UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 3, 2024
KINETA, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 001-37695 | 20-8436652 |
(State or other jurisdiction | (Commission | (IRS Employer |
of incorporation) | File Number) | Identification No.) |
7683 SE 27th Street, Suite 481 |
|
|
Mercer Island, WA |
| 98040 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
| (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (206) 378-0400
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
☐ |
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ |
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading | Name of each exchange |
| ||
| Symbol(s) | on which registered |
| ||
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share |
| KA |
| The Nasdaq Capital Market |
|
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
On July 3, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), Kineta Inc. (“Kineta” or the “Company”) entered into an exclusivity and right of first offer agreement (the “Agreement”) by and between the Company and TuHURA Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“TuHURA”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement.
Pursuant to the Agreement, among other things, Kineta has granted TuHURA an exclusive right to acquire Kineta’s worldwide patents, patent rights, patent applications, product and development program assets, technical and business information, and other rights and assets associated with and derived from its development program related to KVA12123, the Company’s VISTA blocking immunotherapy, during the period commencing as of the Effective Date and continuing through the first to occur of (a) the execution of any Definitive Agreement with respect to a Potential Transaction by TuHURA or one or more of its affiliates and (b) 11:59 PM Eastern Time on October 1, 2024, subject to extension as noted in the following sentence (the “Exclusivity Period”). In the event that the Parties are engaged in good faith discussions regarding a Potential Transaction on the date on which the Exclusivity Period (or any renewal thereof) is scheduled to expire and TuHURA has not yet closed the transactions contemplated by that previously announced agreement and plan of merger by and among TuHURA, Kintara Therapeutics, Inc. (“Kintara”) and Kayak Mergeco, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kintara, then on such date, the Exclusivity Period shall automatically renew for an additional ten (10) day period (a “Renewal Period”) (up to a total of two (2) renewal periods for an aggregate of twenty (20) days).
In consideration for Kineta’s compliance with its obligations set forth in the Agreement, TuHURA will pay to Kineta $5,000,000 (the “Exclusivity Payment”), of which $2,500,000 was paid on the Effective Date and the remaining $2,500,000 will be paid on July 15, 2024. No later than two (2) business days after a Renewal Period has started (to be confirmed in writing by both Parties), TuHURA shall pay an additional $150,000 as an additional Exclusivity Payment, in an amount not to exceed $300,000 for the two (2) available Renewal Periods. The Exclusivity Payment will be credited against the initial cash consideration that may be payable to Kineta pursuant to any Definitive Agreement (if any) between Kineta and TuHURA and/or its affiliates with respect to a Potential Transaction.
The foregoing summary of the terms of the Agreement is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the full text of the Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit
No. Document
99.1 Press release issued by Kineta, Inc., dated July 8, 2024
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: July 8, 2024
Kineta, Inc.
By: | /s/ Craig Philips |
Name: | Craig Philips |
Title: | President |