Apollomics Inc. (“Apollomics” or the “Company”), a late-stage
clinical biopharmaceutical company, and Maxpro Capital Acquisition
Corp. (“Maxpro”) (Nasdaq: JMAC, JMACU, JMACW) today announced a
definitive agreement for a business combination (the “Transaction”
or the “Business Combination”) that would result in Apollomics
becoming a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Global Market
(“Nasdaq”). The business combination is expected to close in the
first quarter of 2023 and Apollomics is expected to be listed on
Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “APLM.”
Apollomics’ broad pipeline of drug candidates
includes late-stage clinical assets for the treatment of patients
with difficult-to-treat cancers. Apollomics’ mission is to develop
assets in critically important areas of unmet need. The Company’s
leading drug candidates address certain subpopulations within lung
cancer and leukemia. Globally, both lung cancer and leukemia affect
over 2 million people annually.
The Company is dedicated to discovering and
developing oncology therapies of different mechanisms of action to
inhibit cancer. Its diverse portfolio of innovative drug candidates
for treating difficult-to-treat cancers includes precision therapy
targeting tumors with specific mutations, as well as assets
addressing broader cancer conditions. The Company’s pipeline of
nine clinical, preclinical and discovery drug candidates has the
potential to improve treatment of a number of tumor types.
Upon the closing of the transaction, Apollomics
will continue to be led by current Chairman and CEO, Dr. Guo-Liang
Yu, Ph.D., a serial entrepreneur, and his team. Dr. Yu is a
pharmaceutical researcher with more than 300 patents.
“Apollomics’ announcement represents the next
major milestone on our journey to provide solutions for patients
with difficult-to-treat cancers,” Dr. Yu said. “We anticipate that
the funds available to us from this transaction will help us
accelerate development of our oncology pipeline.”
Apollomics expects results from its global Phase
2 multi-cohort clinical trial of vebreltinib in NSCLC and other
solid tumors with cMET dysregulation in 2023, which the Company
believes may support its first New Drug Application (“NDA”) with
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) while generating
clinical data for different indications. In addition, the Company
expects to complete patient recruitment of its uproleselan Phase 3
study in China in 2023. “Our goal was to find an exciting company
with a growing pipeline of innovative product candidates that could
positively affect the lives of millions of people,” said Moses
Chen, CEO of Maxpro. “Our team is excited to combine with
Apollomics as it has met and exceeded all our key selection
criteria. Together with Apollomics, Maxpro will do everything we
can to support the Company’s vision of treating patients with
difficult-to-treat cancers.”
Apollomics Inc. Investment
Highlights:
- Headquartered in Foster City,
Calif., the dedicated team at Apollomics has been developing its
innovative pipeline of drug candidates addressing unmet needs in
oncology since the beginning of its operations in 2016.
- The Company has a strong pipeline
of oncology assets with nine drug candidates – small molecule
targeted drugs as well as biologics – at different stages of
development, including two in late-stage clinical trials.
- Vebreltinib is in Phase 2 targeting
multiple indications of NSCLC and other solid tumors with cMet
dysregulations globally, the data from which is expected to support
filing NDA/sNDAs in the U.S.
- The Company’s uproleselan asset is
in Phase 3 in China to support an NDA in relapsed or refractory
AML.
Transaction Overview
Upon the closing of the Transaction, Apollomics
will become a publicly traded company under the name “Apollomics
Inc.” The Transaction reflects an implied pre-money equity value of
approximately $899 million.
Upon the closing of the Transaction and assuming
no redemptions by Maxpro’s public stockholders, Apollomics plans to
retain up to $105 million of cash, being expected proceeds from
realization of marketable securities held in the Trust Account, on
its balance sheet, which would provide financial flexibility and
facilitate internal and external growth opportunities.
At the closing of the Business Combination and
assuming no redemptions by Maxpro’s public stockholders,
approximately 10% of the outstanding shares of the combined company
are expected to be held by public investors, with existing
Apollomics shareholders owning approximately 87%.
The Transaction has been unanimously approved by
the boards of directors of Maxpro and Apollomics. The completion of
the Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions,
including the approval of Maxpro’s stockholders and the
satisfaction of a $20 million minimum cash condition. The
Transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2023.
