SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achaogen, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAO), a biopharmaceutical company discovering, developing and commercializing innovative antibacterial agents to address multi-drug resistant (MDR) gram-negative infections, today announced that it has begun a review of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value, including but not limited to the potential sale or merger of the Company or its assets. In connection with this review, the Company has engaged Evercore as an independent financial advisor.
The Company also announced a restructuring of its organization to preserve cash resources which is expected to reduce operating expenses by approximately 35-40 percent, excluding one-time charges. The restructuring is expected to be largely completed before the end of 2018. The restructuring is designed to focus the company’s cash resources on the continued successful launch of ZEMDRI and advancing C-Scape.
“We are committed to evaluating strategic alternatives that enhance value for shareholders while maintaining our focus on the successful launch of ZEMDRI and the development of C-Scape as well as aggressively managing our operating expenses," said Blake Wise, CEO of Achaogen. "We look forward to providing an update on ZEMDRI commercialization and launch at our upcoming third quarter earnings call.”
There can be no assurance that the strategic review will result in any transaction or other outcome. The Company does not currently intend to publicly discuss or disclose further developments of the strategic review unless and until its Board of Directors has approved a transaction or otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate.
Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call and webcast to review Third Quarter 2018 financial results and details of the corporate restructuring on November 8, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time / 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time. To participate by telephone, please dial 866-952-8559 (domestic) or 785-424-1745 (international); conference ID: ACHAOGEN. A live and archived audio webcast can be accessed through the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.achaogen.com. The archived audio webcast will remain available on the Company's website for 30 days following the conference call.
About Achaogen
Achaogen is a biopharmaceutical company passionately committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative antibacterial treatments for MDR gram-negative infections. Achaogen's first commercial product is ZEMDRI, for the treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis. The Achaogen ZEMDRI program was funded in part with federal funds from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The Company is currently developing C-Scape, an orally-administered beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination, which is also supported by BARDA. All product candidates are investigational, have not been determined to be safe or efficacious, and have not been approved for commercialization. For more information, visit the Achaogen website at www.achaogen.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, the outcome of Achaogen’s strategic review, Achaogen’s expectations regarding the timing and impacts of its restructuring, Achaogen’s strategic and commercial objectives and the Achaogen pipeline of product candidates. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause Achaogen's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risks and uncertainties that the strategic review may not be successful, the risks and uncertainties of commercialization and gaining market acceptance, uncertainties inherent in the development process, the risks and uncertainties of the regulatory approval process, the risk when bacteria will evolve resistance to ZEMDRI, Achaogen’s reliance on third-party contract manufacturing organizations to manufacture and supply ZEMDRI, its product candidates and certain raw materials used in the production thereof and the risk that Achaogen's proprietary rights may be insufficient to protect ZEMDRI, its technologies and product candidates. C-Scape is for investigational use only and has not been approved for commercialization. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the Achaogen business in general, see Achaogen’s current and future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 27, 2018 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 6, 2018. Achaogen does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances, or otherwise.
Investor and Media Contact:
Martin Forrest
mforrest@achaogen.com
650-419-3920
Source: Achaogen, Inc.
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