Cellectis Completes Sale of $47 million through its ATM program

NEW YORK, April 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cellectis S.A. (NASDAQ: CLLS – EURONEXT GROWTH: ALCLS) (the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnological company employing its core proprietary technologies to develop best-in-class products based on gene-edited allogeneic CAR T-cells in the field of immuno-oncology, today announced that it has completed sales of approximately $47 million of American Depositary Shares (“ADS”) pursuant to the Company’s ATM program established on March 29, 2021 (the “ATM Sales”), through Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”), acting as sales agent. Each ADS represents one ordinary share of the Company.

In the ATM Sales, an aggregate of 2,415,630 new ADSs and the same number of underlying new ordinary shares have been issued to existing and new investors at an at-the-market price of $19.50 per new ADS.

It is anticipated that the settlement and delivery of the new ordinary shares will take place on April 12, 2021. They will be admitted to trading on the market of Euronext Growth and the issued ADSs will trade on Nasdaq.

A shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (including a prospectus) relating to Cellectis’ securities was filed with the SEC and became effective upon filing on June 2, 2020. Before purchasing ADSs in the offering, prospective investors should read the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with the documents incorporated by reference therein. Prospective investors may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, a copy of the prospectus supplement (and accompanying prospectus) relating to the offering may be obtained from Jefferies LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 or by telephone at (877) 821-7388 or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities of the Company, nor shall there be any sale of such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. In particular, no public offering of ADSs has been made in Europe.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Cellectis’ securities offering and the settlement thereof. Words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “projects,” “anticipates,” and “future” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Cellectis’ actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Further information on the risk factors that may affect company business and financial performance is included in Cellectis’ Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020, and subsequent filings Cellectis makes with the SEC from time to time. Except as required by law, Cellectis assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future, except as required by law.

For further information, please contact:

Media contacts:

Margaret Gandolfo, 646-628-0300,
Communications Manager
[email protected]

or

Conor McGlodrick, 914-355-0927,
Zeno Group
[email protected]

IR contact:

Simon Harnest, 646-385-9008
Chief Investment Officer
[email protected] 

 

Attachment



Rio Tinto reaches agreement with Turquoise Hill Resources on financing plan for Oyu Tolgoi

Rio Tinto reaches agreement with Turquoise Hill Resources on financing plan for Oyu Tolgoi

MELBOURNE, Australia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Rio Tinto has entered into a binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) with Turquoise Hill Resources (TRQ) for an updated funding plan (the “Funding Plan”) for the completion of the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) Underground Project in Mongolia. The Funding Plan addresses the estimated remaining known funding requirement of approximately $2.3 billion1, building on and replacing the arrangements established in the Memorandum of Understanding that Rio Tinto and TRQ previously entered into on 9 September, 2020.

Under the HoA, subject to securing approval by OT LLC and any required support from the Government of Mongolia, and subject to timing, availability, and terms and conditions being acceptable to both parties, Rio Tinto and TRQ will:

  • pursue re-profiling of principal debt repayments up to $1.4 billion with lenders under the existing project finance arrangements to better align with the revised mine plan, project timing and cash flows;
  • seek to raise up to $500 million in senior supplemental debt (SSD) under the existing project financing arrangements from selected international financial institutions;
  • Rio Tinto has committed to address any potential shortfalls from the re-profiling and additional SSD of up to $750 million by providing a senior co-lending facility (the “Co-Lending Facility”) on the same terms as OT’s project financing; and
  • TRQ has committed to complete a rights offering or placement of common shares for up to $500 million to satisfy any remaining funding shortfall within six months of the Co-Lending Facility becoming available.

Rio Tinto Copper Chief Executive Bold Baatar said “This agreement and alignment with TRQ represents a major milestone in the continued development of Oyu Tolgoi, which is expected to become one of the world’s largest copper mines and a significant contributor to the Mongolian economy for years to come. Commencing the re-profiling whilst concurrently listening, engaging and resolving the concerns of the Government of Mongolia are critical steps to maintaining momentum on the timely delivery of the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Project.”

“We are pleased to have reached a constructive and equitable agreement with Rio Tinto to fund the Oyu Tolgoi underground development,” stated Steve Thibeault, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Turquoise Hill. “With a binding funding agreement now in place that sets out a process along a known timeline, we will be able to move ahead as expeditiously as possible with the development of the underground project at Oyu Tolgoi. We remain committed to continue delivering a benefit to all stakeholders, including Mongolia and its citizens, and to delivering significant long-term value for TRQ as this project progresses.”

Rio Tinto and TRQ have agreed to jointly obtain an order dismissing the current arbitration on a without prejudice basis, including an order vacating the interim measures order.

Rio Tinto Canadian early warning disclosure

Rio Tinto currently beneficially owns 102,196,643 common shares of TRQ, representing approximately 50.8% of the issued and outstanding common shares of TRQ. Rio Tinto also has anti-dilution rights that permit it to acquire additional securities of TRQ so as to maintain its proportionate equity interest in TRQ from time to time.

As the subscription price for and the amount of any rights offering or other equity offering is not determinable at this time, the number of TRQ common shares Rio Tinto will beneficially own following closing of any such equity offering cannot be determined at this time.

Except in connection with any such equity offering, Rio Tinto has no present intention of acquiring additional securities of TRQ. Depending upon its evaluation of the business, prospects and financial condition of TRQ, the market for TRQ’s securities, general economic and tax conditions and other factors, Rio Tinto may directly or indirectly acquire or sell some or all of the securities of TRQ.

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by, and a copy of the related early warning report may be obtained from, Rio Tinto’s Group Company Secretary.

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Rio Tinto’s Group Company Secretary.

1 The estimated remaining funding requirement is based on the terms of the HoA and current anticipated copper prices, among other factors, and does not include funding, if any, which may become required for a power plant.

 

[email protected]

riotinto.com

Follow @RioTinto on Twitter

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Illtud Harri

M +44 7920 503 600

David Outhwaite

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Media Relations, Americas

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Media Relations, Asia

Grant Donald

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Media Relations, Australia

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Investor Relations, United Kingdom

Menno Sanderse

T: +44 20 7781 1517

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Investor Relations, Australia

Natalie Worley

T +61 3 9283 3063

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T +61 3 9283 3627

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Group Company Secretary

Steve Allen

Rio Tinto plc

6 St James’s Square

London SW1Y 4AD

United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000

Registered in England

No. 719885

Joint Company Secretary

Tim Paine

Rio Tinto Limited

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Melbourne 3000

Australia

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Category: General

KEYWORDS: Australia/Oceania Europe Australia United Kingdom

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Natural Resources Other Natural Resources Mining/Minerals

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Proactive news headlines including Australian Potash, Jindalee Resources, Kazia Therapeutics and Latin Resources

Sydney, April 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Proactive, provider of real-time news and video interviews on growth companies listed in Australia, has covered the following companies:

  • Australian Potash Ltd (ASX:APC) hit a new record high after ongoing work at its 100%-owned Laverton Downs Project (LDP) returned compelling targets with Kambalda-style massive nickel sulphide potential. Click here
  • Jindalee Resources Ltd (ASX:JRL) has skyrocketed after confirming that the upgraded resource estimate of 10.1 million tonnes at McDermitt Project on the Oregon-Nevada border is the USA’s largest lithium deposit by contained lithium. Click here
  • Kazia Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:KZA) (NASDAQ:KZIA) (FRA:NV9) will share new data from its ongoing phase II study of paxalisib in glioblastoma in a poster presentation at the prestigious American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting being held virtually from April 10-15 and from May 17-21, 2021. Click here
  • Latin Resources Ltd (ASX:LRS) (FRA:XL5) ongoing test results from the Noombenberry Project in Western Australia are showing some of the highest grade halloysite and kaolin assays in Australia, including a 41% halloysite assay. Click here
  • Australian Strategic Materials Ltd (ASX:ASM) (OTCMKTS:ASMMF) has received a strong endorsement of its integrated metals production strategy centred on rare earths by attracting two new substantial shareholders. Click here
  • Chase Mining Ltd (ASX:CML) executive chairman Dr Leon Pretorius, non-executive director Julian Atkinson and non-executive director Charles Thomas have shown support for the company’s exploration strategy by participating in a share placement. Click here

About Proactive 

With six offices on three continents and a team of experienced business journalists and broadcasters, Proactive works with innovative growth companies quoted on the world’s major stock exchanges, helping executives engage intelligently with investors.

Proactive’ s platform delivers the right message to the right audience, digitally and in real time, leveraging a range of media, investment research, digital investor targeting and website development services to support over 1,000 fast-growing companies globally.

Proactive’s network reaches over 12 million engaged private, professional and institutional investors looking for opportunities.

• Our written and video content is published on Proactive sites that collectively attract up to 10 million views per month.
• We syndicate our content to hundreds of mainstream and specialist news sites that expand our reach into networks that can be difficult for press releases to penetrate.
• We custom build corporate websites from the ground up, empowering clients and their brands with a modern online presence and the latest insight on effective SEO strategy.
• Our news coverage ranks high on the world’s most popular search platforms, and we can further amplify online presence and outreach with sophisticated digital investor targeting.
• We help the world understand what makes companies stand out from the crowd with in-depth investment research from a team of experienced analysts.

For more information on how Proactive can help you make a difference, email us at [email protected]


 



Nel ASA: Enters into framework agreement with Wood

PR Newswire

OSLO, Norway, April 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Nel ASA (Nel, OSE:NEL) has entered into a framework agreement with the global consulting and engineering company Wood (LSE: JOHN). The companies will collaborate to develop and execute large scale, complex green renewable hydrogen projects in select regions across the world.

“We are very excited to be entering into this agreement with Wood, who has extensive experience from large, complex projects worldwide. As green hydrogen projects are growing in size and complexity, it is crucial for our success to have strong partners to strengthen our project management- and execution capabilities. This is a long-term commitment, and we look forward to working together to further strengthen our competitiveness through leveraging our experience and competence.” says Jon André Løkke, CEO of Nel ASA.

Wood is a global leader in consulting and engineering across energy and the built environment, providing consulting, projects and operations solutions in more than 60 countries, employing around 40,000 people.

“We are excited about the opportunity to support NEL Hydrogen as they play their part in the green hydrogen revolution, and as we unite on our commitment to create a more sustainable and cleaner energy future. We look forward to leveraging our global engineering and project implementation capabilities to support our client on their delivery of impactful solutions around the world,” says Craig Shanaghey, Wood’s President of Operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The process of phasing in Wood on ongoing projects is underway.

For further information, please contact:

Jon André Løkke, CEO, +47 907 44 949

Kjell Christian Bjørnsen, CFO, +47 917 02 097

About Nel ASA |
www.nelhydrogen.com

Nel is a global, dedicated hydrogen company, delivering optimal solutions to produce, store, and distribute hydrogen from renewable energy. We serve industries, energy, and gas companies with leading hydrogen technology. Our roots date back to 1927, and since then, we have had a proud history of development and continuous improvement of hydrogen technologies. Today, our solutions cover the entire value chain: from hydrogen production technologies to hydrogen fueling stations, enabling industries to transition to green hydrogen, and providing fuel cell electric vehicles with the same fast fueling and long range as fossil-fueled vehicles – without the emissions.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/nel-asa/r/nel-asa–enters-into-framework-agreement-with-wood,c3322401

The following files are available for download:

 

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SOURCE NEL ASA

Vaporesso’s New Eco-Friendly Design Receives Red Dot Award

PR Newswire

SHENZHEN, China, April 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Vaporesso recently won the 2021 Red Dot Design Award for an unreleased eco-friendly disposable vape, the EP-Vaporizer. Recognized internationally as the standard in innovative design awards, this is the second time Vaporesso has won a Red Dot award. Now, the company known for the compact LUXE Q is focused on applying its expertise in technology and design to push the boundaries and give customers both a great vaping experience and an environmentally conscious peace of mind.

