|
Filed
by the Registrant
|
o
|
|
Filed
by a Party other than the Registrant
|
þ
|
| o | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
| o | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
| o | Definitive Proxy Statement |
| þ | Definitive Additional Materials |
| o | Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12 |
| þ | No fee required. | |
| o | Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. | |
|
1.
|
Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
|
|
|
2.
|
Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
|
|
|
3.
|
Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the
|
|
|
amount
on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):
|
||
|
4.
|
Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
|
|
|
5.
|
Total
fee paid:
|
|
¨
|
Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
|
|
¨
|
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
|
|
|
6.
|
Amount
Previously Paid:
|
|
|
7.
|
Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
|
|
|
8.
|
Filing
Party:
|
|
|
9.
|
Date
Filed:
|
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co. (NASDAQ: PPCO): The Case
for Change Tang Capital Partners, LP Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund
Ltd. June 2010
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Disclaimer In connection with Penwest Pharmaceutical
Co.’s upcoming 2010 annual meeting of shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”),
Tang Capital Partners, LP (“Tang Capital”) and Perceptive Life Sciences
Master Fund Ltd. (“Perceptive”) have filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a proxy statement (the “Tang Capital and
Perceptive Proxy Statement”) and related materials for the solicitation of
proxies from Penwest shareholders for use at the Annual Meeting. Tang
Capital and Perceptive, their director nominees and certain of their
affiliates are or may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of
proxies with respect to the Annual Meeting. Information regarding Tang
Capital and Perceptive and their nominees and such participants is
contained in the Schedule 14A and related materials filed by Tang Capital
and Perceptive with the SEC. Penwest shareholders should read the Tang
Capital and Perceptive Proxy Statement and related materials filed with
the SEC with respect to the Annual Meeting because they contain important
information. These materials are available free of charge at the SEC’s
website at www.sec.gov. We have not sought or obtained consent from any
third party to use any statements or information included in this
presentation. Any such statements or information should not be viewed as
indicating the support of any third party. We are not recommending the
purchase or sale of any security. We reserve the right to change any of
our intentions or opinions expressed herein at any time and for any
reason. Certain matters addressed in this presentation are forward-looking
statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties. You should be
aware that actual results could differ materially from those contained in
the forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update any
information, including forward-looking information, contained herein.
2
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Executive
Summary
Tang
Capital and Perceptive are the two largest shareholders of
Penwest
Legacy
leadership has failed to deliver value to shareholders
Despite
approval of shareholder resolution with a 64% vote, Penwest continues to
waste corpporate assets aggainst the will of shareholders
Penwest
is pursuing a high-risk gamble that is a complete departure from its core
competency
Stock
activity over past year confirms shareholders’ desire for
change
Penwest’s
corporate governance is structured to avoid shareholder
accountability
Our
directors and nominees have the determination, experience and expertise to
implement the operating plan that shareholders want and the one that will
maximize shareholder value
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Background on the Parties 4
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Interests Are Aligned with Yours o Tang Capital and
Perceptive: o Penwest’s officers and directors 1,2: o Own 41.3%
of the Company’s stock o Have invested virtually nothing in Penwest’s
stock o Invested $45 million to obtain o Have realized $2.2 million in
profits our position from the sale of stock they did not buy, but were
given 3 o
Have collected $9.6 million in cash compensation We have one interest in
mind: maximize Current leadership appears focused on the value of Penwest
stock so that we maintaining status quo so that it may can maximize the
return on our and continue to collect its generous your investment
compensation 1 Since July 1, 2003, the date on which insider trading
records first became readily available. 2 Joseph Edelman and Kevin Tang
have elected not to receive compensation for serving as directors. 3 Stock
obtained through the exercise of stock options and restricted stock
grants. 5
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Legacy Leadership Has a Proven Track Record of Losing
Shareholder Money o Ms. Jennifer Good has been CEO since June 7, 2006 o
Stock price performance: down 84%, versus up 15% for the NASDAQ Biotech
Index o Mr. Paul Freiman has been Chairman of Penwest since February 2005
o Mr. Freiman was President and CEO of Neurobiological Technologies, Inc.
