Vistagen and Pherin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Vistagen will acquire Pherin for approximately 12.4 million shares of Vistagen common stock and a nominal amount of cash.
Upon closing of the acquisition, which is subject to certain customary closing conditions, Vistagen will acquire Pherin’s entire pherine pipeline, resulting in Vistagen gaining full ownership of intellectual property rights to its two most advanced drug candidates, PH94B, currently in Phase 3 development for social anxiety disorder (SAD) and Phase 2 development for adjustment disorder with anxiety (AjDA), and PH10, in clinical development for major depressive disorder (MDD). Vistagen will also expand its pipeline with three new early clinical-stage pherine product candidates: PH15 for cognition improvement; PH80 for migraine and hot flashes; and PH284 for appetite-related disorders.
“Our confidence in the potential role of pherine compounds in fundamentally shifting the treatment paradigm for individuals living with anxiety, depression and several other disorders with unmet need has never been stronger,” said Shawn Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Vistagen. “This transaction not only allows Vistagen to secure unencumbered global rights to a multi-asset pherine product pipeline and all future value from ownership of the pipeline, but it also establishes Vistagen as the market leader in the development and commercialization of this innovative class of small molecule drug candidates across a wide range of therapeutic areas.”
“Vistagen is distinctively positioned to progress the pherine portfolio to reach its full potential and help millions of individuals,” said Kevin McCarthy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pherin. “Since 2018, we have observed the experienced Vistagen team working diligently to advance all aspects of development for PH94B and PH10. This transaction supports our mutual objective to provide innovative medicines to millions of people suffering from conditions that require better treatment options and represents an important milestone providing potential for significant value creation for patients and our stockholders.”
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