For more than 60 years, the Red Dot Awards has been an internationally recognized symbol of outstanding product design. Nowadays, Red Dots are one of the most sought-after seals of quality for good design. The international jury adjudicated thousands of world-class products every year and awarding only 1.2% with Red Dots: Best of the Best. Entries are assessed on several key criteria, including the Degree of innovation, Functionality, Formal quality, Ergonomics, Durability, Symbolic and emotional content, Product periphery, Self-explanatory quality, and Ecological compatibility. To win two Red Dots in the space of a couple of years speaks volumes to the company’s focus on innovative design and product quality. 

The award-winning eco-friendly EP-Vaporizer culminated in Vaporesso’s focus on combining cutting-edge technology and solid design principles with a sense of social responsibility. Both the product packaging and actual device casing are made entirely from biodegradable, recyclable paper pulp, which can quickly decompose.

The paper pulp used has been treated to be waterproof and air permeable, providing consistent product performance, preventing the build-up of bacteria, and decomposing into CO2 and water after disposal. 

The EP-Vaporizer can be fully disassembled after use as the paper pulp exterior can be taken apart in sections. From there, the component pieces can be recycled in their respective  

Vaporesso recognizes the global environment’s critical state and sees the harm being done by disposable products that are improperly disposed of as a real cause for concern. With this insight as a starting point, the design team set about creating a device that delivers a great vaping experience that is also eco-friendly, raising awareness that we need to do more to protect our environment. 

Upon receiving news of the Red Dot Award, Head of Design for the EP-Vaporizer, Becky Liu said, “I am so proud of our team for winning this award. We started with three principles of ‘innovation, high quality, eco-friendly,’ and what we have achieved with the EP-Vaporizer speaks for itself. Environmental consciousness is a pillar of Vaporesso, and I am thrilled that our vision with this product has received such a high level of international praise.”

With a diverse and growing design team focused on innovation, more socially responsible and eco-friendly products are set to be flowing from Vaporesso in the coming few years. This comes as the company realizes its capacity to influence society and seek new ways to give back positively. Currently, Vaporesso is focused on combining these ideals of social responsibility with cutting-edge technology and great design to create next-generation vaping products like the LUXE Q and EP-Vaporize.

For more information, please visit https://www.vaporesso.com/

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SOURCE VAPORESSO

Turquoise Hill Resources and Rio Tinto Reach Binding Agreement on Funding Plan for Oyu Tolgoi

PR Newswire

MONTREAL, April 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. (“Turquoise Hill” or the “Company”) and Rio Tinto today announced that they have entered into a binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) to provide an updated funding plan (the “Funding Plan”) for the completion of the Oyu Tolgoi LLC (OT) underground project in Mongolia. The Funding Plan is designed to address the estimated remaining funding requirement of approximately US$2.3 billion[1] and replaces the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding that Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill previously entered into on September 9, 2020.

Under the HoA, subject to securing approval by OT LLC and any required support from the Government of Mongolia, Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto will:

  • pursue re-profiling of existing project debt to better align with the revised mine plan, project timing and cash flows to reduce the currently projected funding requirements of OT by up to US$1.4 billion; and
  • seek to raise up to US$500 million in senior supplemental debt (SSD) under the existing project financing arrangements from selected international financial institutions.

In addition, Rio Tinto has committed to address any potential shortfalls from the re-profiling and additional SSD of up to US$750 million by providing a senior co-lending facility (the “Co-Lending Facility”) on the same terms as OT’s project financing, while Turquoise Hill has committed to complete an equity offering of common shares for up to US$500 million in the form of, and at Turquoise Hill’s discretion, either (i) a rights offering of common shares or (ii) a public offering or private placement of common shares, in either case sufficient to satisfy any remaining funding shortfall of up to US$500 million within six months of the Co-Lending Facility becoming available.

“We are pleased to have reached a constructive and equitable agreement with Rio Tinto to fund the Oyu Tolgoi underground development,” stated Steve Thibeault, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Turquoise Hill. “With a binding funding agreement now in place that sets out a process along a known timeline, we will be able to move ahead as expeditiously as possible with the development of the underground project at Oyu Tolgoi. We remain committed to continue delivering a benefit to all stakeholders, including Mongolia and its citizens, and to delivering significant long-term value for Turquoise Hill as this project progresses.”

Rio Tinto Copper Chief Executive Bold Baatar said, “This agreement and alignment with Turquoise Hill represents a major milestone in the continued development of Oyu Tolgoi, which is expected to become one of the world’s largest copper mines and a significant contributor to the Mongolian economy for years to come. Commencing the re-profiling whilst concurrently listening, engaging and resolving the concerns of the Government of Mongolia are critical steps to maintaining momentum on the timely delivery of the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Project.”

Given the HoA sets out a collaborative and binding contractual framework designed to address the known funding requirement in order to complete the development of the OT underground project, Turquoise Hill has determined that entering into the HoA addresses the principal objectives that the arbitration instituted in November 2020 had been initially intended to achieve and, to that end, Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto have jointly agreed to obtain an order dismissing the current arbitration on a without prejudice basis and without costs, including an order vacating the interim measures order.

The HoA will be available under Turquoise Hill’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and will also be posted on Turquoise Hill’s website at www.turquoisehill.com.

About Turquoise Hill Resources

Turquoise Hill is an international mining company focused on the operation and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, which is the Company’s principal and only material mineral resource property. Turquoise Hill’s ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC); Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC, a Mongolian state-owned entity, holds the remaining 34% interest.

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the UK, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London and New York Stock Exchange listed company, and Rio Tinto Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Rio Tinto’s business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major products are iron ore, aluminium, copper, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, industrial minerals (borate, titanium dioxide and salt).  Activities span the world and are strongly represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe, and southern Africa.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information

Certain statements made herein, including statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of the Company’s beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future events or future performance, reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and are typically identified by words such as “anticipate”, “could”, “should”, “expect”, “seek”, “may”, “intend”, “likely”, “plan”, “estimate”, “will”, “believe” and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. These include, but are not limited to, statements and information regarding: discussions with, and the nature of the Company’s relationship and interaction with, the Government of Mongolia on the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi, including with respect to the definitive estimate and the potential termination, amendment or replacement of the Oyu Tolgoi Mine Development and Financing Plan (“UDP”); the willingness and ability of the parties to the UDP to amend or replace the UDP; the implementation and successful execution of the funding plan that is the subject of the Heads of Agreement (“HoA”) described in this press release and the amount of any additional future funding gap to complete the Oyu Tolgoi Project as well as the amount and potential sources of additional funding required therefor, all as contemplated by the HoA; the expectations set out in the 2020 Oyu Tolgoi Technical Report (“OTTR20”); the timing and amount of future production and potential production delays; statements in respect of the impacts of any delays on the Company’s cash flows; expected copper and gold grades; the merits of the class action complaints filed against the Company in October 2020 and January 2021, respectively; the timing of studies, announcements and analyses; status of underground development; the mine design for Panel 0 of Hugo North Lift 1 and the related cost and production schedule implications; the re-design studies for Panels 1 and 2 of Hugo North Lift 1 and the possible outcomes, content and timing thereof; expectations regarding the possible recovery of ore in the two structural pillars, to the north and south of Panel 0; the possible progression of a state-owned power plant (“SOPP”) and related amendments to the Power Source Framework Agreement (“PSFA”) as well as power purchase agreements; the timing of construction and commissioning of the potential SOPP; sources of interim power; the potential impact of COVID-19, including any restrictions imposed by health or governmental authorities relating thereto on the Company’s business, operations and financial condition; capital and operating cost estimates; mill and concentrator throughput; the outcome of formal international arbitration proceedings; anticipated business activities, planned expenditures, corporate strategies, and other statements that are not historical facts.

Forward-looking statements and information are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements or information. There can be no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be accurate. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Events or circumstances could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements are included in the “Risk Factors” section in the Company’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 (“AIF”), as supplemented by the “Risks and Uncertainties” section of the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2020 (“MD&A”). Readers are further cautioned that the list of factors enumerated in the “Risk Factors” section of the AIF and in the “Risks and Uncertainties” section of the MD&A that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company’s forward-looking statements and information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements and information contained herein are made as of the date of this document and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements and information contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

__________________________________


1 The estimated remaining funding requirement is based on the terms of the HoA and current anticipated copper prices, among other factors, and does not include funding, if any, which may become required for a power plant. 

 

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SOURCE TURQUOISE HILL RESOURCES LTD

ONCURIOUS Presenting Clinical and Preclinical Data at Upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2021 Annual Meeting

  • Oral presentation of Phase 1 dose escalation study of TB-403 in pediatric subjects with relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma (MB)
  • Poster presentation of research findings of best therapeutic approach to target CCR8 expressed on tumor regulatory T cells to boost anti-tumor immune responses 

Leuven, Belgium 9th April 2021 – 7.30 AM CET – ONCURIOUS NV, a Belgium-based biotech company focused on developing innovative oncology treatments, today announces that it will make two presentations at the upcoming AACR Virtual Annual Meeting 2021 which will take place from 9 to 14 April.

The first of these is an oral presentation of data from a Phase 1 dose escalation study of TB-403, a humanized monoclonal antibody against placental growth factor (PlGF), in pediatric cancer subjects for treatment of medulloblastoma:

TitleA Phase 1, open label, multicenter, dose escalation study of TB-403 in pediatric subjects with relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, Ewing Sarcoma or alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma

Presented by: Dr. Giselle Sholler, Director at the Isabella Santos Foundation Solid and Rare Tumor Program, Chair at Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium, and Professor, Pediatric Oncology at the Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, NC.

Presentation #: CT015

Session Title: Early Clinical Trials with New Anticancer Agents     

Session Date and Time: Saturday 10th April from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM US EDT

The second presentation is an e-poster presentation of preclinical data:

TitleInvestigation of the best therapeutic approach to target CCR8 expressed on tumor regulatory T cells to boost anti-tumor immune responses

Authors
:
 Heleen Roose, Elizabeth Allen, Helena Van Damme, Bruno Dombrecht, Rosa Martín-Pérez, Damya Laoui, Jo A. Van Ginderachter, Pascal Merchiers. Oncurious NV, Leuven, Belgium, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium, VIB Discovery Sciences, Leuven-Ghent, Belgium.

Date and Time: The e-poster will be available on AACR’s website on Saturday 10th April at 8:30 AM US EDT (the first day of the virtual AACR Annual Meeting). The e-poster will remain available for viewing through to Monday 21st June 2021.

 The abstract can be viewed here.

In February 2021, The Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer (a BMJ journal) published a paper on the efficacy and safety of targeting CCR8 for the depletion of tumor-promoting tumor infiltrating Tregs in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy. For more information please see Oncurious press release here.

For further information please contact:

Oncurious NV

Wouter Piepers,
Investor Relations
& Corporate Communications
Tel: +32 478 33 56 32
[email protected]
VIB

Elisabeth Stes
External Relations Manager
+32 9 244 66 11 / +32 486 825 902
[email protected]

 

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

David Dible/ Sylvie Berrebi/Frazer Hall
Tel: +44 20 7638 9571
[email protected]

About Oncurious

ONCURIOUS NV is a Belgium-based biotech company focused on developing innovative oncology treatments derived from a series of promising new targets that are designed to enhance T cell activity and migration and infiltration into resistant tumour sites, boosting the response to immunotherapy in the large numbers of patients who respond sub-optimally to existing treatment.

Oncurious is working on a series of novel immuno-modulatory targets offering the potential to overcome tumor resistance mechanisms, which current immune checkpoint inhibitors cannot address, and thereby significantly enhancing the responses to immunotherapy across multiple tumor types. The team has discovered a potent and diverse panel of leads targeting human CCR8 and is entering the final stage of preclinical candidate selection.

Oncurious is majority owned by Oxurion NV (Euronext Brussels: OXUR), a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation standard ophthalmic therapies designed to better preserve vision in patients with retinal vascular disorders, and VIB. Oncurious notes that BioInvent AB contributed to the initial stages of the trial.

