Ophthotech以全股票交易收购Incept 4

Ophthotech (NASDAQ:) privately held Inception 4, a developer of retinal disease therapies based on inhibiting a protein called high temperature requirement A serine peptidase 1 protein (HtrA1).

Under the terms of the deal, OPHT will issue ~5.2M shares of common stock to Inception 4 shareholders who will also be eligible to receive additional payments based on the achievement of certain clinical and marketing milestones in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) indications. OPHT received ~$6.1M in cash in the transaction and now projects year-end cash and equivalents of $125M - 130M.

Management will host a conference call this morning at 8:00 am ET to discuss the deal.

Separately, OPHT has inked an exclusive with the University of Pennsylvania and University of Florida Research Foundation for novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy products for the treatment of , or Best disease, a rare inherited disorder characterized by the progressive degeneration of the retina.