Ann: Trading Halt, page-84

Well - well can only speculate, but my f art thoughts are:

• LC has always tried to ensure that IMU is well cashed up relative to the company size and scale of activity. In the early days, that meant modest SPP capital raising from retail investors like mot of us. More recently, it has been SI and Institutional investors and at a far greater scale - but that is appropriate to the vastly expanded scale of Imugene's IP and activity.
• CR's have been a bit unpopular with some of us in the past because of dilution and a feeling that offering shares at a discount to the market price place downward pressure on the stock - but history shows us that the SP bounces back afterwards because the extra cash is, after all, extra value in the company, and Imugene has shown that it uses extra cash wisely and effectively, to expand and progress the product pipeline.
• We still had $99 million in the bank at last count, which is a really strong position! However LC has mentioned a couple of times her regret that we had fallen below the $100m mark - so I'm not really surprised by today's announcement.
• As @Un1qu3Nam3 has already stated, this is a very specific CR. Two Institutional investors - so IMU knows who they are. Personally, I see it as a good sign that Intuitional investors are knocking on the door and wanting in. I think the market will see it likewise. I spect the recent downward pressure on the SP will evaporate when the details are released and we come out of the TH.
• Why take the cash and how much? This is the really speculative part. It could be a mix of reasons, including but not limited to:

1. The new investors have a high profile and are highly involved in the Pharma/biotech field, so they will bring added exposure and credibility to Imugene. I can't see the Board agreeing to this just to raise beer money. I suspect the amount being invested will be a real attention grabber. We will see.
2. IMU was already well cashed up - astonishingly well cashed up for an Australian biotech - but we now have a lot of trials running and more about to start (eg OnCARlytics). LC and the Board want to make it very clear that IMU can fund all of that and still have major cash reserves left over. This protects us from low ball partnership offers. It is a very clear statement that IMU has major value, and major backing.
3. This could also be about protecting us from low ball hostile takeover attempts
4. I know LC said at interview a while ago that the company has enough IP and isn't looking to grow that, but It is just possible they are considering a new product acquisition. It would have to be something compatible with the current IP and directions.
5. Wild speculation here: I also know LC has stated that IMU "is not a CAR-T company" but, boy oh boy, CHM has taken a dreadful beating in the market ever since it launched and it looks very very cheap to me. The current market cap of just $41m does not (in my view) anywhere near reflect the potential. I understand OnCARlytic could be modified to force expression of other antigens, such as CDH17, which would make it compatible with CHM's product pipeline.....

Whatever the exact reasons - I certainly see this as good news. This is about a very strong company getting even stronger.

Cheers

Dave