More information: www.oncurious.com

About VIB

VIB is a strategic research center in life sciences and biotech. The results of VIB’s top research are actively translated into added value for society. VIB unites the expertise of 81 research groups thematically organized into 8 research centers. VIB’s technology transfer team proactively translates new biological findings into new economic activities, such as starting up new companies and partnerships with the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Since its foundation in 1996, VIB has created 20 start-up companies. VIB also engages actively in the public debate on biotechnology by developing and disseminating a wide range of science-based information about all aspects of biotechnology. VIB has a close partnership with five Flemish universities – Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Hasselt University.

More information: www.vib.be



Transgene Presents Initial Phase I Data of TG6002, Highlighting the Potential of the Intravenous Administration of Its Oncolytic Viruses

Transgene Presents Initial Phase I Data of TG6002, Highlighting the Potential of the Intravenous Administration of Its Oncolytic Viruses

Detailed results to be presented at AACR 2021 Annual Congress

Intravenous administration could allow oncolytic viruses from Transgene’s Invir.IO™ platform to be used to treat a broad range of solid tumors

STRASBOURG, France–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Regulatory News:

Transgene (Paris:TNG) (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech company that designs and develops virus-based immunotherapeutics against cancer, today announces initial promising results from a Phase I study combining intravenous (IV) oncolytic virus TG6002 and oral 5-FC in patients with advanced gastrointestinal carcinomas. These data provide a clinical proof of concept for Transgene’s double deleted VVcopTKRR patented virus backbone: after IV administration, TG6002 reached the tumor, multiplied within tumor cells, and induced the local expression of its payload (the FCU1 gene).

These results will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) virtual meeting taking place from April 10-15, 2021.

DATA CONFIRM THAT THE CHEMOTHERAPY AGENT 5-FU IS PRODUCED IN PATIENTS’ TUMORS AFTER INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION

TG6002 is a novel oncolytic virus that has been engineered to combine multiple mechanisms of action. It has been designed to:

  • selectively replicate within cancer cells. This is due to the deletion of the viral genes encoding TK and RR, which reduces the virus’s ability to grow in normal cells. This selective viral replication leads to the breakdown of the infected tumor cells in a process called oncolysis,
  • prime an immune response against the primary tumor and metastases,
  • and to induce the local expression of a biologically active enzyme able to convert 5-FC into its active cytotoxic metabolite 5-FU, directly in the tumor.

The data demonstrate that high concentration and continuous production of 5-FU chemotherapy can be obtained within the tumors through the local conversion of the pro-drug 5-FC (administered orally). This mechanism of action is based on the in-tumor expression of the proprietary FCU1 gene that has been integrated within the genome of TG6002.

In this study, extensive analyses are being performed including metastasis biopsy with synchronous blood sampling, assessment of virus presence, quantification of 5-FC and 5-FU and assessment of neutralizing antibody titers.

These analyses have allowed Transgene to document TG6002’s pharmacokinetics (PK) and biodistribution, and the functioning of the FCU1 gene when given by IV administration.

Detailed results:

✔ TG6002 infects tumors after intravenous administration, remains active and effectively express FCU1 gene selectively in tumor tissue;

✔ Absence of widespread virus distribution in the body and association of FCU1 activity with high virus concentration in tumor tissue suggest that the replication of TG6002 is concentrated in tumor cells;

✔ None of the patients presented clinical signs of extra-tumoral dissemination of the virus suggesting a high tumor specificity of the viral replication;

✔ The study is continuing with escalating dosing of TG6002.

CLINICAL PROOF OF CONCEPT OF THE FEASIBILITY OF THE IV ADMINISTRATION OF TRANSGENE’S PROPRIETARY ONCOLYTIC VIRUS

To-date, the only oncolytic virus that has received regulatory approval is only approved for intra-tumoral administration, restricting its use to superficial lesions.

Transgene aims to enlarge the number of solid tumors, such as gastro-intestinal tumors, that could be addressed by an oncolytic virus, by developing oncolytics that can be administered intravenously.

The findings that will be presented at AACR demonstrate the relevance of intravenous administration of Transgene’s next generation oncolytic viruses including TG6002.

These data also suggest that candidates derived from Transgene’s unique Invir.IO™ platform could also be given intravenously, extending the use of these therapies to a broad range of solid tumors.

  • Title of the poster: “Oncolytic virus TG6002 locates to tumors after intravenous infusion and induces tumor-specific expression of a functional pro-drug activating enzyme in patients with advanced gastrointestinal carcinomas”
  • Authors: Kaidre Bendjama, Philippe Cassier, Victor Moreno, Bernard Doger, Emiliano Calvo, Maria De Miguel, Christiane Jungels, Philippe Erbs, Damien Carpentier, Alain Sadoun.
  • Abstract/Poster Number: LB179
  • Session: PO.IM02.11 – Vaccines

The e-poster presentation will be available on the AACR website beginning at 8:30 am US EDT on Saturday, April 10, until Monday, June 21. The text of this abstract will be posted at 12:01 am US EDT on Friday, April 9 on the AACR website.

About the trial (NCT03724071)

This trial is a single-arm open-label Phase I/II trial evaluating the safety and tolerability of multiple ascending doses of TG6002 administered intravenously in combination with oral 5-FC, a non-cytotoxic pro-drug that can be converted in 5-FU, its active metabolite. Based on the safety profile of TG6002, several dose levels have been added to the initial Phase I clinical protocol. At the end of this Phase I part, Phase II patients will receive the recommended dose of TG6002. The trial has safety as primary endpoint for the Phase I part and efficacy for the Phase II part. The trial also evaluates pharmacokinetic properties and biodistribution of TG6002, along with immune modulation of the tumor micro-environment. This European study will enroll up to 40 patients suffering from advanced gastrointestinal carcinomas who have failed and/or are intolerant to standard therapeutic options in the Phase I part. Patients with colon cancer and liver metastases will be enrolled in the Phase II part.

Dr. Philippe Cassier, M.D., PhD, head of the early-phase trials unit at Centre Léon Bérard (Lyon, France) is the principal investigator of the trial.

About TG6002

TG6002 has been engineered to directly kill cancer cells (oncolysis), to enable the production of a chemotherapy agent (5-FU) within the tumor, and to elicit an immune response by the body against the tumor cells. In preclinical experiments, TG6002 has been shown to induce the shrinkage of the primary tumor as well as the regression of distant metastases (Foloppe, et al., Molecular Therapy Oncolytics, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omto.2019.03.005).

The production of 5-FU directly in the tumor aims to achieve a better anti-tumoral effect with limited chemotherapy-induced side effects.

TG6002 induces the production of 5-FU in the cancer cells it has infected, by enabling the local conversion of the pro-drug 5-FC (administered orally) into 5-FU. 5-FU is a common chemotherapy agent for patients with gastro-intestinal cancers. This mechanism of action is based on the in-tumor expression of the proprietary FCU1 gene that has been encoded in the genome of TG6002, taking advantage of the virus selective replication in the tumor cells.

When administered systemically, 5-FU is associated with side effects that can lead to treatment discontinuation. With TG6002, 5-FU is produced within the tumor where it is expected to be present at a high concentration level in contrast to the very low levels anticipated in the rest of the patient’s body.

About Transgene

Transgene (Euronext: TNG) is a biotechnology company focused on designing and developing targeted immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Transgene’s programs utilize viral vector technology with the goal of indirectly or directly killing cancer cells.

The Company’s clinical-stage programs consist of two therapeutic vaccines (TG4001 for the treatment of HPV-positive cancers, and TG4050, the first individualized therapeutic vaccine based on the myvac® platform) as well as two oncolytic viruses (TG6002 for the treatment of solid tumors, and BT-001, the first oncolytic virus based on the Invir.IO™ platform).

With Transgene’s myvac® platform, therapeutic vaccination enters the field of precision medicine with a novel immunotherapy that is fully tailored to each individual. The myvac® approach allows the generation of a virus-based immunotherapy that encodes patient-specific mutations identified and selected by Artificial Intelligence capabilities provided by its partner NEC.

With its proprietary platform Invir.IO™, Transgene is building on its viral vector engineering expertise to design a new generation of multifunctional oncolytic viruses. Transgene has an ongoing Invir.IO™ collaboration with AstraZeneca.

Additional information about Transgene is available at: www.transgene.fr

Follow us on Twitter: @TransgeneSA

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The occurrence of any of these risks could have a significant negative outcome for the Company’s activities, perspectives, financial situation, results, regulatory authorities’ agreement with development phases, and development. The Company’s ability to commercialize its products depends on but is not limited to the following factors: positive pre-clinical data may not be predictive of human clinical results, the success of clinical studies, the ability to obtain financing and/or partnerships for product manufacturing, development and commercialization, and marketing approval by government regulatory authorities. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the Company’s actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors (“Facteurs de Risque”) section of the Universal Registration Document, available on the AMF website (http://www.amf-france.org) or on Transgene’s website (www.transgene.fr). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Transgene undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Transgene:

Lucie Larguier

Director Corporate Communications & IR

+33 (0)3 88 27 91 04

[email protected]

Media: Citigate Dewe Rogerson

David Dible/Sylvie Berrebi

+ 44 (0)20 7638 9571

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Europe United States North America France

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Research Genetics Clinical Trials Stem Cells Other Health Biotechnology Pharmaceutical Health Science Oncology

MEDIA:

Facedrive Provides a Corporate Update and Growth Report

Facedrive Provides a Corporate Update and Growth Report

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Facedrive Inc. (“Facedrive” or the “Company”) (TSXV:FD) (OTCQX:FDVRF), a Canadian “people-and-planet first” tech ecosystem is pleased to provide this general corporate update and growth report as at the completion of the first fiscal quarter of 2021.

Facedrive is a multi-faceted “people-and-planet first” tech ecosystem offering socially-responsible services to local communities with a strong commitment to doing business fairly, equitably and sustainably. As part of this commitment, Facedrive’s vision is to fulfil its mandate through a number of services and offerings that either leverage existing technologies of the Company or project initiatives with existing lines of business. Facedrive’s services and offerings include: (i) its eco-friendly rideshare business, Facedrive Rideshare; (ii) its food delivery service, Facedrive Foods; (iii) its contact-tracing and connected health services business, Facedrive Health; (iv) its e-commerce platform, Facedrive Marketplace; and (v) its e-social platform, Facedrive Social.

As a result of a Continuous Disclosure Review of staff of the Ontario Securities Commission (“OSC”) that commenced in 2020, the staff of the Corporate Finance Branch requested that the Company provide clarifying information regarding the Foodora Transaction, the HiRide Acquisition, the Medtronics Consulting Agreement (as each of such term is defined herein), the status of Facedrive’s early stage and non-revenue generating “projects” during fiscal Q2 and Q3 2020. The staff of the Corporate Finance Branch also requested that specific performance data and growth statistics be provided in this clarifying press release in order to specifically quantify and clarify facts about the growth and demand for the Company’s products and services with respect to Foodora Canada, HiRide, TraceSCAN and the Steer Acquisition (as each of such term is defined herein). This press release contains such clarifying information.

1. Facedrive Rideshare

Facedrive Rideshare was among the first to offer a wide variety of environmentally and socially responsible solutions in the Transportation as a Service (TaaS) sector, where the Company competes head-to-head with a number of established competitors. However, Facedrive has created a unique niche in such sector, as the Company offers its riders something different among competitors – the opportunity to mitigate the carbon footprint of their ride with carbon offsets. Facedrive Rideshare incentivizes drivers and passengers to choose a green alternative, thereby promoting the use of electric and hybrid vehicles and ultimately reducing carbon emissions. Using the Facedrive application on their mobile device, riders can request rides in electric, hybrid and gas-powered vehicles. The Facedrive app calculates the estimated CO2 emissions for each ride by vehicle type and the CO2 emissions can be offset by contributing a portion of the fare to carbon offset, tree planting and other measured, sustainable programs. At the same time, drivers of electric and hybrid vehicles are paid at increased rates to incentivize the switch towards environmentally friendly transportation. Facedrive works with Forests Ontario, a non-profit registered charity engaged in tree-planting, forestry education and other sustainable initiatives.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including legally mandated lock-downs and social isolation measures, have dramatically lowered the demand for both work-related and personal transportation. As a result, Facedrive Rideshare has experienced a slowdown in ride volume and growth over the past 12 months, as have all ridesharing platforms. This, in turn, has had a number of knock-on effects including pausing the Company’s planned expansions into new cities, delays in renewals of Facedrive’s licenses at the municipal level, and a reduction in registered and active drivers. Currently, Facedrive Rideshare operates in the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, Brantford, London, Guelph, Cambridge, Orillia, and Ottawa.

