424B4 1 d446965d424b4.htm 424B4 424B4
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4)

Registration No. 333-268482

PROSPECTUS

1,670,000 Shares of Common Stock Issuable Upon Exercise of

Previously Issued Warrants

 

LOGO

Coya Therapeutics, Inc.

 

 

This prospectus relates to the offer and sale by Coya Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, of up to 1,670,000 shares of common stock underlying warrants (the “Warrants”) previously issued by us in our initial public offering (the “IPO”) that are issuable at a price of $7.50 per share from time to time upon exercise of the Warrants, the issuance of which were previously registered on a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-268482).

We are not selling any shares of our common stock in this offering and, as a result, we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the common stock covered by this prospectus. All of the net proceeds from the sale of our common stock underlying the Warrants will go to the holders of the Warrants. Upon exercise of the Warrants, however, we will receive proceeds from the exercise of such Warrants if exercised for cash and not on a cashless basis. Any proceeds received from the exercise of the Warrants will be used for general working capital and other corporate purposes.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “COYA.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on May 4, 2023 was $4.95 per share.

We are an “emerging growth company” under applicable U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements.

 

 

Investing in our securities is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 1 of this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities.

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is May 10, 2023.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     i  

THE OFFERING

     iii  

RISK FACTORS

     1  

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

     4  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     6  

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     7  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION AND DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE

     13  

LEGAL MATTERS

     14  

EXPERTS

     15  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     17  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

Basis of Presentation

On December 22, 2020, we consummated a corporate reorganization, pursuant to which all of the issued and outstanding stock of Nicoya Health, Inc., a Delaware corporation formed in 2020, were exchanged for common stock or preferred stock, as applicable, of Coya Therapeutics, Inc., the issuer of the common stock being offered in this offering (the “Corporate Reorganization”).

The Corporate Reorganization is accounted for as a recapitalization for accounting purposes, with Nicoya Health, Inc. as the predecessor entity. For periods and at dates prior to the Corporate Reorganization, the financial statements included in this prospectus were prepared based on the historical financial statements of Nicoya Health, Inc., adjusted to give retroactive effect to the Corporate Reorganization for all periods presented.

Certain monetary amounts, percentages and other figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown as totals in certain tables or charts may not be the arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them, and figures expressed as percentages in the text may not total 100% or, as applicable, when aggregated may not be the arithmetic aggregation of the percentages that precede them.

Market, Industry, and Other Data

This prospectus includes statistics and other data relating to markets, market sizes and other industry data pertaining to our business that we have obtained from industry publications, surveys and other information available to us as well as our own estimates based on our management’s knowledge of, and experience in, the industry and markets in which we compete. Industry publications and surveys generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Although we have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the data contained in these industry publications and reports, based on our industry experience we believe that the publications are reliable, the conclusions contained in the publications and reports are reasonable and the third-party information included in this prospectus and in our estimates is accurate and complete. Nevertheless, market data and statistics are inherently predictive and speculative and are not necessarily reflective of actual market conditions. Such statistics are based on market research, which itself is based on sampling and subjective judgments by both the researchers and the respondents, including judgments about what types of products and transactions should be included in the relevant market. In addition, the value of comparisons of statistics for different markets is limited by many factors, including that (i) the markets are defined differently, (ii) the underlying information was gathered by different methods, and (iii) different assumptions were applied in compiling the data. Accordingly, the market statistics included in this prospectus should be viewed with caution. We believe that information from these industry publications included in this prospectus is reliable.


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Trademarks, Service Marks, and Trade Names

This prospectus includes our trademarks, and trade names, including but not limited to Coya and Coya Therapeutics, which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws. This prospectus also may contain trademarks, service marks, trade names, and copyrights of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks, trade names, and copyrights referred to in this prospectus are listed without the TM, SM, ©, and ® symbols, but we will assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensors, if any, to these trademarks, service marks, trade names, and copyrights.


