KALA BIO Settles Approximately $10.6 million of Debt

Rhea-AI Summary

KALA BIO (NASDAQ:KALA) announced it has completed a loan settlement with Oxford Finance, resolving approximately $10.6 million of debt as of December 26, 2025. The company made a $2.0 million payment required under a November 25, 2025 Loan Settlement Agreement, which fully satisfied obligations under the Settlement Agreement and the underlying May 4, 2021 Loan Agreement.

Management said the settlement removes a material overhang and increases strategic flexibility. Separately, on December 30, 2025, the board approved inducement grants totaling 400,000 common shares to four new employees.

Positive

• Settled approximately $10.6 million of debt as of December 26, 2025
• Completed required $2.0 million payment to Oxford Finance, discharging loan obligations

Negative

• Granted 400,000 common shares as inducements on December 30, 2025, which may dilute existing shareholders

Key Figures

Debt settled approximately $10.6 million Oxford debt obligations as of December 26, 2025

Settlement payment $2 million Obligation to Oxford under Loan Settlement Agreement

Payment completed $2 million Recent payment satisfying Settlement and Loan Agreements

Inducement shares 400,000 shares Common stock awards as a material inducement to employment

Market Reality Check

$0.6315 Last Close

Volume Volume 793,505 is well below the 20-day average of 11,403,001, suggesting limited pre-news participation. low

Technical Shares trade below the 200-day moving average of 4.97, reflecting a prior downtrend.

Peers on Argus

KALA gained 11.73% while peers were mixed: BMEA up 6.35%, CRBP down 4.02%, EQ down 2.55%, IKT down 5.8%, TARA roughly flat. This points to a company-specific move.

Common Catalyst Some peers had news (e.g., designations, conference participation), but no clear shared catalyst with KALA’s debt settlement.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 05	Equity offering	Negative	-14.3%	Registered direct equity financing to raise <b>$10M</b> mainly for debt repayment.
Dec 04	Equity offering	Negative	+13.5%	Announcement of at-the-market <b>$10M</b> registered direct equity deal.
Dec 01	Financing/leadership	Positive	+37.7%	<b>$6M</b> securities purchase agreement and appointment of David Lazar as CEO.
Sep 29	Clinical failure	Negative	-89.3%	CHASE Phase 2b trial for KPI-012 failed endpoints; program and platform discontinued.
Sep 03	Conference participation	Positive	+23.1%	Presentation at H.C. Wainwright conference with investor meetings scheduled.

Pattern Detected

KALA has sold off sharply on negative clinical outcomes and debt stress, while financing and strategic updates have produced volatile but often positive reactions. Offerings tied to debt repayment drew mixed responses.

Recent Company History

Over the last six months, KALA moved from a failed CHASE Phase 2b trial and cessation of KPI-012/MSC-S development on Sep 29, 2025 to aggressive restructuring. The company executed workforce reductions and faced an Oxford default and cash sweep, with substantial doubt about going concern in Q3 2025. Subsequent financings, including a $6.0 million securities purchase agreement and a $10 million registered direct offering in early December, were aimed at repaying indebtedness. Today’s settlement of approximately $10.6 million of Oxford debt continues that balance sheet repair trajectory.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights the completion of a restructuring step, as KALA settled approximately $10.6 million of Oxford debt via a $2 million payment under a Loan Settlement Agreement. It follows prior financings and severe balance sheet stress noted in recent filings. Investors may track how debt elimination interacts with earlier Nasdaq deficiency notices, leadership changes, and new inducement equity grants to gauge whether the company’s strategic and financial flexibility is meaningfully improving.