While Facedrive encourages the public to reduce unnecessary travel in line with public guidelines, the Company has continued to offer transportation programs throughout the pandemic. This includes providing rides to frontline healthcare workers and, in partnership with local health units and partner community organizations, the Company also provides non-emergency medical transportation, including rides to and from COVID-19 assessment centres, to those who have no transportation options, live in communities with high rates of COVID-19 and who have challenges travelling to be tested – all by dedicated COVID-19 trained drivers.

Steer

In response to the pandemic, Facedrive Rideshare focused on services that enabled individuals to more easily and effectively comply with pandemic-related safety protocols. One such service was an electric vehicle subscription service that enabled social isolation practices by excluding driver-rider interaction. On September 5, 2020, the Company (through its newly-formed wholly-owned subsidiary, Steer Holdings, LLC) completed an acquisition of the substantive assets of Steer (“Steer”), a division of Exelorate Enterprises, LLC (“Exelorate”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC) (the “Steer Acquisition”). Steer specializes in the electric vehicle subscription businesses. Steer was created to challenge traditional car ownership and accelerate the switch to environmentally-friendly transportation.

The Company acquired Steer for aggregate consideration of USD$3,250,000, which was satisfied through the issuance of 222,819 Shares, issued at a deemed price of $19.27 per share (calculated on the 30-day volume weighted average trading price of the Shares as reported on Bloomberg, ending three trading days prior to the date of the Steer Acquisition). The fair value of the Shares issued to Exelorate was determined to be a discounted $15.44 per Share, and includes a discount of 36.2% as the Shares are subject to an 18-month lock-up that ends on March 5, 2022.

The Steer Acquisition was determined to be a business combination as substantive processes and assets were acquired as part of the transaction. The Company also retained the services of Steer’s former employees and its contracted management services provider.

Consideration paid:

 

 

Fair value of Shares issued (222,819 Shares at $15.44 per Share

– Issued at $19.27 per Share and discounted by 36.2%)

 

$

 

2,196,173

 

$

2,196,173

 

 

 

Net identifiable assets acquired:

 

 

Intangible assets – Brand name

$

650,000

Vehicle subscription agreements (the “Steer Customer list”)

 

649,000

Right-of-use assets

 

8,423,259

Lease liability

 

(8,423,259)

Goodwill

 

897,173

 

$

2,196,173

Concurrent with the closing of the Steer Acquisition, Exelorate invested in the Company by subscribing for Shares as part of a strategic investment. Exelorate subscribed for 137,119 Shares (“Strategic Investment Shares”) at CAD$19.27 per share for gross proceeds of USD $2,000,000 (CAD$2,617,800). No finder’s fee was paid in connection with such strategic investment. All Strategic Investment Shares are subject to an 18-month lock-up.

Facedrive is actively growing its Steer business and launched the service in Canada in March 2021.

Revenue and User Growth

The Company’s revenues from Facedrive Rideshare grew during the second half of 2020, despite the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Company’s total revenues attributable to Facedrive Rideshare grew as follows: Q4 2019 – $134,525; Q1 2020 – $287,901 (COVID-19 started)1; Q2 2020 – $36,650; Q3 2020 – $250,126; Q4 2020 – $676,200; for a total of $1,250,877 of revenue during 2020. Of this revenue, the following figures are attributable to Ridesharing in Canada: Q4 2019 – $134,525; Q1 2020 – $287,901; Q2 2020 – $36,650; Q3 2020 – $75,978; Q4 2020 – $111,520; for a total of $512,094 of revenue from Rideshare during 2020. The following revenue figures are attributable to Steer’s vehicle subscription business in the USA (which was acquired by the Company on September 5, 2020): Q3 2020 – $174,148; Q4 2020 – $564,680; for a total of $738,828 of revenue during 2020. Steer has generated revenue for the Company of approximately $700,000 since its acquisition on September 5, 2020 to December 31, 2020, which annualizes to approximately $2.1 million per annum. Of this revenue, approximately 1 to 3 percent represents activation fees, with the remaining amount representing recurring subscription-based revenues.

The Company was also able to grow the number of drivers and users during 2020. The number of registered Facedrive Rideshare drivers in Canada has grown as follows: 10,376 as of December 31, 2019 (with 3,275 being fully approved to operate); 13,647 as of March 31, 2020 (with 3,515 being fully approved to operate); 14,323 as of June 30, 2020 (with 3,596 being fully approved to operate); 16,872 as of September 30, 2020 (with 3,928 being fully approved to operate); and 18,964 as of December 31, 2020 (with 4,175 being fully approved to operate). Registered Facedrive Rideshare drivers only become fully approved to operate after satisfying a car inspection, background check and receiving any requisite approvals from the jurisdictions in which they intend to operate. The number of registered Facedrive Rideshare users in Canada has grown as follows: December 31, 2019 – 34,031; March 31, 2020 – 46,138; June 30, 2020 – 48,645; September 30, 2020 – 56,870; December 31, 2020 – 64,224. The number of Steer vehicle subscription service customers in the USA was: September 30, 2020 – 133; December 31, 2020 – 123; and March 31, 2021 – 121. Revenues from HiRide (see below) are expected to commence upon the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic and the return of Canadian and American university and college students to their campuses.

The Company is actively working to cross-sell and introduce its customers/users to the Company’s other products and services.

HiRide

On March 20, 2020, the Company announced that it had entered into a share exchange agreement (the “HiRide Acquisition Agreement”) to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of HiRide Share Ltd. (“HiRide”), a socially responsible ride-sharing and car-pooling business primarily targeted to long-distance travel and long distance commuters such as university and college students (the “HiRide Acquisition”). HiRide enabled the Company to enter a new market segment within the TaaS sector and brought a technical team and series of relationships that continues to benefit the Company in other services and product offerings such as Health and Social. The HiRide Acquisition closed following the close of business on March 31, 2020. Shareholders of HiRide received an aggregate of $1,000,000 on closing, payable in common shares of the Company (“Shares’) at a price per Share equal to $3.76 (calculated as the 30-day volume weighted average trading price of the Shares on the TSX-V ending four trading days prior to the date of entering into the HiRide Acquisition Agreement). The HiRide Acquisition Agreement provides that the shareholders of HiRide are entitled to receive future conditional payments of up to $2,500,000 (the “Conditional Payments”) over the course of 2 years following closing of the HiRide Acquisition, which payments are contingent upon the achievement of the certain financial and operational milestones. The Conditional Payments, if any, will be payable in Shares or a combination of cash and Shares. As at December 31, 2020, the Company’s management has assessed that it would be improbable that the terms for the first Conditional Payment will be met and as such, no amounts have been accrued in 2020 for the Conditional Payments.

There were no finder’s fees paid in connection with the HiRide Acquisition. All Shares issued were subject to a four-month statutory hold period from the date of issuance, as well as contractual lock-up and escrow restrictions from the date of issuance.

The HiRide Acquisition was determined to be an asset acquisition as substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset. For accounting purposes, using the fair value method of accounting, consideration consisted of 265,957 Shares with a fair value of $739,360, representinga grant date fair value of the Shares of $2.78 per Share and $51,549 of acquisition costs. The Conditional Payments were determined to be consideration for post transaction services and will be accounted for by the Company as post-transaction compensation costs. In addition, contrary to what the Company disclosed in its Q3 2020 interim financial statements, the Company did test for impairment of the asset at the end of Q3, 2020.

Consideration paid:

 

 

Fair value of Shares issued (265,957 Shares at $2.78 per Share)

$

739,360

Transaction costs

 

51,549

 

$

790,909

 

 

 

Net identifiable assets acquired:

 

 

Cash

$

40

Intangible assets – Brand name

 

70,000

Intangible assets – HiRide platform

 

761,209

Accounts payable

 

(20,340)

Shareholders loans

 

(20,000)

 

$

790,909

HiRide enabled the Company to enter a new market segment within the Taas sector, leveraging HiRide’s developed ride-pooling software platform with its relatively high-profile brand name (the company and its founders had appeared on Season 13 of the CBC television show Dragon’s Den in 2019). The Company paid an arms-length transaction price based on the Company’s estimate of what it would take for the Company to build similar brand recognition and to develop a similar and fully tested and operational software platform. The Company’s primary objective with the HiRide Acquisition was to acquire its brand name and ride-pooling platform, and not to purchase an operating business, or any already existing cash flows to that business, but rather continue to build and gain further entry into the general ride-sharing market by using the HiRide platform in conjunction with the Company’s other TaaS assets.

Whereas on March 20, 2020, Facedrive announced that HiRide gave the Company “immediate access to HiRide’s 20,000+ social network of car-poolers, giving riders an end-to-end experience without interruptions”, to clarify, what the Company meant by that statement was that the acquisition of HiRide gave the company access to an existing network of HiRide account holders who formed a social network of potential car poolers who through the HiRide app could arrange potential rides. HiRide’s March 31, 2020 acquisition date occurred at the time that the COVID-19 pandemic was already underway. Since HiRide is primarily targeted at post-secondary students who desire a carpooling app for long-distance travel and commuting, and since most post-secondary schools are currently operating on a remote-learning basis with students residing at their homes and attending online classes, the Company is deferring any significant marketing efforts into the HiRide service until clear signs emerge that the pandemic will be ending. As a result of the foregoing, and notwithstanding a high number of HiRide downloads, the HiRide service has not generated revenues to date. A high number of downloads does not necessarily guarantee future, substantive revenue. The Company expects HiRide to commence generating revenues upon the commencement of in-class activities at post-secondary schools. The Company currently expects that it could launch this service to two schools per quarter for the first two years following such commencement and then four schools each quarter thereafter.

2. Facedrive Foods

Facedrive Foods is a food delivery platform that connects residents, restaurants (local, and ethnic restaurants in particular) and driver partners. Facedrive Foods was established following the acquisition of certain assets of Foodora Canada (see below). Facedrive Foods adheres to Facedrive’s overarching principles of putting people and planet first by offering 100% contactless food delivery options. These services enable individuals and businesses to more easily comply with pandemic-related safety protocols, benefitting both consumers and businesses. Following the acquisition of Food Highway (see below), a Canada-based food delivery service with particularly strong ties within the Chinese-Canadian community, Facedrive increased its operational capabilities and market presence, and benefited from onboarding Food Highway’s highly skilled team with over 6 years of expertise in the field.

Facedrive Foods has been able to capitalize on the dramatic shift in consumer and business behavior in the wake of the pandemic, currently fulfilling over 4,500 orders per day in 19 cities across Canada. Facedrive Foods serves local communities by supporting local restaurants during lockdowns and enabling drivers to generate revenue when demand for rideshare is low. Facedrive Foods prides itself on its thorough driver onboarding and training processes, safety features such as daily driver temperature checks and integration of contact-tracing technology, extended delivery radius to cater to remote and underserved communities, as well as recently introduced grocery delivery and subscription services.

Acquisition of Certain Foodora Canada Assets and Restaurant Partners

On July 9, 2020, the Company completed the acquisition of certain Foodora Canada assets including its customers list (and the customers, subject to their consent), along with 5,500 restaurant partners (together the “FoodoraLists”) previously served by Foodora Canada, in exchange for cash consideration of $500,000 (the “Foodora Transaction”). The Company’s primary object with the Foodora Transaction was not to purchase an operating business (which it was not) but rather, to gain entry into the food delivery market.

