AzurRx BioPharma, a company specializing in the development of targeted, non-systemic therapies for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, announced that it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire First Wave Bio, Inc. (“First Wave Bio”) in a stock and cash transaction valued at $229 million, including certain development, regulatory and sales milestones. First Wave Bio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel, gut-targeted, small molecule therapies for auto-immune inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and other serious conditions.
In conjunction with the acquisition, AzurRx announced that it is changing its corporate name to “First Wave BioPharma, Inc.” As part of the plan, First Wave BioPharma will trade its common shares on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol, “FWBI,” which is anticipated to be effective on or about Thursday, September 23, 2021. In addition, the Company will launch a new website with the following address: www.firstwavebio.com. AzurRx’s management team, including James Sapirstein, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, will continue to lead the renamed company.
“The acquisition of First Wave Bio, and the creation of First Wave BioPharma, Inc. is a transformative event that significantly expands our GI development pipeline and positions our company for new growth opportunities in the inflammatory bowel disease therapeutic space,” stated Mr. Sapirstein. “Our portfolio now includes new indications for several IBDs that represent multi-billion dollar commercial market opportunities. In the U.S. last year, it is estimated that there were more than 850,000 ulcerative colitis diagnoses and 625,000 Crohn’s disease diagnoses, and these patient populations and markets are expected to grow substantially over the next decade. We believe that our proprietary formulations of niclosamide, with their novel anti-inflammatory mechanism of action, non-systemic absorption, and safety benefits, will enable us to address significant unmet clinical needs for IBD patients, especially in the mild-to-moderate disease categories. With our expanded pipeline and new IBD indications, we expect strong growth and increased shareholder value.”
Per the definitive agreement, AzurRx will wholly own all rights to First Wave Bio’s proprietary formulations of niclosamide, a small molecule drug which features anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties that are designed to address multiple GI conditions. Further, AzurRx will have sole ownership of First Wave Bio’s robust intellectual property (IP) portfolio, which covers method of use and delivery of these formulations as treatments for various auto-immune, inflammatory and viral conditions.
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