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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before making your investment decision. Before investing in our securities, you should carefully read this entire prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, including the “Risk Factors” section in this prospectus and under similar captions in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. If any of the risks materialize, our business, financial condition, operating results, and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the price of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. Unless we state otherwise or the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “our business,” “the Company” and “Coya” refer to and similar references refer to Coya Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing proprietary new therapies to enhance the function of regulatory T cells (“Tregs”). Tregs are a subpopulation of T-lymphocytes consisting of CD4+CD25high hFOXP3+ cells that suppress inflammatory responses. Tregs were first discovered in 1995 by Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi and since their discovery, multiple lines of research have contributed to elucidate Treg biology and its role in health and disease. Tregs and their transcription factors have been shown to be essential to maintaining cellular homeostasis by regulating autoimmune and inflammatory responses and maintaining self-tolerance in mammals. Dysfunctional Tregs underlie numerous disease states, and this cellular dysfunction is driven by the chronic inflammatory environment and high levels of oxidative stress commonly observed in certain diseases. Further, the degree of Treg dysfunction is correlated with the severity and progression of serious and life-threatening conditions. These and other recent advances in the understanding of Treg biology, have made this subset of T lymphocytes an important therapeutic target, which we believe may provide new treatments for serious diseases.

We have built a diversified product candidate pipeline that includes both ex vivo and in vivo approaches intended to restore the suppressive and immunomodulatory functions of Tregs. Our product candidate pipeline is based on our three distinct therapeutic modalities: autologous Treg cell therapy, allogeneic Treg-derived exosomes and Treg-enhancing biologics. “Autologous” means the treatment of a patient with human cells derived from the patient itself, whereas “Allogeneic” means the treatment of a patient with human cells derived from a donor other than the patient, where such donor is genetically non-identical. We are initially focused on developing our Treg-based therapies for neurodegenerative, autoimmune and metabolic diseases where Treg dysfunction has been identified to be an important pathophysiological component of the disease and where new and effective therapies are urgently needed.

Since our inception in 2020, we have generated preclinical and clinical data in multiple models and diseases. Our autologous Treg cell therapy program has completed a Phase 1 and Phase 2a studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The clinical data from these initial studies has served as an important confirmation of the underlying immunomodulatory properties of Tregs and their potential therapeutic benefits. These studies have also significantly expanded our own foundational knowledge of the biological activity of Tregs, which we believe will be critical for the design of our future clinical and preclinical studies, the selection of future targeted diseases and the overall advancement of our development pipeline.

Corporate Information

We were incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware on November 23, 2020 under the name Coya Therapeutics, Inc. On December 22, 2020, we consummated the Corporate Reorganization pursuant to which all of the issued and outstanding stock of Nicoya Health, Inc., a Delaware corporation formed in 2020, were exchanged for common stock of Coya Therapeutics, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 5850 San Felipe St, Suite 500, Houston, TX 77057. Our telephone number is (800) 587-8170. Our website address is http://www.coyatherapeutics.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.

 

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Reverse Stock Split

On December 12, 2022, we effected a reverse stock split of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock at a ratio of 1-for-5.6955. No fractional shares of common stock were issued in connection with the reverse stock split, and all such fractional interests were rounded down to the nearest whole number. Issued and outstanding stock options, convertible notes, preferred stock and warrants were split on the same basis and exercise prices were adjusted accordingly. Unless noted otherwise, all information presented in this prospectus gives effect to the 1-for-5.6955 reverse stock split of our outstanding shares of common stock and the resulting adjustments made to options, convertible notes, preferred stock and warrants.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of certain reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise generally applicable to public companies. As a result:

 

   

we are required to have only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related selected financial data and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations disclosure;

 

   

we are not required to engage an auditor to report on our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

   

we are permitted to take advantage of extended transition periods for complying with new or revised accounting standards which allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of some accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies;

 

   

we are not required to submit certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency,” and “say-on-golden parachutes;” and

 

   

we are not required to comply with certain disclosure requirements related to executive compensation, such as the requirement to disclose the correlation between executive compensation and performance and the requirement to present a comparison of our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation to our median employee compensation.

We may take advantage of these reduced reporting and other requirements until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. If certain events occur prior to the end of such five-year period, including if we have more than $1.235 billion in annual gross revenue, have more than $700 million in market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates, or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period, we will cease to be an emerging growth company prior to the end of such five-year period. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced requirements. We have elected to adopt the reduced requirements with respect to our financial statements and the related selected financial data and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure. We have also elected to take advantage of the extended transition periods for complying with certain new or revised accounting standards. As a result, the information that we provide to stockholders may be different than the information you may receive from other public companies in which you hold equity.

