Soleno Therapeutics secures up to $200 million in financing to support its drug development and anticipated commercial activities.
Quiver AI Summary
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. has secured a loan and security agreement with Oxford Finance LLC for up to $200 million, aiming to enhance its financial standing for the anticipated commercial launch activities of its lead therapy, DCCR (diazoxide choline) extended-release tablets, which are under FDA review for treating Prader-Willi syndrome. The agreement allows Soleno to draw an initial $50 million, with additional funds contingent on FDA approval and certain commercial milestones. The loan features an interest-only period of four years and a total term of five years, accruing interest at a variable rate. Following the initial draw, Soleno's cash and equivalents reached approximately $334.7 million as of September 30, 2024.
Potential Positives
- Soleno Therapeutics secured a significant loan and security agreement worth up to $200 million, which will bolster its financial position.
- The initial draw of $50 million provides immediate liquidity to support anticipated commercial launch activities for its lead product candidate.
- The agreement allows for additional funds contingent upon FDA approval and specific commercial milestones, enhancing potential future growth.
- The company’s pro-forma cash position increases to approximately $334.7 million, giving it a strong financial base as it moves forward with regulatory processes and commercialization efforts.
Potential Negatives
- Soleno's ability to access the remaining $150 million in financing is contingent upon achieving FDA approval for its lead product, DCCR, and meeting certain commercial milestones, which introduces significant operational risk.
- The need for a loan agreement may indicate that the company does not have sufficient cash flow for its anticipated commercial launch activities, potentially raising concerns about its financial stability.
- The floating interest rate on the loan adds financial uncertainty, as it could lead to increased costs if market rates rise, impacting the company's profitability.
FAQ
What is Soleno Therapeutics announcing in the press release?
Soleno Therapeutics announced a loan and security agreement with Oxford Finance for up to $200 million to support their commercial launch activities.
How much initial funding did Soleno draw from Oxford Finance?
Soleno initially drew $50 million at the closing of the loan agreement with Oxford Finance.
What milestones are tied to the loan agreement?
The availability of additional funds is contingent upon FDA approval of DCCR and certain commercial milestones.
What is DCCR and its significance for Soleno?
DCCR (diazoxide choline) is a lead candidate for treating Prader-Willi syndrome, currently under FDA review with Priority Review status.
Who is Oxford Finance LLC?
Oxford Finance LLC is a specialty finance firm providing senior secured loans to life sciences and healthcare companies worldwide.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$SLNO Insider Trading Activity
$SLNO insiders have traded $SLNO stock on the open market 55 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 55 have been sales.
Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $SLNO stock by insiders over the last 6 months:
- PATRICIA C HIRANO (SEE REMARKS) has traded it 13 times. They made 0 purchases and 13 sales, selling 26,992 shares.
- BHATNAGAR ANISH (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER) has traded it 13 times. They made 0 purchases and 13 sales, selling 283,237 shares.
- KRISTEN YEN (SEE REMARKS) has traded it 13 times. They made 0 purchases and 13 sales, selling 26,957 shares.
- JAMES H MACKANESS (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER) has traded it 13 times. They made 0 purchases and 13 sales, selling 43,781 shares.
- OPPORTUNITY, LLC VIVO has traded it 3 times. They made 0 purchases and 3 sales, selling 1,025,000 shares.
To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.
$SLNO Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 99 institutional investors add shares of $SLNO stock to their portfolio, and 53 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- VIVO CAPITAL, LLC removed 1,025,000 shares (-14.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2024
- ALYESKA INVESTMENT GROUP, L.P. added 976,105 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q3 2024
- PRICE T ROWE ASSOCIATES INC /MD/ added 831,643 shares (+174.0%) to their portfolio in Q3 2024
- ASSENAGON ASSET MANAGEMENT S.A. removed 729,841 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2024
- JANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC added 722,226 shares (+21.5%) to their portfolio in Q3 2024
- FMR LLC added 665,363 shares (+6048754.5%) to their portfolio in Q3 2024
- WESTFIELD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CO LP added 495,708 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q3 2024
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
Full Release
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (Soleno) (NASDAQ: SLNO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases, today announced it has entered into a loan and security agreement with Oxford Finance LLC and its affiliates (Oxford) for up to $200 million.
“This financing significantly strengthens our financial position, providing additional support for anticipated commercial launch activities,” said Anish Bhatnagar, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Soleno.
Under the terms of the agreement with Oxford, Soleno drew an initial $50 million at closing. $100 million will be available in three additional tranches, contingent upon U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of DCCR (diazoxide choline) extended-release tablets for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and certain commercial milestones. The final $50 million may be made available upon the mutual consent of Soleno and Oxford. The loan carries an interest-only period of 48 months and a total term of 60 months; provided that if specific milestones are achieved prior to September 30, 2026, the interest-only period and maturity date will be extended by 12 months. The term loans accrue interest at a floating rate equal to, subject to certain conditions, (a) 1-month term SOFR plus (b) 5.50%.
As of September 30, 2024, Soleno had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $284.7 million. With the initial draw of $50 million, Soleno had pro-forma cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $334.7 million as of September 30, 2024.
About Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Soleno is focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases. An NDA for its lead candidate, DCCR (diazoxide choline) extended-release tablets, a once-daily oral tablet for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is currently under review by the FDA and was granted Priority Review. For more information, please visit www.soleno.life .
About Oxford Finance LLC
Oxford Finance LLC is a specialty finance firm providing senior secured loans to public and private life sciences, healthcare services, healthtech, business services and SaaS companies worldwide. For over 20 years, Oxford has delivered flexible financing solutions to over 700 companies, allowing borrowers to maximize their equity by leveraging their assets. Since 2002, Oxford has originated more than $14 billion in loans. Oxford is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, with additional offices serving the greater San Diego, San Francisco, Boston and New York City metropolitan areas. For more information, visit https://oxfordfinance.com .
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Soleno’s ability to achieve certain regulatory and commercial milestones and draw down future tranches of capital under the loan agreement. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties associated with the FDA’s review of our NDA, market conditions, as well as risks and uncertainties inherent in Soleno’s business, including those described in the company's prior press releases and in the periodic reports it files with the SEC. The events and circumstances reflected in the company's forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, the company does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
Corporate Contact:
Brian Ritchie
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
212-915-2578