The Foodora Transaction was determined to be an asset acquisition as no substantive processes were transferred to the Company. In connection with the Foodora Transaction, the Company incurred legal fees of $61,660 which have been capitalized as Transaction Costs.

Consideration paid:

 

 

Cash

$

500,000

Transaction costs (legal fees)

 

61,660

 

$

561,660

 

 

 

Net identifiable assets acquired:

 

 

Intangible assets – Foodora Lists

 

536,660

Other assets

 

25,000

 

$

561,660

The total number of restaurant partners whose data and information (including customer contact information, menus, information pertaining to sales and top-selling items) the Company gained access to pursuant to the acquisition of the Foodora Lists was 5,500. Under Foodora’s vendor contract, no opt-in consent was required to transfer such data and information to Facedrive, as a result, these restaurants were migrated to the Facedrive Foods platform. The Company previously announced that it would gain immediate access to Foodora Canada’s hundreds of thousands of customers, subject to customer consent and opt in. In an attempt to do so, Foodora sent six opt-in communications to all of Foodora Canada’s customers and approximately 44,000 customers provided their express consent to have their personal information shared with Facedrive and thereby become users with accounts on the Facedrive Foods platform. Although the Company had completed the Foodora Transaction, it did not have a fully functional food delivery platform until it completed the acquisition of Food Hwy (as defined below).

Acquisition of Food Highway

On October 1, 2020, the Company completed the acquisition (the “Food Hwy Acquisition”) of Food Hwy Canada Inc. (“Food Hwy”), a food delivery service. Pursuant to the terms of the Food Hwy Acquisition, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of Food Hwy for consideration of $1,500,000 in cash and the issuance of 515,370 Shares, issued at a deemed price of $14.75 per Share (calculated on the 30-day volume weighted average trading price of the Shares as reported on Bloomberg, ending two trading days prior to the date of the Food Hwy Acquisition). 33,906 Shares were subject to a 90-day lock-up; 159,358 Shares are subject to a 12-month lock-up, and 322,106 Shares, are subject to an 18-month lock-up period.

The Food Hwy purchase price was subject to a post-closing adjustment (the “Adjustment”), calculated as the delta between the Company’s working capital on the closing date and negative $100,000:

  • If the Adjustment is between negative $1 and negative $100,000, the Company may cancel such number of the 18 Month lock-up shares equal to the absolute value of the Adjustment divided by the deemed price per share of $14.75 (the “Closing Price”).
  • If the Adjustment is less than negative $100,000, in addition to the above, the Company may cancel such number of the 90 day lock up Shares equal to the absolute value of the Adjustment, less $100,000, and then divided by the Closing Price.
  • If the Adjustment is a positive number, the Company shall pay the Food Hwy Shareholders in cash the amount of the Adjustment.

On December 31, 2020, the calculation of the Adjustment was determined to be negative $516,268. The Company waived $100,000 of the Adjustment and cancelled 28,228 of the 18 Month Lock-Up Shares. This Adjustment is subject to further ongoing negotiations between the parties during 2021.

The Food Hwy Acquisition was determined to be a business combination as substantive processes and assets were acquired as part of the transaction. The Company has retained most of Food Hwy’s key management personnel and has also implemented Food Hwy’s operational processes.

Consideration paid:

 

 

Cash

$

1,500,000

Fair value of Shares issued (487,142 Shares at $13.35 per Share)

 

3,538,575

 

$

5,038,575

Net identifiable assets acquired:

 

 

Cash

$

144,425

Trade and other receivables

 

882,508

Inventory

 

649

Intangible assets – Developed Technology

 

2,093,000

Intangible assets – Vendor Relationships

 

1,656,000

Intangible assets – Customer Relationships (the “Food Hwy Customer List”)

 

56,000

Intangible assets – Courier Relationships

 

176,000

Intangible assets – Brand name

 

1,388,000

Goodwill

 

365,843

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

(1,436,500)

Customer deposits

 

(207,350)

Loans

 

(80,000)

 

$

5,038,575

Facedrive Foods – Quarter-by-Quarter Project Development Summary

During 2020, Facedrive Foods was under development and only began generating revenue in Q4 2020. Accordingly, to better understand the Company’s operations and the progress that was made during 2020, the following table provides information about: (i) the status of the Company’s project relative to the Company’s plan (described above); (ii) the expenditures made on the project during the quarter; and (iii) how these both relate to anticipated timing and costs to take the project to the next stage of the project plan.

The Facedrive Foods Project

Q2 2020

Q3 2020

Q4 2020

The status of the project:

With the onset of the

global COVID-19

pandemic, the Company

began looking for an entry

into the food delivery

market and, subsequently,

entered into a binding

Term Sheet to purchase

the customer and vendor

list of Foodora Canada Ltd.

 

The Company purchased

certain of Foodora

Canada’s assets including

its customer list; however,

he Company still had

limited operations and

delivery infrastructure and

capabilities at this time

since select Foodora

assets were purchased

and not the Foodora

business itself.

The Company completed

the purchase of Food Hwy

Inc. and, with it, acquired

a fully functional food

delivery platform

complete with technology,

drivers, customers and

merchants, thereby

resulting in the Company’s

entry into the food

delivery space.

The expenditures made

on the project during the

quarter:

$0-

$53,000 (this figure does

not include the acquisition

costs of the Foodora

Transaction disclosed

above)

$2,036,200 (this figure

does not include the costs

of the Food HWY

Acquisition disclosed

above)

The anticipated timing

and costs to take the

project to the next stage

of the project plan:

As at the end of Q2 2020,

the next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was

completion of an

acquisition that would

provide the Company with

a complete food delivery

platform with drivers and

supporting infrastructure.

The anticipated timing

and costs to achieve this

next milestone had not

yet been determined as

such was contingent upon

the specific acquisition.

The next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was

completion of an

acquisition that would

provide the Company with

a complete food delivery

platform with drivers and

supporting infrastructure.

The anticipated timing

and costs to achieve this

next milestone had not

yet been determined as

such was contingent upon

the specific acquisition.

As at the end of Q4 2020,

Facedrive Foods became a

mature revenue-

generating asset by virtue

of the Food Hwy Acquisition.

Revenue Growth

The Company’s revenues from Facedrive Foods grew during the second half of 2020. Specifically, the Company’s total revenues attributable to Facedrive Foods’ business activities in Canada grew as follows: Q3 2020 – $1,953; Q4 2020 – $2,470,299; for a total of $2,472,252 of revenue during 2020.

Restaurant Partners and Registered Users

The total number of registered Facedrive Foods’ restaurant partners and registered users (customers) also grew considerably during the second half of 2020.

The total number of restaurant partners whose data and information (including contact information, menus, information pertaining to sales and top-selling items) the Company gained access to as a result of the Foodora Transaction was 5,500. Under Foodora’s standard vendor contract, no opt-in consent was required to transfer such data and information to Facedrive. However, not all of the restaurants became restaurant partners of the Company since some of them were located in locations off of the Company’s transportation service grid. In addition, there was also a decline in the number of restaurant partners shortly after the Foodora Transaction was completed due to many restaurant partners experiencing financial hardship during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company also acquired restaurant partners as a result of the Food Hwy Acquisition. Many of the restaurant partners that were acquired pursuant to the Food Hwy Acquisition were already restaurant partners of the Company as a result of the Foodora Transaction. As a result of these circumstances, the number of restaurant partners grew from zero as at June 30, 2020 to 4,258 as at December 31, 2020. As at March 31, 2021, Facedrive Foods had 4,905 restaurant partners.

Regarding registered users, as a result of the Foodora Transaction the Company was able to obtain the consent of approximately 44,000 customers from the Foodora List to open and activate accounts with Facedrive Foods. Unlike with the restaurant partners from the Foodora List, due to privacy law requirements the express consent of each individual customer was required in order to effectively transfer their account information from Foodora to Facedrive Foods. The number of registered users grew again upon the completion of the Food Hwy Acquisition on October 1, 2020. By December 31, 2020, Facedrive Foods had 238,621 registered users (with approximately 44,000 of those users attributable to the Foodora Transaction). As at March 31, 2021, Facedrive Foods had 273,625 registered users.

As mentioned above, the Company is actively working to introduce its customers/users to the Company’s other products and services.

3. Facedrive Health

Facedrive Health develops connected health technology solutions to help solve some of the most pressing healthcare issues today’s communities face, including providing individuals with the ability to more easily comply with pandemic-related safety protocols. Its first product, TraceSCAN, is an artificial-intelligence (“AI”) enhanced wearable contact tracing solution that has been developed by the Company and the University of Waterloo. TraceSCAN tracks exposure to COVID-19 without the need for GPS information. The use of Bluetooth for not only communication but accurate distance estimation is a unique offering of the Company. Since so-called variants of concern of the COVID-19 virus have higher levels of transmissibility and disease severity, it is even more important that each and every interaction be captured accurately. Compared to existing contact tracing technologies, TraceSCAN offers greater accuracy and reliability, access in remote environments, and integration with contract tracing systems and architecture worldwide.

TraceSCAN technology is made up of: hardware, firmware, a database and the web-based dashboard/notification system, gateways, and a gateway application. All programming and software development, including development of user interfaces and dashboards, integration with larger systems such as health networks, building security systems and software security, have been developed by Facedrive in Ontario in partnership with the University of Waterloo and are proprietary to the Company. Facedrive’s locally developed firmware and AI interface run off of hardware we currently source from China and that includes components from other countries

As the Company has created increased utility for its wearable devices, the Company has also increased the components embedded into the device that the Company’s firmware can use. The Company’s solutions can be highly customized and include NFC (Near Field Communication) based access control that the Company programs to enable access to specific locations. During the development of the Company’s wearable systems, the Company has customized a number of capabilities in order to address specific challenges. For example, one of the Company’s partners is located in a remote location where users are not able to upload data on a regular basis, and the Company was able to customize the device configuration to maximize storage on the device, so that users can store interaction for the last 21 days. In another installation for a partner with a very large and complex operations site, the Company modified the TraceSCAN system to allow the Company’s partner to pinpoint locations of potential COVID-19 contamination to promote effective decontamination and cleaning practices while minimizing business interruption.

To the knowledge of the Company, TraceSCAN is currently the only contract tracing app available on all three major app store platforms: Apple, Google and Microsoft.

On February 22, 2021, the Company announced that the proceeds of its 2021 Private Placement (as defined below) were to be used, for amongst other things, “to service pent-up demand” for its TraceSCAN products and services. The Company would like to clarify that such “pent-up demand” related to funding key pilot and proof of concept projects and implementation of such projects, respectively, of its TraceSCAN wearable. TraceSCAN has been received with enthusiasm across a number industry sectors. The scope of TraceSCAN’s uptake includes key partnerships with:

  • The Ontario government to pilot TraceSCAN in both public and private sectors (as recently announced by the Ontario government);
  • the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job creation and Trade, who, on February 19, 2021, endorsed Facedrive while also making a $2.5 million non-dilutive investment into the Company to accelerate deployment of TraceSCAN technology across multiple sectors;
  • Air Canada, to supply TraceSCAN wearables across various sites following a successful pilot;
  • The Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) to endorse the use of TraceSCAN wearables to all of its members;
  • Microsoft to co-sell to all of Microsoft’s enterprise clients, opening the way to mass adoption across Canada and internationally; and
  • VMWare and the Linux Foundation Public Health to jointly build the open source Herald Protocol, which maximizes TraceSCAN’s interoperability allowing it to interface across platforms locally, including with the Ontario COVID Alert and Alberta Trace Together applications, and globally.

While driving profitability through key corporate partnerships, Facedrive Health is committed to ensuring that contact tracing tech is accessible to a wide range of Canadians. For example, guided by the strategic advice of Phil Fontaine, former three-term National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Facedrive provided TraceSCAN devices to the Waywayseecappo First Nation which (like many other First Nations communities) was being disproportionately harmed by the COVID-19.

As many First Nations communities continue to have data connectivity issues, rendering app-based solutions considerably less effective, the TraceSCAN wearables work as a standalone device and promptly alert its users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 to ensure that crucial steps can be taken to decrease the further spread of the virus.

