's operating plan may change as a result of many factors currently unknown to Traws Pharma.
Traws Pharma will require substantial additional financing to fund its ongoing clinical trials and operations, and to continue to execute its strategy. To alleviate the conditions that raise substantial doubt about Traws Pharma’s ability to continue as a going concern, management plans to explore various dilutive and non-dilutive sources of funding, including equity financings, strategic alliances, business development and other sources. The future success of Traws Pharma is dependent upon its ability to obtain additional funding. There can be no assurance, however, that Traws Pharma will be successful in obtaining such funding in sufficient amounts, on terms acceptable to Traws Pharma, or at all. The failure to obtain sufficient capital on acceptable terms when needed would have a material adverse effect on Traws Pharma’s business, results of operations and financial condition. Accordingly, management has concluded that substantial doubt exists with respect to Traws Pharma's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that these financial statements are issued.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business, and do not include any adjustments relating to recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should Traws Pharma be unable to continue as a going concern.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Certain information and footnotes normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The financial statements include the consolidated accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Onconova Europe GmbH, as of March 31, 2024. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The acquisition of Trawsfynydd occurred on April 1, 2024, and therefore the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2024 and the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders’ equity (deficit), and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 do not include the accounts of Trawsfynydd (See Note 9 – Subsequent Events in these Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements).
Unaudited Interim Financial Information
The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2024, the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity (deficit) for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are unaudited. The interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the annual audited consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2024, the results of its operations for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, and its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes related to the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are unaudited. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024, any other interim periods, or any future year or period. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2023 included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024.
Segment Information
Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business inone segment, which is the identification and development of oncology therapeutics.
Concentrations of Credit Risk and Off-Balance Sheet Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk are primarily cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains a portion of its cash and cash equivalent balances in the form of money market accounts with financial institutions that management believes are creditworthy. The Company hasno financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk ofloss.
At March 31, 2024 the Company had $16,042,000 of its cash and cash equivalents in a Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Fund. The fund is a AAA rated money market fund that invests in a portfolio of liquid, high-quality debt securities issued by the U.S. government. The fund resides in a custodial account held by U.S. Bank for which SVB Asset Management is the advisor.
Significant Accounting Policies
The Company’s significant accounting policies are disclosed in the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024. There have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2024.
Fair Value Measurements
At both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company hadno financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date.
The Company utilizes a valuation hierarchy for disclosure of the inputs to the valuations used to measure fair value. This hierarchy prioritizes the inputs into three broad levels as follows. Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 inputs are quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly through market corroboration, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs based on the Company’s own assumptions used to measure assets and liabilities at fair value. A financial asset or liability’s classification within the hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
The carrying amounts reported in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities approximate their respective fair values because of the short-term nature of these accounts.
3. Revenue
The Company’s revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was from its license and collaboration agreement with SymBio.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Three Months Ended March 31, · | |||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 | |||||||
| Symbio | | | | | | | |
| Upfront license fee recognition over time | | $56,000 | | $56,000 | | ||
| | | | | | | | |
Deferred revenue is as follows:
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · · Symbio | |||
| | Upfront Payment | ||
| Deferred balance at December 31, 2023 | | $3,017,000 | |
| Recognition to revenue | | | (56,000) |
| | | | |
| Deferred balance at March 31, 2024 | | $2,961,000 | |
4. Net Loss Per Share of Common Stock
The following potentially dilutive securities outstanding at March 31, 2024 and 2023 have been excluded from the computation of diluted weighted average shares outstanding, as they would be antidilutive (reflects the number of common shares as if the dilutive securities had been converted to common stock):
| · · · · | ||
|---|---|---|
| | | March 31, |
| | 2024 | 2023 |
| Warrants | 307,716 | 344,990 |
| Stock options | 2,292,543 | 1,856,722 |
| | 2,600,259 | 2,201,712 |
5. Warrants
Common Stock warrants are accounted for in accordance with applicable accounting guidance provided in ASC Topic 815,Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (ASC Topic 815), as either derivative liabilities or as equity instruments depending on the specific terms of the warrant agreement.
