Latest news with #Dynavax
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Glass Lewis backs two of Deep Track's four nominees in Dynavax fight
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss NEW YORK (Reuters) -Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis urged Dynavax Technologies shareholders to elect two of investment firm Deep Track Capital's four director nominees, arguing change is needed because the company has not been responsive enough to shareholders. Glass Lewis recommended in a report that shareholders vote for Brett Erkman, a Deep Track managing director, and biotech industry executive Donald Santel to replace sitting directors Brent MacGregor and Scott Myers, the current board chair. Emeryville, California-based Dynavax, which makes a vaccine designed to prevent the hepatitis B infection that can lead to chronic liver disease and death, has an 11-member board but only four are standing for election this year. Shareholders will cast ballots at the June 11 annual meeting unless the two sides reach a settlement beforehand. Proxy advisory firm recommendations often guide how money managers vote on hot button issues like corporate elections and mergers. "Shareholders should support the change of two incumbent board seats given the company's prolonged capital conservatism and the board's limited responsiveness to shareholder feedback," the report said. The two Deep Track nominees would bring "relevant and differentiated experience to the board," it added. Erkman has worked as a private equity investor in life sciences and Santel is a life sciences executive who has done deals. Deep Track, Dynavax's second largest shareholder with a nearly 15% stake, wants new directors to prioritize development of the company's hepatitis B vaccine Heplisav instead of pursuing new acquisitions. Dynavax is valued at $1.2 billion and its share price has dropped 22% this year. In May, Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis' bigger rival, recommended that all company directors be reelected, arguing Deep Track failed to make its case for change. A Deep Track representative welcomed the report. Dynavax disagreed with the recommendation, saying Glass Lewis noted its board "has been meaningfully refreshed with high quality and sector-specific expertise," a company representative said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Glass Lewis backs two of Deep Track's four nominees in Dynavax fight
NEW YORK, June 4 (Reuters) - Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis urged Dynavax Technologies (DVAX.O), opens new tab shareholders to elect two of investment firm Deep Track Capital's four director nominees, arguing change is needed because the company has not been responsive enough to shareholders. Glass Lewis recommended in a report that shareholders vote for Brett Erkman, a Deep Track managing director, and biotech industry executive Donald Santel to replace sitting directors Brent MacGregor and Scott Myers, the current board chair. Emeryville, California-based Dynavax, which makes a vaccine designed to prevent the hepatitis B infection that can lead to chronic liver disease and death, has an 11-member board but only four are standing for election this year. Shareholders will cast ballots at the June 11 annual meeting unless the two sides reach a settlement beforehand. Proxy advisory firm recommendations often guide how money managers vote on hot button issues like corporate elections and mergers. "Shareholders should support the change of two incumbent board seats given the company's prolonged capital conservatism and the board's limited responsiveness to shareholder feedback," the report said. The two Deep Track nominees would bring "relevant and differentiated experience to the board," it added. Erkman has worked as a private equity investor in life sciences and Santel is a life sciences executive who has done deals. Deep Track, Dynavax's second largest shareholder with a nearly 15% stake, wants new directors to prioritize development of the company's hepatitis B vaccine Heplisav instead of pursuing new acquisitions. Dynavax is valued at $1.2 billion and its share price has dropped 22% this year. In May, Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis' bigger rival, recommended that all company directors be reelected, arguing Deep Track failed to make its case for change. A Deep Track representative welcomed the report. Dynavax disagreed with the recommendation, saying Glass Lewis noted its board "has been meaningfully refreshed with high quality and sector-specific expertise," a company representative said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Glass Lewis Recommends Shareholders Support Deep Track's Case for Board Change at Dynavax Technologies
