Lynx1 Sends Open Letter to Fellow Neuphoria Shareholders
Submits Recalculated Initial Offer of
Nominated Two Independent Candidates to Restore Oversight and Protect Shareholders
Urges Shareholders to Vote FOR Lynx1's Independent Nominees on the BLUE Card
DORADO,
In its letter, Lynx1, an investor in Neuphoria since
As part of its engagement, Lynx1 submitted an initial offer to acquire the Company or a select asset, which it subsequently withdrew due to the Board's intervening actions. Lynx1 today resubmitted its offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company, for
Lynx1 said it plans to continue attempting to engage with Neuphoria and hopes that there are directors currently on the Board who are willing to look past entrenched interests and focus instead on what is best for Neuphoria and its shareholders.
The full text of the letter follows:
***
Dear Fellow Neuphoria Shareholders,
Lynx1 Master Fund LP (together with its affiliates, "Lynx1" or "we") is currently the largest shareholder of Neuphoria Therapeutics Inc. ("Neuphoria" or the "Company"), owning approximately 16.3% of the Company's outstanding shares (based on the Company's shares outstanding as of
Over the last several months, the Board's decisions have destroyed shareholder value and confidence, dramatically diluted existing owners and raised serious questions about independence and process. For these reasons, we have nominated two highly qualified director candidates independent from both the Company and Lynx1—Dr. Stephen Doberstein, Ph.D. and Kimberly Smith—for election to the Board at the Company's 2025 annual meeting of shareholders (the "2025 Annual Meeting"). We believe having truly independent directors on the Board is the only way to restore accountability, stabilize Neuphoria's capital structure and maximize value amid the Company's ongoing strategic review.
How We Got Here
The Company has promising assets, but a lack of urgency and planning has badly damaged its credibility and shareholder confidence.
Over the past three years, the Company has delivered a staggering -95.7% total shareholder return, while relevant indices, such as the Russell Microcap and Russell 3000, posted gains of +49.9% and +83.1%, respectively. We reference these indices for transparency, but the comparative indices or peer set is irrelevant – there is no reasonable set of peers or index that would perform similarly to the destruction of 95.7% of the value of the Company.
In
Unsurprisingly, on
The initial reaction by the Company, to initiate a strategic review, seemed sensible. However, the Company's subsequent actions did not align with the announcement. Despite multiple good-faith outreach efforts by Lynx1 to engage with the Board beginning as early as
In addition, on
During this same period, the Company has built a war chest of cash through the issuance of new shares, causing substantial dilution for its existing shareholders. Neuphoria claims that it raised the capital "due to the anticipated data readout" in order to "ensure that the Company is well positioned for all possible outcomes associated with the data readout." We agree with and would have supported such an approach, but this is not what the Company actually did. The assertion that the Company issued these shares in anticipation of the trial is a fallacy. In fact, in the three weeks after
Our
Our conviction in the Company hasn't changed; what has changed is the Board's unfortunate and questionable decision to flood the market with new shares at distressed prices while claiming to run a strategic review.
On
- Issue a brief press release stating it would "evaluate and consider" the indication of interest;
- Ignore our attempts at direct engagement, including requests for opportunities to communicate with the Chair of the Board;
- Fail to articulate any process or timeline for evaluation of the indication of interest;
- Ignore requests from Lynx1 for an NDA permitting open discussion between the parties; and
- Send a proposed NDA to Lynx1 11 days after we submitted our initial indication of interest, which included unreasonable, off-market provisions aimed at requiring Lynx1 to withdraw its proxy contest and sit on the sidelines for two years.
In addition, on
On
Series of Actions That Disenfranchise Shareholders
While the Board states that it "welcomes constructive engagement," its actions reflect an entrenched leadership more focused on preserving its and management's positions than on acting in the best interests of Neuphoria's shareholders.
During the past several months (and in particular over the past few weeks), the Board and management have taken a series of actions that have entrenched them and disenfranchised shareholders. For example, they have:
- failed to hold an annual meeting for nearly two years, in violation of securities laws and Nasdaq listing requirements;
- set a record date for the Company's 2025 Annual Meeting immediately prior to the announcement of the failure of the AFFIRM-1 Phase 3 trial, which precedes the Company's announcement of the meeting date and further predates the Company's dilutive share issuances, thereby disenfranchising over 55% of its current shareholders;
- set a meeting date for the 2025 Annual Meeting that provided shareholders only 10 days to nominate directors for election at that meeting;
- adopted a poison pill intended to restrict shareholders from acquiring shares on the open market or collaborating with other shareholders, while simultaneously increasing its shares outstanding by 128% through issuances under its ATM;
- announced the initiation of a review of strategic alternatives while retaining
H.C. Wainwright , the sales agent earning a 3% commission on gross sales proceeds under its ATM, as the financial advisor in connection with such review; and - presented to us, in response to our submission of a non-binding indication of interest, a proposed NDA with unreasonable provisions that would have the effect of requiring us to withdraw our proxy contest and sit on the sidelines for two years.