(Pink Sheets: NTII) from May 8, 1997 to December 31, 2008 o Stock price
performance of NTII: down 97%, versus up 144% for the NASDAQ Biotech Index
6
|
|
|
|
![]() |
In
Contrast, We Have a Track Record of Making Money for
Investors
Tang
Capital and Perceptive have established records of delivering superior
returns to their investors superior returns to their
investors
Since
inception on 9/3/02 through 5/28/10, Tang Capital has generated a total
return of 520%, for an annualized return of 26%
Mr.
Tang is co-founder, director and major shareholder of Ardea Biosciences,
Inc. (NASDAQ: RDEA)
Wind-down
of predecessor company supervised by Mr. Tang
Restart
as RDEA supervised by Mr. Tang
Up
540%
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Background on Penwest 8
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Penwest Has One Principal Asset o Penwest has one
principal asset: the royalty stream on Opana ER that it receives from
licensee Endo Pharmaceuticals o ~$40 million-$45 million this year o
Royalty rate ~21% o This income stream is entirely passive and requires
zero investment from Penwest 9
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Penwest Continues to Squander Its Royalty Asset on
Wasteful Endeavors o While it has taken some half-measures in response to
shareholder pressure, Penwest continues to waste shareholder capital o
Over the past year, Penwest has spent approximately $15 million-$16
million on excess overhead and a high-risk development program that we
believe will not generate a positive return on investment o As a result,
an estimated $0.47-$0.50 per share of shareholder value has been lost in
the past year alone o As an example of its wasteful habits, Penwest is
paying $150,000 for its proxy solicitation firm versus our $12,500 for the
identical services 10
|
|
|
|
![]() |
A0001 Is a High-Risk Gamble and Complete Departure from
Core Competency o A0001 is a high-risk gamble that is a complete departure
from Penwest’s core competency as a drug delivery company o Penwest is a
drug delivery company o Takes already proven drugs usually from partner
companies o Formulates them with its TIMERx drug delivery technology for
less-frequent dosing o A0001 is a molecule that has never been shown to be
effective in any disease o Penwest is targeting a group of diseases in
which no molecule ever has proven effective o Approximately 90% of drugs
at a similar stage of development fail to make it to market This
proposition, which is much higher risk and more capital intensive than
Penwest’s original business plan, is not what shareholders signed up for
11
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Last Year’s Vote 12
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Nominees Were Elected to the Board Our Nominees
Legacy Board Nominees o Edelman 96% o O’Shea 16% o Tang 80% Mr. Edelman
and Mr. Tang now represent two of eight board seats * Percentages are of
votes cast. 13
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Shareholder Resolution Was Approved o We suspected
that other shareholders, and the market generally, agreed that Penwest’s
spending would generate a negative return on investment o NPV of Opana ER
royalty stream alone has exceeded market capitalization of the Company for
most of past two years o Market cap-to-2010 royalty now 2.2x o To confirm
this, we sought a vote on a resolution of the shareholders that: “The
Company take prompt and thoughtful action to preserve shareholder value by
immediately winding down substantially all of the Company’s operations so
that the full value of the Opana ER royalty income stream will be retained
for the benefit of shareholders.” For Against Abstain 64% 28% 8% *
Percentages are of votes cast. 14
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Stock
Has Responded ONLY to News that Has Moved Penwest Closer to Our
Plan
From
6/1/09-6/1/10, stock is up $0.76, or 33%
Following
election of Tang and Edelman to board stock was up $0 88 or
39%1
Following
election of Tang and Edelman to board, stock was up $0.88, or
39%1
Following
news of special cash dividend, stock was up $0.54, or 22%1
None
of other announcements were followed by meaningful stock
activity
1
Based on the 5 trading days following the announcement.
2
Announced pre-market the day before Tang and Edelman elected to board;
stock closed unchanged that
day.
