REG - Crystal Amber Fund - Further investment into Morphic Medical Inc

Crystal Amber FundAnnouncement

03/12/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 5070O  Crystal Amber Fund Limited  03 December 2024

3 December 2024

CRYSTAL AMBER FUND LIMITED

("Crystal Amber Fund" or the "Fund")

 

Further investment into Morphic Medical Inc

Crystal Amber Fund (AIM: CRS) announces that as a part of its ongoing
commitment to its portfolio company Morphic Medical Inc ("Morphic" or "Morphic
Medical"), the Fund has today invested US$500,000 (approximately £394,000*)
in Morphic Medical, taking the total invested by the Fund in Morphic Medical
in the last 12 months to US$7 million (approximately £5.5 million*).

 

As announced on 31 July 2024, the Fund has been and continues to be the sole
provider of finance to Morphic. The US$7 million invested has been provided to
Morphic in the form of unsecured interest bearing loan notes convertible into
ordinary shares in Morphic Medical ("CLNs") in cash instalments during 2024.
The Fund anticipates providing up to an additional US$4 million in instalments
as CLNs over the next few months.  The investments are to provide Morphic
with capital to continue to progress its commercial objectives, obtain
regulatory approvals and to build up inventory ahead of anticipated sales.

 

The CLNs accrue interest at 7.5% per annum and are repayable on 13 January
2025, however, it is the Fund's intention to seek the conversion of the CLNs
to equity, as well as the other loan notes it holds, on or before this date.
The CLNs and accrued interest automatically convert to equity in Morphic upon
an equity fundraising by Morphic of at least US$8 million (a "Qualifying
Fundraising") at a price determined by reference to the price of the
Qualifying Fundraising. An update on Morphic's funding discussions is provided
below and a further announcement will be made on this and the conversion of
the CLNs as appropriate.

 

The Fund now holds US$25.4 million of convertible loan notes in Morphic
Medical with accrued interest currently standing at approximately US$2.8
million. The Fund also owns 95.3 per cent of Morphic's share capital via
common shares and preferred shares, which had an audited valuation at 30 June
2024 of approximately £60 million.

 

Update on Morphic Medical

 

In recent weeks, Morphic Medical has continued to make commercial and
regulatory progress. Pending CE certification, 30 German hospitals applied for
NUB funding for RESET. In Germany, NUB is the reimbursement procedure for
novel drugs and devices not yet included in the German healthcare billing
system. In the UK, three substantial NHS Trusts have initiated the economic
business case for RESET.   Morphic is also in discussions with potential
distributors in other European countries.

 

The regulatory process continues to advance in the US, EU and UK. Last month,
Morphic received positive feedback following the completion of the Systems
Audit at its premises in Boston, MA, USA. Prior to the final Technical Review
and expected certification by an EU designated organisation, next month a site
visit is scheduled at Morphic's appointed manufacturer (Medical Murray Inc.).

 

Of late, Morphic has attracted further interest from potential investors,
including multi-billion dollar market capitalisation medical device companies
and is in ongoing discussions regarding potential equity investment, as well
as sales and distributions agreements. There can be no certainty as to a
successful outcome of these discussions.

 

About Morphic Medical

 

MORPHIC's product, RESET, is a thin, flexible implant that lines the proximal
small intestine and mimics gastric bypass bariatric surgery as food bypasses
the duodenum and the upper intestines. Unlike gastric bypass surgery, RESET is
reversible, minimally invasive, and temporary. It does not permanently alter
the patient's anatomy and uniquely targets the body's own blood glucose
control mechanisms. This is achieved through a 20-minute endoscopic procedure.
The patient will typically retain the device for nine months, after which the
device is removed.

 

Based on Morphic Medical's latest statutory accounts for the year ended 31
December 2023, Morphic had not commenced sales and made a loss before tax of
US$9,124,000.

 

Having commissioned two independent valuation reports on Morphic, the Fund
concluded that, at 30 June 2024, Morphic was valued at US$98.8 million
(approximately £77 million) on a risk-adjusted basis and on a cash free, debt
free basis.

 

 *based on the foreign exchange rate of US$1.268 to £1.

 

For further enquiries please contact:

 

Crystal Amber Fund Limited

Chris Waldron (Chairman)

Tel: 01481 742 742

www.crystalamber.com (http://www.crystalamber.com)

 

Allenby Capital Limited - Nominated Adviser

Jeremy Porter/ Daniel Dearden-Williams

Tel: 020 3328 5656

 

Winterflood Investment Trusts - Broker

Neil Langford

Tel: 020 3100 0160

 

Crystal Amber Advisers (UK) LLP - Investment Adviser

Richard Bernstein

Tel: 020 7478 9080

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