Yumanity stock soars 46% on all-stock merger with Kineta; lead product sale to J&J for $26M

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Yumanity Therapeutics (NASDAQ:YMTX) is selling its lead clinical-stage product YTX-7739 to Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) for $26M in cash and is merging with privately-held Kineta in an all-stock transaction.

Yumanity said it is selling YTX-7739 and its unpartnered discovery-stage neuroscience product candidates and targets to Janssen Pharmaceutica, a unit of J&J, for $26M in cash.

In connection with the closing of the proposed transaction, Yumanity plans to distribute any remaining available cash proceeds from the sale to its stockholders via a one-time dividend, net of any amounts for obligations and cash requirements linked with the proposed merger.

In addition, Yumanity said it is merging with Kineta, under which Kineta stockholders are expected to own ~85% of the combined company and current Yumanity stockholders will own the remaining 15%.

The combined publicly traded company, which will be called Kineta and headquartered in Seattle, will focus on immuno-oncology and continue Yumanity's ongoing research collaboration with Merck (MRK) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar dementia, Yumanity added.

Kineta current CEO Shawn Iadonato, will serve as CEO of the combined company, while Craig Philips will serve as President.

Yumanity noted Kineta's lead asset is a preclinical candidate KVA12.1, which is an immunotherapy to address the problem of immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

The combined company expects to raise a concurrent private investment in public equity (the PIPE financing) led by Growth & Value Development.

Yumanity's board have approved both agreements.

The two transactions are expected to close in H2 2022, subject to conditions, including approval of the transactions by Yumanity (YMTX) stockholders.

YMTX +45.77% to $2.07 premarket June 6

Comments

[NDHT]

Based on the so called FDA conspiracy hypothesis, they did it again.

In January, the FDA put its lead program on hold. Five months later, the big Pharma J&J got the whole thing at cheap.

Apparently, J&J doesn't think that the Hold is a big deal, but Yumanity management simply gave up. In addition, they also have collaboration with Merck on ALS.

That's the difference between a fighter and "flighter".

[baibeiye]

YMTX has been stealing money from shareholders since SPAC.