Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Proposed Offering Of Common Stock
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Oct. 1, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:PTLA) today announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of shares of its common stock and expects to raise gross proceeds of approximately $160,000,000. All of the shares of common stock in the offering will be sold by Portola Pharmaceuticals. Subject to market and other conditions, the offering is expected to price before 9:30 a.m., EDT, on October 3, 2014.
Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse are acting as the joint book-running managers for the offering. A registration statement related to the offering has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A preliminary prospectus supplement and final prospectus supplement, when available, may be obtained from the offices of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, or by email at prospectus@morganstanley.com or Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, by email at newyork.prospectus@credit-suisse.com or by toll-free call to (800) 221-1037.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offer, if at all, will be made only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement.
About Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Portola Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company developing product candidates that could significantly advance the fields of thrombosis and other hematologic diseases. The Company is advancing its three wholly-owned programs using novel biomarker and genetic approaches that may increase the likelihood of clinical, regulatory and commercial success of its potentially life-saving therapies. Portola's partnered programs are focused on developing selective Syk inhibitors for inflammatory conditions.
Betrixaban
Portola's wholly-owned, oral, once-daily Factor Xa inhibitor betrixaban is being evaluated in the only biomarker-based Phase 3 study for hospital-to-home prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in acute medically ill patients. Betrixaban's distinct properties may have the potential to allow the agent to demonstrate efficacy without the significant increase in the rate of major bleeding that was seen in this patient population with other Factor Xa inhibitors. If approved, betrixaban could be the first anticoagulant for both hospital and post-discharge VTE prophylaxis and the standard of care in this large market of more than 20 million patients in the G7 countries alone.
Andexanet Alfa
Andexanet alfa, a recombinant modified Factor Xa molecule, has the potential to be a first-in-class antidote to reverse the effects of Factor Xa inhibitors in patients who suffer a major bleeding episode or who require emergency surgery. Andexanet alfa has been designated as a breakthrough therapy by the FDA. Portola has entered into Phase 3 clinical collaboration agreements with all of the manufacturers of direct Factor Xa inhibitors – Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer (Eliquis [apixaban]), Bayer HealthCare and Janssen Pharmaceuticals (XARELTO® [rivaroxaban]), and Daiichi Sankyo (edoxaban) – while retaining all commercial rights to andexanet alfa. The Company is currently evaluating andexanet alfa in the Phase 3 ANNEXA™ (Andexanet Alfa a Novel Antidote to the Anticoagulant Effects of fXA Inhibitors) registration studies.
Cerdulatinib* (PRT2070)
Portola's product candidate in the area of hematologic cancer, cerdulatinib, is an orally available molecule that uniquely inhibits two validated tumor proliferation pathways – spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and janus kinase (JAK). It is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 proof-of-concept study in patients with B cell leukemias or lymphomas with a focus on genetically-defined subtypes, as well as in patients who have failed therapy due to relapse or acquired mutations.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to Portola Pharmaceuticals' expectations regarding the completion, timing and size of the proposed public offering. These statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those projected. Portola Pharmaceuticals cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to market conditions and satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the public offering. There can be no assurance that Portola Pharmaceuticals will be able to complete the public offering on the anticipated terms, or at all. Risks and uncertainties relating to Portola Pharmaceuticals and its business can be found in the "Risk Factors" section of Portola Pharmaceuticals' Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 6, 2014, and in the preliminary prospectus supplement related to the proposed offering to be filed with the SEC. Portola Pharmaceuticals undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in Portola Pharmaceuticals' expectations.
*Cerdulatinib is a proposed International Nonproprietary Name (pINN).
CONTACT: Investor Contact: Alexandra Santos Portola Pharmaceuticals ir@portola.com 650.246.7239 Media Contact: Joey Fleury BrewLife jfleury@brewlife.com 415.946.1090 
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