3. Asset Purchase and Merger Agreements

Checkpoint

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On March 9, 2025, Checkpoint entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Sun Pharma” or “Parent”), and Snoopy Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”). The Merger Agreement provides that, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, Parent, Merger Sub and Checkpoint will effect a merger of Merger Sub with and into Checkpoint (the “Merger”), with Checkpoint continuing as the surviving corporation of the Merger and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.

On April 23, 2025, Checkpoint filed a definitive proxy statement relating to the Merger Agreement and established May 28, 2025 as the date for a special meeting of Checkpoint stockholders to vote on the Merger.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), each share of common stock and each share of Class A common stock of Checkpoint (collectively, the “Shares”) (including each unvested Checkpoint restricted share) outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will be canceled and cease to exist and be converted into the right to receive (i) $4.10 in cash, without interest (the “Common Cash Amount”), and (ii) one non-tradable contingent value right (a “CVR”), which will represent the right to receive a contingent cash payment of up to $0.70 upon the achievement of specified milestones, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in a Contingent Value Rights Agreement, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B to the Merger Agreement (the “CVR Agreement”), as further described below (the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), the “Merger Consideration”), in each case subject to applicable withholding taxes. 

Consummation of the Merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including, but not limited to: (i) the adoption of the Merger Agreement and approval of the Merger by (a) the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Shares beneficially owned by Checkpoint stockholders other than (1) Fortress and its controlled affiliates (other than Checkpoint), (2) the members of the Checkpoint board of directors (the “Checkpoint Board”) (and their controlled affiliates, if any) and (3) any person that Checkpoint has determined to be an “officer” of Checkpoint within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (the “Unaffiliated Checkpoint Stockholders”), and (b) the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding Shares; (ii) expiration or early termination of any waiting periods applicable to the consummation of the Merger under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, without the imposition of any burdensome condition; (iii) absence of any law or order prohibiting or making illegal the consummation of the Merger; and (iv) no Checkpoint material adverse effect having occurred that is continuing. The consummation of the Merger is also conditioned upon each of the Support Agreement, the Transition Services Agreement, the Royalty Agreement, and the CVR Agreement (in each case, as defined below) being in full force and effect.

The Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants made by each of Parent, Checkpoint and Merger Sub, including, among others customary covenants regarding the operation of the business of Checkpoint prior to the Effective Time, and “no-shop” restrictions regarding certain alternative acquisition proposals or discussions with third parties.

The Merger Agreement includes customary termination rights for the parties, including that, subject to certain limitations, Checkpoint or Parent may terminate the Merger Agreement prior to the Effective Time if: (i) a governmental body issues or enacts a final and non-appealable order, injunction or other legal requirement prohibiting or making illegal the consummation of the Merger, (ii) the Effective Time has not occurred on or prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 5, 2025, or (iii) the stockholders of Checkpoint fail to adopt the Merger Agreement by the requisite majorities at a meeting of Checkpoint’s stockholders at which a vote on the Merger is conducted.

Checkpoint may terminate the Merger Agreement in certain additional limited circumstances, including to allow Checkpoint to enter into an agreement providing for an alternative acquisition transaction that constitutes a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Merger Agreement). Parent may terminate the Merger Agreement in certain additional limited circumstances, including if the Checkpoint Board, or any committee thereof, including the Special Committee of the Checkpoint Board, withdraws, withholds, amends or qualifies or modifies, in each case, in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, its recommendation that the stockholders of Checkpoint vote to adopt the Merger Agreement and approve the Merger.

Upon termination of the Merger Agreement under certain specified circumstances, Checkpoint will be required to pay Parent a termination fee (the “Checkpoint Termination Fee”) of $12.5 million. Specifically, the Checkpoint Termination Fee is payable if (i) the Merger Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances; (ii) prior to such termination a bona fide proposal for an alternative acquisition transaction has been publicly disclosed or otherwise made to the Checkpoint Board and not publicly withdrawn (if made publicly); and (iii) within one year of such termination, Checkpoint subsequently consummates an alternative acquisition transaction or enters into a definitive agreement providing for an alternative acquisition transaction and such transaction is ultimately consummated. The Checkpoint Termination Fee will also be payable if the Merger Agreement is terminated: (a) by Parent, if Checkpoint Board, or any committee thereof, including the Special Committee of the Checkpoint Board, withdraws, withholds, amends or qualifies or modifies, in each case, in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, its recommendation that the stockholders of Checkpoint vote to adopt the Merger Agreement and approve the Merger; or (b) by Checkpoint in order to enter into an agreement providing for an alternative acquisition transaction that constitutes a Superior Proposal.