Warrants outstanding and warrant activity (reflects the number of common shares as if the warrants were converted to common stock) for the three months ended March 31, 2024 is as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | | Balance | | | | | | | | Balance |
| · · · · Exercise · · Expiration · · December 31, · · Warrants · · Warrants · · Warrants · · March 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| Description · Classification · Price · Date · 2023 · Issued · Exercised · Expired · 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-tradable pre-funded warrants | | Equity | | $2.25 | | none | | 3,522 | | — | | — | | — | | 3,522 | |
| Non-tradable pre-funded warrants | | Equity | | $2.25 | | none | | 4,974 | | — | | — | | — | | 4,974 | |
| Non-tradable warrants | | Equity | | $3.00 | | November 2024 | | 244,500 | | — | | — | | — | | 244,500 | |
| Non-tradable warrants | | Equity | | $6.54375 | | December 2024 | | 16,953 | | — | | — | | — | | 16,953 | |
| Non-tradable warrants | | Equity | | $6.75450 | | December 2024 | | 46,263 | | — | | — | | — | | 46,263 | |
| | | | | | | | | | 316,212 | | — | | — | | — | | 316,212 |
6. Balance Sheet Detail
Prepaid expenses and other current assets:
| · · · · · · · | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | March 31, | | December 31, | |
| · 2024 · 2023 · | |||||
| Research and development | | $1,009,000 | | $1,060,000 | |
| Manufacturing | | 180,000 | | 186,000 | |
| Insurance | | 293,000 | | 174,000 | |
| Other | | 263,000 | | 401,000 | |
| | | $1,745,000 | | $1,821,000 | |
Property and equipment:
| · · · · · · | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | March 31, | | December 31, |
| · 2024 · 2023 | ||||
| Property and equipment | | $84,000 | | $84,000 |
| Accumulated depreciation | | (66,000) | | (62,000) |
| | | $18,000 | | $22,000 |
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities:
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · March 31, · · December 31, · | |||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · | |||||||
| Research and development | | $2,158,000 | | $2,196,000 | | ||
| Employee compensation | | 457,000 | | 1,002,000 | | ||
| Professional fees | | | 13,000 | | | 177,000 | |
| | | $2,628,000 | | $3,375,000 | | ||
7. Stock-Based Compensation
The 2018 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2018 Plan”) was unanimously approved by the Company’s Board of Directors on May 24, 2018 and was approved by the Company’s stockholders on June 27, 2018.
Under the 2018 Plan, the Company may grant incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock awards, stock units, stock appreciation rights and other stock-based awards to employees, non-employee directors and consultants, and advisors. The maximum aggregate number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the 2018 Plan is 26,823.
The 2018 Plan was amended and restated following unanimous approval of the Company’s Board of Directors on April 24, 2019 and was approved by the Company’s stockholders on June 17, 2019. The amended 2018 Plan (the “Amended Plan”) allowed for an additional 39,300 shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the Amended Plan with respect to awards made on and after June 17, 2019.
The 2021 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2021 Plan”) was unanimously approved by the Company’s stockholders on July 30, 2021. Upon stockholders’ approval of the 2021 Plan, no further awards will be made under the amended 2018 Plan. Under the 2021 Plan, the Company may grant incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock awards, stock units, stock appreciation rights and other stock-based awards to employees, non-employee directors and consultants, and advisors.
The 2021 Plan was amended and restated following unanimous approval of the Company’s Board of Directors on May 23, 2022 and was approved by the Company’s stockholders on August 18, 2022. The amended 2021 Plan (the “Amended 2021 Plan”) allowed for an additional 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued with respect to awards made on and after August 18, 2022. At March 31, 2024, there were 930,283 shares available for future issuance.
