false 0001300699 0001300699 2022-11-16 2022-11-16

 

 

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): November 16, 2022

 

 

ATHENEX, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-38112   43-1985966

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

1001 Main Street, Suite 600, Buffalo, New York   14203
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (716) 427-2950

 

 

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:

 

 

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 Exchange Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share   ATNX   The Nasdaq Global Select 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 November 16, 2022, the Company completed the sale of its equity interests in its active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) manufacturing business in China to Chongqing Comfort Pharmaceutical Inc. as assignee of TiHe Capital (Beijing) Co. Ltd. (the “Buyer”) for an aggregate purchase price of RMB129.4 million, or approximately $18 million, pursuant to the Equity Purchase Agreement dated July 7, 2022 between the Company and the Buyer, as previously described in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 7, 2022 (the “Sale”). Upon the closing of the Sale, the Company received 70% of the Sale proceeds in cash, and will receive the remaining 20% and 10% within three and six months of the closing, respectively.

Upon the closing of the Sale, the Company and ATNX SPV, LLC (the “Subsidiary”) entered into a non-exclusive supply agreement (the “Supply Agreement”) with entities controlled by the assignee of the Buyer (the “Supplier”). Under the Supply Agreement, the Supplier and Athenex agreed to pricing and other supply terms for certain API (“API Products”), including those used in Klisyri® (tirbanibulin) and oral paclitaxel, to be manufactured at certain manufacturing sites by the Supplier. The Supplier also agreed to fill purchase orders from the Company before orders from other parties, if it was unable to fulfill orders for API Products. The Company also agreed to place orders for API Products, other than tirbanibulin, with the Supplier before placing orders with any other party. The pricing terms of the Supply Agreement will remain in effect for at least five years, and then may be adjusted on an annual basis upon agreement of the parties. The Supply Agreement will expire on the later of 10 years from the effective date of the Agreement or the expiration of the last of the Company’s license agreements for the API Products. If the Supply Agreement is terminated prior to the end of this period, the Subsidiary has the right to request that the Supplier enter into a new supply agreement with the Subsidiary on substantially the same terms. The foregoing summary of the Supply Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Supply Agreement, a copy of which will be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

As of November 17, 2022, the Company received a waiver (the “Waiver”) of certain terms of the Credit Agreement and Guaranty, dated as of June 19, 2020 by and among the Company, as borrower, the guarantors from time to time party thereto, Oaktree Fund Administration, LLC, as administrative agent, and the lenders (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”). Under the Waiver, the administrative agent and the lenders agreed to waive their right to mandatory prepayment of outstanding amounts under the Credit Agreement upon the closing of the Sale. The foregoing summary of the Waiver does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Waiver, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company issued a press release announcing the closing of the Sale on November 21, 2022. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 2.01

Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

The information contained in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

10.1    Waiver to Credit and Guaranty Agreement, by and among Athenex, Inc., the Lenders party thereto, and Oaktree Fund Administration, LLC, as administrative agent for the Lenders, dated as of November 17, 2022
99.1    Press release issued by the Company on November 21, 2022
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.

 

    ATHENEX, INC.
Date: November 21, 2022      

/s/ Joe Annoni

    Name:   Joe Annoni
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 10.1

WAIVER TO CREDIT AND GUARANTY AGREEMENT

THIS WAIVER TO CREDIT AND GUARANTY AGREEMENT (this “Waiver”), dated as of November 1, 2022, is made by and among ATHENEX, INC., a Delaware corporation (as applicable, the “Borrower”), the Lenders party hereto and OAKTREE FUND ADMINISTRATION, LLC, as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

WHEREAS, the parties hereto are party to that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of June 19, 2020 (as amended by that certain First Amendment and Limited Waiver to Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of June 3, 2021, that certain Second Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated December 14, 2021, that certain Third Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement and First Amendment to Warrants, dated as of January 19, 2022, that certain Fourth Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement, Second Amendment to the Warrants and Partial Release of Collateral, dated as of June 21, 2022, that certain Fifth Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of June 29, 2022, that certain Sixth Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of August 14, 2022 and as further amended, restated or modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) by and among the Borrower, the Guarantors party thereto from time to time, the Lenders party thereto from time to time, and the Administrative Agent;