We are also a “smaller reporting company,” meaning that the market value of our shares held by non-affiliates plus the proposed aggregate amount of gross proceeds to us as a result of this offering is less than $700 million and our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company after this offering if either (i) the market value of our shares held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million or (ii) our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our shares held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company, we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.

 

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THE OFFERING

The following summary of the offering contains basic information about the offering and our securities and is not intended to be complete. It does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a more complete understanding of our securities, please refer to the section titledDescription of Securities.

We are registering the issuance by us of 1,670,000 shares of our common stock that may be issued from time to time upon the exercise of the Warrants.

 

Issuance of Common Stock Underlying the Warrants    Up to 1,670,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the outstanding Warrants issued in our initial public offering. Each warrant is exercisable at any time for the purchase of one share of our common stock at an exercise price of $7.50 per share. The Warrants expire on January 3, 2025.
Common Stock Outstanding prior to this offering    9,947,915 shares.
Common Stock Outstanding after this offering    11,617,915 shares (assuming full exercise of the Warrants issued in our IPO).
Use of Proceeds    We will not receive any net proceeds from the sale of our common stock by the holders of the Warrants. However, we will receive the exercise price per share for each Warrant exercised for cash; however, we are unable to predict the timing or amount of potential Warrant exercises. As such, we have not allocated any proceeds of such exercises to any particular purpose. Accordingly, all such proceeds will be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes.
Nasdaq Capital Markets Symbols    Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “COYA.”
Risk Factors    Investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk and could result in a loss of your entire investment. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 1, and the other information included and incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a discussion of the factors you should consider carefully before deciding to invest in our securities.

The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 9,947,915 shares of our common stock outstanding as of May 3, 2023 and excludes, as of such date, the following:

 

   

1,129,543 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted average exercise price of $3.02 per share;

 

   

115,317 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our amended and restated 2021 Equity Incentive Plan;

 

   

92,184 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued to the placement agent in our Series A Preferred Stock offering at an exercise price of $9.15 per share;

 

   

182,407 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued to the placement agent in our Note offering, at an exercise price equal to $6.00 per share; and

 

   

230,146 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ warrants issued upon consummation of our initial public offering, at an exercise price equal to $6.25 per share.

 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to purchase our securities, including the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our other filings with the SEC, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected and we may not be able to achieve our goals, the value of our securities could decline and you could lose some or all of your investment. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also significantly impair our business operations. If any of these risks occur, our business, results of operations or financial condition and prospects could be harmed. In that event, the market price of our common stock and the value of the warrants could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Securities

The prices of our securities may be volatile, which could subject us to securities class action litigation and our stockholders could incur substantial losses.

The market price for our common stock may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors including the following:

 

   

actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results;

 

   

actual or anticipated changes in the pace of our corporate achievements or our growth rate relative to our competitors;

 

   

failure to meet or exceed financial estimates and projections of the investment community or that we provide to the public;

 

   

issuance of new or updated research or reports by securities analysts;

 

   

share price and volume fluctuations attributable to inconsistent trading volume levels of our common stock;

 

   

additions or departures of key management or other personnel;

 

   

disputes or other developments related to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters, and our ability to obtain patent protection for our technologies;

 

   

announcement or expectation of additional debt or equity financing efforts;

 

   

sales of our common stock by us, our insiders or our other stockholders; and

 

   

general economic, market or political conditions in the United States or elsewhere (including, without limitation, conditions arising out the COVID-19 pandemic).

In particular, the market prices of securities of clinical-stage companies like ours have been highly volatile due to factors, including, but not limited to:

 

   

any delay or failure in a clinical trial for product candidates or the receipt of approval from the FDA and other regulatory agencies;

 

   

developments or disputes concerning product candidates’ intellectual property rights;

 

   

our or our competitors’ technological innovations;

 

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fluctuations in the valuation of companies perceived by investors to be comparable to us;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, capital commitments, new technologies or patents;

 

   

failure to complete significant transactions or collaborate with vendors in manufacturing our product candidates; and

 

   

proposals for legislation that would place restrictions on the price of medical therapies.

