CAS Group Supports Improved Deal
Company Currently has Sufficient Votes to Approve Merger
ATLANTA, Feb. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVIR) today announced that the reconvened Special Meeting of Stockholders has been further adjourned to 10:00 AM, EST on February 13, 2018 in order to provide the Company’s stockholders additional time to consider the revised deal terms announced on February 7, 2018. The new terms provide Aviragen shareholders with a significantly greater share of the combined company that will result from its merger with Vaxart, Inc. Current Aviragen shareholders will now receive 49% of the combined company, a 22.5% increase over the original deal.
The Company filed a Form 8-K on February 7, 2018, which describes the improved deal terms and the updated Proforma Condensed Combined Financial Information. It can be accessed at the following link:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/72444/000143774918001951/avir20180207_8k.htm
It was also announced today that the CAS Group has agreed to support the merger of the Company and Vaxart. The CAS Group has agreed at the Special Meeting to exercise all of the voting rights of the shares of Common Stock held by the CAS Group (a) in favor of the issuance of shares of Common Stock to the stockholders of Vaxart pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement and (b) in favor of the reverse stock split and (c) otherwise in accordance with the recommendation of the Board of Directors of Aviragen (the “Board”) on each other proposal set forth in the Company’s proxy statement. In addition, the CAS Group agreed to withdraw its nomination of directors in connection with the next annual meeting of stockholders of the Company and agreed to vote all shares of Common Stock held by the CAS Group at the Annual Meeting in favor of the directors nominated for election by the Board. The Company has agreed to reimburse the CAS Group for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses up to $200,000 related to, among other things, its solicitation in connection with the Special Meeting. The agreement will be available as an exhibit on Form 8-K to be filed later today.
The Aviragen Board of Directors unanimously recommends that stockholders vote FOR ALL of the proposals associated with the proposed merger with Vaxart. Stockholders of record at the close of business on January 2, 2018 are entitled to and are being requested to vote. If a stockholder has already submitted their proxy card and does not wish to change their vote, no further action is required at this time.
Aviragen encourages stockholders that have not yet voted their shares to vote by 11:59 pm EST on February 12, 2018. Each vote is extremely important, no matter how many or how few shares are owned. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of Aviragen common stock properly cast at the Aviragen Special Meeting, presuming a quorum is present, is required to approve the proposed merger. Please take a moment to vote FOR the proposals necessary to approve the proposed merger today – by telephone, by Internet or by signing, dating and returning the WHITE proxy card. Please discard any BLUE proxy card you may receive from the CAS Group.
Stockholders with questions or requiring assistance voting their shares should contact Aviragen’s proxy solicitor, D.F. King & Co., Inc., toll-free at (800) 967-5074. Each vote is extremely important, no matter how many or how few shares are owned.
About Aviragen Therapeutics
Aviragen Therapeutics is focused on the discovery and development of the next generation of direct-acting antivirals to treat infections that have limited therapeutic options and affect a significant number of patients globally. It has three Phase 2 clinical stage compounds: BTA074 (teslexivir), an antiviral treatment for condyloma caused by human papillomavirus types 6 and 11; vapendavir, a capsid inhibitor for the prevention or treatment of rhinovirus (RV) upper respiratory infections; and BTA585 (enzaplatovir), a fusion protein inhibitor in development for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infections. Aviragen also receives royalties from marketed influenza products, Relenza® and Inavir®. For additional information, please visit www.aviragentherapeutics.com.
Aviragen Therapeutics® is a registered trademark. Relenza® is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., and Inavir® is a registered trademark of Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements about Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc. and Vaxart Inc. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward looking statements. The words “anticipates,” “may,” “can,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “intends,” “likely,” “will,” “should,” “to be,” and any similar expressions or other words of similar meaning are intended to identify those assertions as forward looking statements. These forward looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation: the risk that the conditions to the closing of the merger are not satisfied, the failure to timely or at all obtain stockholder approval for the merger; uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation of the merger and the ability of each of Aviragen and Vaxart to consummate the merger;; and potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the merger. Additional factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from such forward looking statements include those identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in the documents filed by Aviragen with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including its Proxy/Prospectus on Form S-4, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, neither Aviragen nor Vaxart undertakes any obligation to update the forward-looking statements included in this press release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Additional Information About the Merger and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed strategic merger, Aviragen and Vaxart have filed relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, including a registration statement on Form S-4, as amended, that contains a prospectus and a joint proxy statement. Investors may obtain the proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing important information about Aviragen, Vaxart and the merger, free of charge at the SEC’s web site (www.sec.gov). In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Aviragen by directing a written request to: Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc. 2500 Northwinds Parkway, Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30009, Attention: Corporate Secretary or delivered via email to investors@aviragentherapeutics.com. Investors and security holders are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus and the other relevant materials before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the merger.
This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering 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.
Participants in the Solicitation
Aviragen and Vaxart and their respective directors and officers and certain of their other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Aviragen in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the special interests of these directors and executive officers in the merger are included in the proxy statement/prospectus referred to above. Additional information regarding the directors and executive officers of Aviragen is also included in Aviragen’s Annual Report on Forms 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2017, filed with the SEC on September 1, 2017, and the Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on October 20, 2017. These documents are available free of charge from the sources indicated above.
Contacts
Mark Colonnese
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc.
(678) 221-3381
mcolonnese@aviragentherapeutics.com
Beth DelGiacco
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
(212) 362-1200
beth@sternir.com
Kristian Klein
D.F. King & Co., Inc.
(212) 232-2247
Winnie Lerner / Nick Leasure
Finsbury
(646) 805-2855