Medicus Pharma Ltd. (NASDAQ: MDCX) has announced the closing of its $4 million initial public offering (IPO) in the United States. The offering consisted of 970,000 units, priced at $4.125 per unit. Each unit includes one common share and one warrant, exercisable at $4.64, expiring in five years. The company's shares and warrants commenced trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols "MDCX" and "MDCXW," respectively, on November 14, 2024.
Funding for Phase 2 Basal Cell Carcinoma Trial
The net proceeds from the IPO are earmarked to fund a Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical trial evaluating Medicus Pharma's doxorubicin-loaded dissolvable microarray needle skinpatch for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). This innovative approach aims to deliver the chemotherapeutic agent directly to tumor cells non-invasively.
Doxorubicin Microarray Needle Skinpatch Technology
The company's lead product, D-MNA, leverages a patented dissolvable microneedle patch to deliver doxorubicin directly to basal cell carcinoma tumors. Medicus Pharma completed a Phase 1 safety and tolerability study (SKNJCT-001) in March 2021, which met its primary objective of safety and tolerability. The study also indicated efficacy, with six participants experiencing complete response on histological examination of the resected lesion.
Phase 2 Clinical Trial Design
Medicus Pharma submitted a Phase 2 IND clinical protocol to the FDA in January 2024 for a randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicenter clinical study (SKNJCT-003). The study is designed to enroll up to 60 patients across nine sites in the United States. The trial will evaluate the efficacy of two dose levels (100 and 200 ug) of D-MNA compared to placebo (P-MNA) in subjects with nodular BCC. Patient recruitment is currently underway.
Expansion to Other Non-Melanoma Skin Diseases
Medicus Pharma may also allocate net proceeds to expand its exploratory Phase 2 clinical trial to a pivotal trial and/or broaden its trials to cover other non-melanoma skin diseases. This strategic move could significantly expand the therapeutic applications of their platform technology, representing multiple market opportunities beyond basal cell carcinoma.
Additional IPO Details
Maxim Group LLC acted as the sole book-running manager for the offering, and Brookline Capital Markets, a division of Arcadia Securities, LLC, acted as co-manager. The underwriter partially exercised its overallotment option, purchasing an additional 145,500 warrants at $0.01 per warrant, resulting in additional gross proceeds of $1,455.
