Epizyme Eyes $100 Million for Mid-Stage Trials of a Reacquired Drug

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Epizyme, Inc. (NASDAQ: EPZM), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company creating novel epigenetic therapeutics for cancer patients, today announced that it intends to offer and sell up to 4,750,000 shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering. Epizyme intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 712,500 shares of its common stock. All of the shares of common stock to be sold in the offering will be offered by Epizyme.

Epizyme intends to use proceeds from the offering, together with its existing cash and cash equivalents, to:

• Fund global development costs of EPZ-6438, Epizyme’s novel EZH2 inhibitor, outside of Japan, including the costs of the planned Phase 2 portion of our Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma, our planned Phase 2 trial in adult patients with INI1-deficient tumors, our planned Phase 1 trial in pediatric patients with INI1-deficient tumors, and our planned clinical pharmacology studies of EPZ-6438;
• Fund our two ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials of EPZ-5676, Epizyme’s novel DOT1L inhibitor;
• Fund research and development costs to advance our pipeline of preclinical product candidates and expand our product platform; and
• For working capital and other general corporate purposes.

Leerink Partners LLC, Cowen and Company, LLC, and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. JMP Securities LLC is acting as lead manager for the offering, and Mizuho Securities USA Inc. is acting as co-manager for the offering. The offering is subject to market conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering.

A shelf registration statement relating to the shares of common stock offered in the public offering described above was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on June 12, 2014 and declared effective by the SEC on June 27, 2014. The offering will be made only by means of the written prospectus and prospectus supplement that form a part of the registration statement. A preliminary prospectus supplement related to the offering is expected to be filed with the SEC and, if and when filed, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering may be obtained for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the securities being offered may also be obtained by contacting Leerink Partners LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, email: Syndicate@Leerink.com, phone: (800) 808-7525 ext. 6142; Cowen and Company, LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Services, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, Attention: Prospectus Department, phone: (631) 274-2806, fax (631) 254-7140; or RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10281-8098; Attention: Equity Syndicate; phone: (877) 822-4089; Email: equityprospectus@rbccm.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities being offered, nor shall there be any sale of the securities being offered in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

About Epizyme, Inc.

Epizyme, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company creating novel epigenetic therapies for cancer patients. Epizyme has built a proprietary product platform that the Company uses to create small molecule inhibitors of a 96-member class of enzymes known as histone methyltransferases, or HMTs. HMTs are part of the system of gene regulation, referred to as epigenetics, that controls gene expression. Genetic alterations can result in changes to the activity of HMTs, making them oncogenic (cancer-causing). By focusing on the genetic drivers of cancers, Epizyme’s targeted science seeks to match the right medicines with the right patients.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Epizyme, Inc., including statements about the Company’s anticipated public offering, anticipated use of proceeds, future operations, clinical development of the Company's therapeutic candidates, expectations regarding future clinical trials or expansion of ongoing clinical trials, expectations regarding the Company's cash balance and future expectations and plans and prospects for the Company and other statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should," "continue," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, uncertainties inherent in the initiation of future clinical trials, expectations of expanding ongoing clinical trials and such other factors as are set forth in the risk factors detailed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 12, 2015 under the heading “Risk Factors.” In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date hereof. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company's views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.