Additional information about the proposed Transaction, including a
copy of the business combination agreement and an investor
presentation, will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K to
be filed by Maxpro with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) and available at www.sec.gov.Advisors
ARC Group Limited is acting as financial advisor
to Maxpro. EF Hutton is acting as capital market advisor to Maxpro.
White & Case LLP is acting as legal counsel to Apollomics.
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP is acting as legal
counsel to Maxpro. Marshall & Stevens Transaction Advisory
Services LLC is acting as the fairness opinion provider to the
board of directors of Maxpro.
About Apollomics
Inc.
Apollomics Inc. is an innovative clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development
of oncology therapies with the potential to be combined with other
treatment options to harness the immune system and target specific
molecular pathways to inhibit cancer. Apollomics currently has a
pipeline of nine drug candidates across multiple programs, six of
which are currently in the clinical stage of development.
Apollomics’ lead programs include investigating its core product,
vebreltinib (APL-101), a potent, selective c-Met inhibitor for the
treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and other advanced tumors
with c-Met alterations, which is currently in a Phase 2 multicohort
clinical trial in the United States, and developing an anti-cancer
enhancer drug candidate, uproleselan (APL-106), a specific
E-Selectin antagonist that has the potential to be used
adjunctively with standard chemotherapy to treat acute myeloid
leukemia and other hematologic cancers, which is currently in Phase
1 and Phase 3 clinical trials in China.
About Maxpro Capital
Acquisition Corp.
Maxpro is a blank check company formed for the
purposes of effecting a merger, capital share exchange, asset
acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business
combination with one or more businesses in the healthcare and
technology industries. In October 2021, Maxpro consummated a $103.5
million initial public offering of 10.35 million units (including
the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option),
each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock and one
redeemable warrant, each warrant entitles the holder to purchase
one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share.
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments LLC, served as the
sole book-running manager of Maxpro’s initial public offering.
Important Information About the Proposed
Business Combination and Where to Find It
For additional information on the proposed
Transaction, see Maxpro’s Current Report on Form 8-K, which will be
filed concurrently with this press release. In connection with the
Business Combination, Maxpro and Apollomics intend to file relevant
materials with the SEC, including a registration statement on Form
F-4 with the SEC, which will include a proxy statement/prospectus,
and will file other documents regarding the proposed Transaction
with the SEC. Maxpro’s stockholders and other interested persons
are advised to read, when available, the preliminary proxy
statement/prospectus and the amendments thereto and the definitive
proxy statement and documents incorporated by reference therein
filed in connection with the proposed Business Combination, as
these materials will contain important information about Apollomics
and Maxpro and the proposed Business Combination. Promptly after
the Form F-4 is declared effective by the SEC, Maxpro will mail the
definitive proxy statement/prospectus and a proxy card to each
shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting relating to the
approval of the business combination and other proposals set forth
in the proxy statement/prospectus. Before making any voting
or investment decision, investors and stockholders of Maxpro are
urged to carefully read the entire registration statement and proxy
statement/prospectus, when they become available, and any other
relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or
supplements to these documents, because they will contain important
information about the Business Combination. The documents
filed by Maxpro with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the
SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to Maxpro
Capital Acquisition Corp., 5F-4, No.89, Songren Rd., Xinyi Dist.,
Taipei City, Taiwan 11073, Attention: Secretary; telephone: +886 2
7713 7952.
Participants in the
Solicitation
Maxpro and certain of its directors, executive
officers and other members of management and employees may, under
SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of
proxies from Maxpro’s stockholders in connection with the proposed
Transaction. A list of the names of those directors and executive
officers and a description of their interests in Maxpro will be
included in the proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed
Business Combination when available at www.sec.gov. Information
about Maxpro’s directors and executive officers and their ownership
of Maxpro securities is set forth in Maxpro’s Annual Report on Form
10-K, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022, as modified or
supplemented by any Form 3 or Form 4 filed with the SEC since the
date of such filing. Other information regarding the interests of
the participants in the proxy solicitation will be included in the
proxy statement/prospectus pertaining to the proposed business
combination when it becomes available. These documents can be
obtained free of charge from the source indicated above.
Apollomics and its directors and executive
officers may also be deemed to be participants in the solicitation
of proxies from the stockholders of Maxpro in connection with the
proposed Business Combination. A list of the names of such
directors and executive officers and information regarding their
interests in the proposed Business Combination will be included in
the proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed Business
Combination.
