PsyBio Therapeutics Corp. (formerly Leo Acquisitions Corp.) (the
“
Company”), announces that it has completed its
previously announced reverse takeover of PsyBio Therapeutics, Inc.
(“
PsyBio”), a biotechnology company developing a
new class of drugs intended for the treatment of mental health
challenges and other disorders (the “
Reverse
Takeover”). The Reverse Takeover constitutes the Company's
Qualifying Transaction (as defined by Policy 2.4 of the TSX Venture
Exchange (the “
TSXV”) and was completed pursuant
to the terms of a business combination agreement dated December 2,
2020, as amended on February 18, 2021 (the “
Business
Combination Agreement”), among the Company, 1276949 B.C.
Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“
BC
Sub”), Eluss, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Company (“
US Sub”), PsyBio and PsyBio Therapeutics
Financing Inc. (“
Finco”).
“We are delighted to have completed the Reverse
Takeover and to have received conditional approval to list PsyBio’s
shares on the TSXV. This is an important milestone for PsyBio as we
enter the public market with the goal of enhancing our visibility
within the investment community and broadening our investor base to
build long-term shareholder value. Given our platform’s ability to
efficiently develop next generation psychoactive compounds, we
envision building a company with the potential to help transform
the treatment of mental health challenges and other disorders,”
said Evan Levine, PsyBio’s Chief Executive Officer. “We believe in
the application of psychedelic therapies and look forward to
advancing them and our other product candidates.”
Prior to the Reverse Takeover taking effect:
-
the Company: (a) continued out of the jurisdiction of the Business
Corporations Act (Ontario) and into the jurisdiction of the
Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the
“Continuance”), (b) re-designated its common
shares (“Common Shares”) as subordinate voting
shares (the “Subordinate Voting Shares”), (c)
created a new class of multiple voting shares (the
“Multiple Voting Shares”), (d) changed its name to
PsyBio Therapeutics Corp., and (e) consolidated the Subordinate
Voting Shares on the basis of 1.6667 old Subordinate Voting Shares
into one new Subordinate Voting Share (the
“Consolidation”) ((a)-(e) being collectively
referred to as the “Company Amendments”); and
-
PsyBio effected a share-split whereby each common share of PsyBio
was exchanged for 1.1529 common shares of PsyBio (the
“PsyBio Shares”).
On December 4, 2020, Finco completed a brokered
private placement (“Private Placement”) of
41,409,698 subscription receipts (“Subscription
Receipts”) at a price of $0.35 per Subscription
Receipt (the “Issue Price”) for aggregate gross
proceeds of $14,493,394. Eight Capital acted as lead agent in
connection with the financing, together with Canaccord Genuity
Corp. Immediately prior to closing the Reverse Takeover, each
Subscription Receipt was converted into one common share of Finco
(each a “Finco Share”).
The Reverse Takeover was completed by way of a
“three-cornered” amalgamation pursuant to the provisions of the
Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the
“Amalgamation”) and a “three-cornered” merger,
under the laws of the State of Delaware (the
“Merger”). Pursuant to the Amalgamation, all Finco
Shares were exchanged for Subordinate Voting Shares on a
one-for-one basis and Finco and BC Sub amalgamated, with the
resulting entity (“Amalco”) to continue as a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. It is anticipated that
Amalco will be wound-up and dissolved, pursuant to which all of the
assets of Amalco will then distributed to the Company. Pursuant to
the Merger, all PsyBio Shares were exchanged for 1/1,000 of one
Multiple Voting Share (on the basis of one PsyBio Share for every
one underlying Subordinate Voting Share) and PsyBio and US Sub
amalgamated, with the resulting entity to continue as a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
The Company Amendments were approved at the
annual and special meeting of the shareholders of the Company held
on January 13, 2021 (the “ASM”). In conjunction
with the closing of the Reverse Takeover, RSM Canada LLP will
resign from its role as auditor of the Company and the auditor of
PsyBio, MNP LLP, will be appointed as auditor of the Company. In
the opinion of the Company, no “reportable event” (as such term is
defined in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure
Obligations) has occurred.
The reclassification of the Common Shares into
Subordinate Voting Shares and the creation of the Multiple Voting
Shares in connection with the Reverse Takeover is for the purpose
of allowing the Company to maintain its status as a “foreign
private issuer” as determined in accordance with Rule 3b-4(c) under
the U.S. Exchange Act. The Multiple Voting Shares are intended to
minimize the proportion of the outstanding voting securities of the
Company that are held by “U.S. persons” for purposes of determining
whether the Company is a “foreign private issuer". The holders of
Multiple Voting Shares are entitled to one vote in respect of each
Subordinate Voting Share into which such Multiple Voting Share
could be converted, and as such the Multiple Voting Shares do not
necessarily hold voting rights that are superior to the holders of
Subordinate Voting Shares, on an as converted to Subordinate Voting
Shares basis. The rights of holders of Multiple Voting Shares to
convert such shares into Subordinate Voting Shares will be subject
to the Company preserving “foreign private issuer” status. The
Multiple Voting Shares will not be listed for trading in any market
and, as such, holders of Multiple Voting Shares will not be able to
trade their shares without conversion.
