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Lisata Therapeutics Announces Acquisition of Marea Therapeutics and $225 Million Concurrent Private Placement

LSTA
  • Lisata Therapeutics acquired Marea Therapeutics to focus on developing first-in-class next-generation medicines for cardioendocrine diseases.
  • The combined company will advance two late-stage clinical candidates: MAR001/005 for severe hypertriglyceridemia (currently in Phase 2b) & MAR002 for acromegaly (advancing to Phase 2).
  • A concurrent private placement financing raised $225 million from leading life sciences investors to fund operations into 2028.
  • Topline data from the ongoing Phase 2b trial for MAR001/005 & the Phase 2 trial for MAR002 are expected in the fourth quarter of 2027.
  • The acquisition was structured as a stock-for-stock transaction where Marea equity holders will own approximately 59.54% of the combined entity on a fully-diluted basis.
  • The financing was oversubscribed by investors including RA Capital Management, Third Rock Ventures, Sofinnova Investments, & Citadel-affiliated Surveyor Capital.
  • Proceeds will primarily fund clinical milestones for MAR001/005 & MAR002, including potential initiation of Phase 3 registrational studies for both programs.
  • Dr. Josh Lehrer, CEO of Marea, was appointed as Chief Operating Officer & President of Lisata Therapeutics following the transaction.
  • The Series C non-voting convertible preferred stock issued in the financing is subject to stockholder approval for conversion into common shares.
  • Marea's lead candidate MAR001 targets ANGPTL4 to lower triglycerides, while MAR002 acts as a growth hormone receptor antagonist for acromegaly treatment.