These and other market and industry factors may cause the market price and demand for our common stock to fluctuate substantially, regardless of our actual operating performance, which may limit or prevent investors from readily selling their shares of common stock and may otherwise negatively affect the liquidity of our common stock. In addition, the stock market in general, and Nasdaq Capital Market and emerging growth companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies. In the past, when the market price of a security has been volatile, holders of that security have instituted securities class action litigation against the company that issued the security. If any of our stockholders brought a lawsuit against us, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit. Such a lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of our management.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We currently have limited research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If we fail to maintain adequate coverage by securities or industry analysts, the trading price for our common stock would be negatively impacted. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our common stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our common stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our common stock could decrease, which could cause our common stock price and trading volume to decline.

Future sales of our common stock or securities convertible into our common stock may depress our stock price.

The price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of our common stock or the perception that these sales could occur. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.

In addition, in the future, we may issue additional shares of common stock, warrants or other equity or debt securities convertible into common stock in connection with a financing, acquisition, litigation settlement, employee arrangements or otherwise. Any such issuance could result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders and could cause the price of our common stock or warrants to decline.

Our failure to meet the continued listing requirements of Nasdaq could result in a delisting of our common stock.

If we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of Nasdaq, such as the corporate governance requirements or the $1.00 Minimum Bid Price Requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), Nasdaq may take steps to delist our common stock. Such a delisting would likely have a negative effect on the price of our common stock and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. In the event of a delisting, we can provide no assurance that any action taken by us to restore compliance with listing requirements would allow our common stock to become listed again, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our common stock, prevent our common stock from dropping below the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with Nasdaq’s listing requirements.

 

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We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.

We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business, and we do not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. Consequently, stockholders must rely on sales of their common stock and warrants after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment. There is no guarantee that shares of our common stock or warrants will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which stockholders have purchased their securities.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and any documents we incorporate by reference contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “estimate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions intended to identify statements about the future. These statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about the following:

 

   

our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize our product candidates;

 

   

the timing of future investigational new drug (“IND”) submissions, initiation of preclinical studies and clinical trials, and timing of expected clinical results for our product candidates;

 

   

our success in early preclinical studies, which may not be indicative of results obtained in later studies or clinical trials;

 

   

the outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus disease, COVID-19, which could adversely impact our business, including our preclinical studies and any future clinical trials;

 

   

the potential benefits of our product candidates;

 

   

our ability to identify patients with the diseases treated by our product candidates, and to enroll patients in clinical trials;

 

   

the success of our efforts to expand our pipeline of product candidates and develop marketable products through the use of our therapeutic modalities;

 

   

our expectations regarding collaborations and other agreements with third parties and their potential benefits;

 

   

our ability to obtain, maintain and protect our intellectual property;

 

   

our reliance upon intellectual property licensed from third parties;

 

   

our ability to identify, recruit and retain key personnel;

 

   

our expected use of net proceeds from our initial public offering and the sufficiency of such net proceeds, together with our cash and cash equivalents, to fund our operations;

 

   

our financial performance;

 

   

developments or projections relating to our competitors or our industry;

 

   

the impact of laws and regulations;

 

   

our expectations regarding the time during which we will be an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act; and

 

   

other factors and assumptions described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Our Business”, and elsewhere in such Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. You should refer to the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference for a discussion of important factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. As a result of these factors, we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference will prove to be accurate. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. You should, however, review the factors and risks and other information we describe in the reports we will file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this prospectus.

 

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You should read this prospectus and the documents that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will not receive any net proceeds from the sale of our common stock by the holders of the Warrants. However, we will receive the exercise price per share for each Warrant exercised for cash; however, we are unable to predict the timing or number of potential Warrant exercises. As such, we have not allocated any proceeds of such exercises to any particular purpose. Accordingly, all such proceeds will be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

The following description summarizes the most important terms of our securities. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a complete description, you should refer to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, which are incorporated by reference herein.

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

As of May 3, 2023, there were 9,947,915 shares of common stock outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.

Common Stock

Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which stockholders are entitled to vote generally, including the election or removal of directors elected by our stockholders generally. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.

Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any restrictions on the payment of dividends imposed by the terms of any outstanding preferred stock.

Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of shares of our common stock will be entitled to receive our remaining assets available for distribution on a pro rata basis.

All shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. The shares of our common stock are not subject to further calls or assessments by us. Holders of shares of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights powers, preferences and privileges of our common stock are subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock or any other series or class of stock we may authorize and issue in the future.

