Why Talaris Therapeutics Stock Is Shooting Higher Today

Talaris Therapeutics Inc TALS and Tourmaline Bio, Inc have entered into a definitive agreement for a merger in an all-stock transaction, and the combined company will operate under the name Tourmaline Bio Inc trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "TRML."

Talaris stockholders expected to receive approximately $3.43 per Talaris share, including a cash dividend of up to approximately $64.8 million and approximately 21.3% of the combined company.

Tourmaline previously completed a $112 million Series A financing in 2023.

Earlier this year, Talaris discontinued its FREEDOM-1 and FREEDOM-2 trials for FCR001's ability to induce durable tolerance in living donor kidney transplant recipients. However, it decided to continue enrollment in its FREEDOM-3 Phase 2 trial evaluating FCR001's ability to induce tolerance in scleroderma.

The combined company will focus on advancing Tourmaline's lead program, TOUR006, for treating thyroid eye disease (TED) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

The merger is expected to be completed in Q4 of 2023.

Tourmaline has entered into a $75 million private placement agreement with institutional life sciences investors. The combined company is expected to have approximately $210 million in cash.

Tourmaline plans to initiate a Phase 2b trial of TOUR006 to treat TED in Q3 of 2023 and a Phase 2 trial for ASCVD in 2024.

Following the merger, the combined company will be led by the current members of the Tourmaline leadership team.

Price Action: TALS shares are up 22.10% at $2.69 on the last check Thursday