INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev., April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — PDL BioPharma, Inc. (PDL) (NASDAQ: PDLI) and Avinger, Inc. announced today that they closed a structured financing and royalty transaction on April 18, 2013, in which PDL will provide Avinger with up to $40 million of financing.
Founded and led by the visionary cardiologist and medical device entrepreneur, Dr. John Simpson , Avinger is a designer of therapeutic devices incorporating intravascular imaging, and is a pioneer of the lumivascular approach to treating vascular disease. This financing assists Avinger in the commercialization of its currently marketed OcelotTM and LightboxTM next-generation lumivascular catheter devices used to open totally occluded arteries in the legs, and in the development of PantherisTM, Avinger’s next-generation lumivascular atherectomy device.
The total financing of up to $40 million was provided pursuant to a Credit Agreement that included $20 million in cash funded to Avinger on April 18, 2013, and up to $20 million in additional funds to Avinger upon the accomplishment of certain specified revenue milestones. In exchange, PDL will receive interest on the principal amount outstanding and a low, single-digit royalty on Avinger’s revenues from the sale of Avinger’s suite of products through April 2018.
“We are very pleased to partner with Avinger. We are extremely impressed with the depth and breadth of experience in Dr. Simpson and his team,” said John P. McLaughlin , president and chief executive officer of PDL. “Our thorough diligence confirmed that he and the Avinger team continue to revolutionize the total occlusion and atherectomy space. We are excited to support their efforts.”
“We are delighted to have chosen PDL as a partner,” remarked Dr. Simpson, CEO of Avinger. “We have been able to quickly and efficiently raise significant capital without diluting our existing shareholders, something we find very valuable. We look forward to a strong, mutually-beneficial relationship with PDL.”
