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Cooley advised Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals, a privately held, global clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics for immunological and inflammatory diseases, on its definitive merger agreement with Ikena Oncology (Nasdaq: IKNA).

Cooley advised the special committee of the board of directors of Crown Bioscience International, a global drug discovery and development services, company on its merger agreement with JSR Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The merger is expected to close before the end of second quarter of 2018.

Under the terms of the merger agreement, Crown Bioscience will merge into and become an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of JSR and be delisted from the Taipei Exchange. The strategic merger integrates Crown Bioscience’s leading translational technology platform providing drug target validation, efficacy testing and patient response characterization with JSR’s in vitro diagnostic solutions, GMP manufacturing capabilities and worldwide distribution networks.

“We are excited to join the JSR family of companies through this innovation-driven strategic partnership,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Wery, Crown Bioscience’s CEO. “Crown Bioscience’s core competencies in preclinical and translational research combined with JSR’s global footprint, diagnostic solutions and manufacturing capabilities will provide a fully integrated solution to help biopharmaceutical companies get drugs and diagnostics to market more efficiently.”

Crown Bioscience, which trades on the Taipei Exchange under the ticker “6554,” is a global drug discovery and development solutions company providing translational platforms to advance oncology, inflammation and metabolic disease research. With an extensive portfolio of relevant models and predictive tools, Crown Bioscience enables clients to deliver superior clinical candidates.

Cooley advised EpimAb Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company specializing in bispecific antibody development, on its $120 million Series C financing. China Merchants Bank International and Mirae Asset Financial Group co-led the round, which also included participation by Hony Capital, Cormorant Asset Management and other new investors, as well as existing investors such as Decheng Capital, SDIC Fund and Sherpa Healthcare Partners. EpimAb will use the new capital for the ongoing clinical development of three of its clinical assets and to expand its pipeline of novel bispecific antibodies and other biologics. Partner James Lu led the team advising EpimAb on the financing round.

Cooley advised InxMed on its $50 million Series B financing. Partner Christina Zhang led the team advising InxMed, which is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative therapies targeting stroma microenvironment and drug resistance for hard-to-treat solid tumors.

CS Capital led the round, with participation from AIHC Fund, Growth Fund and Hosencare Fund, as well as existing investor Ennovation Ventures. InxMed will use the funds to accelerate ongoing clinical trials of IN10018 for multiple cancer types in the US and China, to advance more stroma-targeting pipelines into clinics this year, and to strengthen research and development capabilities in Nanjing, China.

Cooley advised Jiangsu Chia Tai Fenghai Pharmaceutical (CTFH), an integrated pharmaceutical company with capabilities in research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization, in connection with Formation Bio’s acquisition of worldwide rights, excluding Greater China, to FHND5032, an oral, small-molecule miR-124 activator being developed for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.