ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals Inc has completed its acquisition of SynthRx Inc, now a wholly owned subsidiary of ADVENTRX. SynthRx’s lead product candidate is a novel, proprietary, rheologic, and antithrombotic compound, poloxamer 188, that ADVENTRX will develop as ANX-188.

"With ANX-188, we add to our pipeline another late-stage asset with multiple exciting development opportunities. We plan to meet with FDA this year to reach agreement on a protocol for a pivotal phase 3 study for treatment of sickle cell crisis in a pediatric population, an orphan indication," said Brian M. Culley, chief executive officer of ADVENTRX. "Because sickle cell crisis is a severe and painful condition often with life-threatening complications and for which existing drugs provide only limited symptomatic relief, there is a significant need to improve treatment options. Beyond sickle cell, ANX-188 may have clinical utility in other acute events related to microvascular-flow abnormalities, such as heart attack, stroke and hemorrhagic shock."

As previously announced, ADVENTRX and SynthRx entered into a definitive merger agreement in February 2011, which was completed on April 8, 2011. In connection with the closing, ADVENTRX issued approximately 2.8 million shares of its common stock, of which 862,078 shares (or an approximately 3.3% ownership stake) are vested and approximately 1.9 million are unvested. The unvested shares will vest upon dosing of the first patient in a phase 3 clinical study meeting certain criteria, subject to reductions based on the timing of dosing of the first patient and the anticipated size of the study. SynthRx stockholders also are entitled to receive additional shares of common stock upon successful achievement of development milestones consisting of dosing of the first patient in a phase 3 clinical study meeting certain criteria (subject to reduction as described above), acceptance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a New Drug Application (NDA) and approval by the FDA of an NDA. Of the total shares issuable in connection with the acquisition, more than 75% are contingent upon the FDA accepting and approving an NDA covering ANX-188 to treat sickle cell crisis in children.

Should ADVENTRX’s stockholders not approve the issuance of the milestone-related shares as required by NYSE Amex listing standards, ADVENTRX would pay SynthRx’s stockholders in cash the value of the shares it otherwise would have issued, with the NDA acceptance and NDA approval milestone payments payable based on net sales of ANX-188 and all milestone payments payable in quarterly installments.

The investment banking firm Canaccord Genuity Inc advised ADVENTRX and its Board of Directors in connection with the transaction. Beal Advisors advised SynthRx.

Source: ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.