Introductory Note
As previously disclosed in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 20, 2023 (the “Announcement Report”), DICE Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of June 18, 2023, by and among the Company, Eli Lilly and Company, an Indiana corporation (“Parent”), and Durning Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on June 30, 2023, Purchaser commenced a tender offer (the “Offer”) to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at a purchase price of $48.00 per Share (the “Offer Price”), net to the stockholder in cash, without interest and less any applicable tax withholding.
The Offer and related withdrawal rights expired as scheduled at one minute past 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on August 8, 2023 (such date and time, the “Expiration Time”), and was not further extended. Computershare Trust Company, N.A., in its capacity as depositary and paying agent for the Offer (the “Depositary and Paying Agent”), has advised Purchaser that, as of the Expiration Time, 42,265,390 Shares had been validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, representing approximately 88.4% of the issued and outstanding Shares as of the Expiration Time. Accordingly, the Minimum Tender Condition (as defined in the Merger Agreement) has been satisfied. As a result of the satisfaction of the Minimum Tender Condition and each of the other conditions to the Offer, on August 9, 2023, Parent and Purchaser accepted for payment the Shares that were validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer prior to the Expiration Time. Parent has transmitted payment for such Shares to the Depositary and Paying Agent, which will disburse the Offer Price to tendering Company stockholders whose Shares have been accepted for payment in accordance with the terms of the Offer.
Following the consummation of the Offer, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, in accordance with Section 251(h) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and without a meeting or a vote of the Company’s stockholders, on August 9, 2023, Purchaser was merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving such Merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, as of the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holders thereof, each Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than (i) Shares owned by the Company or any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time, (ii) Shares owned by Parent, Purchaser or any other subsidiary of Parent or Purchaser at the commencement of the Offer and owned by Parent, Purchaser or any other subsidiary of Parent immediately prior to the Effective Time, (iii) Shares irrevocably accepted for purchase in the Offer or (iv) Shares that were held by stockholders who were entitled to demand and properly demanded appraisal for such Shares pursuant to and in compliance in all respects with Section 262 of the DGCL and did not fail to perfect or otherwise waive, withdraw or lose their rights to such appraisal with respect to such Shares under the DGCL), including each Share that was subject to vesting or repurchase rights of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time, was converted into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the Offer Price, without interest, from Purchaser, less any applicable tax withholding.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the treatment of the Company’s equity awards was as follows:
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at the Effective Time, each stock option of the Company granted under a Company Stock Plan (as defined in the Merger Agreement) was canceled and converted into the right to receive an amount in cash, without interest, less any applicable tax withholding, determined by multiplying (i) the total number of Shares underlying such stock option and (ii) the excess, if any, of (x) the Offer Price over (y) the exercise price per Share underlying such stock option. Any stock options that had an exercise price per Share equal to or in excess of the Offer Price were canceled for no consideration; and |
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at the Effective Time, each outstanding restricted stock unit of the Company was canceled and converted into the right to receive an amount of cash, without interest, less any applicable tax withholding, determined by multiplying (i) the Offer Price by (ii) the number of Shares underlying such restricted stock unit. |
The foregoing description of the Offer, the Merger and the Merger Agreement is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the full text of the Merger Agreement, a copy of which was filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Announcement Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 1.02 |
Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On August 9, 2023, in connection with the consummation of the Merger and effective as of the Effective Time, (i) the Company terminated the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, 2021 Equity Incentive Plan and 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and (ii) the Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement entered into as of August 20, 2021 by and among the Company and the investors listed on Schedule A thereto terminated automatically in accordance with its terms.