On March 22, 2021, 4D pharma plc, a Leeds, UK-based pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs)—a novel class of drugs derived from the microbiome—announced the completion of its merger with Longevity Acquisition Corporation, a Nasdaq-listed Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati advised 4D pharma on corporate and intellectual property matters related to the cross-border transaction.

The merger was structured as an acquisition of the SPAC by 4D pharma, a concurrent global PIPE financing, and the concurrent Nasdaq listing of 4D pharma American Depositary Shares (ADSs) and warrants. As a result, 4D pharma ADSs now trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “LBPS” and its warrants now trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “LBPSW.” 4D pharma ordinary shares continue to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market under the ticker symbol “DDDD.”

The Wilson Sonsini team that advised 4D pharma on the transaction included:

Corporate/M&A
Steve Bernard
Melissa Rick
Mark Fitzgerald
Rob Ishii
Elisa Sielski
Mary O’Brien
Kimball Smith
Kelly Stern

Intellectual Property
Lou Lieto
Farah Gerdes
Morgan Brown

For more information, please see 4D pharma’s press release.