Carmell Therapeutics Announces Merger with Axolotl Biologix, a Profitable Regenerative Medicine Company
July 27 2023 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Carmell Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: CTCX) (“Carmell”), a
regenerative medicine company today announced the execution of a
definitive agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”)
with Flagstaff-based Axolotl Biologix, a profitable regenerative
medicine company developing products for active soft tissue repair,
aesthetics and orthopedic indications (“Axolotl”).
Axolotl Highlights:
- Axolotl designs, develops and sells human amnion-based
allograft products for active soft tissue repair, aesthetics and
orthopedic indications.
- Axolotl’s marketed products meet all criteria for regulation
under section 361 of the PHS Act and 21 CFR part 1271 as
recommended by the FDA Tissue Reference Group (TRG).
- In Q2 2023, two of Axolotl’s products were added to CMS Part B
Drug and Biological Average Sales Price pricing files.
- Axolotl is also enrolling a Phase I/II clinical trial for Ankle
Osteoarthritis and developing a topical cosmeceutical for skin
rejuvenation.
- In Q2 2023, Axolotl became a preferred vendor via a national
pricing contract with one of the 3 largest group purchasing
organizations, which serves over 1,500 hospitals in the United
States.
- As of June 30, 2023, Axolotl achieved approximately $50 million
in unaudited trailing 12-month (“TTM”) net revenue and
approximately $5 million in unaudited TTM EBITDA from the sales of
its products.
Transaction Details:
- Per the terms of the Merger Agreement, Axolotl’s shareholders
will receive $65 million in Initial Equity Value (structured as $8
million in cash and $57 million in CTCX stock at Closing), plus up
to $75 million in potential Milestone Equity Payments (structured
as 12% cash and 88% in CTCX stock) linked with the achievement of
certain revenue and business milestones.
- Shares received by Axolotl’s shareholders in the Merger
Agreement will be locked up for 12 months following closing.
- Upon the Closing, Axolotl will operate as wholly owned
subsidiary of Carmell.
- Upon the Closing, all full-time employees are expected to
remain with Carmell except for Mr. Josh Sandberg, CEO of Axolotl
who shall serve as Strategic Advisor to the Executive Chairman of
Carmell.
- Transaction Closing is subject to completion of customary
approvals and other customary conditions.
- Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal counsel to Carmell. Doyen
Sebesta & Poelma LLP acted as legal counsel to Axolotl.
Cabrillo Advisors acted as financial advisor to Carmell.
Said Mr. Sandberg, “I am excited to partner with Rajiv and
Carmell to build on our shared vision of offering industry leading
products that positively impact patients’ lives. Our teams have
worked very diligently, and this transaction creates unlimited
possibilities.”
Said Mr. Rajiv Shukla, the Executive Chairman of Carmell, “I
look forward to working with Josh and the Axolotl team to
accelerate our goal of building Carmell into an Industry-leading
regenerative medicine company through a combination of in-house
product development, bolt-on acquisitions and business development
aimed at aesthetics/soft tissue and orthopedic indications.”
About Carmell
Carmell Therapeutics is a Phase 2 stage regenerative medicine
platform company developing allogeneic plasma-based biomaterials
that are designed to boost innate regenerative pathways across a
variety of bone and soft tissue indications. Carmell received FDA
clearance for a Phase 2-stage clinical trial designed to study
accelerated healing and reduced infections in open tibia (shinbone)
fractures with intramedullary rodding. Carmell expects to initiate
a Phase 2 trial for Foot/Ankle Fusion. Pre-clinical development is
also underway in Spinal Fusion, Dental Bone Graft Substitute,
Androgenetic Alopecia, Active Soft Tissue Repair and Cosmetic Skin
Rejuvenation. For more information, visit www.carmellrx.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are
based on beliefs and assumptions and on information currently
available. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking
statements by the following words: “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,”
“should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,”
“estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,”
“ongoing” or the negative of these terms or other comparable
terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain
these words. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and
other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity,
performance or achievements to be materially different from the
information expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for
each forward-looking statement contained in this press release, we
caution you that these statements are based on a combination of
facts and factors currently known by us and our projections of the
future, about which we cannot be certain. Forward-looking
statements in this press release include, but are not limited to,
statements regarding the proceeds of the business combination, the
leadership of the combined company, the benefits of the
transaction, as well as statements about the potential attributes
and benefits of Axolotl’s product candidates and the format and
timing of Axolotl’s product development activities and clinical
trials. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in
this press release will prove to be accurate. These forward-looking
statements are subject to a number of significant risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from expected results, including, among others, the ability to
recognize the anticipated benefits of the transaction, the outcome
of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Carmell
following completion of the transaction, the impact of COVID-19 on
Axolotl’s business, costs related to the proposed transaction,
changes in applicable laws or regulations, the possibility that
CTCX or Axolotl may be adversely affected by other economic,
business, and/or competitive factors, and other risks and
uncertainties, including those to be included under the header
“Risk Factors” in the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by
ALPA with the SEC, as amended (File No. 333-269733). Most of these
factors are outside of Carmell’s control and are difficult to
predict. Furthermore, if the forward-looking statements prove to be
inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. In light of the
significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you
should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty
by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and
plans in any specified time frame, or at all. The forward-looking
statements in this press release represent our views as of the date
of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and
developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may
elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in
the future, we have no current intention of doing so except to the
extent required by applicable law. You should, therefore, not rely
on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of
any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230727117957/en/
Carmell Investor: Rajiv Shukla Executive Chairman
rshukla@carmellrx.com
Carmell (NASDAQ:CTCX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Nov 2024 to Dec 2024
Carmell (NASDAQ:CTCX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2023 to Dec 2024