Stock-based compensation expense includes stock options granted to employees and non-employees and has been reported in the Company’s statements of operations and comprehensive loss in either research and development expenses or general and administrative expenses depending on the function performed by the optionee. No net tax benefits related to the stock-based compensation costs have been recognized since the Company’s inception. The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense related to stock options and restricted stock units as follows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Three Months Ended March 31, · | |||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 | |||||||
| General and administrative | | $182,000 | | $169,000 | | ||
| Research and development | | | 151,000 | | | 167,000 | |
| | | $333,000 | | $336,000 | | ||
A summary of stock option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2024 is as follows:
| · · · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · · Options Outstanding | |||||||||
| · · · · · · · · · Weighted · · · | |||||||||
| · · · · · · Weighted- · · Average · · | |||||||||
| · · · · · · Average · · Remaining · · Aggregate | |||||||||
| · · · · Number · · Exercise · · Contractual · · Intrinsic | |||||||||
| · · of Shares · Price · Term (in years) · Value | |||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2023 | | | 2,311,011 | | $3.04 | 8.53 | | $20,814 | |
| Granted | | | — | | $— | | — | | — |
| Exercised | | | — | | $— | | — | | $— |
| Forfeitures/adjustments | | | (18,468) | | $19.14 | | — | | |
| Balance, March 31, 2024 | | | 2,292,543 | | $2.91 | 8.35 | | $214,421 | |
| Exercisable at March 31, 2024 | | | 1,115,154 | | $4.86 | 7.63 | | $54,498 | |
The Company accounts for all stock-based payments made to employees, non-employees and directors using an option pricing model for estimating fair value. Accordingly, stock-based compensation expense is measured based on the estimated fair value of the awards on the date of grant, net of forfeitures. Compensation expense is recognized for the portion that is ultimately expected to vest over the period during which the recipient renders the required services to the Company using the straight-line single option method.
The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of stock options at the grant date. The Black-Scholes model requires the Company to make certain estimates and assumptions, assumptions related to the expected price volatility of the Common Stock, the period during which the options will be outstanding, the rate of return on risk-free investments and the expected dividend yield for the Company’s stock.
As of March 31, 2024, there was $755,000 of unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested stock options which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.22 years.
The weighted-average assumptions underlying the Black-Scholes calculation of grant date fair value of stock options include the following:
| · · · · · · · · | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Three months ended March 31, · · | |||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 | |||||||
| Risk-free interest rate | | —% | | 3.63% | |||
| Expected volatility | | —% | | 121.00% | |||
| Expected term | | — | years | | 5.85 | years | |
| Expected dividend yield | | —% | | 0% | |||
| Weighted average grant date fair value | | $— | | $0.64 | | | |
The weighted-average valuation assumptions were determined as follows:
| ● | Risk-free interest rate: The Company based the risk-free interest rate on the interest rate payable on U.S. Treasury securities in effect at the time of grant for a period that is commensurate with the assumed expected option term. |
| ● | Expected term of options: Due to its lack of sufficient historical data, the Company estimates the expected life of its employee stock options using the “simplified” method, as prescribed in Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 107, whereby the expected life equals the arithmetic average of the vesting term and the original contractual term of the option. |
| ● | Expected stock price volatility: Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s Common Stock. |
| ● | Expected annual dividend yield: The Company has never paid, and does not expect to pay, dividends in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company assumed an expected dividend yield of 0.0%. |
On August 2, 2021, the compensation committee of the board of directors approved restricted stock unit grants to the Company’s employees (2021 RSU). An aggregate of 104,700 service-based RSUs were issued at a grant date fair value of$5.19. The 2021 RSU awards will be settled in stock, vest 33% on each of the first and second anniversary of the date of grant, and vest 34% on the third anniversary of the date of grant. The 2021 RSU awards were granted under the 2021 Plan.
On February 7, 2022, the compensation committee of the board of directors approved restricted stock unit grants to the Company’s employees (2022 RSU). An aggregate of 148,343 service-based RSUs were issued at a grant date fair value of$1.82. The 2022 RSU awards will be settled in stock, vest 33% on each of the first and second anniversary of the date of grant, and vest 34% on the third anniversary of the date of grant. The 2022 RSU awards were granted under the 2021 Plan.
On June 10, 2022, the compensation committee of the board of directors approved restricted stock unit grants to certain of the Company’s employees (2022 RSU2). An aggregate of 24,200 service-based RSUs were issued at a grant date fair value of$1.33. The 2022 RSU2 awards will be settled in stock, vest 33% on each of the first and second anniversary of the date of grant, and vest 34% on the third anniversary of the date of grant.
On March 13, 2023, the compensation committee of the Board of Directors approved restricted stock unit grants to the Companies employees (2023 RSU). An aggregate of 169,217 service-based RSUs were issued at a grant date fair value of$0.73. The 2023 RSU awards will be settled in stock, vest 33% on each of the first and second anniversary of the date of grant, and vest 34% on the third anniversary of the date of grant.