Additional information regarding the
participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their
direct and indirect interests will be included in the proxy
statement/prospectus filed with the SEC on Form F-4. Stockholders,
potential investors and other interested persons should read the
proxy statement/prospectus carefully when it becomes available
before making any voting or investment decisions. You may obtain
free copies of these documents from the sources indicated
above.
Cautionary Statement Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may be
considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements
include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial
and operating results, plans, objectives, expectations and
intentions with respect to future operations, products and
services; and other statements identified by words such as “will
likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is
anticipated,” “estimated,” “believe,” “intend,” “plan,”
“projection,” “outlook” or words of similar meaning. These
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements regarding Apollomics’ industry and market sizes,
expected clinical trial results, future opportunities for
Apollomics and Maxpro, Apollomics’ estimated future results and the
potential transaction between Maxpro and Apollomics, including the
implied enterprise value, the expected transaction and ownership
structure and the likelihood, timing and ability of the parties to
successfully consummate the proposed Transaction.
These forward-looking statements are based upon
estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by
Maxpro and its management and/or Apollomics and its management, as
the case may be, are inherently uncertain and are subject to
significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally
beyond the control of Maxpro and Apollomics. Actual results and the
timing of events may differ materially from the results anticipated
in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual
results to differ materially from current expectations include, but
are not limited to: the inability to meet the closing conditions to
the Business Combination, including the occurrence of any event,
change or other circumstances that could give rise to the
termination of the Business Combination Agreement; the inability to
complete the Transaction due to the failure to obtain approval of
Maxpro’s stockholders, the failure to achieve the minimum cash
condition following any redemptions by Maxpro stockholders, or the
failure to meet Nasdaq’s initial listing standards in connection
with the consummation of the contemplated transactions; costs
related to the Transaction; a delay or failure to realize the
expected benefits from the Business Combination; risks related to
disruption of management’s time from ongoing business operations
due to the Business Combination; the impact of any current or new
government regulations in the United States and China affecting
Apollomics’ operations and the continued listing of Apollomics’
securities; inability to achieve successful clinical results or to
obtain licensing of third-party intellectual property rights for
future discovery and development of Apollomics’ oncology projects;
failure to commercialize product candidates and achieve market
acceptance of such product candidates; failure to protect
Apollomics’ intellectual property; breaches in data security; risks
related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and response; risk that
Apollomics may not be able to develop and maintain effective
internal controls; unfavorable changes to the regulatory
environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in
Maxpro’s final prospectus dated October 7, 2021 and filed with the
SEC on October 8, 2021 for its initial public offering, the Annual
Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022, and the
proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Business Combination,
including those under “Risk Factors” therein, and in Maxpro’s other
filings with the SEC. Maxpro and Apollomics caution that the
foregoing list of factors is not exclusive.
Actual results, performance or achievements may
differ materially, and potentially adversely, from any projections
and forward-looking statements and the assumptions on which those
forward-looking statements are based. There can be no assurance
that the data contained herein is reflective of future performance
to any degree. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance as
projected financial information and other information are based on
estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to various
significant risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which
are beyond the control of Maxpro and Apollomics. All information
set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof in the case of
information about Maxpro and Apollomics or the date of such
information in the case of information from persons other than
Maxpro or Apollomics, and Maxpro and Apollomics disclaim any
intention or obligation to update any forward looking statements as
a result of developments occurring after the date of this
communication. Forecasts and estimates regarding Apollomics’
industry and end markets are based on sources Maxpro and Apollomics
believe to be reliable, however there can be no assurance these
forecasts and estimates will prove accurate in whole or in part.
Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for
illustrative purpose only, are not forecasts and do not reflect
actual results.
No Offer or Solicitation
This press release is for informational purposes
only and shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent or
authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the
Business Combination. This press release also shall not constitute
an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any
securities pursuant to the Business Combination or otherwise, nor
shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which
the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the
registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means
of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.
CONTACTS
Investor RelationsPeter VozzoICR
WestwickePeter.Vozzo@westwicke.com443-213-0505
Media Relations Sean LeousICR
WestwickeSean.Leous@westwicke.com646-866-4012
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