NewLink Genetics Corporation Announces Exercise of Underwriters' Option and Closing of Public Offering of Common Stock

AMES, Iowa, Feb. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- NewLink Genetics Corporation (NASDAQ: NLNK), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing cancer therapeutics, today announced that the underwriters of its recently announced public offering of 4,000,000 shares of common stock have exercised in full their option to purchase an additional 600,000 shares.  The offering closed today.  All shares were sold by NewLink.  Aggregate net proceeds to the company were approximately $49.0 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by NewLink.

Jefferies & Company, Inc. and Stifel Nicolaus Weisel acted as joint book-running managers in the offering and Baird, Canaccord Genuity Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. acted as co-managers. 

The shares were sold by the Company pursuant to a shelf registration statement on form S-3, a prospectus and prospectus supplement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").  Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained from Jefferies & Company, Inc., Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10022, or by telephone at 877-547-6340, or by email at [email protected], or from Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Attention: Syndicate, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, California 94104, or by calling (415) 364-2500.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About NewLink Genetics Corporation
NewLink Genetics Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel immunotherapeutic products to improve cancer treatment options for patients and physicians. NewLink's portfolio includes biologic and small-molecule immunotherapy product candidates intended to treat a wide range of oncology indications.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements of NewLink that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "may," "will," "could," "should," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about the Company's expectations with respect to its proposed offering, including its intention to offer and sell shares, the closing of the offering and the Company's intended use of proceeds from the offering. Such statements are based on the Company's expectations as of the date of this press release and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to the risks and uncertainties associated with market conditions and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the proposed offering, as well as those risks discussed in NewLink's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2012, and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent NewLink's views as of the date of this press release. NewLink anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while it may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing NewLink's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Contact:
Gordon Link
Chief Financial Officer
515-598-2925
[email protected]

SOURCE NewLink Genetics Corporation