The Company’s Subordinate Voting Shares are
expected to commence trading on the TSXV, upon satisfaction of
certain TSXV conditions to listing, under the symbol “PSYB.” A
further press release will be issued once trading has
commenced.
Following the Reverse Takeover, the leadership
team of the Company is as follows:
- Evan Levine — Chief
Executive Officer and Director
- Noah Davis — Chief
Financial Officer, Secretary and Director
- Ross Carmel — Chief
Legal Officer and Director
- Gerry Goldberg —
Director
- Nitin Kaushal —
Director
Each of the directors other than Nitin Kaushal
were elected to the board of the Company at the ASM, subject to
completion of the Reverse Takeover. Upon closing of the Reverse
Takeover, the board increased its size by one and appointed Nitin
Kaushal as a director, pursuant to its limited authority under the
Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).
As described in the Company's filing statement
dated February 17, 2021 available under the Company's profile on
SEDAR at www.sedar.com (the “Filing Statement”),
certain of the Subordinate Voting Shares and Multiple Voting Shares
are subject to escrow requirements or seed share resale
restrictions in accordance with TSXV Policy 5.4 – Escrow, Vendor
Considerations and Resale Restrictions. Additional information
related to the Company's business and the Reverse Takeover
(including the members of the management team and board of
directors listed above) is available in the Filing Statement.
Option Grants
On closing of the Reverse Takeover, options
(“Options”) to purchase up to an aggregate of
6,036,156 Subordinate Voting Shares were granted to certain
directors and officers of the Company and Options to purchase up to
an aggregate of 2,129,985 Subordinate Voting Shares were granted to
certain consultants and advisors of the Company. Each Option is
exercisable into one Subordinate Voting Share at an exercise price
equal to the Issue Price. The Options will expire five years from
the date of grant and are subject to vesting conditions. All
Options were granted in accordance with Company’s stock option plan
approved by shareholders on January 13, 2021 and adopted
by the board of directors of the Company on closing (the
“Plan”). A copy of the Plan is available under the
Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
About PsyBio
PsyBio is a US-based biotechnology company
developing a new class of drugs intended for the potential
treatment of mental health challenges and other disorders. In
collaboration with Miami University based in Oxford, Ohio, PsyBio
has retained the global exclusive rights to a proprietary platform
technology that biologically synthesizes psilocybin and other
targeted next generation psychoactive compounds that are produced
naturally in fungi and plants. Management of PsyBio expects that
the technology will enable the rapid generation of these highly
stable psychoactive compounds cheaper, faster and greener than
other published methods.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
The TSXV has in no way passed upon the
merits of the Reverse Takeover and has neither approved nor
disapproved the contents of this press release.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
This news release contains statements that
constitute “forward-looking statements.” Such forward looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or
achievements, or developments to differ materially from the
anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking
statements are statements that are not historical facts and are
generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects,”
“plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates,”
“projects,” “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or
conditions “will,” “would,” “may,” “could,” or “should” occur.
Forward-looking statements in this document
include, among others, statements relating to expectations
regarding the increase to the Company’s shareholder base, increased
shareholder value, expansion of the Company’s product offerings and
the effectiveness of such products, the use of proceeds of the
Private Placement, timing of listing on the TSXV, the business
plans of the Company and other statements that are not historical
facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause
our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future
events, to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among
others: (a) following completion of the Reverse Takeover, the
Company may require additional financing from time to time in order
to continue its operations which may not be available when needed
or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; (b) compliance
with extensive government regulation; (c) domestic and foreign laws
and regulations could adversely affect the Company’s business and
results of operations; (d) the stock markets have experienced
volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of
companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of
the Company’s securities, regardless of its operating performance;
(e) adverse changes in the public perception of psilocybin; and (f)
the impact of COVID-19.
PsyBio makes no medical, treatment or health
benefit claims about PsyBio’s proposed products. The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (the “FDA”) or other similar
regulatory authorities have not evaluated claims regarding
psilocybin and other next generation psychoactive compounds. The
efficacy of such products have not been confirmed by FDA-approved
research. There is no assurance that the use of psilocybin and
other psychoactive compounds can diagnose, treat, cure or prevent
any disease or condition. Vigorous scientific research and clinical
trials are needed. PsyBio has not conducted clinical trials for the
use of its proposed PsyBio IP. Any references to quality,
consistency, efficacy and safety of potential products do not imply
that PsyBio verified such in clinical trials or that PsyBio will
complete such trials. If PsyBio cannot obtain the approvals or
research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a
material adverse effect on the PsyBio’s performance and
operations.
The forward-looking information contained in
this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of
the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to
change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance
on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this
information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event
that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors,
should change.
This news release does not constitute an offer
to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in
the United States. The Company’s securities have not been and will
not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any
state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the
United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S.
Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption
from such registration is available.
Further Information
For further information, please contact:
Evan Levine CEO, PsyBio Therapeutics Corp. e:
evan@psybiolife.com
Leo Acquisitions (TSXV:LEQ.H)
Historical Stock Chart
From Nov 2024 to Dec 2024
Leo Acquisitions (TSXV:LEQ.H)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2023 to Dec 2024