On April 14, 2025, Checkpoint, Parent and Merger Sub entered into an Amendment to the Merger Agreement (the “Merger Agreement Amendment”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement Amendment, the shareholder voting standard to approve the Merger was amended in response to recently enacted amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended. Other than as expressly set forth in the Merger Agreement Amendment, the Merger Agreement remains unmodified and in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

CVR Agreement

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, as of or prior to the Effective Time, Parent and a rights agent (the “Rights Agent”) will enter into the CVR Agreement governing the terms of the CVRs issued in connection with the Merger. The Rights Agent will maintain an up-to-date register of the holders of CVRs (the “Holders”). Holders shall not be permitted to transfer the CVRs (subject to certain limited exceptions as set forth in the CVR Agreement).

Each CVR represents the right to receive one of the following contingent cash payments, without interest, subject to any applicable withholding taxes (such applicable payment, the “Milestone Payment”), conditioned upon the achievement of the corresponding milestone condition within the following specified time periods:

As used in the CVR Agreement, (a) the “Milestone Deadline Date” means the date that is 36 months after the date on which a marketing authorization application or equivalent for cosibelimab receives a positive validation outcome by the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”) and (b) the “Milestone” means the receipt of regulatory approval of cosibelimab in (i) the European Union pursuant to the centralized approval procedure or (ii) any of Germany, France, Italy, Spain or the United Kingdom.

Parent (directly or through its affiliates) is obligated to use, and to obligate its licensees to use, certain specified commercially reasonable efforts to (i) file a marketing authorization application for cosibelimab with the EMA within 12 months of the Closing Date or, to the extent any feedback or communications from, or expectations or requirements of, the EMA (including additional trial requirements) make it impracticable or inadvisable to file such marketing authorization application within such time period, as promptly thereafter as practicable, and (ii) achieve the Primary Milestone (as defined in the CVR Agreement) in its then-maximum value as promptly as practicable (including timely filing any appeals and curing any deficiencies identified in a relevant marketing authorization application by the relevant regulatory authority). Parent’s obligations to use such commercially reasonable efforts terminates on the earlier of (a) the Milestone Deadline Date and (b) the achievement of the Milestone. There can be no assurance that the Milestone will be achieved on or before the Milestone Deadline Date, or that any Milestone Payments will be made.

Support Agreement

Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, Checkpoint entered into a Support Agreement (the “Support Agreement”) with Parent and Fortress. Under the terms of the Support Agreement, Fortress has agreed to, among other things, during the term of the Support Agreement, (i) vote its Shares in favor of the adoption of the Merger Agreement and the approval of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, and against any acquisition proposal or any action, proposal, agreement, transaction or arrangement that is intended, or would reasonably be expected, to result in a material breach of a covenant, representation or warranty or any obligation of Checkpoint under the Merger Agreement or any of the conditions to Checkpoint’s obligations under the Merger Agreement not being fulfilled or satisfied, (ii) not transfer its Shares (subject to certain exceptions), and (iii) waive and not exercise any appraisal rights in respect of such Shares that may arise with respect to the Merger and not to commence or participate in, any class action or legal action (a) challenging the validity of, or seeking to enjoin or delay the operation of any provision of the Merger Agreement or (b) with respect to claims against the Checkpoint Board, or any committee thereof, Parent of Merger Sub relating to the Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby.

Under the Support Agreement, subject to the occurrence of the Effective Time, Fortress also agreed to forgo any further payment, dividend or distribution, or issuance or transfer of securities by Checkpoint on or after the date of the Support Agreement pursuant to the Amended and Restated Founders Agreement, dated as of July 11, 2016, between Fortress and Checkpoint and certain other agreements between Fortress and Checkpoint.

The Support Agreement also includes certain representations and warranties and covenants of Fortress to Parent, including certain restrictive covenants that apply to Fortress following the Effective Time.

As of March 31, 2025, Fortress beneficially owned an aggregate of 6,222,249 shares of common stock and 700,000 shares of Class A common stock of Checkpoint and controlled a majority of the outstanding voting power of Checkpoint’s capital stock through its ownership of all outstanding shares of Checkpoint’s Class A common stock. The Support Agreement will terminate upon termination of the Merger Agreement, the Effective Time and certain other specified events.