Glass Lewis Recommends Shareholders Vote FOR Deep Track Nominees Brett Erkman and Donald Santel and AGAINST Chairman Scott Myers and Director Brent MacGregor Notes that "Deep Track has Highlighted Valid and Critical Questions Regarding Dynavax's Strategic Direction, Capital Allocation, and Board Responsiveness" Agrees that "Dynavax's Current Capital Allocation Approach Appears Excessively Conservative" Deep Track Urges Shareholders to Vote the WHITE Proxy Card to Elect ALL FOUR of Its Highly Qualified Nominees GREENWICH, Conn., June 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Deep Track Capital, LP, (together with its affiliates, "Deep Track" or "we"), one of the largest shareholders of Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) ("Dynavax", "DVAX" or the "Company"), with ownership of approximately 14.82% of the Company's outstanding shares, today announced that leading independent proxy advisory firm Glass, Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis") has recommended shareholders support boardroom change by voting for the election of Deep Track director nominees Brett Erkman and Donald Santel to the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Annual Meeting"). Deep Track stated: "We are pleased that Glass Lewis has recognized the need for urgent change in the Dynavax boardroom by recommending shareholders support the election of Brett and Don. In its thoughtful and well-reasoned report, Glass Lewis aptly recognizes that the concerns we have raised around the Company's strategic direction and capital allocation practices are valid issues that have likely contributed to reduced market confidence in Dynavax and share price underperformance. Notably, Glass Lewis recommends shareholders withhold their vote on Chairman Scott Myers, who is the architect of Dynavax's current strategy. While we agree with Glass Lewis's analysis, we believe that electing all four of our nominees – three of whom are independent of Deep Track – remains the best path forward to ensure that shareholders' best interests are prioritized. If elected, each of our nominees stands ready to work collaboratively with the legacy directors and would bring an objective, open-minded and solutions-oriented perspective to the boardroom. We look forward to continuing to engage with our fellow investors around how our nominees can help unlock Dynavax's full potential for all shareholders." In its report, Glass Lewis supported Deep Track's case for change, writing:1 "After evaluating the arguments presented by each side in this proxy contest, we believe that Deep Track has highlighted valid and critical questions regarding Dynavax's strategic direction, capital allocation, and board responsiveness." "The Company's TSR performance over the shorter and medium term has been far more muted, possibly suggesting growing investor apathy regarding the Company's strategy and outlook." "Perhaps most critically, we concur with Deep Track's assertion that Dynavax's current capital allocation approach appears excessively conservative." "In light of our findings, we believe that shareholders should support the change of two incumbent board seats given the Company's prolonged capital conservatism and the board's limited responsiveness to shareholder feedback. Here, we believe shareholders here should support the removal of Management Nominees Brent MacGregor and Scott Myers. [T]he board already has several directors who bring similar incremental skills and operational profiles. We also note that both of these directors have served on the board for multiple years, with Mr. Myers having chaired the board since joining in October 2021." Glass Lewis cites deficiencies in the Board's current composition and expresses its belief that Mr. Erkman and Mr. Santel would be valuable additions to the Board, noting: "...we find that the board is notably lacking in directors with direct capital markets or institutional investor backgrounds." "Viewed in this light, we believe the board's composition may fall short of reflecting the views of institutional shareholders or ensuring that capital allocation and governance matters are consistently evaluated through the lens of an active investor." "In the place of Management Nominees MacGregor and Myers, we believe shareholders would be best served electing Dissident Nominees Brett Erkman and Donald Santel, each of whom would add relevant and differentiated perspectives to the board." "Mr. Erkman's extensive background as a public equity investor in the life sciences sector addresses what we believe is a notable deficiency in the current board's composition and could help sharpen the board's approach to capital allocation, shareholder engagement, and long-term value creation." "…while we acknowledge the qualifications of each Dissident Nominee, we view Mr. Erkman's investor background as offering the most distinct and potentially complementary perspective to the current board." "Mr. Erkman's two decades of experience as an investor and managing director in the life sciences sector suggest that he would bring a valuable lens to board-level deliberations on matters such as capital allocation, investor communication, and strategic positioning. His long history as an investor in Dynavax, dating back to the HBV-16 trial, further adds a layer of familiarity with the Company's development trajectory and market expectations." "Mr. Santel, for his part, brings meaningful experience as a life sciences executive with a strong transactional background, which could enhance the board's ability to critically evaluate strategic options." "Mr. Santel appears to have been viewed more favorably by the Company during settlement