THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
PRESS RELEASE: REGULATED INFORMATION
20 October 2022, 07:00 CEST
Biocartis Announces First Drawdown of New Convertible Term Loans
Mechelen, Belgium, 20 October 2022 – Biocartis Group NV (the “Company” or “Biocartis”), an innovative molecular diagnostics company (Euronext Brussels: BCART), is pleased to announce the first drawdown under the new senior secured term loan (“New Convertible Term Loans”) provided by certain existing holders of its 4.00% convertible bonds originally due in 2024 (the “Existing Convertible Bonds”) as part of the comprehensive recapitalization arrangements announced on 1 September 2022. Approximately EUR 18 million of the overall EUR 30 million of New Convertible Term Loans has been drawn following the successful approval of the amendment of the terms and conditions of the Existing Convertible Bonds announced on 11 October 2022. From the amount drawn, approximately EUR 14 million was used to repurchase and cancel more than EUR 16 million of principal amount of Existing Convertible Bonds from certain holders thereof.
This is another significant milestone for the Company as the New Convertible Term Loans will eventually provide Biocartis with approximately EUR 16 million of additional cash liquidity when fully drawn, and form part of the overall EUR 66 million gross amount of new cash the Company will receive to support its growth for the foreseeable future.
As a reminder, the drawdown of the remaining portion of the New Convertible Term Loans is conditional on the exchange of Existing Convertible Bonds as described in the next paragraph, certain shareholder approvals, and the Company’s contemplated rights offering.
As previously announced, holders of the Existing Convertible Bonds are offered the right to exchange their Existing Convertible Bonds into new second lien secured convertible bonds (the “New Convertible Bonds”), subject to their commitment to participate pro-rata in a fully backstopped EUR 25 million investment into additional New Convertible Bonds. The New Convertible Bonds will benefit from asset security, shares security, certain guarantees, and mature in November 2026 (provided the comprehensive recapitalization is fully completed) with a higher 4.50% cash coupon. Holders of Existing Convertible Bonds that do not commit to subscribe for their pro rata portion of additional New Convertible Bonds will not be permitted to exchange, and their Existing Convertible Bonds will remain outstanding with the amended terms. The documentation in relation to the exchange offer has been uploaded on a dedicated website, and holders of the Existing Convertible Bonds should urgently contact their brokers or the Company if they have not already received access to the relevant documentation. The deadline for the exchange offer for holders of the Existing Convertible Bonds is 24 October 2022.
To give full effect to certain aspects of the comprehensive recapitalization transaction, the Company has invited its shareholders, holders of subscription rights, holders of convertible bonds, directors and statutory auditor to an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting (EGM) which will be held on Thursday 27 October 2022 at 2:00 p.m. CEST at the offices of the Company at Generaal de Wittelaan 11B, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium. The convening notice and other documents relating to the EGM can be consulted on the website of the Company.
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More information:
Renate Degrave
Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Biocartis
e-mail rdegrave@biocartis.com
tel +32 15 631 729
mobile +32 471 53 60 64
About Biocartis
With its revolutionary and proprietary Idylla™ platform, Biocartis (Euronext Brussels: BCART) aspires to enable personalized medicine for patients around the world through universal access to molecular testing, by making molecular testing actionable, convenient, fast and suitable for any lab. The Idylla™ platform is a fully automated sample-to-result, real-time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) based system designed to offer in-house access to accurate molecular information in a minimum amount of time for faster, informed treatment decisions. Idylla™’s continuously expanding menu of molecular diagnostic tests address key unmet clinical needs, with a focus in oncology. This is the fastest growing segment of the molecular diagnostics market worldwide. Today, Biocartis offers tests supporting melanoma, colorectal, lung [and liver] cancer, as well as for COVID-19, Flu, RSV and sepsis. For more information, visit www.biocartis.com or follow Biocartis on Twitter @Biocartis_ , Facebook or LinkedIn.
Biocartis and Idylla™ are registered trademarks in Europe, the United States and other countries. The Biocartis and Idylla™ trademark and logo are used trademarks owned by Biocartis. Please refer to the product labeling for applicable intended uses for each individual Biocartis product.
This press release is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in any jurisdiction where to do so would be unlawful. Any persons reading this press release should inform themselves of and observe any such restrictions. Biocartis takes no responsibility for any violation of any such restrictions by any person. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities in any jurisdiction. No securities of Biocartis may be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Forward-looking statements
Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company’s or, as appropriate, the Company directors’ or managements’ current expectations and projections concerning future events such as the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, performance, prospects, growth, strategies and the industry in which the Company operates. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities are not guarantees of future performance and should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. In addition, even if actual results or developments are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in future periods. No representations and warranties are made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person’s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
Important information
This announcement is not a prospectus for the purposes of Regulation 2017/1129, as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State of the European Economic Area, the “Prospectus Regulation”) or the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the UK European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and as amended by The Prospectus (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (each as amended) (the “UK Prospectus Regulation”).
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND DOES NOT FORM PART OF ANY OFFER TO SELL OR PURCHASE, OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO SELL OR PURCHASE, ANY NEW BONDS, OUTSTANDING BONDS OR OTHER SECURITIES. THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE OFFER, SALE AND PURCHASE OF THE NEW BONDS, NEW TERM LOANS OR THE OUTSTANDING BONDS DESCRIBED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAW. ANY PERSONS READING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD INFORM THEMSELVES OF AND OBSERVE ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.
There shall be no offer, solicitation, sale or purchase or exchange of the Existing Convertible Bonds or the New Convertible Bonds in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, sale, or purchase would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or the securities laws of any state of the United States, and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless these securities are registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act is available. Biocartis has not registered, and does not intend to register, any portion of the offering of the securities concerned in the United States, and does not intend to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States. This communication is only addressed to and directed at persons in member states of the European Economic Area (each a “Member States”) and in the United Kingdom who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation and of the UK Prospectus Regulation, respectively (“Qualified Investors”). This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. This announcement cannot be used as a basis for any investment agreement or decision. Biocartis is not liable if the aforementioned restrictions are not complied with by any person.