WHEREAS, the upfront Net Cash Proceeds from China API Sale are expected to be received on or about November 2, 2022 (such Net Cash Proceeds, the “Upfront China API Sale Proceeds”);

WHEREAS, Section 3.03(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement requires that the Borrower make a mandatory prepayment in respect of Net Proceeds from certain Assets Sales in certain circumstances, subject to Section 3.03(b)(iv)(B); and

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders and the Administrative Agent agree to waive any mandatory prepayment obligations pursuant to Section 3.03(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement in respect of the Upfront China API Sale Proceeds.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows.

SECTION 1 Capitalized Terms. All capitalized terms used in this Amendment (including in the recitals hereof) and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 2 Waiver. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby waive the mandatory prepayment obligations pursuant to Section 3.03(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement in respect of the Upfront China Sale Proceeds..

SECTION 3 Miscellaneous.

(a) Binding Effect. This Waiver binds and is for the benefit of the successors and permitted assigns of each party.

(b) Limited Waiver. Except as specifically modified above, (i) the Credit Agreement and all other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect, and are hereby ratified and confirmed and (ii) the execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Waiver shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Credit Agreement or any of the Loan Documents. None of the Administrative Agent or any Lender is under any obligation to enter into this Waiver. The entering into this Waiver by such parties shall not be deemed to limit or hinder any rights of any such party under the Loan Documents, nor, except as provided in Section 2, as applicable, shall it be deemed to create or infer a course of dealing between any such party, on the one hand, and the Borrower, on the other hand, with regard to any provision of the Loan Documents.

 

1


(c) Governing Law. THIS WAIVER SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(d) Severability of Provisions. Each provision of this Waiver is severable from every other provision in determining the enforceability of any provision.

(e) Counterparts. This Waiver may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, is an original, and all taken together, constitute one Waiver. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Waiver by facsimile, portable document format (.pdf) or other electronic transmission will be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

(f) Loan Documents. This Waiver and the documents related thereto shall constitute Loan Documents.

(g) Electronic Execution of Certain Other Documents. The words “execution,” “execute”, “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Waiver and the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation assignments, assumptions, amendments, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Pages Follow]

 

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Waiver, as of the date first above written.

 

BORROWER AND ISSUER:     ATHENEX, INC.,
    a Delaware corporation
    By:  

/s/ Johnson Y.N. Lau

    Name: Dr. Johnson Y.N. Lau
    Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:
OAKTREE FUND ADMINISTRATION, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name:   Jessica Dombroff
  Title:   Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name:   Maria Attaar
  Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


LENDERS:
OAKTREE-TCDRS STRATEGIC CREDIT, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


EXELON STRATEGIC CREDIT HOLDINGS, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE-NGP STRATEGIC CREDIT, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE-MINN STRATEGIC CREDIT LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE-FORREST MULTI-STRATEGY LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE-TBMR STRATEGIC CREDIT FUND C, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE-TBMR STRATEGIC CREDIT FUND F, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE-TBMR STRATEGIC CREDIT FUND G, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE-TSE 16 STRATEGIC CREDIT, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


INPRS STRATEGIC CREDIT HOLDINGS, LLC
By:   Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
Its:   Manager
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE HUNTINGTON-GCF INVESTMENT FUND, L.P.

