Feb 19 (Reuters) - Tocagen Inc TOCA.O :
* TOCAGEN AND FORTE BIOSCIENCES ANNOUNCE MERGER
* ENTERED INTO A DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT UNDER WHICH TOCAGEN
WILL
MERGE WITH FORTE IN AN ALL-STOCK TRANSACTION
* UPON STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL, COMBINED COMPANY IS EXPECTED TO
OPERATE UNDER NAME FORTE BIOSCIENCES
* TOCAGEN - TRANSACTION TO CREATE NASDAQ-LISTED COMPANY
FOCUSED ON
ADVANCING FORTE'S LATE-STAGE CLINICAL PROGRAM FOR ATOPIC
DERMATITIS
* IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT TOCAGEN EQUITYHOLDERS IMMEDIATELY
PRIOR
TO MERGER WILL OWN APPROXIMATELY 25.5% OF COMBINED COMPANY
* IT IS ANTICIPATED FORTE EQUITYHOLDERS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO
MERGER WILL OWN APPROXIMATELY 74.5% OF COMBINED COMPANY
* TOCAGEN - COMBINED CO WILL BE LED BY PAUL WAGNER FORTE'S
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND WILL BE HEADQUARTERED
IN TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
* TRANSACTION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
BOTH
COMPANIES
* TOCAGEN- INVESTOR SYNDICATE INCLUDING ALGER, BVF PARTNERS
LP,
ORBIMED HAVE ENTERED INTO SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT TO
INVEST $14 MILLION IN COMBINED CO
* BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPOSED OF EIGHT
MEMBERS,
WITH SIX MEMBERS DESIGNATED BY FORTE
* BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPOSED OF EIGHT
MEMBERS,
WITH TWO MEMBERS DESIGNATED BY TOCAGEN
* TOTAL CASH BALANCE OF COMBINED COMPANY FOLLOWING CLOSING
OF
MERGER AND FINANCING IS EXPECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY $25 MILLION
Source text for Eikon: ID:nPnbSpdvla
Further company coverage: TOCA.O
((Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com;))