Warrant Amendment

Additionally, in connection with the Checkpoint’s entry into the Merger Agreement, Checkpoint entered into a letter agreement (the “Warrant Amendment”), dated as of March 9, 2025, with Armistice Capital Master Fund Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Armistice”). Pursuant to the Warrant Amendment, Checkpoint and Armistice agreed (i) to, immediately prior to the Effective Time, amend all outstanding Checkpoint Warrants held by or issued to Armistice or any of its affiliates other than the Specified Warrant (the “Armistice Warrants”) to provide that each such Armistice Warrant that remains outstanding and unexercised as of the Effective Time will automatically be converted into the right to receive the Warrant Consideration, and (ii) that at the Effective Time, to the extent that any portion of that certain warrant to purchase 5,853,659 Shares, dated as of July 2, 2024 (the “Specified Warrant”), remains outstanding and unexercised as of the Effective Time, the Specified Warrant will be converted into the right of Armistice to receive, for each Share underlying the Specified Warrant, a cash payment equal to $3.62. The Warrant Amendment also provides that Armistice will not be entitled to transfer the Armistice Warrants prior to the Effective Time unless the Merger Agreement is validly terminated in accordance with its terms prior to the Effective Time.

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Royalty Agreement

Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, Checkpoint entered into a Royalty Agreement (the “Royalty Agreement”) with Parent and Fortress pursuant to which following, and subject to the occurrence of, the Effective Time, Fortress will receive a royalty interest right based on worldwide net sales of certain products of Checkpoint and Parent. The royalty interest right represents the right to receive quarterly cash payments of 2.5% of net sales of such products during the time period set forth in the Royalty Agreement.

Transition Services Agreement

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, as of or prior to the Effective Time, Checkpoint and Fortress will enter into a Transition Services Agreement (the “Transition Services Agreement”), pursuant to which, from and after the Effective Time, Fortress would provide Checkpoint with certain transition services as set forth in the Transition Services Agreement, for the period of time and in exchange for the compensation set forth therein.

Deconsolidation of Checkpoint

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If shareholders of Checkpoint approve the Merger Agreement at the Special Meeting, and the transaction closes in the quarter ending June 30, 2025, Fortress expects to deconsolidate Checkpoint at the close of the transaction. The expected gain on deconsolidation is currently indeterminable and will depend on various factors including total net assets of Checkpoint and non-controlling interests attributable to Fortress at the time of closing.

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Urica

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On July 15, 2024, Urica entered into an asset purchase agreement (the “APA”), royalty agreement (the “Royalty Agreement”), and related agreements (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) with Crystalys Therapeutics, Inc. (“Crystalys”). Crystalys is a Delaware corporation incorporated in 2022 and seeded by life sciences institutional investors. Under the Transaction Documents, Urica sold the rights to its URAT1 inhibitor product candidate in development for the treatment of gout, dotinurad, and related intellectual property, licenses and agreements to Crystalys. In return, Crystalys issued to Urica shares of its common stock equal to 35% of Crystalys’ outstanding equity. Urica’s equity position cannot be reduced below 15% of Crystalys’ fully-diluted equity capitalization until Crystalys raises $150 million in equity securities.  

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The Transaction Documents also granted Urica a secured three percent (3%) royalty on future net sales of dotinurad to be paid by Crystalys. Urica has the right to appoint one director to the board of directors of Crystalys, as well as an additional board observer. Crystalys is obliged to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize dotinurad.

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The APA also gives Urica the right, but not the obligation, to repurchase the sold assets for a repurchase price not to exceed $6.4 million plus accrued interest; the repurchase option expires upon the consummation by Crystalys of a qualified financing of at least $120 million by December 20, 2025. Urica has recorded a liability for the $0.6 million received as reimbursement for clinical and development expenses, which is being accreted up to the repurchase price over the term of the repurchase option, and is not recognizing an asset for its ownership interest received in Crystalys until the expiration of the repurchase option. Accordingly, for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, Urica recorded accretion of $0.7 million and nil, respectively, of the repurchase option price, booked to interest expense and financing fee in the condensed consolidated statement of operations.

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Avenue

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Under a share repurchase agreement between Avenue and InvaGen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“InvaGen”) under which Avenue repurchased all of InvaGen’s shares in Avenue, Avenue agreed to pay InvaGen an additional amount as a contingent fee, payable in the form of seven and a half percent (7.5%) of the net proceeds of future financings, until $4.0 million in the aggregate is paid to InvaGen. In connection with equity financings in the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, Avenue made payments totaling $0.2 and $0.3 million, respectively, to InvaGen. Approximately $1.4 million in aggregate has been paid to InvaGen under the share repurchase agreement through the three months ended March 31, 2025.