Homology Medicines Announces $60 Million Equity Investment from Pfizer Inc.

BEDFORD, Mass., Nov. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Homology Medicines, Inc. (Nasdaq: FIXX), a genetic medicines company, announced today that Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) has agreed to make a $60 million equity investment in Homology. Pfizer has agreed to purchase 5,000,000 of Homology’s common stock at a price of $12.00 per share, as part of the Pfizer Breakthrough Growth Initiative, which was announced earlier this year. The purchase by Pfizer is expected to close on or about November 10, 2020.   

“With the positive clinical data from the dose-escalation phase of our pheNIX Phase 1/2 trial for adults with phenylketonuria (PKU) and our plans to move to the expansion phase of the trial, both of which we announced last week, we believe Pfizer’s investment in Homology is a testament to their enthusiasm for our PKU gene therapy and gene editing programs to treat people living with this disease,” stated Arthur Tzianabos, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Homology Medicines.  

“Pfizer Rare Disease has a 30-year heritage of developing treatment options for patients with some of the greatest unmet needs, including in the area of rare metabolic disorders,” said Seng Cheng, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Pfizer’s Rare Disease Research Unit. “Our investment in Homology represents another example of our commitment to collaborate with the biotechnology community. We believe gene therapy could help provide a potentially transformational therapeutic option for patients living with PKU and is a good strategic fit with our rAAV-associated gene therapy portfolio.”

In connection with the investment, Pfizer’s Dr. Cheng will join Homology’s Scientific Advisory Board to participate in matters related to the development of the Company’s PKU product candidates: HMI-102 gene therapy candidate for adults with PKU and HMI-103 gene editing candidate for pediatric patients with PKU. Additionally, the Company has granted Pfizer a right of first refusal on future transactions involving these programs.

Homology intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to help fund its ongoing and planned PKU clinical trials, as well as the Company’s central nervous system (CNS) programs. Based on current projections, together with the anticipated proceeds of $60 million from the Pfizer equity investment, Homology expects cash resources to fund operations into the third quarter of 2022.