Synthetic Biologics Announces Reverse Stock Split

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE:SYN), a diversified clinical-stage company developing therapeutics designed to treat diseases in areas of high unmet need, announced today a reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at a ratio of one (1) share of common stock for every ten (10) shares of common stock, effective as of 12:01 a.m. (Eastern Time) on July 25, 2022 (the "Effective Date"). The Company's common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on July 25, 2022. The reverse stock split was authorized by the Company's Board of Directors on July 11, 2022. Pursuant to the laws of the State of Nevada, the Company's state of incorporation, the Company's Board of Directors has the authority to effect a reverse stock split without shareholder approval if the number of authorized shares of common stock and the number of outstanding shares of common stock are proportionally reduced. The Company will file a certificate of change to its articles of incorporation, as amended, with the Secretary of State of Nevada to effect the reverse stock split. The Company's common stock will continue to trade on the NYSE American under the stock ticker "SYN" but will trade under the new CUSIP number 87164U409.

As a result of the reverse split, each ten (10) pre-split shares of common stock outstanding will automatically combine into one (1) new share of common stock without any action on the part of the holders, and the number of outstanding common shares will be reduced from 158,437,840 shares to 15,843,784 shares.

The reverse stock split is being effected to ensure that the Company can meet the per share price requirements of the NYSE American, the Company's current listing exchange.

No fractional shares will be issued as a result of the reverse stock split. Shareholders who otherwise would be entitled to a fractional share because they hold a number of shares not evenly divisible by the 1 (one) for ten (10) reverse split ratio, will automatically be entitled to receive an additional fractional share of the Company's common stock to round up to the next whole share.

The Company's transfer agent, Equiniti Trust Company, which is also acting as the exchange agent for the reverse split, will send instructions to stockholders of record who hold stock certificates regarding the exchange of their old certificates for new certificates, should they wish to do so. Stockholders who hold their shares in brokerage accounts or "street name" are not required to take action to effect the exchange of their shares.

About Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE:SYN) is a diversified clinical-stage company developing therapeutics designed to treat diseases in areas of high unmet need. The Company recently consummated the acquisition of VCN Biosciences, S.L. (VCN), which is developing a new oncolytic adenovirus (OV) platform designed for intravenous (IV), intravitreal and antitumoral delivery to trigger tumor cell death, improve access of co-administered cancer therapies to the tumor, and promote a robust and sustained anti-tumor response by the patient's immune system. The Company's lead candidates are: (1) VCN-01, an oncolytic adenovirus designed to replicate selectively and aggressively within tumor cells, and to degrade the tumor stroma barrier that serves as a significant physical and immunosuppressive barrier to cancer treatment; (2) SYN-004 (ribaxamase) which is designed to degrade certain commonly used IV beta-lactam antibiotics within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to prevent (a) microbiome damage, (b) Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), (c) overgrowth of pathogenic organisms, (d) the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and (e) acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients, and (3) SYN-020, a recombinant oral formulation of the enzyme intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) produced under cGMP conditions and intended to treat both local GI and systemic diseases. For more information, please visit Synthetic Biologics' website at www.syntheticbiologics.com.    

Forward-Looking Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions, and include statements regarding our planned stock split. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the stock split having the desired effect, the combined business of Synthetic Biologics and VCN will be successful, Synthetic Biologics' and VCN's product candidates demonstrating safety and effectiveness, as well as results that are consistent with prior results, the ability to initiate VCN-01 dosing in an investigator sponsored study of brain tumors at the University of Leeds (H1 2022), initiate VCN-01 dosing in combination with mesothelin-directed CAR-T cells for pancreatic and ovarian cancer in an investigator sponsored study at the University of Pennsylvania (H1 2022), initiate a Phase 2 study of VCN-01 in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy (gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel) as a first line therapy in newly diagnosed metastatic PDAC patients (Q4 2022), initiate a Phase 2/3 trial of VCN-01 as either an adjunct to chemotherapy or a potential rescue therapy in pediatric patients with advanced retinoblastoma (early 2023), data read out from the first cohort of the SYN-004 study in allo-HCT patients (H2 2022), the SAD and MAD studies supporting the development of SYN-020 in multiple clinical indications and planning for the initiation of a Phase 2a study of SYN-020 (H2 2022) ; the ability to complete clinical trials on time and achieve the desired results and benefits, continuing clinical trial enrollment as expected; the ability to obtain regulatory approval for commercialization of product candidates or to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements, regulatory limitations relating to Synthetic Biologics' and VCN's ability to promote or commercialize their product candidates for the specific indications, acceptance of product candidates in the marketplace and the successful development, marketing or sale of Synthetic Biologics' and VCN's products, developments by competitors that render such products obsolete or non-competitive, Synthetic Biologics' and VCN's ability to maintain license agreements, the continued maintenance and growth of Synthetic Biologics' and VCN's patent estate, the ability to continue to remain well financed, and other factors described in Synthetic Biologics' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and its other filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Synthetic Biologics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations:

Chris Calabrese

LifeSci Advisors, LLC

[email protected] 

917-680-5608