As COVID-19 vaccines become available to Canadians, Facedrive Health is well positioned to expand the benefits of its devices to include emerging technologies such as digital passports.

The TraceSCAN Project – Quarter-by-Quarter Project Development Summary

During 2020, the TraceSCAN was under development and it began to generate revenue in Q3 2020. Accordingly, to better understand the Company’s operations and the progress that was made during 2020, the following table provides information about: (i) the status of the Company’s project relative to the Company’s plan (described above); (ii) the expenditures made on the project during the quarter; and (iii) how these both relate to anticipated timing and costs to take the project to the next stage of the project plan.

The TraceSCAN Project

Q2 2020

Q3 2020

Q4 2020

The status of the project:

During the early days of

the global COVID-19

pandemic, the Company

began to conceive the

idea that would ultimately

become TraceSCAN. The

Company collaborated

with McCarthy Tetraut

LLP’s venture arm to

publish a white paper on

privacy issues and COVID-

19 tracking and tracing.

The Company began to

create its early versions of

its wearables and began

to pursue

implementations with

various potential

customers. The Company

also received the

endorsement of the

Government of Ontario

related to the Company’s

wearable technology.

The Company has

numerous key pilot and

proof of concept

partnerships (as disclosed

above) and is continuing

on working with these

partners on testing and

improving TraceSCAN.

The expenditures made on the project during the quarter:

The Company did not

track expenses directly

attributable to the

TraceSCAN project during

this quarter. Efforts and

resources were borrowed

and shared amongst many

of the Company’s business

units. However, the

Company estimates that

the expenditures during

the quarter on this project

were between $150,000

and $200,000 from a cost

accounting perspective.

The Company did not

track expenses directly

attributable to the

TraceSCAN project during

this quarter. Efforts and

resources were borrowed

and shared amongst many

of the Company’s business

units. However, the

Company estimates that

the expenditures during

the quarter on this project

were between $250,000

and $300,000 from a cost

accounting perspective.

This information will be

available and provided in

the Company’s annual

MD&A.

The anticipated timing and costs to take the project to the next stage of the project plan:

As at the end of Q2 2020,

the next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was that the

Company would develop

and insert its proprietary

software into the

wearables being

developed, and then seek

new pilot partners for the

purposes of testing. The

anticipated timing to

achieve this next

milestone is Q3 2020 and

the anticipated cost to

achieve this milestone was

$500,000.

As at the end of Q3 2020,

the next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was that the

Company was collecting

data from existing pilot

projects, and establishing

further pilots for further

test the wearable. The

anticipated timing and

costs to achieve this

milestone is Q4 2020 and

the anticipated cost to

achieve this milestone was

$800,000.

This information will be

provided in the

Company’s annual MD&A.

Revenues

Since Facedrive Health’s TraceSCAN projects are in the piloting and proof of concept stage with various customers, only nominal amounts of revenue were earned from TraceSCAN sales in Canada during 2020. Specifically, the sales were as follows: Q3 2020 – $12,750; Q4 2020 – $39,740; for a total of $52,490 of revenue during 2020. The Company plans to continue the commercialization of the TraceSCAN device during 2021, including in respect of further uses and markets for the device.

To amplify its contribution to the well-being of our communities, Facedrive Health joined forces with Plan International Canada to end the practice of child marriages in Bangladesh. During 2021, $1 from every Facedrive TraceSCAN device purchase will contribute to Plan International Canada’s campaign to raise $900,000 with a 6:1 GAC matching for a total amount of $6.3M.

4. Facedrive Marketplace

Facedrive Marketplace is an online socially-conscious store (www.facedrivemarketplace.com) that offers goods and merchandise for sale. The items that are selected for sale in the online martketplace are eco-friendly and/or sustainably manufactured and their sales are linked to support for social causes. In so doing, Facedrive Marketplace targets the socially conscious consumer (who is also an ideal candidate for cross-selling and cross-marketing Facedrive’s other services). Online customers are currently able to shop for items from the following categories:

  • Work-From-Home Essentials
  • Tech Accessories
  • Amplify your sound
  • As Seen On TIKTOK
  • Things you didn’t know you needed

Customers can also shop online for items sold that support various social causes, such as:

  • Charity-Contribution
  • Women-owned
  • Eco-Friendly
  • Hand-made

The Facedrive Marketplace Project – Quarter-by-Quarter Project Development Summary

During 2020, Facedrive Marketplace was under development and it began to generate initial revenues in Q4 2020. Accordingly, to better understand the Company’s operations and the progress that was made during 2020, the following table provides information about: (i) the status of the Company’s project relative to the Company’s plan (described above); (ii) the expenditures made on the project during the quarter; and (iii) how these both relate to anticipated timing and costs to take the project to the next stage of the project plan.

The Facedrive Marketplace Project

Q2 2020

Q3 2020

Q4 2020

The status of the project:

The project is in the pilot /

launch phase. However,

there are no significant

unique resources

expended on the project

at this stage.

The project is in the pilot /

launch phase. However,

there are no significant

unique resources

expended on the project

at this stage.

The project is functional

and has products listed for

distribution on the part of

third-party vendors. The

project remains focused

on acquiring vendors and

driving more traffic to its

site, but does not yet

anticipate significant revenues.

The expenditures made

on the project during the

quarter:

Resources expended were

borrowed from, and

spread across, many

different other campaigns

and projects within the

Company. As such,

expenditure figures are

not separately tracked.

Resources expended were

borrowed from, and

spread across, many

different other campaigns

and projects within the

Company. As such,

expenditure figures are

not separately tracked.

Resources expended were

borrowed from, and

spread across, many

different other campaigns

and projects within the

Company. As such,

expenditure figures are

not separately tracked.

The anticipated timing

and costs to take the

project to the next stage

of the project plan

As at the end of Q2 2020,

the next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was Q4 2020,

when the Company

anticipated having a

sufficient number of

vendors and products

listed. The Company did

not yet anticipate having

to expend unique

resources on this project

to achieve this milestone.

As at the end of Q3 2020,

the next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was Q4 2020,

when the Company

anticipated having a

sufficient number of

vendors and products

listed. The Company did

not yet anticipate having

to expend unique

resources on this project

to achieve this milestone..

The Company intends to

grow its vendor and

product base, and is

aiming to reach a critical

mass for each. The

Company anticipates

having such critical mass

in Q4 2021, but there is no

guarantee that such

critical mass for vendors

and products will have a

direct correlation with any

significant level of sales.

As mentioned above, the Company is actively working to introduce its customers/users to the Company’s other products and services.

5. Facedrive Social

Facedrive Social strives to keep people connected in a physically-distanced world through its HiQ Social App that is an e-socialization platform that allows users to interact based on common interests and by offering gamification and mutual community support features. HiQ is an emerging leader among trivia apps and it is especially popular among millennials. The Company believes that HiQ has an enhanced communication platform compared to its peers due to its gamification features and trivia challenges.

The HiQ Project – Quarter-by-Quarter Project Development Summary

During 2020, Facedrive Social and the HiQ Social App were under development. The product was launched on June 17, 2020, but does not yet generate revenue for the Company. Accordingly, to better understand the Company’s operations and the progress that was made during 2020, the following table provides information about: (i) the status of the Company’s project relative to the Company’s plan (described above); (ii) the expenditures made on the project during the quarter; and (iii) how these both relate to anticipated timing and costs to take the project to the next stage of the project plan.

The HiQ Application Project

Q2 2020

Q3 2020

Q4 2020

The status of the project:

HiQ was conceived as an

application during early

Q2, 2020. It was

developed internally. The

application was launched

in June 2020.

HiQ conceptualization is

further developed in

direct response to the

effects of the COVID-19

pandemic, and its

continued effects on

mental health, particularly

among youth.

The Company begins to

launch pilots including its

IPL pilot and enrolls a

number of users, reaching

2mm downloads. Based

on this outcome, the

Company begins planning

development for a

broader expansion into

North American spectator

sports for trivia.

The expenditures made

on the project during the

quarter:

As of the end of Q2 2020,

there were no material

separately dedicated

resources or expenses

allocated by the Company

directly to the HiQ Application project.

Resources expended

during Q2 2020 were

borrowed from, and

spread across, many

different other campaigns

and projects within the

Company.

$473,000 (these expenses

include resources such as

engineers, development

and testing costs that are

also shared with other

teams within the

Company and are,

therefore, not unique to

HiQ).

$319,000 (these expenses

include resources such as

engineers, development

and testing costs that are

also shared with other

teams and Verticals within

the Company and are,

therefore, not unique to

HiQ).

The anticipated timing

and costs to take the

project to the next stage

of the project plan

The HiQ Application

became a “project” in Q3

2020.

As at the end of Q3 2020,

the next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was Q4 2020.

The anticipated timing

and costs to achieve this

next milestone was

$400,000.

As at the end of Q4 2020,

the next stage or

anticipated milestone of

the project was Q3 2021,

as the Company pursues

strategic partnerships with

sport leagues and

associations. The

anticipated timing and

costs to achieve this next

milestone is yet to be

determined by the types,

size and profile of the

leagues and associations

with which the Company

is able to successfully

achieve a partnership.

Despite the Company’s

efforts and confidence,

there can be no assurance

that any such strategic

partnerships can be achieved

at this time.

HiQ Active Users and Number of Downloads Data

The HiQ Social App was downloaded by 7,907 unique users in Q2 2020, 1,915,774 unique users in Q3 2020 and 674,670 unique users in Q4 2020, representing a cumulative download figure of 2,598,351. Monthly active HiQ users, defined as an individual who has used the HiQ Application during a month, totaled 5,902 as at June 30, 2020, 1,202,281 as at September 30, 2020, and 567,573 as at December 31, 2020.

The significance in the number of downloads and active users demonstrates public interest in an application; however, downloads and active users of an application has an indirect and uncertain connection to revenue.

HiPanda

HiPanda is an innovative project and online application that was developed by Facedrive’s wholly-owned subsidiary HiRide and the University of Waterloo’s Engineering Wellness Program to raise awareness of mental health issues faced by the younger demographic during the pandemic, and to help bridge the gap between individuals and wellness coordinators’ hectic schedules. The collaboration marked a new phase in the long-standing relationship between Facedrive and the University of Waterloo, which jointly developed the contact-tracing solution TraceSCAN last year.

HiPanda is a platform that allows users to voice mental health concerns through a mobile tech platform,, book virtual appointments with wellness coordinators, and access mental health resources—utilizing a single web application. The impetus for HiPanda was the need for wellness support during COVID-19, where closures and related isolations have had a adverse impact on mental health, in particular on younger demographics in unique ways. The solution’s developers seek to emphasize the importance of wellness and timely assistance to young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. While workplace mental health was brought to the forefront of public attention by the pandemic, students have been largely absent from this discussion, and HiPanda looks to address this issue.

Currently, it is difficult for individuals who have mental health concerns to connect with mental health coordinators, especially within university networks. Students often have to wait in long lines in order to get assistance, and coordinators are bombarded with emails that are difficult to respond to on time. The HiPanda platform streamlines communication between students and advisors and strives to improve students’ experiences getting access to the resources they need. This all-rounded platform allows users to view data of all wellness coordinators within the same space. Moreover, wellness concerns can often be a sensitive matter for many individuals, which is why confidentiality matters were given priority in the development of HiPanda.

Development of the HiPanda application is closely aligned with the expansion of Facedrive’s Health division and the enhancement of its TraceSCAN technology. It is anticipated that HiPanda will be integrated within the TraceSCAN solution in the near term, whereby TraceSCAN’s subscribers including numerous educational institutions, First Nations communities, government, and enterprise customers will get preferred access to wellness platforms and benefit from both solutions as a way to monitor the safety and wellness utilizing a single platform.

The HiPanda project is a project within Facedrive Social’s HiQ Project. The HiPanda project is not a direct revenue-generating project; rather, it is intended to help grow the Company’s business by growing the number of users and practical applications on Facedrive’s platforms. None of the Company’s expenses are directly attributable to the HiPanda project since the expenses are considered expenses of the HiQ project and several staff members and resources from across the Company contribute to the effort to develop and operate the HiPanda project.

