HCW Biologics settles arbitration with ImmunityBio entities By Investing.com

HCW Biologics Inc. (NASDAQ:HCWB) has reached a settlement agreement with ImmunityBio, Inc. and its entities, Altor BioScience, LLC and NantCell, Inc., to conclude a previously disclosed arbitration case. The settlement, entered into on July 13, 2024, involves no monetary exchange and includes the transfer of certain rights and intellectual property to ImmunityBio.

The arbitration, initiated by Altor and NantCell, accused HCW Biologics’ Founder and CEO, Dr. Hing C. Wong, of contract breach and fiduciary duty, among other claims. HCW Biologics was alleged to have engaged in misappropriation of trade secrets and inducement of contract and fiduciary duty breaches.

To avoid the ongoing costs and potential disruptions of litigation, the involved parties agreed to a confidential settlement. According to the terms, all parties will cover their legal expenses, and none have admitted to any wrongdoing or liability.

The agreement requires HCW Biologics to transfer select rights related to certain molecules developed using its TOBITM discovery development platform for specific cancer indications, along with other intellectual property rights, to ImmunityBio.

Additional obligations outlined in the settlement stipulate various actions to be taken post-execution, which are expected to include the dismissal of both the arbitration and a related lawsuit filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

The specifics of the settlement agreement remain confidential, and a comprehensive summary has not been disclosed. This settlement resolves the disputes between HCW Biologics and the ImmunityBio entities without further court involvement.

The information is based on a press release statement filed with the SEC.

In other recent news, HCW Biologics Inc. has made significant strides in its corporate governance. The company recently held its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, where two major decisions were made. Firstly, the shareholders voted Hing C. Wong into the position of a Class III director, a role he will hold until the 2027 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Wong’s election was received positively, with a substantial majority of votes cast in his favor.

In addition to this, the shareholders ratified the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal year. This decision was also met with overwhelming approval from the stockholders.

InvestingPro Insights

In light of the recent settlement between HCW Biologics Inc. and ImmunityBio, investors may be seeking additional context on the financial health and market performance of HCW Biologics. According to InvestingPro data, HCW Biologics has a market capitalization of $24.76 million and has experienced significant revenue growth of 2590.14% in Q1 2024. Despite this impressive quarterly revenue growth, the company’s gross profit margin remains negative at -104.1% for the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, indicating challenges in converting sales into actual profit.

InvestingPro Tips suggest a mixed picture for HCW Biologics. While the company has seen a significant return over the last week with a 9.08% increase in price total return, it has suffered from weak gross profit margins and a significant sales decline is anticipated in the current year. Moreover, the company’s short-term obligations exceed its liquid assets, which could raise concerns about financial stability. Investors should note that HCW Biologics does not pay a dividend to shareholders, which may be a consideration for those seeking regular income streams from their investments.

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