By:   Oaktree Huntington-GCF Investment Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Huntingon-GCF Investment Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP I, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE STRATEGIC INCOME II, INC.
By:   Oaktree Fund Advisors, LLC
Its:   Investment Advisor
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE SPECIALTY LENDING CORPORATION
By:   Oaktree Fund Advisors, LLC
Its:   Investment Adviser
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name: Jessica Dombroff
  Title: Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name: Maria Attaar
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE STRATEGIC INCOME CORPORATION
By:   Oaktree Fund Advisors, LLC
Its:   Investment Adviser
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name:   Jessica Dombroff
  Title:   Vice President
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name:   Maria Attaar
  Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


OAKTREE GILEAD INVESTMENT FUND, L.P.
By:   Oaktree Gilead Investment Fund GP, L.P.
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP, LLC
Its:   General Partner
By:   Oaktree Fund GP I, L.P.
Its:   Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Jessica Dombroff

  Name:   Jessica Dombroff
  Title:   Authorized Signatory
By:  

/s/ Maria Attaar

  Name:   Maria Attaar
  Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


SAGARD HEALTHCARE ROYALTY PARTNERS, LP, acting through its general partner, SAGARD HEALTHCARE ROYALTY PARTNERS GP LLC
By:  

/s/ Adam Vigna

 

Name: Adam Vigna

Title: Managing Partner & Chief Investment Officer

By:  

/s/ Jason Sneah

 

Name: Jason Sneah

Title: Manager

OPB SHRP CO-INVEST CREDIT LIMITED
By:  

/s/ Jennifer Hartviksen

 

Name: Jennifer Hartviksen

Title: Managing Director, Global Credit

By:  

 

 

Name:

Title:

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]


SIMCOE SHRP CO-INVEST CREDIT LTD.
By:  

/s/ Jennifer Hartviksen

 

Name: Jennifer Hartviksen

Title: Managing Director, Global Credit

By:  

 

 

Name:

Title:

 

[Signature Page to Waiver]

Exhibit 99.1

Athenex Announces Closing of the Sale of its China API Business

Buffalo, N.Y., November 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Athenex, Inc., (NASDAQ: ATNX), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer and related conditions, today announced the closing of the sale of its equity interests in its China subsidiaries, which primarily represent the Company’s ownership of its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing business in China, to Chongqing Comfort Pharmaceutical Inc. (Chongqing Comfort). Chongqing Comfort was assigned the rights and obligations under the Equity Purchase Agreement (Agreement) entered into in July 2022 by TiHe Capital (Beijing) Co. Ltd, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement.

Gross proceeds from the sale amount to approximately $18 million. At the Closing, Athenex received from Chongqing Comfort approximately $11 million in cash, net of PRC withholding tax and stamp duty, and will receive the remainder of the sale proceeds in two tranches within three and six months of Closing, respectively, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. The Closing was effective on November 16, 2022.

“We are pleased to have completed the sale of our China API operations, demonstrating our continued progress on the execution of our strategy to monetize non-core assets,” said Dr. Johnson Lau, Chief Executive Officer of Athenex. “This incremental step will allow us to remain focused on advancing our NKT cell therapy platform and creating value for our shareholders.”

Athenex also entered into a long-term supply agreement with entities controlled by Chongqing Comfort for the supply of APIs needed for Athenex’s small molecule drug products.

About Athenex, Inc.

Founded in 2003, Athenex, Inc. is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to becoming a leader in the discovery, development, and commercialization of next generation cell therapy drugs for the treatment of cancer. In pursuit of this mission, Athenex leverages years of experience in research and development, clinical trials, regulatory standards, and manufacturing. The Company’s current clinical pipeline is derived mainly from the following core technologies: (1) Cell therapy, based on NKT cells and (2) Orascovery, based on a P-glycoprotein inhibitor. Athenex’s employees worldwide are dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients by creating more active, accessible, and tolerable treatments. For more information, please visit www.athenex.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are typically identified by terms such as “mission,” “will,” and similar expressions. Actual results might differ materially from those explicit or implicit in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: the ability of Chongqing Comfort to pay the remainder of the Closing consideration; the ability of Chongqing Comfort to supply API to meet all of the needs of Athenex, and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in our SEC filings, copies of which are available for free in the Investor Relations section of our website at http://ir.athenex.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=254495&p=irol-sec or upon request from our Investor Relations Department. All information provided in this release is as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Athenex Contacts

Daniel Lang, MD

Athenex, Inc.

Email: danlang@athenex.com