Item 1. Security and Issuer.
This statement relates to the common stock, $0.0001 par value (the “Common Stock”) of VBI Vaccines Inc. (the “Issuer”) having its principal executive office at 222 3rd Street, Suite 2241, Cambridge, MA 02142.
Item 2. Identity and Background.
This statement is being filed by:
(a) Clarus Lifesciences I, L.P. (the “Fund”);
(b) Clarus Ventures I Management, L.P. (“Clarus GP”), which is the sole general partner of the Fund; and Clarus Ventures I, LLC (“Clarus GPLLC” and, together with Clarus GP, the “Control Entities”), which is the sole general partner of Clarus GP; and
(c) Robert Liptak, Nicholas Simon, Nicholas Galakatos, Dennis Henner, Kurt Wheeler and Michael Steinmetz (together, the “Managing Directors”). The Managing Directors are the directors of Clarus GPLLC.
The persons named in this Item 2 are referred to individually herein as a “Reporting Person” and collectively as the “Reporting Persons.” The Reporting Persons have entered into a Joint Filing Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, a copy of which is filed with this Schedule 13D as Exhibit 99.1 (which is incorporated herein by reference), pursuant to which the Reporting Persons have agreed to file this statement jointly in accordance with the provisions of Rule 13d-1(k) under the Act.
The address of the principal business office of the Reporting Persons is Clarus Ventures, 101 Main Street, Suite 1210, Cambridge, MA 02142.
The principal business of the Fund is to invest in and assist growth-oriented businesses in healthcare and life sciences. The principal business of Clarus GP is to act as the sole general partner of the Fund. The principal business of Clarus GPLLC is to act as the sole general partner of Clarus GP. The principal business of each of the Managing Directors is to manage the Control Entities, the Fund and affiliated entities with similar businesses.
During the five years prior to the date hereof, none of the Reporting Persons has been convicted in a criminal proceeding or has been a party to a civil proceeding ending in a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
The Fund and Clarus GP are limited partnerships organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Clarus GPLLC is a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Each of the Messrs. Liptak, Simon, Galakatos, Henner and Wheeler is a United States citizen. Mr. Steinmetz is a German citizen.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
On July 25, 2014, Variation Biotechnologies (U.S.) Inc., a Delaware corporation (“VBI”) completed its merger (the “Merger”) with VBI Acquisition Corp. (“Merger Sub”), a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Issuer, formerly known as Paulson Capital (Delaware) Corp., whereby Merger Sub merged with and into VBI with VBI continuing as the surviving corporation. As a result of the Merger, VBI was acquired by, and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Issuer and the Issuer changed its name to VBI Vaccines Inc. In connection with the Merger, 18,525,795 shares of common stock of VBI owned beneficially by the Fund and bridge notes worth $263,192.17 issued by VBI and owned beneficially by the Fund automatically converted to 19,274,850 shares of the Issuer’s Common Stock. Additionally, the Fund purchased 5,594,251 shares of Common Stock in a private transaction with the Issuer. Finally, in connection with the Merger the Issuer effected a reverse stock split of the Issuer’s issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock at a ratio of 1:5 (the “Reverse Split”) whereby the 24,869,101 shares of Common Stock owned beneficially in aggregate by the Fund converted to 4,973,820 shares of Common Stock (the “Clarus Shares”).
CUSIP NO. 91790E102 | 13D | Page 12 of 16 Pages |
The working capital of the Fund was the source of the funds for the purchase of the Clarus Shares. No part of the purchase price of the Clarus Shares was represented by funds or other consideration borrowed or otherwise obtained for the purpose of acquiring, holding, trading or voting the Clarus Shares.
On April 24, 2014, Michael Steinmetz, a director of the Issuer, was granted certain options to purchase shares of Common Stock of the Issuer, of which options to purchase 5,000 shares of Common Stock are exercisable within 60 days of August 4, 2014.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
The Fund acquired the Clarus Shares for investment purposes. Depending on market conditions, its continuing evaluation of the business and prospects of the Issuer and other factors, the Fund and other Reporting Persons may dispose of or acquire additional shares of the Issuer.
None of the Reporting Persons have any present plans or proposals that relate to or would result in any change in the business, policies, management, structure or capitalization of the Issuer. The Reporting Persons reserve the right to acquire, or dispose of, additional securities of the Issuer in the ordinary course of their business, to the extent deemed advisable in light of their general investment and trading policies, market conditions or other factors. The Reporting Persons may engage in discussions from time to time with other stockholders of the Issuer regarding the acquisition by the Reporting Persons or others of shares of the Issuer’s Common Stock held by such stockholders.
The Reporting Persons may seek information from management and the Issuer’s Board of Directors, and may engage in further discussions with management, the Issuer’s Board of Directors, other stockholders of the Issuer and other relevant parties, concerning the business, operations, governance, management, strategy, capitalization and/or future plans of the Issuer, or in proposing one or more of the other actions described in subparagraphs (a) through (j) of this Item 4.
Except as set forth above, none of the Reporting Persons has any present plans which relate to or would result in:
| (a) | The acquisition by any person of additional securities of the Issuer, or the disposition of securities of the Issuer; |
| (b) | An extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries; |
| (c) | A sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries; |
| (d) | Any change in the present Board of Directors or management of the Issuer, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board; |
| (e) | Any material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Issuer; |
| (f) | Any other material change in the Issuer’s business or corporate structure; |
| (g) | Changes in the Issuer’s charter, bylaws or instruments corresponding thereto or other actions which may impede the acquisition of control of the Issuer by any person; |
| (h) | Causing a class of securities of the Issuer to be delisted from a national securities exchange or to cease to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of a registered national securities association; |
| (i) | A class of equity securities of the Issuer becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Act; or |
| (j) | Any action similar to any of those enumerated above. |
The Fund is the record owner of the Clarus Shares. As the sole general partner of the Fund, Clarus GP may be deemed to own beneficially the Clarus Shares. As the sole general partner of Clarus GP, Clarus GPLLC may be deemed to own beneficially the Clarus Shares. As members of Clarus GPLLC, each of the Managing Directors may be deemed to own beneficially the Clarus Shares.
Each Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the Clarus Shares other than those shares which such person owns of record.
Exhibit 99.2 – Power of Attorney regarding filings under the Act.