Pheliadelphia-based Carisma Therapeutics closes merger with Sesen Bio

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Philadelphia-based Carisma Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on immunotherapies, recently closed on its merger with Sesen Bio.

The combined company will operate under the Carisma Therapeutics name and will be headquartered in Philadelphia.

Under the terms of the merger, Sesen Bio stockholders are entitled to receive a cash payment related to any potential proceeds from the sale of Sesen Bio’s legacy assets as well as a potential $30 million milestone payment under the Roche Asset Purchase Agreement.

Stockholders received a one-time special cash dividend of approximately $0.36 per share to be paid no later than Friday.

Steven Kelly, Carisma president and CEO, will lead the combined company. The board of directors will have seven members.

“This merger represents a very exciting opportunity for stockholders of each company, and we believe it gets us one step closer to our goal of revolutionizing the field of immunotherapy,” Kelly said. “It will provide us with the financial strength to not only continue to develop our lead candidate CT-0508 but also accelerate the growth of our platform and pipeline within and outside of oncology and continue to develop additional strong strategic partnerships.”

Carisma completed a $30 million financing from a syndicate of investors.