VBI Vaccines Initiates Restructuring Proceedings Under CCAA to Implement a Review of its Strategic Alternatives
30 July 2024 - 11:55PM
Business Wire
VBI Vaccines Inc. (Nasdaq: VBIV) (VBI), a biopharmaceutical
company driven by immunology in the pursuit of powerful prevention
and treatment of disease, today announced that the Ontario Superior
Court of Justice (Commercial List) (“Court”) has issued an initial
order (“Initial Order”) granting the company protection under the
Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-36, as
amended (“CCAA”). The Initial Order provides for, among other
things: (i) a stay of proceeding in favour of VBI, (ii) approval of
the DIP Loan (as described below), and (iii) the appointment of
Ernst & Young Inc. (“EY”) to serve as monitor (“Monitor”) in
the Court during the restructuring (“Restructuring Process”).
The decision to seek creditor protection was made in the best
interest of its stakeholders after careful evaluation of VBI’s
financial situation and all available alternatives following
consultation with its legal and financial advisors. The board of
directors of VBI will remain in place and VBI will remain
responsible for the sale process under the supervision of the CCAA
Court and the general oversight of the Monitor. VBI intends to fund
the CCAA process from cash on hand as well as through the
authorized interim debtor-in-possession financing (“DIP Loan”)
entered into with K2 HealthVentures LLC (“K2HV”), as the secured
creditor and DIP lender.
VBI intends to seek approval of a sale and investment
solicitation process (“SISP”), which, if approved, would allow
interested parties to participate in the process in accordance with
the SISP procedure. VBI intends to use this process to build on the
work it undertook prior to the filing to identify one or multiple
purchasers of its assets on an efficient basis. The SISP, if
approved by the CCAA Court, will be administered by VBI, with the
assistance of its financial advisor and the Monitor, EY. Additional
detail relating to the SISP will be disclosed in due course.
VBI intends to commence a case under Chapter 15 of the United
States Bankruptcy Code to seek recognition and enforcement in the
United States of the CCAA Court’s orders, and to commence a case
under the relevant provisions of the Israeli Insolvency and
Economic Rehabilitation Law, 2018 (“Israeli Insolvency Law”), to
protect VBI’s subsidiaries and assets located in the United States
and Israel, respectively.
The Company has notified Nasdaq of the foregoing and expects its
common shares will cease trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market upon
such date that Nasdaq determines. The Company expects to cease
reporting as a public reporting company.
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Morris, Nicols,
Arsht & Tunnell LLP, and Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer Baratz are
acting as legal advisors to VBI. EY is acting as financial advisor
to VBI in connection with the CCAA process and the proposed
SISP.
Additional information regarding the CCAA proceeding can be
found on the Monitor’s website here, or by contacting the Monitor
at vbi.monitor@ca.ey.com or 1-888-338-1764.
About VBI Vaccines Inc.
VBI Vaccines Inc. (“VBI”) is a biopharmaceutical company driven
by immunology in the pursuit of powerful prevention and treatment
of disease. Through its innovative approach to virus-like particles
(“VLPs”), including a proprietary enveloped VLP (“eVLP”) platform
technology and a proprietary mRNA-launched eVLP (“MLE”) platform
technology, VBI develops vaccine candidates that mimic the natural
presentation of viruses, designed to elicit the innate power of the
human immune system. VBI is committed to targeting and overcoming
significant infectious diseases, including hepatitis B,
coronaviruses, and cytomegalovirus (CMV), as well as aggressive
cancers including glioblastoma (GBM). VBI is headquartered in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, with research operations in Ottawa,
Canada, and a research and manufacturing site in Rehovot,
Israel.
Website Home: http://www.vbivaccines.com/
News and Resources:
http://www.vbivaccines.com/news-and-resources/
Investors: http://www.vbivaccines.com/investors/
Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information
Certain statements in this press release that are
forward-looking and not statements of historical fact are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
and are forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian
securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). The
Company cautions that such forward-looking statements involve risks
and uncertainties that may materially affect the Company’s results
of operations. Such forward-looking statements are based on the
beliefs of management as well as assumptions made by and
information currently available to management. Actual results could
differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking
statements as a result of certain factors, including but not
limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the Company’s ability
to successfully complete a sale process under Chapter 15 and/or the
CCAA and/or Israeli Insolvency Law; potential adverse effects of
the Restructuring Proceedings on the Company’s liquidity and
results of operations; the Company’s ability to obtain timely
approval by the applicable courts in Canada, US, and Israel, with
respect to the motions filed in or in connection with the
Restructuring Proceedings; objections to the Company’s sale
process, the DIP Loan, or other pleadings filed that could protract
the restructuring proceedings; employee attrition and the Company’s
ability to retain senior management and other key personnel due to
the distractions and uncertainties, including the Company’s ability
to provide adequate compensation and benefits during the
Restructuring Proceedings; the Company’s ability to comply with the
restrictions imposed by the DIP Loan and other financing
arrangements; the Company’s ability to maintain relationships with
suppliers, customers, employees and other third parties and
regulatory authorities as a result of the Chapter 15, CCAA filings,
and proceedings under the Israeli Insolvency Law; the applicable
rulings in the Restructuring Proceedings, including the approval of
the DIP Loan, and the outcome of the Restructuring Proceedings
generally; the length of time that the Company will operate under
Chapter 15, CCAA protection, and protection under the Israeli
Insolvency Law, and the continued availability of operating capital
during the pendency of the proceedings; risks associated with third
party motions in the Restructuring Proceedings and/or under Israeli
Insolvency Law, which may interfere with the Company’s ability to
consummate a sale; and increased administrative and legal costs
related to the Chapter 15, the CCAA proceedings, and proceedings
under Israeli Insolvency Law, and other litigation and inherent
risks involved in a bankruptcy process, the Company’s ability to
regain and maintain compliance with the listing standards of the
Nasdaq Capital Market, the Company’s ability to satisfy all of the
conditions to the consummation of the transactions with Brii
Biosciences, the Company’s ability to comply with its obligations
under its loan agreement with K2 HealthVentures, the impact of
general economic, industry or political conditions in the United
States or internationally; the impact and continuing effects of the
COVID-19 epidemic on our clinical studies, manufacturing, business
plan, and the global economy; the ability to successfully
manufacture and commercialize PreHevbrio/PreHevbri; the ability to
establish that potential products are efficacious or safe in
preclinical or clinical trials; the ability to establish or
maintain collaborations on the development of pipeline candidates
and the commercialization of PreHevbrio/PreHevbri; the ability to
obtain appropriate or necessary regulatory approvals to market
potential products; the ability to obtain future funding for
developmental products and working capital and to obtain such
funding on commercially reasonable terms; the Company’s ability to
manufacture product candidates on a commercial scale or in
collaborations with third parties; changes in the size and nature
of competitors; the ability to retain key executives and
scientists; and the ability to secure and enforce legal rights
related to the Company’s products. A discussion of these and other
factors, including risks and uncertainties with respect to the
Company, is set forth in the Company’s filings with the SEC and the
Canadian securities authorities, including its Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 13, 2023, and filed with the
Canadian security authorities at sedarplus.ca on March 13, 2023, as
may be supplemented or amended by the Company’s Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q. Given these risks, uncertainties and factors, you are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this
cautionary statement. All such forward-looking statements made
herein are based on our current expectations and we undertake no
duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements for any reason, except as required by law.
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VBI Email: IR@vbivaccines.com
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