negotiations, and we recognize his prior CEO experience and M&A track record as potentially additive in the context of Dynavax's evolving capital deployment strategy." Glass Lewis detailed concerns around the Board's capital allocation strategy, writing: "Notably, the Company has maintained a current ratio above 9.0x for the past two years, beginning with the quarter ended March 31, 2023. This sustained elevation suggests a prolonged period of potentially captive capital, raising questions about whether the board has missed opportunities to deploy excess liquidity more productively." "While the Company has stated that its cash provides strategic flexibility for pipeline development and business development opportunities, we believe the magnitude of its liquidity position supports the Dissident's contention that the Company's capital deployment may be overly conservative given its size, portfolio, and outlook." "Moreover, despite its share repurchase activity, the Company continues to maintain a substantial cash balance – representing over half of its market capitalization as of March 31, 2025 – which may temper the board's assertion that it has meaningfully returned excess capital. Viewed in this context, while the Company's use of repurchases distinguishes it from certain peers, questions remain as to whether the scale and timing of those repurchases have been sufficiently aligned with shareholder expectations and the Company's liquidity position." With respect to the Company's recent capital raise, Glass Lewis states: "…we believe the Dissident raises a fair question as to why the Company needed to raise additional capital at all, particularly given its already substantial cash position. While the Company has suggested that the added flexibility could support future investments or business development activity, no specific use of proceeds has been disclosed to date, leaving open the question of whether such capital was truly necessary at this time." For more information, including details on how to vote Deep Track's WHITE proxy card, please visit EVERY VOTE MATTERS Your vote is important, no matter how many shares of Common Stock you own. If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your WHITE proxy card, or need additional copies of Deep Track's proxy materials, please visit or contact our proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated ("Innisfree"), using the contact information provided here: Innisfree M&A Incorporated501 Madison Avenue, 20th FloorNew York, New York 10022Stockholders call toll-free (877) 687-1865 About Deep Track Capital Deep Track Capital is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm focused exclusively on the life sciences industry. We develop long term partnerships with management teams of leading innovative public and pre-IPO biotechnology companies. In addition to capital, we seek to invest our time and expertise, while leveraging our network for the benefit of our partners. We aim to lead transactions while building large syndicates, and also to invest in rounds led by other qualified investors. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The information herein contains "forward-looking statements." Specific forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and include, without limitation, words such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "targets," "forecasts," "seeks," "could," "should" or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions. There can be no assurance that any idea or assumption herein is, or will be proven, correct. If one or more of the risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the underlying assumptions of Deep Track Capital, LP ("Deep Track") or any of the other participants in the proxy solicitation described herein prove to be incorrect, the actual results may vary materially from outcomes indicated by these statements. Accordingly, forward looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Deep Track that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated will ever be achieved. Certain statements and information included herein may have been sourced from third parties. Deep Track does not make any representations regarding the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of such third party statements or information. Except as may be expressly set forth herein, permission to cite such statements or information has neither been sought nor obtained from such third parties. Any such statements or information should not be viewed as an indication of support from such third parties for the views expressed herein. Deep Track disclaims any obligation to update the information herein or to disclose the results of any revisions that may be made to any projected results or forward-looking statements herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such information, projected results or statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PARTICIPANTS Deep Track and the other Participants (as defined below) have filed a definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to be used to solicit proxies for, among other matters, the election of its slate of director nominees at the 2025 annual stockholders meeting (the "2025 Annual Meeting") of Dynavax Technologies Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("DVAX"). Shortly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, Deep Track furnished the definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card to some or all of the stockholders entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting. The participants in the proxy solicitation are Deep Track, Deep Track Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd. (the "Record Stockholder"), David Kroin (all of the foregoing persons, collectively, the "Deep Track Parties"), Brett A. Erkman, Jeffrey S. Farrow, Michael Mullette and Donald J. Santel (such individuals, collectively with the Deep Track Parties, the "Participants"). As of the date hereof, the Deep Track Parties beneficially own an aggregate of 17,791,486 shares (the "Deep Track Shares") of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of DVAX (the "Common Stock"). The Deep Track Shares collectively represent approximately 14.53% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock based on 122,411,685 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the record date for the 2025 Annual Meeting as reported in DVAX's Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on April 17, 2025. Each of the Deep Track Parties may be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of (and the shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of) all of the Deep Track Shares. As of the date hereof, none of the other Participants beneficially own any shares of Common Stock. IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT DEEP TRACK STRONGLY ADVISES ALL STOCKHOLDERS OF DVAX TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO SUCH PROXY STATEMENT, AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS FILED BY DEEP TRACK WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. SUCH PROXY MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SEC'S WEBSITE AT THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, WHEN FILED, AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS, WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE BY DIRECTING A REQUEST TO THE PARTICIPANTS' PROXY SOLICITOR, INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED, 501 MADISON AVENUE, 20th FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10022 (STOCKHOLDERS CAN CALL TOLL-FREE: (877)-687-1865). 1 Permission to quote Glass Lewis was neither sought nor received. Emphasis added. View source version on Contacts Investor Contact Innisfree M&A IncorporatedScott Winter / Gabrielle Wolf+1 212-750-5833Media Contact Longacre Square Partnersdeeptrack@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Glass Lewis Recommends Shareholders Support Deep Track's Case for Board Change at Dynavax Technologies
GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Deep Track Capital, LP, (together with its affiliates, 'Deep Track' or 'we'), one of the largest shareholders of Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) ('Dynavax', 'DVAX' or the 'Company'), with ownership of approximately 14.82% of the Company's outstanding shares, today announced that leading independent proxy advisory firm Glass, Lewis & Co. ('Glass Lewis') has recommended shareholders support boardroom change by voting for the election of Deep Track director nominees Brett Erkman and Donald Santel to the Company's Board of Directors (the 'Board') at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the 'Annual Meeting'). Deep Track stated: 'We are pleased that Glass Lewis has recognized the need for urgent change in the Dynavax boardroom by recommending shareholders support the election of Brett and Don. In its thoughtful and well-reasoned report, Glass Lewis aptly recognizes that the concerns we have raised around the Company's strategic direction and capital allocation practices are valid issues that have likely contributed to reduced market confidence in Dynavax and share price underperformance. Notably, Glass Lewis recommends shareholders withhold their vote on Chairman Scott Myers, who is the architect of Dynavax's current strategy. While we agree with Glass Lewis's analysis, we believe that electing all four of our nominees – three of whom are independent of Deep Track – remains the best path forward to ensure that shareholders' best interests are prioritized. If elected, each of our nominees stands ready to work collaboratively with the legacy directors and would bring an objective, open-minded and solutions-oriented perspective to the boardroom. We look forward to continuing to engage with our fellow investors around how our nominees can help unlock Dynavax's full potential for all shareholders.' In its report, Glass Lewis supported Deep Track's case for change, writing: 1 'After evaluating the arguments presented by each side in this proxy contest, we believe that Deep Track has highlighted valid and critical questions regarding Dynavax's strategic direction, capital allocation, and board responsiveness.' 'The Company's TSR performance over the shorter and medium term has been far more muted, possibly suggesting growing investor apathy regarding the Company's strategy and outlook.' 