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Why Has Nothing Happened? 16
|
|
|
|
![]() |
All Year Long, We Have Been Out-Voted o Because Penwest
has a staggered board, we only were able to elect two of eight directors o
We have been out-voted by the legacy leadership on all proposals we have
made o Implementation of shareholder resolution - rejected o
Discontinuation of A0001 - rejected o Deeper spending cuts - rejected o
Tang as CEO for zero compensation - rejected 17
|
|
|
|
![]() |
If you vote for our nominees, you not only will be
voting for three highly qualified individuals, but you also will be giving
us the ability to deliver on an operating plan that the majority of
shareholders voted for 18
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Proposed Operating Plan o Curtail substantially all
spending on A0001 as quickly as current commitments and scientific
prudence allow o Immediately explore ways to monetize this early-stage,
high-risk development candidate o corporate partnership o asset sale o
Significantly reduce headcount and other overhead expenses o Conduct
rapid, detailed review of current employee base with the view towards
eliminating all positions that are: o not funded by ongoing drug delivery
collaborations o not necessary for the new operating plan o Most positions
not funded by ongoing collaborations can be eliminated 19
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Proposed Operating Plan (cont.) o Explore ways to
monetize TIMERx drug delivery technology o collaborations that make
economic sense o sale of the asset o Explore ways to return capital to
shareholders o beyond stated plan to pay special cash dividend in 4Q 2010
o in the most tax-efficient manner available o Evaluate executive
management team to ensure that its key members are: o aligned with the
interests of shareholders o capable of executing the new operating plan
20
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Nominees o Roderick Wong, M.D. is a seasoned
investment professional with particular expertise in evaluating and
investing in biopharmaceutical companies o Has invested in more than 100
health care companies representing more than $1 billion in invested
capital o Managing Member of RTW Investments o Managing Director/Portfolio
Manager of Davidson Kempner Healthcare Funds o Healthcare Analyst at Sigma
Capital Management o Adjunct Assistant Professor at NYU Stern Business
School, where he teaches MBA course entitled Financial Analysis in
Healthcare o Member of biotechnology equity research team at Cowen &
Company o M.D. from University of Pennsylvania Medical School o MBA from
Harvard Business School o Phi Beta Kappa with a BS in Economics from Duke
University 21
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Nominees (cont.) o Saiid Zarrabian is a seasoned
executive with extensive operating experience in the life sciences
industry o He has been an effective manager of both growing and maturing
companies o President and Chief Executive Officer of Cyntellect, Inc. o
President and Chief Operating Officer of Senomyx, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNMX) o
Chief Operating Officer of Pharmacopeia, Inc., now Ligand Pharmaceuticals
Incorporated (NASDAQ: LGND) o President and Chief Operating Officer of
Molecular Simulations, Inc. o He also has experience governing life
sciences companies as a board member o Ambit Biosciences Corporation o
eMolecules, Inc. o Cyntellect, Inc. 22
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Nominees (cont.) o John Lemkey has extensive
knowledge of financial and tax-related matters o Chief Financial Officer
of Tang Capital o Manages accounting, finance and administrative staff,
performs financial and valuation analyses, reviews business plans,
designs, negotiates and manages complex financial transactions and
interacts with management and boards of directors of portfolio companies o
Auditor for Ernst and Young LLP o Certified Public Accountant in the state
of California (inactive) o BS in Accounting from the University of
Southern California 23
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Our Pledge to Make the Board Accountable to
Shareholders o Penwest’s corporate governance is a disgrace o Policies and
tactics borne out of explicit desire to suppress shareholder input and
avoid accountability o staggered board o establishment of a poison pill If
our nominees are elected, we pledge to recommend that the board eliminates
staggered board and poison pill and takes other actions necessary to make
the board wholly accountable to shareholders 24
|
|
|
|
![]() |
Contact Information Kevin Tang, Tang Capital Partners,
LP 4401 Eastgate Mall San Diego, CA 92121 (858) 200-3830 Joseph Edelman,
Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund Ltd. 499 Park Avenue, 25th Floor New
York, NY 10022 (646) 205-5320 Peter Casey, The Altman Group 1200 Wall
Street West, 3rd Floor Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 Shareholders call toll free:
(866) 620-7619 Banks and brokers call collect: (201) 806-2214 Fax: (201)
460-0050 25
|