A summary of RSU activity for the three months ended March 31, 2024 is as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 2021 RSU | | 2022 RSU | | 2022 RSU2 | | 2023 RSU |
| Outstanding and unvested January 1, 2024 | 25,787 | | 74,476 | | 11,000 | | 135,883 |
| Granted | - | | - | | - | | - |
| Vested | - | | (37,236) | | - | | (45,290) |
| Forfeited/Cancelled | - | | - | | - | | - |
| Outstanding and unvested March 31, 2024 | 25,787 | | 37,240 | | 11,000 | | 90,593 |
At March 31, 2024, the unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested service-based RSUs was$176,000, which will be recognized over the remaining service period of 1.09 years.
Grants of PSUs and SARs
During 2020 and 2021, the compensation committee of the Board of Directors and the board approved a cash bonus program of cash-settled stock appreciation right (SAR) awards to the Company’s employees and non-employee directors, and cash-settled performance stock unit (PSU) awards to the Company’s employees. These awards were granted outside of the 2018 Plan and the 2021 Plan. As the Company’s stock price has decreased since these awards, their impact on the results of operations and balance sheet of the Company are not material during 2024 or 2023.
8. Research Agreements
The Company has entered into various licensing and right-to-sublicense agreements with educational institutions for the exclusive use of patents and patent applications, as well as any patents that may develop from research being conducted by such educational institutions in the field of anticancer therapy, genes and proteins. Results from this research have been licensed to the Company pursuant to these agreements. Under one of these agreements with Temple University (“Temple”), the Company is required to make annual maintenance payments to Temple and royalty payments based upon a percentage of sales generated from any products covered by the licensed patents, with minimum specified royalty payments. Asno sales had been generated through March 31, 2024 under the licensed patents, the Company has not incurred any royalty expenses related to this agreement. In addition, the Company is required to pay Temple a percentage of any sublicensing fees received by the Company.
9. Subsequent Events
Merger
On April 1, 2024, the Company acquired Trawsfynydd, in accordance with the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated April 1, 2024 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Traws Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“First Merger Sub”), Traws Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Second Merger Sub”), and Trawsfynydd. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, First Merger Sub merged with and into Trawsfynydd, pursuant to which Trawsfynydd was the surviving corporation (the “First Merger”). Immediately following the First Merger, Trawsfynydd merged with and into Second Merger Sub, pursuant to which Second Merger Sub was the surviving entity and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Second Merger” and together with the First Merger, the “Merger”). The Merger is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, upon the consummation of the Merger on April 1, 2024 (the “Closing”), in exchange for the outstanding shares of capital stock of Trawsfynydd immediately prior to the effective time of the First Merger, the Company issued to the stockholders of Trawsfynydd an aggregate of (A)3,549,538 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (B)10,359.0916 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (as defined and described below). Each share of Series C Preferred Stock is convertible into 10,000 shares of Common Stock, subject to certain conditions described below. In addition, the Company assumed all Trawsfynydd stock options immediately outstanding prior to the First Merger, each becoming an option to purchase Common Stock subject to adjustment pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement (the “Assumed Options”). No portion of the Assumed Options will be exercisable unless and until the Meeting Proposals (as defined below) are approved by the Company’s stockholders. Once exercisable, the Assumed Options will be exercisable for an aggregate of 454,000 shares of Common Stock. Following the effective time of the Second Merger, the Company changed its name to “Traws Pharma, Inc.”
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Company agreed to hold a stockholders’ meeting to submit the following matters to its stockholders for their consideration: (i) the approval of the conversion of shares of Series C Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock in accordance with the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Conversion Proposal”) and (ii) if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Company or as otherwise required by applicable law or contract, the approval of an amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), to authorize sufficient shares of Common Stock for the conversion of Series C Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the Merger Agreement (the “Share Increase Proposal” and together with the Conversion Proposal, the “Meeting Proposals”). In connection with these matters, the Company agreed to file a proxy statement on Schedule 14A with the SEC.
The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) approved the Merger Agreement and the related transactions, and the consummation of the Merger was not subject to approval of Company stockholders.
Contingent Value Rights Agreement
Concurrently with the Closing of the Merger, the Company entered into a contingent value rights agreement (the “CVR Agreement”) with a rights agent (the “Rights Agent”), pursuant to which each holder of Common Stock as of the applicable record date (April 15, 2024), including those holders receiving shares of Common Stock in connection with the Merger, is entitled toone contractual contingent value right (each, a “CVR”), subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the CVR Agreement, for each share of Common Stock held by such holder as of the applicable record time.