'Perhaps most critically, we concur with Deep Track's assertion that Dynavax's current capital allocation approach appears excessively conservative.' 'In light of our findings, we believe that shareholders should support the change of two incumbent board seats given the Company's prolonged capital conservatism and the board's limited responsiveness to shareholder feedback. Here, we believe shareholders here should support the removal of Management Nominees Brent MacGregor and Scott Myers. [T]he board already has several directors who bring similar incremental skills and operational profiles. We also note that both of these directors have served on the board for multiple years, with Mr. Myers having chaired the board since joining in October 2021.' Glass Lewis cites deficiencies in the Board's current composition and expresses its belief that Mr. Erkman and Mr. Santel would be valuable additions to the Board, noting: '...we find that the board is notably lacking in directors with direct capital markets or institutional investor backgrounds.' 'Viewed in this light, we believe the board's composition may fall short of reflecting the views of institutional shareholders or ensuring that capital allocation and governance matters are consistently evaluated through the lens of an active investor.' 'In the place of Management Nominees MacGregor and Myers, we believe shareholders would be best served electing Dissident Nominees Brett Erkman and Donald Santel, each of whom would add relevant and differentiated perspectives to the board.' ' Mr. Erkman's extensive background as a public equity investor in the life sciences sector addresses what we believe is a notable deficiency in the current board's composition and could help sharpen the board's approach to capital allocation, shareholder engagement, and long-term value creation.' '…while we acknowledge the qualifications of each Dissident Nominee, we view Mr. Erkman's investor background as offering the most distinct and potentially complementary perspective to the current board.' ' Mr. Erkman's two decades of experience as an investor and managing director in the life sciences sector suggest that he would bring a valuable lens to board-level deliberations on matters such as capital allocation, investor communication, and strategic positioning. His long history as an investor in Dynavax, dating back to the HBV-16 trial, further adds a layer of familiarity with the Company's development trajectory and market expectations.' ' Mr. Santel, for his part, brings meaningful experience as a life sciences executive with a strong transactional background, which could enhance the board's ability to critically evaluate strategic options.' 'Mr. Santel appears to have been viewed more favorably by the Company during settlement negotiations, and we recognize his prior CEO experience and M&A track record as potentially additive in the context of Dynavax's evolving capital deployment strategy.' Glass Lewis detailed concerns around the Board's capital allocation strategy, writing: 'Notably, the Company has maintained a current ratio above 9.0x for the past two years, beginning with the quarter ended March 31, 2023. This sustained elevation suggests a prolonged period of potentially captive capital, raising questions about whether the board has missed opportunities to deploy excess liquidity more productively.' 'While the Company has stated that its cash provides strategic flexibility for pipeline development and business development opportunities, we believe the magnitude of its liquidity position supports the Dissident's contention that the Company's capital deployment may be overly conservative given its size, portfolio, and outlook.' 'Moreover, despite its share repurchase activity, the Company continues to maintain a substantial cash balance – representing over half of its market capitalization as of March 31, 2025 – which may temper the board's assertion that it has meaningfully returned excess capital. Viewed in this context, while the Company's use of repurchases distinguishes it from certain peers, questions remain as to whether the scale and timing of those repurchases have been sufficiently aligned with shareholder expectations and the Company's liquidity position.' With respect to the Company's recent capital raise, Glass Lewis states: '…we believe the Dissident raises a fair question as to why the Company needed to raise additional capital at all, particularly given its already substantial cash position. While the Company has suggested that the added flexibility could support future investments or business development activity, no specific use of proceeds has been disclosed to date, leaving open the question of whether such capital was truly necessary at this time.' For more information, including details on how to vote Deep Track's WHITE proxy card, please visit EVERY VOTE MATTERS Your vote is important, no matter how many shares of Common Stock you own. If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your WHITE proxy card, or need additional copies of Deep Track's proxy materials, please visit or contact our proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated ('Innisfree'), using the contact information provided here: Innisfree M&A Incorporated 501 Madison Avenue, 20th Floor New York, New York 10022 Stockholders call toll-free (877) 687-1865 About Deep Track Capital Deep Track Capital is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm focused exclusively on the life sciences industry. We develop long term partnerships with management teams of leading innovative public and pre-IPO biotechnology companies. In addition to capital, we seek to invest our time and expertise, while leveraging our network for the benefit of our partners. We aim to lead transactions while building large syndicates, and also to invest in rounds led by other qualified investors. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The information herein contains 'forward-looking statements.' Specific forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and include, without limitation, words such as 'may,' 'will,' 'expects,' 'believes,' 'anticipates,' 'plans,' 'estimates,' 'projects,' 'potential,' 'targets,' 'forecasts,' 'seeks,' 'could,' 'should' or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions. There can be no assurance that any idea or assumption herein is, or will be proven, correct. If one or more of the risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the underlying assumptions of Deep Track Capital, LP ('Deep Track') or any of the other participants in the proxy solicitation described herein prove to be incorrect, the actual results may vary materially from outcomes indicated by these statements. Accordingly, forward looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Deep Track that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated will ever be achieved. Certain statements and information included herein may have been sourced from third parties. Deep Track does not make any representations regarding the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of such third party statements or information. Except as may be expressly set forth herein, permission to cite such statements or information has neither been sought nor obtained from such third parties. Any such statements or information should not be viewed as an indication of support from such third parties for the views expressed herein. Deep Track disclaims any obligation to update the information herein or to disclose the results of any revisions that may be made to any projected results or forward-looking statements herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such information, projected results or statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PARTICIPANTS Deep Track and the other Participants (as defined below) have filed a definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC') to be used to solicit proxies for, among other matters, the election of its slate of director nominees at the 2025 annual stockholders meeting (the '2025 Annual Meeting') of Dynavax Technologies Corporation, a Delaware corporation ('DVAX'). Shortly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, Deep Track furnished the definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card to some or all of the stockholders entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting. The participants in the proxy solicitation are Deep Track, Deep Track Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd. (the 'Record Stockholder'), David Kroin (all of the foregoing persons, collectively, the 'Deep Track Parties'), Brett A. Erkman, Jeffrey S. Farrow, Michael Mullette and Donald J. Santel (such individuals, collectively with the Deep Track Parties, the 'Participants'). As of the date hereof, the Deep Track Parties beneficially own an aggregate of 17,791,486 shares (the 'Deep Track Shares') of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of DVAX (the 'Common Stock'). The Deep Track Shares collectively represent approximately 14.53% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock based on 122,411,685 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the record date for the 2025 Annual Meeting as reported in DVAX's Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on April 17, 2025. Each of the Deep Track Parties may be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of (and the shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of) all of the Deep Track Shares. As of the date hereof, none of the other Participants beneficially own any shares of Common Stock. DEEP TRACK STRONGLY ADVISES ALL STOCKHOLDERS OF DVAX TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO SUCH PROXY STATEMENT, AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS FILED BY DEEP TRACK WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. SUCH PROXY MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SEC'S WEBSITE AT THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, WHEN FILED, AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS, WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE BY DIRECTING A REQUEST TO THE PARTICIPANTS' PROXY SOLICITOR, INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED, 501 MADISON AVENUE, 20th FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10022 (STOCKHOLDERS CAN CALL TOLL-FREE: (877)-687-1865). 1 Permission to quote Glass Lewis was neither sought nor received. Emphasis added.