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more classes or series. Our board of directors is able to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including, without limitation:

 

   

the designation of the series;

 

   

the number of shares of the series, which our board of directors may, except where otherwise provided in the preferred stock designation, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares then outstanding);

 

   

whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend rate of the series;

 

   

the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable;

 

   

the redemption or repurchase rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

 

   

the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

 

   

the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs;

 

   

whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of us or any other entity, and, if so, the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates as of which the shares will be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be made;

 

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restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series; and

 

   

the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.

We could issue a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of the series, impede or discourage an acquisition attempt or other transaction that some, or a majority, of the holders of our common stock might believe to be in their best interests or in which the holders of our common stock might receive a premium over the market price of the shares of our common stock. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may adversely affect the rights of holders of our common stock by restricting dividends on the common stock, diluting the voting power of the common stock or subordinating the liquidation rights of the common stock. As a result of these or other factors, the issuance of preferred stock could have an adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended Bylaws and Certain Provisions of Delaware Law

Our Amended Charter, Amended Bylaws and the DGCL contain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile or abusive change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a merger or acquisition of our company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

Potential Effects of Authorized but Unissued Stock

Pursuant to our Amended Charter, we have shares of common stock and preferred stock available for future issuance without stockholder approval. We may utilize these additional shares for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, to facilitate corporate acquisitions or payment as a dividend on the capital stock.

The existence of unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock may enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management or to issue preferred stock with terms that could render more difficult or discourage a third-party attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, thereby protecting the continuity of our management. In addition, the board of directors has the discretion to determine designations, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences of each series of preferred stock, all to the fullest extent permissible under the Delaware General Corporation Law and subject to any limitations set forth in our certificate of incorporation. The purpose of authorizing the board of directors to issue preferred stock and to determine the rights and preferences applicable to such preferred stock is to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing desirable flexibility in connection with possible financings, acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third-party to acquire, or could discourage a third-party from acquiring, a majority of our outstanding voting stock.

Business Combinations

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, with the following exceptions:

 

   

before such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

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upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction began, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

   

on or after such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

In general, Section 203 defines “business combination” to include the following:

 

   

any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;

 

   

any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder;

 

   

subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;

 

   

any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock or any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder;

 

   

the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loss, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as an entity or person who, together with the person’s affiliates and associates, beneficially owns, or within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

No Cumulative Voting

Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our Amended Charter does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors will be able to elect all our directors.

Special Stockholder Meetings

Our Amended Charter provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the board of directors, the chairman of the board of directors or our chief executive officer. Our Amended Bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying, or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of our company.

Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our Amended Bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. However, in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 70 days after the anniversary date, notice by the stockholder must be delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to the annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made by us.

Our Amended Bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. Our Amended Bylaws allow the chairman of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings that may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay, or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of the company.

 

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Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws

The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage. Our Amended Bylaws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of our board of directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the votes which all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the votes which all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any election of directors will be required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provisions inconsistent with any of the provisions of our certificate described above.

The foregoing provisions of our Amended Charter and Amended Bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies formulated by our board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares of common stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management or delaying or preventing a transaction that might benefit you or other minority stockholders.

Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment

Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders will have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation of us. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Stockholders’ Derivative Actions

Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.

Choice of Forum

Our Amended Charter provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company arising pursuant to, or a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company, with respect to the interpretation or application of any provision of, the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except for, in each of the aforementioned actions, any claims to which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware determines it lacks jurisdiction. This provision does not apply to claims arising under the Exchange Act, or for any other federal securities laws which provide for exclusive federal jurisdiction. However, the exclusive forum provision provides that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America is the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Therefore, this provision could apply to a suit that falls within one or more of the categories enumerated in the exclusive forum provision and that asserts claims under the Securities Act, inasmuch as Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such an exclusive forum provision with respect to claims under the Securities Act.

 

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We note that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce the provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for shares of our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Warrants

The Warrants entitle the registered holders to purchase common stock at an price equal to $7.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed below, immediately following the issuance of such Warrants and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 3, 2025.

The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances, including in the event of a stock dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the Warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of shares of common stock at prices below the Warrant’s exercise price.

