Believes Company’s Misguided Acquisition Strategy is Destroying Value and Preventing Dynavax from Maximizing the Opportunities of Heplisav for Shareholders and Patients
In Deep Track’s View, Properly Focusing on Heplisav Could Result in More than $1 Billion in Cash Generation by 2030 – More than Dynavax’s Current Enterprise Value
Sees Shareholder Representation on Board as Necessary to Restore Investor Confidence in Dynavax and Prevent Strategic Blunders
Urges Shareholders to Vote FOR Deep Track’s Four Highly Qualified Director Nominees
GREENWICH, Conn., April 21, 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 14.53% of the Company’s outstanding shares, today announced that it has filed a definitive proxy statement in connection with its nomination of four highly qualified candidates for election to the Company’s Board of Directors (the "Board") at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting"). Deep Track also sent a letter to shareholders.
The full text of the letter follows:
April 21, 2025
Dear Fellow Dynavax Shareholders,
Deep Track Capital, LP (together with its affiliates, "Deep Track" or "we") is one of the largest shareholders of Dynavax Technologies Corporation ("Dynavax", "DVAX" or the "Company"), with ownership of approximately 14.53% of the Company’s outstanding shares. We manage approximately $4 billion on behalf of our investors – including many healthcare organizations and non-profits – and focus exclusively on the life sciences space and the development of novel therapies. Senior members of our team first purchased Dynavax shares nearly 15 years ago1 and we have continued to steadily build our position in the Company.
We have high conviction in Dynavax’s long-term potential. The Company’s lead asset, Heplisav, is extremely valuable and is poised for many years of growth and cash generation. In fact, we believe that Heplisav’s value creation potential will only improve as it becomes further established in the marketplace and becomes the standard of care for hepatitis B vaccination in adults.
Unfortunately, we believe that Dynavax is on the wrong track. Instead of focusing on growing Heplisav’s market position, the Company has pursued a years-long search for external assets to acquire. We tried to engage with the Company privately for many months to urge the Board to abandon its fruitless search for acquisition targets, return cash to shareholders through a share repurchase program, and focus exclusively on growing Heplisav – but were rebuffed.
We are not a typical "activist" investor. We are a long-term shareholder that is deeply concerned that the Dynavax Board is leading the Company down a path of value destruction that will have negative consequences for all stakeholders. That is why we have taken the extraordinary step (for us) of publicly airing our concerns and nominating four director candidates for the Company’s nine-member Board.
Your vote at the Annual Meeting is important – now is the time to make your voice heard and help refocus Dynavax. As you consider your vote, please keep in mind the following:
The Board’s Misguided Strategy is Preventing Shareholders and All Stakeholders from Realizing Heplisav’s Full Potential
The Current Board’s Unfocused Strategy Has Destroyed Shareholder Value
DVAX Relative TSR Through Unaffected Date* |
||
1 Year |
Chair Tenure† |
|
Dynavax |
-24.6 |
-42.9 |
Nasdaq Biotechnology Index |
24.6 |
-2.9 |
Relative TSR: |
||
DVAX vs. Nasdaq Biotechnology Index |
-49.3% |
-40.0% |
Source: Bloomberg |
||
* The unaffected date is Oct. 24, 2024, the last trading close before Deep Track Capital filed a 13D/A disclosing its ownership had increased to 13.6%. Six days later, Dynavax reacted with a poison pill that drove shares up 7%. |
||
† Scott Myers was elected Chairman on Oct. 21, 2021. |
Shareholder-Driven Change is Urgently Needed to Avoid Value Destructive Blunders
We Urge Shareholders to Elect Our Four Highly Qualified Nominees
***
This year’s Annual Meeting offers an important chance to make your voice heard. Do not let the Dynavax Board continue to ignore your best interests.
Regards,
David Kroin
Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Deep Track Capital LP
EVERY VOTE MATTERS
Your vote is important, no matter how many shares of Common Stock you own. We urge you to follow the instructions set forth on the enclosed WHITE proxy card to vote via the Internet or by telephone or to mark, sign, date, and return the enclosed WHITE proxy card by mail today to vote FOR the election of the four Deep Track Nominees and in accordance with the Deep Track Parties’ recommendations on the other proposals on the agenda for the 2025 Annual Meeting.
If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your WHITE proxy card, or need additional copies of Deep Track’s proxy materials, please 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.
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 WWW.SEC.GOV. 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 Press Release, Dynavax Raises $44 Million Through Public Offering of Common Stock and Warrants. |
2 Press Release, Dynavax Provides Regulatory Update on sBLA for Four-Dose HEPLISAV-B® Regimen for Adults on Hemodialysis in the U.S. |
3 Press Release, Dynavax Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Provides Business Updates. |
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250421486344/en/
Contacts
Investor Contact
Innisfree M&A Incorporated
Scott Winter / Gabrielle Wolf
+1 212-750-5833
Media Contact
Longacre Square Partners
deeptrack@longacresquare.com
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