Wesana Health Holdings Inc. (CSE: WESA / OTCQB: WSNAF), a data-driven life sciences company, today announced that the Company has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement dated March 20 2023 (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”) with Lucy Scientific Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ:LSDI) for the sale by Wesana Health Inc. (“WHI”), a subsidiary of the Company, of its SANA-013 intellectual property and related assets for consideration of 1,000,000 common shares of Lucy and US$570,000 in cash.
- The Transaction (as defined below) provides an opportunity for the continued development of SANA-013 through the next phases of the US FDA regulatory process and for the Company to have economic exposure to any positive advancements in any such future research and development efforts by Lucy.
- The Company will also have economic exposure to the broader Lucy asset portfolio and pipeline, including a Canadian Licensed Dealer conducting research on various compounds.
- The Transaction is expected to close in Q2 2023, subject to and following the satisfaction (or waiver as permitted) of the conditions precedent to the Transaction.
“We have worked diligently over the previous two years to develop novel therapies for the treatment of major depressive disorder and have made some significant advances in our drug development program. Broader challenges in the macro-environment led us to consider strategic options, and we believe there is significant value held in continuing development of SANA-013.”
Daniel Carcillo, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board.
Chris McElvany, Chief Executive Officer of Lucy, said, “expanding our footprint with the SANA-013 drug development program is a logical next step for Lucy, which should also drive growth in Lucy’s manufacturing business.”
Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, Lucy, an arms-length party to the Company, has agreed to acquire WHI’s SANA-013 intellectual property and related assets for aggregate consideration comprised of the Share Consideration and the Cash Consideration, as outlined in the Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Transaction”). US$300,000 of the Cash Consideration is anticipated to be paid to WHI shortly and the remainder of the Cash Consideration is required to be paid to WHI at closing. The proceeds from the Transaction are to be used by WHI for reasonable general corporate purposes which WHI deems necessary in its sole discretion to the development of SANA-013 and/or completion of the transaction contemplated by the Asset Purchase Agreement.
The Share Consideration shall be subject to a lock-up agreement (the “Lock-Up Agreement”) whereby (i) one-half of the Share Consideration will be released 9 months from initial trading date of LSDI shares, and (ii) one-half of the Share Consideration will be released 14 months from the initial trading date of LSDI shares.
The Share Consideration will be issued as “restricted securities” under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may be publicly resold, subject to terms of the Lock-Up Agreement, in compliance with Rule 144 (“Rule 144”) thereunder. Lucy has granted the Company (i) demand registration rights in the event that Rule 144 is not available for the public resale of the Share Consideration, and (ii) piggy-back registration rights.
The Asset Purchase Agreement also contains customary non-solicitation covenants on the part of Wesana with respect to alternative transactions.
Among other conditions precedent, the consummation of the Transaction is subject to the approval of at least 66⅔% of the votes cast by Wesana shareholders voting in person or represented by proxy at a meeting of Wesana shareholders to be called by Wesana for purposes of considering the Transaction.
Certain shareholders of Wesana, representing all of the outstanding Wesana super voting shares, 23.1% of the outstanding Wesana proportionate subordinate voting shares and 14.7% of the outstanding Wesana subordinate voting shares, have entered into support agreements with Wesana, agreeing to support the Transaction and vote their Wesana shares in favour of the Transaction at the shareholders meeting to be called by Wesana for purposes of considering the Transaction.
Further details regarding the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement and the Transaction are set out in the Asset Purchase Agreement, which will be filed by the Company under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Additionally, further information regarding the Transaction, including the background thereto and the rationale for the recommendations made by the Special Committee and the Board, will be contained in the management information circular (the “Circular”) that the Company will prepare, file and mail to Wesana shareholders in connection with the meeting of Wesana shareholders to be called by Wesana for purposes of considering the Transaction and will file under the Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All Wesana shareholders are urged to read the Circular as it will contain important information.
The Transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to and following the satisfaction (or waiver as permitted) of the conditions precedent to the Transaction.
The Transaction will enable Lucy to provide continued capital investment to further the SANA-013 research and development required to meet the standards set by the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to provide treatment against Major Depressive Disorder and other complementary orphan indications. The Share Consideration will enable the Company (through WHI) to have economic exposure to the future growth potential associated with SANA-013 and other initiatives underway or contemplated by Lucy.
Transition of Key Employees:
Subject to agreement on terms, it is anticipated that Wesana’s CEO and Chairman Daniel Carcillo will join Lucy’s team to integrate SANA-013 within Lucy.
Wesana also announces that as part of a planned transition, Mr. Zed Wang has resigned as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, and Mr. Winfield Ding has been appointed as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, effective immediately. Mr. Wang will be remain available to ensure a smooth transition.
Mr. Ding has been CFO and director for a number of public companies in Canada. He is a seasoned senior finance executive with over twenty years of finance and operations experience. A former audit manager and currently a self-practitioner, he has worked in audit, taxation and advisory roles across a wide range of industries with a focus on public issuers financial reporting and business advisory. Mr. Ding received his MBA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
“Winfield brings seasoned expertise in capital markets, strategic transactions, and public company compliance,” said Daniel Carcillo. He continued, “Zed’s departure comes with a successful transition of finance oversight to Winfield. We are extremely fortunate to have had Zed as part of the Wesana team from the beginning, and we wish him all the best as he goes on to pursue his other passions.”
The Company’s board of directors, after receiving a recommendation from a special committee of t, has determined (with Daniel Carcillo declaring an interest and abstaining) that the Transaction is in the best interests of the Company and that the consideration to be received by the Company pursuant to the Transaction is fair to the Company. Accordingly, the Board has approved the Asset Purchase Agreement and recommends that Wesana shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction.
Eight Capital has provided a fairness opinion to the Special Committee that, as of the date of such opinion and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications on which such opinion is based, the consideration to be received by the Company pursuant to the Transaction is fair from a financial point of view to the Company.
Eight Capital is acting as financial advisor, and Nauth LPC and McCarthy Tétrault LLP are acting as legal counsel to Wesana. Dentons Canada LLP is acting as legal counsel to Wesana’s Special Committee.
Troutman Pepper and TingleMerrett LLP are acting as legal counsel to Lucy.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Daniel Carcillo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Phone: 702-329-8038
About Wesana Health
Wesana Health is a data-driven life science company pioneering drug development through its lead candidate SANA-013. Targeting Major Depressive Disorder as the lead indication, SANA-013 utilizes proprietary drug delivery protocols and a novel combination therapy. Wesana is composed of leaders from the scientific, research and medical industries driven by a common goal of improving the lives of millions of people globally suffering from mental health indications.