Exercisability. The Warrants were exercisable immediately upon issuance and at any time up January 3, 2025. The Warrants are exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to the warrant agent a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of common stock purchased upon such exercise. Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one-half share of common stock. Pursuant to the Warrant and the warrant agency agreement, a Warrant holder may exercise its Warrants only for a whole number of shares of common stock. In lieu of fractional shares, we will pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price and round down to the nearest whole share. Unless otherwise specified in the Warrant, the holder will not have the right to exercise the Warrants, in whole or in part, if the holder (together with its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or 9.99% at the holder’s election) of the number of our shares of common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage is determined in accordance with the terms of the Warrant. However, any holder may increase or decrease such percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us.

Warrant Agent; Global Certificate. The Warrants were issued in registered form under a warrant agency agreement between a warrant agent and us. The Warrants are represented only by one or more global warrants deposited with the warrant agent, as custodian on behalf of The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., a nominee of DTC, or as otherwise directed by DTC. Computershare Shareowner Services is acting as warrant agent for the Warrants.

Adjustments; Fundamental Transaction. The exercise price and the number of shares underlying the Warrants are subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of stock splits, stock dividends on our common shares, stock combinations or similar events affecting our common shares. In addition, in the event we consummate a merger or consolidation with or into another person or other reorganization event in which our common shares are converted or exchanged for securities, cash or other property, or we sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets or we or another person acquire 50% or more of our outstanding common shares (each, a Fundamental Transaction), then following such Fundamental Transaction the holders of the Warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the Warrants the same kind and amount of securities, cash or property which the holders would have received had they exercised the Warrants immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction. Any successor to us or surviving entity will assume the obligations under the Warrants.

 

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Rights as a Stockholder. Except by virtue of such holder’s ownership of our common stock, the holder of a Warrant does not have rights or privileges of a stockholder, including any voting rights, until the holder exercises such Warrant.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION AND DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE

We will deliver shares of our common stock offered hereby upon exercise of the Warrants we issued in connection with our IPO. The form of Warrant contains instructions for exercise. In order to exercise any of the Warrants, the holder must deliver to us or our Warrant Agent the information required in the applicable form of Warrant and the Warrant Agency Agreement, along with payment for the exercise price of the shares to be purchased. We will then deliver shares of our Common Stock in the manner described in the applicable form of Warrant and the corresponding Warrant Agency Agreement, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Each Warrant is exercisable for one share of our common stock, with an exercise price of $7.50 per share.

Upon compliance by any holder with the instructions for exercise contained in the applicable form of Warrant and the Warrant Agency Agreement, we will, within the time allotted by the applicable form of Warrant and Warrant Agency Agreement, issue to the holder shares of common stock, free of a restrictive legend. Shares of common stock that are held by affiliates will be issued free of legend but will be deemed control securities.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Lowenstein Sandler LLP, New York, New York.

 

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EXPERTS

Our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2022, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the report of Weaver and Tidwell, L.L.P., independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The following documents filed with the SEC are incorporated by reference into this prospectus:

 

   

our  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K/A, filed May 1, 2023;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form  8-K, filed with the SEC on January 25, 2023, March  1, 2023 and March 22, 2023 (other than any portions thereof deemed furnished and not filed); and

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on  Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on December 27, 2022, including any amendments thereto or reports filed for the purposes of updating this description, including Exhibit 4.6  to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023.

We also incorporate by reference all documents we file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act (other than any portions of filings that are furnished rather than filed pursuant to Items 2.02 and 7.01 of a Current Report on Form 8-K) after the date of the initial registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to effectiveness of such registration statement. All documents we subsequently file in the future pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of the offering shall also be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and are an important part of this prospectus.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities we are offering under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement. You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained in this prospectus, or any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus, is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of our securities.

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and in accordance therewith we file annual, quarterly, and other reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission under the Exchange Act. Such reports, proxy statements and other information, including the Registration Statement, and exhibits and schedules thereto, are available to the public through the Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.

We make available free of charge on or through our website our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with or otherwise furnish it to the Commission. The registration statement and the documents referred to under “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” are also available on our website www.coyatherapeutics.com.

We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information on our website, and you should not consider it to be a part of this prospectus.

 

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1,670,000 Shares of Common Stock Issuable Upon Exercise of

Previously Issued Warrants

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

 

LOGO

 

 

May 10, 2023