- Paulson Capital (Delaware) Corp. Changes Name to VBI Vaccines Inc.
- VBI Vaccines Inc. Shares to Trade on NASDAQ Under the Ticker Symbol "VBIV" at Market Open on Tuesday, July 29, 2014
- VBIV Completes Private Placements Totaling $16.25M and Enters into Credit Agreement for a secured Debt Facility up to $6M
Variation Biotechnologies (US) Inc., ("VBI") a Cambridge-based vaccine development company announced today the completion of a merger on July 25, 2014 with Paulson Capital (Delaware) Corp. (PLCC) ("Paulson"). VBI becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paulson and Paulson will now be known as VBI Vaccines Inc. ("VBI Vaccines"). Beginning July 29, 2014, its stock will trade on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol VBIV following the consummation of a 1-for-5 reverse split.
Concurrent with the closing of the merger, VBI Vaccines completed two private placements of equity securities with gross proceeds of approximately $16,250,000 from VBI's existing biotech venture capital fund investors and other institutional investors. In addition to participating in the private placement, Perceptive Advisors also entered into a credit agreement with the Company for a secured debt facility up to $6,000,000, half of which may be drawn down immediately.
At the effective time of the merger, Paulson divested its ownership of its former operating subsidiary, Paulson Investment Company, Inc., which will operate as an independent entity going forward under new ownership.
Jeff Baxter, President and Chief Executive Officer of VBI and VBI Vaccines, stated, "A merger with Paulson provides a strong financial foundation with enhanced access to capital to further VBI's mission of innovative vaccine formulation, development, and delivery of safe and effective prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. The merger provides an excellent opportunity to progress our eVLP platform and lead CMV candidate into clinical development and to meet our long-term growth objectives through the acquisition of novel, innovative platforms and clinical assets."
Trent D. Davis, former President of Paulson and now a director of VBI Vaccines, said, "We are very proud of the impact that Chet Paulson and Paulson Investment Company has had on capital formation for emerging growth companies for more than 40 years. On behalf of the board of Paulson and Chet Paulson, I would like to thank all of our loyal shareholders and wish them continued success as shareholders of VBI Vaccines. We are very pleased to have merged with VBI, whose world class management and scientific team have a proven track record developing products that address critical unmet medical needs."
Mr. Davis added, "We are also pleased to announce that we have formed an irrevocable liquidating trust for the benefit of certain legacy shareholders who were holders of record of our stock on October 11, 2013, as previously announced. The trust now holds what were the non-operating assets of Paulson Investment Company, Inc., our former operating subsidiary. These assets will be liquidated and distributed to the legacy shareholders over time."
Palladium Capital Advisors, LLC assisted as a placement agent to the transactions.