6. Facedrive’s Internal COVID-19 Response

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus, also known as “COVID-19”, has spread across the globe and is impacting worldwide economic activity. Conditions surrounding the coronavirus continue to rapidly evolve and government authorities have implemented emergency measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. Government measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of non-essential businesses, had an impact on the Company’s operations.

Starting on March 17, 2020, the government of Ontario declared a state of emergency in Ontario while ordering some businesses to be closed, including daycares, bars and restaurants, theatres and private schools. These restrictions were gradually lessened through September 2020 but as the number of cases began to increase, a reinstitution of partial lockdown conditions were implemented starting in October 2020. The duration and impact of the second lockdown is not known at this time. These lockdowns have impacted the demand for the Company’s ride sharing business as non-essential travel has been curbed. The Company has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by launching new, or expanding existing, services, features, or health and safety requirements on an expedited basis, particularly those relating to delivery of food.

In light of the evolving nature of COVID-19 and the uncertainty it has produced around the world, the Company does not believe it is possible to predict with precision the pandemic’s cumulative and ultimate impact on its future business operations, liquidity, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, the Company cannot predict the impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its business partners and third-party vendors, and the Company may be adversely impacted as a result of the adverse impact its business partners and third-party vendors suffer. Additionally, concerns over the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused volatility in financial markets, which may adversely impact the Company’s stock price and the Company’s ability to access capital markets.

Internally, Facedrive has instituted COVID-19 protocols that are flexible, evolve with the changing circumstances of the pandemic, and empower employees to work in the manner they determine is most suitable for them and their families. As provincial restrictions ease, Facedrive’s back-to-work safety measures include, in addition to all measures recommended by the public health guidelines, the deployment of TraceSCAN devices at Facedrive’s offices and an employee attendance policy that supports employees continuing to working from home where practicable.

7. A Brief Corporate and Equity Financing Summary

The Company was incorporated on January 18, 2018 under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). On May 17, 2019, the Company, 2696170 Ontario Inc. (“Subco”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and Facedrive Inc. (the “Private Company”), a private company, entered into an amalgamation agreement (the “Amalgamation Agreement”) pursuant to which, among other things, the Private Company amalgamated with Subco to form 5021780 Ontario Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and each shareholder of the Private Company received 0.473538 Shares for every one share of the Private Company held (the “RTO”). Immediately prior to the RTO, the Company effected a consolidation of the Shares on a 50-to-1 basis. As part of the RTO, the Company changed its name from “High Mountain Capital Corporation” to “Facedrive Inc.”. The RTO was completed on September 16, 2019 and the Shares resumed trading on the TSX-V under the trading symbol “FD” on September 19, 2019. The RTO resulted in the issuance of 8,886,578 Shares and constituted a “reverse take-over” of the Company as the former Private Company shareholders acquired a majority of the outstanding Shares. All Share numbers in this paragraph are presented on a pre-Split (as defined below) basis.

On October 9, 2019, the Company completed a split of its Shares on the basis of 10 new Shares for each one Share outstanding (the “Split”). Prior to the Split, the Company had 9,016,453 Shares issued and outstanding. Immediately following the Split, the Company had 90,164,530 Shares issued and outstanding.

On December 31, 2019, the Company completed an amalgamation and continuance from a company incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta), to a company continued under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) under the name “Facedrive Inc.”.

On February 21, 2020, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement of 361,010 Shares issued at a price of $2.77 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,000,000. The Company incurred transaction fees of $26,785 in connection with this financing.

On March 31, 2020, as purchase consideration for the HiRide Acquisition, the Company issued to the vendors an aggregate of 265,957 Shares at a price per Share equal to $3.76, representing aggregate consideration of $1,000,000. For accounting purposes, using the fair value method of accounting, consideration consisted of 265,957 Shares with a fair value of $739,360, representing a grant date fair value of the Shares of $2.78 per Share (see the “HiRide” section above).

On June 26, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 800,000 Shares to Medtronics (defined below) for marketing and strategic consulting services. The arrangement is a share-based payment transaction with a non-employee. As the fair value of the services received cannot be reliably measured, the Shares were measured and recognized based on the average closing price of the Shares over the service period, resulting in a $7,632,696 charge to sales and marketing expense. The Company incurred transaction fees of $41,120 in connection with this transaction. For more information, see the “Consulting Agreement with Medtronics Online Ltd.” section below.

On June 29, 2020, the Company completed the initial tranche of a $10,000,000, non-brokered private placement of 643,389 Shares issued at a price of $9.00 per Share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $5,790,501. The Company incurred transaction fees of $220,525 in connection with this financing.

On July 6, 2020, the Company completed the second tranche of a $10,000,000, non-brokered private placement of 368,548 Shares issued at a price of $9.00 per Share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $3,316,932.

On July 22, 2020, the Company completed the final tranche of a $10,000,000, non-brokered private placement of 99,174 Shares issued at a price of $9.00 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $892,566.

On August 7, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 151,457 Shares as consideration for an investment in Tally Technology Group Inc. with a fair value of $2,326,425.

On September 4, 2020, the Company: (i) issued an aggregate of 222,819 Shares with a fair value of $2,196,173 as purchase consideration for the Steer Acquisition; and (ii) completed a non-brokered private placement of 137,119 Shares issued at a price of $19.2737 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of USD$2,000,000 (see the “Steer” section above).

On October 1, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 487,142 Shares with a fair value of $3,538,575 as purchase consideration for the Food Hwy Acquisition (see the “Acquisition of Food Highway” section above).

As at December 31, 2020, the Company had 93,729,980 Shares issued and outstanding (2019 – 90,164,530 shares issued and outstanding) and no preferred shares issued and outstanding (2019 – no preferred shares issued and outstanding).

On February 2, 2021, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement of 1,518,518 Shares issued at a price of $13.50 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $20,499,993 (the “2021 Private Placement”). All Shares issued are subject to a four-month statutory hold period from the date of issuance. The net proceeds from the private placement are intended to be used for general corporate purposes and to augment the Company’s cash reserves. The Company incurred finder’s fees of $224,600 in connection with this financing.

As at March 31, 2021, the Company had 95,248,498 Shares issued and outstanding and no preferred shares issued and outstanding.

Subsidiaries

The Company wholly-owns and controls six (6) subsidiaries: (i) HiRide Share Ltd. (“HiRide”); (ii) Facedrive Food Inc.; (iii) Facedrive Health Inc.; (iv) Steer Holdings, LLC. (“Steer Holdings”); (v) Facedrive (US) LLC (“Facedrive US”); (vi) and Food Hwy Canada Inc. (“Food Hwy”). Facedrive Food Inc. was incorporated on June 26, 2020, Facedrive Health Inc. was incorporated on July 3, 2020, Steer Holdings was incorporated on August 13, 2020 and Facedrive (US) LLC, was incorporated on August 19, 2020.

8. Extension of Voluntary Lock-Up Agreements

Recently, members of Facedrive’s senior management team demonstrated their commitment to Facedrive’s investors and all stakeholders by voluntarily extending the lock-up period of their shareholdings in the Company. On March 8, 2021, Sayan Navaratnam (the Chairman, CEO and largest shareholder of the Company) extended the lockup period for all of the Shares that he owns (both directly and indirectly) by two (2) years to March 31, 2023, meaning all of his Shares will only gradually begin releasing from lock-up on that date (at a rate of 15 percent every 90 days thereafter over the following 18 months). Similarly, Junaid Razvi (Executive Vice President and Director) and Suman Pushparajah (Chief Operating Officer of Facedrive) have also extended their lockup periods in respect of all Shares held by them (both directly and indirectly) by one (1) year to March 31, 2022, meaning all such Shares will only gradually begin releasing from lock-up on that date (at a rate of 15 percent every 90 days over the following 18 months).

The collective holdings of Mr. Navaratnam, Mr. Razvi and Mr. Pushparajah account for approximately 49% of the Company’s total issued and outstanding shares.

On March 9, 2021, Medtronics issued a press release announcing that it has also voluntarily agreed to extend the lock-up period of its 800,000 Shares of Facedrive for one additional year. The new release dates for Medtronics are as follows: (a) 15% (120,000 Shares) on March 31, 2022; (b) 15% (120,000 Shares) on June 30, 2022; (c) 15% (120,000 Shares) on September 30, 2022; (d) 15% (120,000 Shares) on December 31, 2022; (e) 15% (120,000 Shares) on March 31, 2023; and (f) 15% (120,000 Shares) on June 30, 2023. The remaining 10% of Medtronics’ Share position (totaling 80,000 Shares) will be released from lock-up on September 30, 2023.

9. Consulting Agreement with Medtronics

Facedrive and Medtronics Online Solutions Ltd. (“Medtronics”) were parties of an arm’s-length consulting services agreement dated May 11, 2020 (the “Medtronics Consulting Agreement”).

Pursuant to the Medtronics Consulting Agreement, the services to be rendered by Medtronics to and for the benefit of the Company included assisting with the Company’s business expansion strategy for entrance into high-potential markets, namely Mexico and South America (the “Expansion Markets”); making high-value and strategic business development introductions with a view to growing the Company’s business; the design and implementation of marketing and promotional activities concentrated on user and customer acquisition and related viral marketing campaigns; assistance with the development of branding and marketing materials to promote the Company’s products; introductions to online media channels and key influencers in certain business segments; and the provision of general consulting and due diligence services with respect to corporate partnerships and corporate strategy (collectively, the “Medtronics Services”).

The Medtronics Services included:

  • making numerous business development introductions and managed relationships that were of considerable strategic value to the Company;
  • providing general consulting and due diligence services with respect to corporate partnerships, user and restaurant conversion strategy while also assisting with business expansion strategy for entrance into the Expansion Markets;
  • providing general and specific marketing advice with respect to the Company’s website design, social media content creation and digital marketing (including architecture for HiQ’s user acquisition campaign that has resulted in over 2.6m downloads to date);
  • providing due diligence consulting services (including on potential and completed M&A transactions), onboarding assistance and marketing strategy with respect to the Company’s acquisition of certain assets of Foodora (including user and restaurant acquisition and retention);
  • advising on leveraging social media with paid marketing on platforms such as Facebook and Google together with advising as to the types of advertising that can help the Company achieve a maximum return on investment in terms of new user acquisition; and
  • engaging in-depth discussions and knowledge transfer about target region and target audience demographics, budget optimization, A/B testing of advertisements, niche markets and social media influencer marketing (collectively, the “Medtronics Deliverables”).

Through the Medtronics Deliverables, the Company – while at an early stage in its development – (a) enhanced its internal ability to create ad copies, utilize conversion-tracking, and use of certain third party tools utilized to make more informed decisions with respect to advertising spend across various channels; and (b) developed an in-house marketing team and know-how based off of the industry intelligence and trade secrets obtained from Medtronics under the Deliverables. The Medtronics Services and the Medtronics Deliverables included a heavy focus on the training and development of Facedrive’s internal marketing team. With the advice and collaborative assistance of Medtronics, Facedrive’s internal marketing team learned how to better obtain, collect and convert Facedrive’s customer prospects into actual users, drivers and merchants, all based upon digital and online marketing efforts. In addition, Medtronics’ services also included Medtronics acting as an agent/advisor to Facedrive on calls with high-profile third-party business prospects and global social media influencers. For example, Medtronics would help Facedrive to prepare for such calls and also assist Facedrive personnel and participate in the “pitch” or business proposition being presented during the calls. The Medtronics Services and Medtronics Deliverables proved to be very valuable for the Company at that time in its growth and helped pave the way for further corporate development. As a result, the Company has been able to internalize many marketing and business development functions.