When issued, each contingent value right will entitle the holder (the “Holder”) thereof to distributions of the following, pro-rated on a per-CVR basis, during the CVR Term (as defined in the CVR Agreement):
| ● | 43.7% of the Net Proceeds (as defined in the CVR Agreement) received by Traws Pharma in a given calendar quarter in the event of the sale, license, transfer or disposition of rights to Traws Pharma’s two leading cancer drug candidates, Narazaciclib and Rigosertib (including any such sale or disposition of equity securities in any subsidiary established by Traws Pharma to hold any right, title or interest in or to Rigosertib or Narazaciclib); or |
| ● | 6.24% of any Net Sales (as defined in the CVR Agreement) for Traws Pharma’s two leading cancer drug candidates, Narazaciclib and Rigosertib, by Traws Pharma or any of its affiliates in a given calendar quarter. |
The distributions in respect of the CVRs will be made on a quarterly basis, and will be subject to a number of deductions, subject to certain exceptions or limitations, including but not limited to for certain taxes and certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Traws Pharma.
Under the CVR Agreement, the Rights Agent has, and Holders of at least 30% of the CVRs then-outstanding have, certain rights to audit and enforcement on behalf of all Holders of the CVRs.
Private Placement and Securities Purchase Agreement
On April 1, 2024, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with TPAV, LLC, an affiliate of Torrey Pines, and OrbiMed Private Investments VIII, LP, an affiliate of OrbiMed Advisors (the “Investors”). Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company issued and sold an aggregate of (i)496,935 shares of Common Stock and (ii)1,578.2120 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (the “PIPE Securities”) for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $14,000,000 (collectively, the “Financing”). Each share of Series C Preferred Stock is convertible into 10,000 shares of Common Stock upon stockholder approval. The powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions applicable to the Series C Preferred Stock are set forth in the Certificate of Designation. If Traws Pharma’s stockholders do not approve the conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock within six months after the initial issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock, then the holders of Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled to elect to have their shares of Series C Preferred Stock redeemed for cash at a price per share equal to the last reported closing trading price of the common stock at such time on an as-converted to common stock basis, as further described in the Certificate of Designation relating to the Series C Preferred Stock. The closing of the Financing occurred concurrently with the closing of the Merger on April 1, 2024 (the “Financing Closing Date”).
Registration Rights Agreement
On April 1, 2024, in connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with the holders of Common Stock and Series C Preferred Stock signatory thereto. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, Traws Pharma is required to prepare and file a resale registration statement with the SEC within 90 calendar days following the Financing Closing Date (the “Filing Deadline”), with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying the PIPE Securities and the Common Stock and Series C Preferred Stock issued to the signatories to the Registration Rights Agreement in the Merger. Traws Pharma
will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective by the SEC within 30 calendar days of the Filing Deadline (or within 60 calendar days if the SEC reviews the registration statement).
Transaction Costs
In connection with the planned Merger, the Company incurred transaction costs of approximately $1,700,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2024 that are included as general and administrative expenses in the statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2024.
Tungsten Partners LLC (“Tungsten”) acted as financial advisor to the Company in connection with the Merger. As compensation for services rendered by Tungsten, the Company issued to Tungsten and its affiliates and designees an aggregate of 168,601 shares of Common Stock and 535.46510 shares of Series C Preferred Stock and paid approximately $1.0 million of cash in April 2024. All of the compensation to Tungsten was contingent on the closing of the Merger and therefore will be expensed in the second quarter of 2024.
Additional costs will continue to be incurred as Traws Pharma seeks to satisfy the obligations under the Merger Agreement, Stock Purchase Agreement and related agreements.
Employment and Severance Agreements
In accordance with the Merger Agreement, three directors were appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company and there were several changes to management, each effective as of the Closing.
On April 8, 2024, Traws Pharma terminated 11 of its 17 employees, some of whom have been retained as consultants. The associated severance costs which are estimated at approximately $1,000,000 will be expensed in the second quarter of 2024 and paid according to Traws Pharma’s regular payroll schedule.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.