Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Agreement and Plan of Merger
On March 26, 2023, Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company") entered into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Concentra
Biosciences, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Concentra"), and
Concentra Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Concentra ("Merger Sub"). The Merger Agreement provides for, among other
things, (i) the acquisition of the Company by Concentra through a cash tender
offer (the "Offer") by Merger Sub for all of the Company's outstanding shares of
common stock (the "Common Stock"), for: (A) $1.85 per share of Common Stock (the
"Cash Consideration"), and (B) one contingent value right (a "CVR") per share
(together with the Cash Consideration, the "Offer Price") and (ii) the merger of
Merger Sub with and into the Company (the "Merger") with the Company surviving
the Merger.
The Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") has unanimously approved the
Merger and the Merger Agreement and recommended that the stockholders of the
Company accept the Offer and tender their shares of Common Stock pursuant to the
Offer. In connection with the proposed Merger, the Board has also unanimously
withdrawn its recommendation with respect to the previously announced all-share
business combination between the Company and Redx Pharma plc ("Redx" and such
business combination, the "Redx Business Combination"). Under the Merger
Agreement, Concentra is required to commence the Offer as promptly as reasonably
practicable, and in any event on or prior to 10 business days after the date of
the Merger Agreement.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, as of immediately prior to the
effective time of the Merger (the "Effective Time"), by virtue of the Merger and
without any action on the part of the holders, (i) each outstanding share of
Common Stock of the Company, other than any shares of Common Stock held in the
treasury of the Company or owned, directly or indirectly, by Concentra or Merger
Sub, or by any stockholders who are entitled to and who properly exercise
appraisal rights under Delaware law, will be converted into the right to receive
the Offer Price, (ii) the vesting of each option to purchase shares of Common
Stock from the Company ("Company Options") shall be accelerated and (A) each
Company Option that has an exercise price per share that is less than the Cash
Consideration (each, an "In-the-Money Option") that is then outstanding will be
cancelled and, in exchange therefor, the holder of such cancelled In-the-Money
Option will be entitled to receive in consideration of the cancellation of such
In-the-Money Option, (1) an amount in cash, without any interest thereon and
subject to applicable tax withholding, equal to the product of (x) the total
number of shares of Common Stock subject to such In-the-Money Option as of
immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (y) the excess of the Cash
Consideration over the applicable exercise price per share under such
In-the-Money Option and (2) one CVR for each share of Common Stock subject
thereto and (B) each Company Option that is not an In-the-Money Option will be
cancelled and, in exchange therefor, the holder of such cancelled Underwater
Option will be entitled to receive, in consideration of the cancellation of such
Underwater Option, one CVR for each share of Common Stock subject thereto and
(iii) each outstanding and unvested restricted stock unit ("Company RSU") shall
vest in full and automatically be cancelled and converted into the right to
receive (A) the product of (1) the total number of shares of Common Stock then
underlying such Company RSU multiplied by (B) the Cash Consideration, without
any interest thereon and subject to applicable withholding and (2) one CVR for
each share of Common Stock subject thereto.
Merger Sub's obligation to accept shares of Common Stock tendered in the Offer
is subject to conditions, including: (i) that the number of shares of Common
Stock validly tendered and not validly withdrawn, together with any shares of
Common Stock beneficially owned by Merger Sub or any affiliate of Merger Sub,
equals at least one share more than 50% of all shares of Common Stock then
outstanding; (ii) the Company Net Working Capital (as defined in the Merger
Agreement) shall be at least $110,000,000 as of the expiration of the Offer;
(iii) the absence of any law that makes illegal the Offer or the Merger,
prohibits or limits Concentra's ownership of the Company or its assets or
imposes limitations on Concentra's rights of ownership of the Common Stock; (iv)
since the date of the Merger Agreement, there shall not have occurred any
Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement); (v)
compliance by the Company with its covenants under the Merger Agreement; (vi)
the accuracy of representations and warranties made by the Company in the Merger
Agreement; and (vii) no termination of the Merger Agreement. The obligations of
Concentra and Merger Sub to consummate the Offer and the Merger under the Merger
Agreement are not subject to a financing condition.
Following the completion of the Offer, subject to the absence of injunctions or
other legal restraints preventing or making illegal the consummation of the
Merger, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company
surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Concentra (the "Surviving
Corporation"), pursuant to the procedure provided for under Section 251(h) of
the Delaware General Corporation Law, without any additional stockholder
approvals. The Merger will be effected as soon as practicable following the time
of purchase by Merger Sub of shares of Common Stock validly tendered and not
withdrawn in the Offer.
. . .
Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.
On March 27, 2023, the Company notified Redx that it is terminating the
Co-operation Agreement entered into by and between the Company and Redx, dated
as of February 23, 2023 (the "Co-operation Agreement") in connection with the
Redx Business Combination, which termination is effective upon service of
written notice in accordance with the terms set forth in the Co-operation
Agreement. No termination fee will be payable by either Redx or the Company
pursuant to the Co-operation Agreement as a result of the termination of the
Co-operation Agreement.
Also on March 27, 2023, the Company notified RM Special Holdings 3, LLC ("RM3")
that it is terminating the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among the
Company, one of the Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries (the "Evergreen Merger
Sub") and RM3, dated as of February 23, 2023 (the "RM3 Merger Agreement"), which
termination is effective upon service of written notice in accordance with the
terms set forth in the RM3 Merger Agreement. No termination fee will be payable
by either RM3 or the Company pursuant to the RM3 Merger Agreement as a result of
the termination of the RM3 Merger Agreement.