Pursuant to the terms of the Medtronics Consulting Agreement, Medtronics was to earn an initial fee of 800,000 Shares once an initial period of substantial Medtronics Services and an initial amount of Medtronics Deliverables were provided to the Company. The Medtronics Consulting Agreement also stipulated that there would be additional Shares payable to Medtronics on a monthly basis during the remainder of the term of the Medtronics Services Agreement whilst additional Medtronics Services and Medtronics Deliverables would be provided to the Company.

On March 24, 2020 when the Company received the conditional approval from the TSXV for the share-for-services arrangement represented by the Medtronics Services Agreement, the Company’s Shares closed at $2.94 per Share and 800,000 Shares represented a value of $2,352,000. However, by the time the initial period of substantial Medtronics Services and an initial amount of Medtronics Deliverables were provided to the Company and the Company issued the 800,000 Shares to Medtronics (which occurred on June 26, 2020), the market value of the 800,000 Shares had risen to a deemed amount of $8.2 million. A dispute arose between the Company and Medtronics since the Company believed that the Medtronics Services Agreement included an implied maximum $5 million fee cap that was expressed during the negotiation period for the Medtronics Services Agreement. Although the Company benefited from the Medtronics Services and the Medtronics Deliverables (which included (i) the time and effort of Medtronics’ personnel; and more importantly (ii) the divulgence and irretrievable transfer of certain of Medtronics’ proprietary know how, trade secrets and similar intellectual property related to the provision of the Medtronics Services and the Medtronics Deliverables), the Company believed the level of compensation that was payable to Medtronics constituted an unreasonable windfall. As such, the Company sent Medtronics a formal notice of termination of the Medtronics Consulting Agreement on September 9, 2020. The Company and Medtronics entered negotiations and eventually agreed to a Settlement Agreement dated October 19, 2020. Pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement, Medtronics was permitted to keep the 800,000 Shares it received on June 26, 2020, however the Company was under no further obligation to pay any additional consideration to Medtronics, and both parties released each other from any obligations or claims related to the Medtronics Consulting Agreement so as avoid any future litigation related thereto.

10. Board of Director and Management Changes

On April 7, 2021, the Company appointed two new members to Facedrive’s board of directors (the “Board”), each of whom bring a wealth of experience and talents. The new members of the Board are Susan Uthayakumar and Suman Pushparajah.

Concurrent with these appointments to the Board, Mr. Jay Wilgar resigned from the Board. The new appointments are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

11. Material Contracts

Pursuant to the OSC’s review, the OSC identified, among other things, that the Company was a late filer of the following material contracts: (i) the Asset Purchase Agreement between Foodora Inc. and Facedrive dated June 1, 2020; and (ii) the Share Exchange Agreement between the shareholders of Food Hwy and Facedrive dated October 1, 2020. In regard to these transactions, the Company and its legal counsel had made the required filings with the TSXV pursuant to the requirements of the TSXV Corporate Finance Manual; however, the Company had failed to file these agreement on SEDAR in accordance with sections 12.2 and 12.3 of National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations. The material contracts were filed on SEDAR by the Company on March 10, 2021 in order to remedy the previous non-filing.

The Company’s Board of Directors and its Senior Executives are working closely with the Company’s auditors and external legal counsel to review and improve, where recommended, the design and effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (DC&P) and internal control over financial reporting (ICFR).

Unless otherwise stated, all dollar amount in this press release refer to Canadian dollars. All financial figures for the fiscal year 2020 are unaudited figures. The Company expects to file its audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020, and corresponding MD&A, later in April 2021.

About Facedrive

Facedrive is a multi-faceted “people-and-planet first” tech ecosystem offering socially-responsible services to local communities with a strong commitment to doing business fairly, equitably and sustainably. As part of this commitment, Facedrive’s vision is to fulfil its mandate through a number of services that either leverage existing technologies of the Company or project synergies with existing lines of business. Facedrive’s service offerings include: (i) its eco-friendly rideshare business, Facedrive Rideshare; (ii) its food delivery service, Facedrive Foods; (iii) its contact-tracing and connected health services business, Facedrive Health; (iv) its e-commerce platform, Facedrive Marketplace; and (v) its e-social platform, Facedrive Social.

Facedrive Rideshare was among the first to offer a wide variety of environmentally and socially responsible solutions in the Transportation as a Service (TaaS) space, planting thousands of trees based on user consumption and offering choices between electric, hybrid and conventional vehicles (including, more recently, electric and hybrid vehicles on a subscription basis through Steer). Facedrive Marketplace offers curated merchandise created from sustainably sourced materials. Facedrive Foods offers contactless delivery of a wide variety of foods right to consumers’ doorsteps, with a focus on doing so in a socially and environmentally-conscious manner. Facedrive Social strives to keep people connected in a physically-distanced world through its HiQ and other e-socialization platforms that invite users to interact based on common interests and by offering gamification and mutual community support features. Facedrive Health strives to develop and offer innovative technological solutions to the most acute health challenges including its proprietary TraceSCAN wearable technology for contact tracing. Facedrive envisions changing the ridesharing, food delivery, e-commerce, social and health tech narratives for the better, for everyone, and is currently operational in Canada and the United States.

For more about Facedrive, visit www.facedrive.com.

Facedrive Inc.

100 Consilium Pl, Unit 104, Scarborough, ON, Canada M1H 3E3

www.facedrive.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release contains forward-looking information. This information is based on management’s reasonable assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to us and are made as of the date of this press release. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors. Information regarding our expectations of future results, performance, achievements, prospects or opportunities or the markets in which we operate is forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not facts but instead represent management’s expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances. Many factors could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

See “Forward-Looking Information” and “Risk Factors” in the Corporation’s Filing Statement dated August 28, 2019 for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these statements. Readers are urged to consider the uncertainties, risks and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. We have no intention and undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

___________________

1 On March 17, 2020, the Province of Ontario declared a provincial state of emergency and began to order the closure of certain businesses and facilities.

Media: Sana Srithas | [email protected]

Sayan Navaratnam

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Tel: 1-888-300-2228

KEYWORDS: North America Canada

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Software Internet Environment Public Transport Technology Food/Beverage Transport Retail

MEDIA:

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Kiadis employee options committed under the Sanofi Offer

This is a press release by Kiadis Pharma N.V. (“Kiadis
”), pursuant to the provisions of Section 5 paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Dutch Decree on Public Takeover Bids (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft) (the “Decree”) in connection with the public offer by Sanofi for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Kiadis launched on February 12, 2021 (the “Offer”). The Offer is made only by means of the offer memorandum approved by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten) on February 10, 2021 and recognized by the Belgian Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit voor Financiële Diensten en Markten) on February 11, 2021 (the “Offer Memorandum”). This announcement does not constitute an offer, or any solicitation of any offer, to buy or subscribe for any securities. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this press release will have the meaning given thereto in the Offer Memorandum.

Kiadis employee options committed under the Sanofi Offer

48.80% of Fully Diluted share capital now committed under the Offer


Amsterdam, The Netherlands, April 9, 2021 – Kiadis Pharma N.V. (“Kiadis” or the “Company”)

(Euronext Amsterdam and Brussels: KDS) today announces that all Kiadis employee options with an exercise price below the Offer Price are committed under Sanofi’s Offer, resulting in approximately 48.80% of the Fully Diluted share capital of Kiadis now being committed under the Offer.

None of the holders of options on ordinary shares of Kiadis stock or stock appreciation rights under the Kiadis 2016 Share Option and Stock Appreciation Right Plan with an exercise price below the Offer Price (“Options”), decided to opt-out during the opt-out period that ended yesterday. Therefore, on the terms and subject to the conditions described in Section 7.9 (Options and SARs) of the Offer Memorandum, the 7,446,147 ordinary shares of Kiadis stock resulting from the exercise of such Options are now committed under the Offer, which is approximately 12.20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Kiadis stock (on a Fully Diluted basis).

Together with the irrevocable undertakings given by (i) Empery Asset Master Ltd., Empery Tax Efficient, LP and Empery Tax Efficient III, LP; (ii) funds managed by Life Sciences Partners; (iii) former CytoSen Therapeutics Inc. shareholders and option holders; and (iv) Kreos Capital V (UK) Limited, approximately 48.80% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Kiadis stock, calculated on a Fully Diluted basis, are now committed under the Offer.

HIERONDER VOLGT EEN VERTALING VAN HET OORSPRONKELIJK IN DE ENGELSE TAAL OPGESTELDE PERSBERICHT EN DEZE VERTALING WORDT UITSLUITEND VOOR INFORMATIEVE DOELEINDEN VERSTREKT. IN GEVAL VAN VERSCHILLEN TUSSEN BEIDE VERSIES PREVALEERT DE ENGELSE TEKST. AAN DE VERTALING KUNNEN GEEN RECHTEN WORDEN ONTLEEND

Kiadis personeelsopties toegezegd onder het Sanofi bod

48.80% van het aandelenkapitaal op volledig verwaterde basis is nu toegezegd onder het Bod


Amsterdam, Nederland, 9 april 2021

Kiadis Pharma N.V. (‘’Kiadis’’ of de ‘’Vennootschap’’)
(Euronext Amsterdam en Brussel: KDS) kondigt vandaag aan dat alle Kiadis-personeelsopties met een uitoefenprijs onder de Biedprijs zijn toegezegd onder Sanofi’s bod, wat ertoe leidt dat ongeveer 48,80% van het totale aantal aandelen in het kapitaal van Kiadis op volledig verwaterde basis nu is toegezegd onder het Bod.

Geen van de houders van opties op gewone aandelen in het kapitaal van Kiadis of aandelen appreciatie rechten zoals bedoeld in het Kiadis 2016 Aandelenoptie- en Aandelen Appreciatie Recht Plan met een uitoefenprijs onder de Biedprijs (‘’Opties’’), heeft besloten zich af te melden binnen de – gisteren geëindigde – opt-outtermijn. Daarom zijn, onder de voorwaarden zoals beschreven in hoofdstuk 7.9 (Opties en SAR’s) van het Biedingsbericht, de 7.446.147 gewone aandelen in het kapitaal van Kiadis die voortvloeien uit de uitoefening van dergelijke Opties nu toegezegd onder het Bod, hetgeen ongeveer 12.20% van de uitgegeven en uitstaande gewone aandelen in het kapitaal van Kiadis (op volledig verwaterde basis) omvat.

Samen met de onherroepelijke toezeggingen van (i) Empery Asset Master Ltd., Empery Tax Efficient, LP en Empery Tax Efficient III, LP; (ii) fondsen beheerd door Life Sciences Partners; (iii) voormalig aandeelhouders en optiehouders van CytoSen Therapeutics Inc. en (iv) Kreos Capital V (VK) Limited, zijn ongeveer 48,80% van de uitgegeven en uitstaande gewone aandelen in het kapitaal van Kiadis, berekend op een volledig verwaterde basis, nu toegezegd onder het Bod.

For information on the Offer including the Offer Memorandum and Position Statement, please visit: https://ir.kiadis.com/sanofi.

For more information:

Kiadis:

Maryann Cimino, Director Investor Relations
& Corporate Affairs
Tel: +1 617 710-7305
[email protected]

Kiadis Media Relations Contacts

LifeSpring Life Sciences Communication:

Leon Melens (Amsterdam)
Tel: +31 6 538 16 427
[email protected]

Optimum Strategic Communications:
Mary Clark, Supriya Mathur
Tel: +44 203 950 9144
[email protected]

   

About Kiadis

Founded in 1997, Kiadis is committed to developing innovative cell-based medicines for patients with life-threatening diseases. With headquarters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and offices and activities across the United States, Kiadis is reimagining medicine by leveraging the natural strengths of humanity and our collective immune system to source the best cells for life.

Kiadis is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels since July 2, 2015, under the symbol KDS. Learn more at www.Kiadis.com.


Kiadis Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect Kiadis’ or, as appropriate, Kiadis’ officers’ current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results, performance, achievements or events to differ materially from those expressed, anticipated or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, regulation, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance, achievements or results to differ significantly from any anticipated or implied development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, Kiadis expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or projections, or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither Kiadis nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person’s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the anticipated or implied developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.