INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 14,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company
(NYSE: LLY) today announced the successful completion of its
acquisition of Sigilon Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGTX). The
acquisition allows Lilly to continue researching and developing
encapsulated cell therapies, including SIG-002, for the treatment
of type 1 diabetes.
"Make life better – that's the phrase that guides everything we
do at Lilly," said Ruth Gimeno,
Ph.D., group vice president, diabetes, obesity and cardiometabolic
research at Lilly. "We are excited to welcome our new colleagues
from Sigilon to Lilly; together, we will strive to provide
solutions for people living with type 1 diabetes that absolves them
of constant disease management, and advance Sigilon's technology
for patients."
The Offer and the Merger
As previously announced, Lilly and Sigilon entered into a Merger
Agreement dated as of June 28, 2023,
and pursuant thereto, on July 13,
2023, Lilly and a wholly owned subsidiary ("Purchaser")
commenced a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase all of the
issued and outstanding shares ("Shares") of Sigilon's common stock
in exchange for (a) $14.92 per Share,
net to the stockholder in cash, without interest (the "Cash
Consideration") and less any applicable tax withholding, plus (b)
one non-tradable contingent value right ("CVR" and, together with
the Cash Consideration, the "Offer Price") per Share, which
represents the contractual right to receive contingent payments of
up to $111.64 per Share in cash, net
to the stockholder in cash, without interest and less any
applicable tax withholding, upon the achievement of certain
specified milestones. There can be no assurance that any payments
will be made with respect to the CVRs. The Offer expired as
scheduled on Aug. 9, 2023, with
1,718,493 Shares validly tendered and not validly withdrawn, which
together with Shares previously owned by Lilly, represented 76.61%
of the issued and outstanding Shares. In accordance with the terms
of the Offer, Purchaser accepted for payment all such validly
tendered and not validly withdrawn Shares.
Following consummation of the Offer, on Aug. 11, 2023, Lilly completed its acquisition of
Sigilon through the merger of Purchaser with and into Sigilon in
accordance with Section 251(h) of the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware), with
Sigilon surviving such merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of
Lilly. In connection with the merger, each Share issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger
(other than (i) Shares held in Sigilon's treasury or owned by
Sigilon, or owned by Lilly, Purchaser or any direct or indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of Lilly or Purchaser or (ii) Shares held
by any stockholder of Sigilon who was entitled to demand and
properly demanded appraisal for such Shares in accordance with
Section 262 of the DGCL), including each Share that was subject to
vesting or forfeiture restrictions granted pursuant to a Sigilon
equity incentive plan, program or arrangement, was canceled and
converted into the right to receive the Offer Price, without
interest, less any applicable tax withholding. Sigilon's common
stock has been delisted from the NASDAQ Global Select Market and
will be deregistered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
For Lilly, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is acting as legal
counsel. For Sigilon, Lazard is acting as lead financial advisor
and Ropes & Gray LLP is acting as legal counsel. Canaccord
Genuity also acted as financial advisor to Sigilon.
About Lilly
Lilly unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make
life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering
life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our
medicines help more than 51 million people across the globe.
Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic
medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to
solve some of the world's most significant health challenges,
redefining diabetes care, treating obesity and curtailing its most
devastating long-term effects, advancing the fight against
Alzheimer's disease, providing solutions to some of the most
debilitating immune system disorders, and transforming the most
difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step
toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life
better for millions more people. That includes delivering
innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world
and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable.
To learn more,
visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/newsroom or
follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
C-LLY
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements
regarding Lilly's acquisition of Sigilon. All statements
other than statements of historical fact are statements that could
be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements reflect current beliefs and expectations;
however, these statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties, including with respect to drug research, development
and commercialization, Lilly's evaluation of the accounting
treatment of the acquisition and its impact on its financial
results and financial guidance, the effects of the acquisition on
Sigilon's relationships with key third parties or governmental
entities, transaction costs, risks that the acquisition disrupts
current plans and operations or adversely affects employee
retention, and any legal proceedings that may be instituted related
to the acquisition. Actual results could differ materially due to
various factors, risks and uncertainties. Among other things,
there can be no guarantee that Lilly will realize the
expected benefits of the acquisition, that product candidates will
be approved on anticipated timelines or at all, that any products,
if approved, will be commercially successful, that all or any of
the contingent consideration will become payable on the terms
described herein or at all, that Lilly's financial results
will be consistent with its expected 2023 guidance or
that Lilly can reliably predict the impact of the
acquisition on its financial results or financial
guidance. For further discussion of these and other risks and
uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q
filings with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly does not undertake any
duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after
the date of this press release.
Refer
to:
|
Jordan Bishop;
jordan.bishop@lilly.com; 317-473-5712 (Media)
|
|
Joe Fletcher;
jfletcher@lilly.com; 317-296-2884 (Investors)
|
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SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company