Zafgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZFGN) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

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Zafgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZFGN) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

Zafgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZFGN) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Agreement and Plan of Merger

On March 6, 2020, Zafgen, Inc. (“Zafgen”) entered into an amendment (the “Amendment”) by and among Chondrial Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company (“Chondrial”), Chondrial Therapeutics Holdings, LLC, the sole stockholder of Chondrial (“Holdings”), and Zordich Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Zafgen (“Merger Sub”), to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated December 17, 2019, by and among Zafgen, Chondrial, Holdings and Merger Sub, as amended (the “Merger Agreement”). to the Merger Agreement, and upon the terms and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions described in the Merger Agreement, Chondrial will be merged with and into Merger Sub (the “Merger”) at the effective time of the Merger, with Chondrial continuing after the Merger as the surviving company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zafgen.

The board of directors of Zafgen has unanimously approved the Amendment and the related transactions. Other than as set forth in the Amendment, the terms of Merger Agreement are unchanged. In connection with the Merger, Zafgen has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) a preliminary proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the proposed transactions.

The foregoing description of the Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amendment, which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Additional Information about the Proposed Merger and Where to Find It

This communication relates to the proposed merger transaction involving Zafgen and Chondrial and may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed merger involving Zafgen and Chondrial. In connection with the proposed merger, Zafgen intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including a proxy statement relating to the approval of the merger agreement. Investors and security holders of Zafgen are urged to read these materials when they become available because they will contain important information about Zafgen, Chondrial and the proposed merger. The proxy statement and other relevant materials (when they become available), and any other documents filed by Zafgen with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Zafgen by directing a written request to: Zafgen, Inc., 3 Center Plaza, Suite 610, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, Attention: Secretary. Investors and security holders are urged to read the proxy statement and other relevant materials when they become available before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the proposed merger.

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Participants in the Solicitation

Zafgen and its directors and executive officers and Chondrial and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Zafgen in connection with the proposed merger. Information regarding the special interests of these directors and executive officers in the proposed merger are included in the proxy statement referred to above. The information in the preliminary proxy statement is not complete and may be changed. These documents are available free of charge at the SEC web site (www.sec.gov) and from the Secretary of Zafgen at the address above.

Zafgen Forward-Looking Information is Subject to Risks and Uncertainty

This communication contains forward-looking statements based upon Zafgen’s and Chondrial’s current expectations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and include, but are not limited to, statements about the structure, timing and completion of the proposed merger; the combined company’s listing on Nasdaq after the closing of the proposed merger; expectations regarding the ownership structure of the combined company; the combined company’s expected cash position at the closing of the proposed merger; the future operations of the combined company; the nature, strategy and focus of the combined company; the development and commercial potential and potential benefits of any product candidates of the combined company; the executive and board structure of the combined company; the location of the combined company’s corporate headquarters; and other statements that are not historical fact. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including, without limitation: (i) the risk that the conditions to the closing of the proposed merger are not satisfied, including the failure to timely obtain stockholder approval for the proposed merger, if at all; (ii) uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation of the proposed merger and the ability of each of Zafgen and Chondrial to consummate the proposed merger; (iii) risks related to Zafgen’s ability to manage its operating expenses and its expenses associated with the proposed merger pending closing; (iv) risks related to the failure or delay in obtaining required approvals from any governmental or quasi-governmental entity necessary to consummate the proposed merger; (v) the risk that as a result of adjustments to the exchange ratio, Zafgen stockholders and Chondrial stockholders could own more or less of the combined company than is currently anticipated; (vi) risks related to the market price of Zafgen’s common stock relative to the exchange ratio; (vii) unexpected costs, charges, expenditures or expenses resulting from the proposed merger; (viii) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed merger; (ix) Zafgen’s ability to retain personnel as a result of the announcement or completion of the proposed merger; and (x) risks associated with the possible failure to realize certain anticipated benefits of the proposed merger, including with respect to future financial and operating results. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in periodic filings with the SEC, including the factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Zafgen’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC, and in other filings that Zafgen makes and will make with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger, including the proxy statement described above under “Additional Information about the Proposed Merger and Where to Find It.” You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this communication. Zafgen expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

2.1   Amendment No. 1 to Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March  6, 2020, by and among Zafgen, Inc., Chondrial Therapeutics, Inc., Chondrial Therapeutics Holdings, LLC, and Zordich Merger Sub, Inc.


ZAFGEN, INC. Exhibit
EX-2.1 2 d846972dex21.htm EX-2.1 EX-2.1 Exhibit 2.1   AMENDMENT NO. 1 AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER among: ZAFGEN,…
To view the full exhibit click here

About Zafgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZFGN)

Zafgen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on improving the health and well-being of patients affected by obesity and complex metabolic disorders. The Company’s lead product candidate, Beloranib, is a twice-weekly subcutaneous injection being developed for the treatment of multiple indications, including severe obesity in rare diseases, such as Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and hypothalamic injury-associated obesity (HIAO), including craniopharyngioma-associated obesity. Beloranib is in Phase III stage of development for PWS. It is also developing ZGN-839, a liver-targeted methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2) inhibitor, for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and abdominal obesity, as well as other second-generation MetAP2 inhibitors for the treatment of severe obesity. It is also evaluating additional MetAP2 inhibitors beyond Beloranib as a development candidate for the treatment of severe obesity in the general population.