SAN FRANCISCO, CA and SAN DIEGO, CA, USA I February 16, 2024 IKinnate Biopharma Inc. (Nasdaq: KNTE) (“Kinnate” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage precision oncology company, today announced it has entered into a definitive merger agreement (the “Merger Agreement”) whereby XOMA Corporation (“XOMA”) will acquire Kinnate for a price per share of Kinnate common stock (“Kinnate common stock”) of between $2.3352 and $2.5879 in cash, consisting of (i) a base cash price of $2.3352 per share and (ii) an additional cash amount of up to $0.2527 per share, plus one non-transferable contingent value right per share, representing the right to receive (a) 100% of the net proceeds payable from any disposition of the Company’s investigational pan-RAF inhibitor, exarafenib, and/or any other pan-RAF inhibitors prior to the closing of the merger transaction and (b) 85% of the net proceeds payable from any disposition of other Kinnate assets entered into prior to, or within one year from, closing and received within five years of closing pursuant to a definitive contingent value rights agreement.

Following a thorough review process conducted by a special committee of disinterested and independent members (the “Special Committee”) of Kinnate’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), with the assistance of the Special Committee’s legal and financial advisors, all disinterested and independent members of the Board unanimously determined that the acquisition by XOMA is in the best interests of all Kinnate shareholders, and has, following the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee, approved the Merger Agreement and related transactions.

Pursuant and subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement, a wholly owned subsidiary of XOMA will commence a tender offer (the “Offer”) by March 4, 2024 to acquire all outstanding shares of Kinnate common stock. Closing of the Offer is subject to certain conditions, including the tender of Kinnate common stock representing at least a majority of the total number of outstanding shares, the availability of at least $120 million of cash (net of transaction costs, wind-down costs and other liabilities) at closing, and other customary closing conditions. Kinnate officers, directors and shareholders holding approximately 46% of Kinnate common stock have signed support agreements under which such parties have agreed to tender their shares in the Offer and support the merger transaction. The merger transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2024.

Advisors

Leerink Partners is acting as lead financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is acting as legal counsel to Kinnate. Lazard is also acting as a financial advisor to Kinnate.

About Kinnate Biopharma Inc.

Kinnate Biopharma Inc. is a clinical-stage precision oncology company founded with a mission to inspire hope in those battling cancer by expanding on the promise of targeted therapies. The Company concentrates its efforts on addressing known oncogenic drivers for which there are currently no approved targeted therapies and to overcome the limitations associated with existing cancer therapies, such as non-responsiveness or the development of acquired and intrinsic resistance.

The Company’s lead product candidates are investigational pan-RAF inhibitor, exarafenib, which targets cancers with BRAF and NRAS-driven alterations, and investigational FGFR inhibitor, KIN-3248, which is designed for cancers with FGFR2 and FGFR3 alterations. The Company also has early-stage programs, including a c-MET inhibitor that targets resistant variants and a brain penetrant CDK4 selective program. For more information, visit Kinnate.com and follow the company on LinkedIn to learn about its most recent initiatives. 

SOURCE: Kinnate Biopharma