Business Wire
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Deep Track Capital Comments on ISS Recommendation
GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Deep Track Capital, LP, (together with its affiliates, 'Deep Track' or 'we'), one of the largest shareholders of Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) ('Dynavax', 'DVAX' or the 'Company'), with ownership of approximately 14.82% of the Company's outstanding shares, today issued the following statement in response to a report issued by Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ('ISS') regarding the election of directors to the Company's Board of Directors (the 'Board') at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the 'Annual Meeting'). 'We firmly believe ISS reached the wrong conclusion by failing to recommend any amount of change in the Dynavax boardroom. The report reads as a rushed and incomplete assessment: not only does it mistakenly use the name of a completely different company at one point, but it also contains numerous factual errors and does not accurately capture key events. Critical issues are completely ignored, including Heplisav's flattening market share growth, management missing performance targets set by the Board, and a shareholder-unfriendly approach to capital allocation. ISS fails to hold the Board to account even for issues it acknowledges in its report, such as the need for improved corporate governance. Above all else, we are disappointed that ISS readily adopted the Company's view that a significant long-term shareholder would add no value to the Board. We call shareholders' attention to the following points: Recent failures demand a strategic pivot. Heplisav's market share of 44% exiting 2024 failed to achieve the target of 47% set by the Board; similarly, annual sales also failed to achieve the $275 million goal. 1 This year is hardly off to a better start, with market share of only 43% for the first quarter of 2025. Yet Dynavax refuses to acknowledge this is a problem, with management stating just earlier this month that they were 'very comfortable' with and 'very proud' of this result and noted the strategy is going 'exactly how we had planned.' 2 It is entirely unclear why ISS would completely ignore key performance metrics set by the Board as part of their evaluation, choosing instead to simply rubber stamp the Company's arguments. ISS acknowledges that the Company has 'a number of suboptimal corporate governance provisions' 3 yet fails to take Dynavax to task for its half-hearted attempts to address these issues. ISS ignores the most glaring governance defect, which is the imbalanced classes of directors (with the classes split three, two and four) and with the classified Board structure not ending until 2028. Further, the addition of two new directors with no vaccine commercialization expertise while Heplisav's market share has been stuck in the low 40 percent range for now seven consecutive quarters is, in our view, inexplicable. We proposed a candidate with over two decades of vaccine commercialization experience (who, contrary to what ISS wrote, was never offered a seat by the Board). Instead, ISS applied their rubber stamp to the director handpicked by the Chairman from his previous board role, who has served for all of three months and brings zero prior vaccine expertise to the table. Market reaction to first quarter 2025 results indicates widespread concerns, in our view. The Company's share price fell 11% in reaction to the first quarter earnings report. In terms of broader strategy, ISS states that 'the company has been sitting on a cash pile for several years, and shareholder patience may be waning' but then fails to consider our argument that excess cash could be best deployed by returning capital to shareholders. ISS appears to assert that the Board is unlikely to pursue a potentially destructive acquisition because it has not done so yet; while they may find comfort in this logic, we don't think shareholders will take the same generous view. The Company's total shareholder return ('TSR') demonstrates clear underperformance. We question the relevance of DVAX performance dating back to 2019, given how few of the current Board members had anything to do with the Company at that time (and in fact, none of the nominees up for election this year). The Company extracted significant value from the pandemic, but as the CEO himself describes, that was a 'once in a lifetime' 4 experience, and attention should now shift to the present. Dynavax shares are down 23% year-to-date. The Company's TSR declined by 43% between two milestone events: from the appointment of Scott Myers as Board Chair to our amended Schedule 13D filing that led the Board to adopt a poison pill. 5 With respect to the benchmark that the Board uses to assess relative TSR for determining management's compensation, the Nasdaq Biotech Index, DVAX shares underperformed by 40 percentage points. ISS's report paints an inaccurate and incomplete picture of settlement discussions. Contrary to what ISS wrote, the Company never made an offer that included re-balancing its classes. Also, our final proposal included a two-year standstill, another item that ISS omits. Specifically, our final proposal was that Dynavax appoint Mr. Erkman and Mr. Santel to the Board, two incumbent directors step down, the share repurchase program be increased, and Deep Track would agree to a standstill until the nomination period for the 2027 annual meeting. Shareholders should see through ISS's surface-level analysis and consider the substantive issues at stake. Dynavax continues to underperform while the Board ignores its failed strategy. Our nominees possess exceptional relevant experience that could