Tetraphase or its affiliates, on the other hand, concerning a merger, consolidation or acquisition, tender offer or other acquisition of securities, an election of directors or a sale or other transfer of a material amount of assets during the past two years.
Available Information. Pursuant to Rule 14d-3 under the Exchange Act, La Jolla and Purchaser filed with the SEC a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO (the “Schedule TO”), of which this Offer to Purchase forms a part, and exhibits to the Schedule TO. Copies of the Schedule TO and the exhibits thereto, and reports, proxy statements and other information may be obtained by mail, upon payment of the SEC’s customary charges, by writing to its principal office at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The Schedule TO and the exhibits thereto, as well as other information filed by La Jolla and Purchaser with the SEC, are available at the SEC’s website on the Internet at www.sec.gov that contains the Schedule TO and the exhibits thereto and other information that Purchaser has filed electronically with the SEC.
| Background of the Offer; Contacts with Tetraphase. |
Background of the Offer and the Merger; Past Contacts or Negotiations between La Jolla, Purchaser and Tetraphase. The following is a description of contacts between representatives of La Jolla and Purchaser with representatives of Tetraphase that resulted in the execution of the Merger Agreement and the agreements related to the Offer. For a review of Tetraphase’s activities relating to these contacts, please refer to Tetraphase’s Schedule 14D-9 being mailed to stockholders with this Offer to Purchase.
Background of the Offer and the Merger
On March 16, 2020, Tetraphase announced that it had entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“AcelRx”), dated March 15, 2020, pursuant to which each outstanding share of Tetraphase common stock would be automatically converted into the right to receive: (i) a number of shares of AcelRx’s common stock equal to 0.6303, subject to downward adjustment in the event that Tetraphase’s closing net cash is less than $5,000,000; and (ii) one contingent value right per share representing the right to receive certain consideration based on the achievement of net sales milestones (the “AcelRx Merger Agreement”).
On May 6, 2020, La Jolla submitted to Tetraphase an unsolicited proposal to acquire Tetraphase for $22 million in cash, plus an additional $12.5 million in cash potentially payable under contingent value rights to be issued in the transaction (the “May 6 Proposal”).
On May 7, 2020, the board of directors of Tetraphase (the “Tetraphase Board”) determined in good faith, after consultation with its independent financial advisors and outside legal counsel, that the unsolicited May 6 Proposal constituted or could reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Offer as defined in the AcelRx Merger Agreement, and that the failure to: (i) furnish, pursuant to an acceptable confidentiality agreement, information (including non-public information) to La Jolla; and (ii) engage in or otherwise participate in discussions or negotiations with La Jolla in respect of the May 6 Proposal could reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Tetraphase Board to Tetraphase’s stockholders under applicable legal requirements.
Later on May 7, 2020, the Tetraphase Board determined to consider the May 6 Proposal, to enter into discussions and/or negotiations with respect to the May 6 Proposal and enter into a confidentiality agreement with La Jolla.
On May 12, 2020, Tetraphase received a revised proposal dated May 11, 2020 from La Jolla to acquire Tetraphase for $22.3 million in cash, plus an additional $12.5 million in cash potentially payable under contingent value rights to be issued in the transaction (the “May 11 Proposal”). As part of the May 11 Proposal, La Jolla also submitted a draft Agreement and Plan of Merger.
On May 13, 2020, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, outside counsel to Tetraphase (“WilmerHale”), provided representatives from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP (“Gibson Dunn”), counsel to La Jolla, with revised drafts of the form of merger agreement, form of CVR Agreement and form of tender and support agreement provided by La Jolla.
On May 14, 2020, representatives of Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (“Melinta”) and certain affiliated entities managed by Deerfield Management Company, L.P. (“Deerfield”) sent to board members of Tetraphase and Janney Montgomery Scott (“Janney”), Tetraphase’s financial advisor, a non-binding indication of interest from Melinta to acquire all of the outstanding Shares of Tetraphase at an aggregate purchase price of $27 million in