Further, the Letter Agreement, dated as of February 23, 2023, entered into by
and among the Company and each of the members of RM3 (the "Letter Agreement"),
in connection with entry into the RM3 Merger Agreement, automatically terminates
with the termination of the RM3 Merger Agreement, and each Voting and Support
Agreement, dated as of February 23, 2023 and entered into by and among the
Company, Redx and certain shareholders of the Company (the "Voting and Support
Agreements"), automatically terminates with the termination of the Co-Operation
Agreement.
As a consequence of the termination of the RM3 Merger Agreement, assuming that
the Redx Business Combination is not consummated, the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of February 23, 2023, entered into by and among the Company
and members of RM3 (the "Registration Rights Agreement") will not become
effective pursuant to its terms.
The foregoing description of the Co-operation Agreement, RM3 Merger Agreement,
Letter Agreement, Voting and Support Agreements and Registration Rights
Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the
Co-Operation Agreement, RM3 Merger Agreement, Letter Agreement, Form of Voting
and Support Agreement and Registration Rights Agreement, copies of which were
filed with Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 2.2, Exhibit 2.3,
Exhibit C to Exhibit 2.3, Exhibit 99.6 and Exhibit D to Exhibit 2.3,
respectively, to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on February
23, 2023.
Item 2.05. Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities.
On March 26, 2023, the Company committed to a course of action that would result
in a reduction in force intended to preserve the Company's current cash
resources. The Company will reduce its workforce by approximately 84% of its
current employees.
As a result of the reduction in force, the Company estimates that it will incur
aggregate pre-tax charges of approximately $6.5 million, primarily consisting of
salary payable during applicable notice periods and severance, non-cash
stock-based compensation expense, and other benefits.
The Company expects that the workforce reduction will be completed during the
second quarter of 2023 and that these one-time charges will be incurred in the
second quarter of 2023. The Company may also incur other charges or cash
expenditures not currently contemplated due to events that may occur as a result
of, or associated with, the workforce reduction. These estimates of the costs
that the Company expects to incur, and the timing thereof, are subject to a
number of assumptions and actual results may differ.
Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.
On March 27, 2023, the Company and Concentra issued a press release announcing
the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and
incorporated by reference herein.
The information contained in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 attached
hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of
Section 18 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or
otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed
incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act, or the
Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such
filing.
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S.
federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements regarding the
anticipated timing of and closing of the proposed Offer, Merger and related
transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (the "Transactions") and the
anticipated timing of the Company's reduction in force, including associated
restructuring costs. The words "estimates," "expects," "continues," "intends,"
"plans," "anticipates," "targets," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should,"
"potential," "goal," and "effort" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements
contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this report
are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a
number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual
events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any
forward-looking statements contained in this report, including, without
limitation, risks related to the Company's ability to execute on and realize the
expected benefits of the reduction in force? actions of Redx in response to the
Transactions? the impact of actions of other parties with respect to the
Transactions? the possibility that competing offers will be made; the outcome of
any legal proceedings that could be instituted against Jounce or its directors?
the risk that the Transactions may not be completed in a timely manner, or at
all, which may adversely affect Jounce's business and the price of its common
stock? the failure to satisfy all of the closing conditions of the transactions
contemplated by the Merger Agreement? the occurrence of any event, change or
other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Merger
Agreement? the effect of the announcement or pendency of the Transactions on
Jounce's business, and operating results? risks that the Transactions may
disrupt Jounce's current plans and business operations? risks related to the
diverting of management's attention from Jounce's ongoing business operations?
general economic and market conditions and the other risks identified in the
Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"),
including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 10, 2023 and subsequent filings with the
SEC. Should any risks and uncertainties develop into actual events, these
developments could have a material adverse effect on the Transactions and/or
Jounce and Jounce's ability to successfully complete the Transactions. Jounce
cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Jounce disclaims any
obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any
change in expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any
such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual
results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any
forward-looking statements contained in this report represent Jounce's views
only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its
views as of any subsequent date.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
The tender offer for the outstanding shares of the Company referenced in this
report has not yet commenced. This report is for informational purposes only and
is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares,
nor is it a substitute for the tender offer materials that Concentra and its
subsidiary will file with the SEC. At the time the tender offer is commenced,
Concentra and its subsidiary will file tender offer materials on Schedule TO,
and, thereafter, the Company will file a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement
on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC with respect to the tender offer.
THE TENDER OFFER MATERIALS (INCLUDING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE, A RELATED LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL AND CERTAIN OTHER TENDER OFFER DOCUMENTS) AND THE
SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
HOLDERS OF SHARES OF JOUNCE COMMON STOCK ARE URGED TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS
CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (AS EACH MAY BE AMENDED OR SUPPLEMENTED
FROM TIME TO TIME) BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT HOLDERS
OF SHARES OF JOUNCE COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION
REGARDING TENDERING THEIR SHARES.
The Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other
tender offer documents, as well as the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement,
will be made available to all holders of shares of the Company's common stock at
no expense to them. The tender offer materials and the
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement will be made available for free at the
SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by accessing the Investor Relations section of
the Company's website at https://www.jouncetx.com.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description
Agreement and Plan of Merger between the Company, Concentra and Merger
2.1 Sub, dated March 26, 2023.
99.1 Press Release of the Company, dated March 27, 2023.
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).
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