immediately improve the Board's ability to assess the best path forward to maximize value. We urge shareholders to vote FOR our four highly qualified nominees.' EVERY VOTE MATTERS Your vote is important, no matter how many shares of Common Stock you own. If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your WHITE proxy card, or need additional copies of Deep Track's proxy materials, please visit or contact our proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated ('Innisfree'), using the contact information provided here: Innisfree M&A Incorporated 501 Madison Avenue, 20 th Floor New York, New York 10022 Stockholders call toll-free (877) 687-1865 About Deep Track Capital Deep Track Capital is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm focused exclusively on the life sciences industry. We develop long term partnerships with management teams of leading innovative public and pre-IPO biotechnology companies. In addition to capital, we seek to invest our time and expertise, while leveraging our network for the benefit of our partners. We aim to lead transactions while building large syndicates, and also to invest in rounds led by other qualified investors. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The information herein contains 'forward-looking statements.' Specific forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and include, without limitation, words such as 'may,' 'will,' 'expects,' 'believes,' 'anticipates,' 'plans,' 'estimates,' 'projects,' 'potential,' 'targets,' 'forecasts,' 'seeks,' 'could,' 'should' or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions. There can be no assurance that any idea or assumption herein is, or will be proven, correct. If one or more of the risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the underlying assumptions of Deep Track Capital, LP ('Deep Track') or any of the other participants in the proxy solicitation described herein prove to be incorrect, the actual results may vary materially from outcomes indicated by these statements. Accordingly, forward looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Deep Track that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated will ever be achieved. Certain statements and information included herein may have been sourced from third parties. Deep Track does not make any representations regarding the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of such third party statements or information. Except as may be expressly set forth herein, permission to cite such statements or information has neither been sought nor obtained from such third parties. Any such statements or information should not be viewed as an indication of support from such third parties for the views expressed herein. Deep Track disclaims any obligation to update the information herein or to disclose the results of any revisions that may be made to any projected results or forward-looking statements herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such information, projected results or statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PARTICIPANTS Deep Track and the other Participants (as defined below) have filed a definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC') to be used to solicit proxies for, among other matters, the election of its slate of director nominees at the 2025 annual stockholders meeting (the '2025 Annual Meeting') of Dynavax Technologies Corporation, a Delaware corporation ('DVAX'). Shortly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, Deep Track furnished the definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card to some or all of the stockholders entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting. The participants in the proxy solicitation are Deep Track, Deep Track Biotechnology Master Fund, Ltd. (the 'Record Stockholder'), David Kroin (all of the foregoing persons, collectively, the 'Deep Track Parties'), Brett A. Erkman, Jeffrey S. Farrow, Michael Mullette and Donald J. Santel (such individuals, collectively with the Deep Track Parties, the 'Participants'). As of the date hereof, the Deep Track Parties beneficially own an aggregate of 17,791,486 shares (the 'Deep Track Shares') of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of DVAX (the 'Common Stock'). The Deep Track Shares collectively represent approximately 14.53% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock based on 122,411,685 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the record date for the 2025 Annual Meeting as reported in DVAX's Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on April 17, 2025. Each of the Deep Track Parties may be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of (and the shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of) all of the Deep Track Shares. As of the date hereof, none of the other Participants beneficially own any shares of Common Stock. IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT DEEP TRACK STRONGLY ADVISES ALL STOCKHOLDERS OF DVAX TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO SUCH PROXY STATEMENT, AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS FILED BY DEEP TRACK WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. SUCH PROXY MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SEC'S WEBSITE AT THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, WHEN FILED, AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS, WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE BY DIRECTING A REQUEST TO THE PARTICIPANTS' PROXY SOLICITOR, INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED, 501 MADISON AVENUE, 20th FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10022 (STOCKHOLDERS CAN CALL TOLL-FREE: (877)-687-1865).