In light of its inability to act independently in the best interests of all shareholders, the Board needs strong fiduciaries who will hold management accountable, prevent further entrenchment tactics and oversee a review of strategic alternatives to maximize value for all shareholders.
Our Independent Nominees
Our nominees, Dr.
We are not seeking representation on the Board. Rather,
Plan for the Reconstituted Board
Our objectives are entirely compatible with any outcome the full Board ultimately chooses, so long as that outcome is reached through an independent, transparent and value maximizing process.
If elected, the Independent Nominees will work constructively with their fellow directors and independently from Lynx1 to pursue three core objectives:
Conduct a credible strategic review
The Independent Nominees would provide their experience to facilitate a successful strategic review. The reconstituted Board would be equipped to oversee a disciplined, transparent strategic review process focused on maximizing value for all shareholders.
Stop reckless dilution
Neuphoria has temporarily ceased its dilutive issuances during the pendency of this proxy contest, but it has nevertheless indicated its intent to raise up to another
Effectively oversee the Company
If Neuphoria remains a public company following the completion of the review of strategic alternatives, the Independent Nominees would leverage their expertise to ensure prudent oversight of the Board and the leadership team and ensure that both clinical and capital allocation decisions were prudently made for the benefit of all shareholders.
* * *
Neuphoria's scientific potential is worth fighting for. With the right leadership and governance, we believe the Company can still deliver meaningful value for patients and for all of its stakeholders. We strongly encourage Neuphoria shareholders to vote FOR both Independent Nominees—Dr.
Sincerely,
/s/
Managing Partner
[email protected]
Our Independent Nominees
- Former Chief Scientific Officer and Chief R&D Officer at Nektar Therapeutics, with prior senior roles at XOMA, Five Prime Therapeutics and Xencor
- More than two decades of experience designing and running clinical programs, including in complex therapeutic areas
- Prior public-company board experience (including at Dicerna Pharmaceuticals) and current advisory roles to multiple biotech companies
- Founder and CIO of Ausangate Capital, a biotech-focused hedge fund, and former healthcare investor at Putnam Investments and Surveyor Capital
- 20 years of experience assessing biotech companies, financing needs and strategic pivots, with a strong focus on capital allocation discipline
- Chair of the Wyoming Bioscience Alliance and member of the external advisory committee of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature or that necessarily depend on future events are forward-looking, and words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "potential," "opportunity," "estimate," "plan," "may," "will," "projects," "targets," "forecasts," "seeks," "could" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. The projected results and statements contained herein that are not historical facts are based on current expectations, speak only as of the date of the release and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such projected results and statements. Assumptions relating to the foregoing involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the control of Lynx1. Although Lynx1 believes that the assumptions underlying the projected results or forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date of the release, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate and therefore, there can be no assurance that the projected results or forward-looking statements included herein will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the projected results and forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation as to future results or that the objectives and strategic initiatives expressed or implied by such projected results and forward-looking statements will be achieved. Lynx1 will not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to disclose the results of any revisions that may be made to any projected results or forward-looking statements herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such projected results or statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law.
Certain Information Concerning the Participants
On
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT
THE LYNX1 PARTICIPANTS STRONGLY ADVISE ALL SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS, INCLUDING THE PROXY CARD, AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. SUCH PROXY MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SEC'S WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV. IN ADDITION, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROXY SOLICITATION WILL PROVIDE COPIES OF THE PROXY STATEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE, WHEN AVAILABLE, UPON REQUEST. REQUESTS FOR COPIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO OKAPI PARTNERS LLC, THE PARTICIPANTS' PROXY SOLICITOR.
Media Contact:
Lynx1 Capital Management LP
Email: [email protected]
Investor Contact:
Okapi Partners LLC
Direct: (212) 297-0720
Toll Free: (877) 629-6357
Email: [email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lynx1-sends-open-letter-to-fellow-neuphoria-shareholders-302631101.html
SOURCE Lynx1 Capital Management LP
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