Jaguar Animal Health (JAGX) and Napo Pharma Making All Animals on the Globe Happier

Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a human health company developing and commercializing novel gastrointestinal prescription products from plants used traditionally in rainforest areas, and Jaguar Animal Health, Inc. (JAGX), an animal health company focused on developing and commercializing first-in-class gastrointestinal products for companion and production animals, foals, and high value horses, announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement by unanimous approval by the boards of directors of both companies.

Under the terms of the Agreement, Jaguar’s stockholders and option and warrant holders calculated on a fully diluted basis as of today (excluding approximately 365,437 shares issuable under securities convertible at $5.00 or more per share) will hold approximately 25% of the total outstanding fully diluted equity of Jaguar. Conversely, the balance of the outstanding fully diluted equity of Jaguar will be held by existing Napo creditors, RSU, option and warrant holders together with new convertible debt and equity investors upon consummation of the merger. As indicated on February 9, 2017, the financial terms of the merger include an approximate 3-to-1 Napo-to-Jaguar value ratio to calculate relative ownership of the combined entity.

Holders of Napo common stock immediately prior to the merger will receive contingent rights to receive, upon the satisfaction of certain conditions as described more fully below, up to 21.5% of Jaguar’s shares calculated on a fully-diluted basis (the “Escrow Shares”), which such shares will be held in an escrow account upon the closing. Assuming a specified cash return (a “Hurdle Amount”) is achieved from the subsequent resale of certain shares of common stock issued by Jaguar to one of Napo’s existing secured creditors in connection with the merger (the “Tranche A Shares”), as described further below, the Napo Holders will be entitled to receive their pro rata share of the Escrow Shares following the release of the Escrow Shares from escrow. In addition, if such Hurdle Amount is achieved before all of such Tranche A Shares are sold, then 50% of the remaining unsold Tranche A Shares will be distributed pro rata among the Napo Stockholders and RSU holders. The proposed merger remains subject to customary conditions to closing, including but not limited to regulatory approvals inclusive of the effectiveness of the S-4 Registration Statement, debt limitations of Napo, absence of any material adverse change in the business, results of operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of either party and stockholder approval from each party. As of January 31, 2017, Napo owned approximately 19% of Jaguar’s outstanding shares of common stock.

Napo’s proprietary, patented gastrointestinal compound, crofelemer, is a first-in-class anti-secretory agent sustainably harvested from the rainforest. The merger of the two companies will provide Jaguar with an important prescription revenue stream from sales of Mytesi™ (crofelemer 125mg delayed-release tablets), a Napo prescription product formerly known as Fulyzaq. Mytesi™is a human drug approved by the U.S. FDA for the symptomatic relief of noninfectious diarrhea in adults with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy. Napo launched Mytesi™ in October 2016. Napo and Jaguar estimate the potential U.S. market for Mytesi™ to be approximately $100 million in gross annual sales. Napo is deploying a direct sales effort in the field to promote Mytesi™ to HIV prescribers in the second quarter of 2017, with both live representatives and telesales. As a result, Napo and Jaguar forecast that Mytesi™ will generate approximately $7.0 million in net sales in 2017, with the greatest impact on prescription growth coincident with the deployment of the sales force and a sampling program.

The product candidates in the pipelines of both companies target a mechanism of action highly conserved across all mammals, and benefit from the chronic safety profile that supports Mytesi™.

“Upon the consummation of the merger, as stated previously, we believe Jaguar and Napo together will be poised to realize a number of synergistic, value-adding benefits—most importantly a prescription product revenue stream—and an expanded pipeline of important follow-on indications for Mytesi™ upon which to forge global partnerships,” commented Lisa Conte, Jaguar’s President and CEO and Napo’s interim CEO. “The board members of both Jaguar and Napo are confident that this merger will enable both companies, through a joint management team, to benefit from the economies of scale of combined manufacturing for various human and animal indications and enhance potential value creation.”