As previously disclosed on December 19, 2023, Impel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Impel NeuroPharma Australia PTY LTD, its wholly-owned subsidiary (together, the “Company”) commenced voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings (the “Chapter 11 Cases”) under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas (the “Bankruptcy Court”).
On December 21, 2023, the Bankruptcy Court entered an interim order (the “Interim Order”) in the Chapter 11 Cases establishing notice and hearing procedures for (1) trading in equity securities of the Company (the “Stock Procedures”), and (2) claiming worthless stock deductions with respect to equity securities of the Company (the “Worthless Stock Deduction Procedures”). A copy of the notice of the Interim Order (the “Notice of Order”) is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The following summary of the Stock Procedures and Worthless Stock Deduction Procedures is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Notice of Order and the Interim Order. As a result of the Interim Order:
Stock Procedures
(1) any person or entity who is or becomes a beneficial owner of at least 4.5% of all issued and outstanding shares of the common stock of the Company (equal to 1,075,501 shares of common stock, based on approximately 23,900,031 million shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of December 19, 2023, 2023) (a “Substantial Shareholder”) and intends to effectuate a transfer of their equity securities of the Company must file with the Bankruptcy Court a notice of such status on or before the date that is the later of (a) 30 calendar days after the date the Interim Order is entered and (b) ten calendar days after the date such person qualifies as a Substantial Shareholder.
(2) at least 30 calendar days before effectuating any transfer of equity securities that would result in (a) an increase or decrease in the amount of common stock beneficially owned by a Substantial Shareholder, (b) a person or entity becoming a Substantial Shareholder, or (c) a decrease in the amount of common stock beneficially owned by a Substantial Shareholder that would result in such person or entity no longer being a Substantial Shareholder, such person or entity must file with the Bankruptcy Court a notice of such proposed transfer; and
(3) the Company will have 20 calendar days after receipt of any notice of such proposed transfer to file with the Bankruptcy Court and serve on such Substantial Shareholder or person or entity that may become a Substantial Shareholder, an objection to the transfer and, if the Company does so, such proposed transfer will not be effective unless approved by the Bankruptcy Court. If the Company does not object within such 20-day period, the transfer may proceed solely as set forth in the notice of transfer.
Worthless Stock Deduction Procedures
(1) any person or entity who is or becomes a beneficial owner of at least 50% of all issued and outstanding shares of the common stock of the Company (a “50-percent Shareholder”) must file with the Bankruptcy Court a notice of such status on or before the date that is the later of (a) 30 calendar days after the date the Interim Order is entered and (b) ten calendar days after the date such person qualifies as a 50-percent Shareholder.
(2) at least 15 calendar days before filing any income tax return, or amendment to such a return, taking any worthlessness deduction with respect to common stock for a tax year ending before the consummation of a debt-for-stock recapitalization (or, if applicable, a Chapter 11 sale process), such 50-percent Shareholder must file with the Bankruptcy Court a notice of the intended worthlessness deduction; and
(3) the Company will have 15 calendar days after receipt of any notice of the intended worthlessness deduction to file with the Bankruptcy Court and serve on such 50-percent Shareholder, an objection to the proposed worthlessness deduction and, if the Company does so, then the filing of the income tax return with such deduction will not be permitted or effective unless approved by the Bankruptcy Court. If the Company does not object within such 30-day period, such deduction will be permitted as set forth in the notice of intent to take a worthless stock deduction.