Key Terms

loan settlement agreement financial

"entered into a Loan Settlement Agreement with Oxford pursuant to which"

A loan settlement agreement is a formal deal in which a borrower and a lender agree on new terms to resolve an outstanding debt—often reducing the amount owed, changing the payment schedule, or setting a lump‑sum payoff—to avoid further legal action. For investors, it matters because the agreement changes a company’s liabilities, expected cash flows and legal risk, much like renegotiating a mortgage alters a homeowner’s monthly budget and future finances.

events of default financial

"negotiated in connection with events of default under the Loan and Security"

Events of default are specific breaches or failures listed in a loan, bond, or credit agreement that give lenders the right to act, such as demanding immediate repayment, raising interest rates, or taking secured assets. They matter to investors because triggering one is like setting off a financial alarm: it raises the chance of foreclosure, restructuring, or bankruptcy and can sharply reduce the value of a company’s stock or bonds and increase borrowing costs.

loan and security agreement financial

"events of default under the Loan and Security Agreement dated May 4, 2021"

A loan and security agreement is a legal contract that sets out the amount, repayment schedule, interest and the rules a borrower must follow, and it names specific assets a lender can claim if the borrower fails to pay. Think of it like a mortgage or car loan where the lender holds a claim on collateral until the debt is repaid. Investors care because it determines a company’s repayment priorities, borrowing costs, operational limits and how easily creditors can seize assets in distress, all of which affect equity value and credit risk.

common stock awards financial

"granted common stock awards as a material inducement to employment"

Common stock awards are shares of a company's regular ownership given to employees, executives, or others as part of pay or incentive plans; recipients gain the same basic rights as other common shareholders, such as a claim on profits and voting power once they actually receive the shares. Investors watch these awards because they align recipients’ interests with shareholder value like a performance bonus tied to future company success, but they can also dilute existing owners and create future share-sale activity that affects the stock price.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

ARLINGTON, Mass., Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KALA BIO, Inc. (NASDAQ:KALA), (“KALA” or the “Company”) today announced the successful completion of its loan settlement with Oxford Finance, LLC (“Oxford”), marking a transformational milestone for the Company. The completion of the settlement resolves critical debt obligations.

As previously disclosed in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 25, 2025, KALA and its subsidiary Combangio, Inc., entered into a Loan Settlement Agreement with Oxford pursuant to which the Company owed Oxford $2 million to be paid pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement was negotiated in connection with events of default under the Loan and Security Agreement dated May 4, 2021 (the “Loan Agreement”).

Recently, KALA completed its $2 million payment obligation to Oxford. Effective immediately upon this payment, the Company is pleased to announce that it has settled the Oxford debt obligations of approximately $10.6 million as of December 26, 2025. As a direct result of this $2 million payment, all of the Company’s obligations under both the Settlement Agreement and the underlying Loan Agreement have been fully satisfied and discharged.

“The successful completion of the Oxford settlement represents a watershed moment for KALA BIO,” said David E. Lazar, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. “By settling the Company’s debt obligations and increasing stockholders’ equity, we have removed a substantial overhang that was constraining the Company’s strategic flexibility. We are confident in our path forward.”

Also, as of December 30, 2025, the Company, with the Compensation Committee of KALA’s Board of Directors’ approval, granted common stock awards as a material inducement to employment to four individuals hired by KALA, which common stock awards relate to, in the aggregate, 400,000 shares of common stock.

KALA Contact

David Lazar
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
david@activistinvestingllc.com

FAQ

What debt did KALA (NASDAQ:KALA) settle on January 5, 2026?

KALA announced it settled approximately $10.6 million of debt, effective as of December 26, 2025, after completing a $2.0 million payment to Oxford Finance.

How did the $2.0 million payment affect KALA's loan obligations?

The $2.0 million payment satisfied the Settlement Agreement and fully discharged obligations under the May 4, 2021 Loan Agreement with Oxford Finance.

When were the employee stock inducement awards granted by KALA and how many shares?

The board approved common stock inducement awards on December 30, 2025 totaling 400,000 shares granted to four new hires.

What immediate impact did KALA say the Oxford settlement would have on shareholders?

KALA said the settlement removed a substantial debt overhang and increased management's strategic flexibility, which it expects to benefit stockholders.

Who was the counterparty to KALA's loan settlement and when was the loan originally dated?

The settlement counterparty was Oxford Finance, and the underlying Loan Agreement was dated May 4, 2021.