ONWARD Medical Successfully Raises Over EUR 50 Million in Capital Increase

Rhea-AI Summary

ONWARD Medical (OTCQX:ONWRY) announced an accelerated private placement raising EUR 50,850,000 via 11.3 million new ordinary shares at an issue price of EUR 4.50 per share on October 24, 2025.

Institutional investors include Ottobock as cornerstone, Invus, and ASR Global Impact Equity Fund. Net proceeds are allocated: 40% to ARC-IM development, 30% to ARC-EX commercialization, 20% to quality/admin, 5% to working capital and 5% to financing costs. The company expects cash runway through at least end of 2026, assuming no draw down of its debt facility. New Shares expected to be admitted to trading on Euronext Brussels/Amsterdam/Paris on October 28, 2025.

Positive

• Gross proceeds of EUR 50.85M
• Issued 11.3M new ordinary shares at EUR 4.50 each
• Cash runway extended to at least end of 2026
• Strategic cornerstone investment from Ottobock
• 40% of net proceeds earmarked for ARC-IM pivotal development

Negative

• Share issuance of 11.3M new shares causes dilution to existing holders
• Runway projection assumes no draw down of the company’s debt facility
• Trading suspension during bookbuild; market liquidity briefly interrupted

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. OTHER RESTRICTIONS ARE APPLICABLE. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THE PRESS RELEASE.

THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE (7)(1) OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (596/2014)

• Successful transaction supported by strong demand from existing and new high-quality, long-only and sector specialist investors
• Institutional investors include Ottobock, a global player in the fields of prosthetics, orthotics and exoskeleton technology, healthcare specialist investor Invus, and ASR Global Impact Equity Fund managed by a.s.r. Asset Management N.V.
• Cash runway extended to at least end of 2026
  

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, Oct. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ONWARD Medical N.V. (Euronext: ONWD – US ADR: ONWRY), the leading neurotechnology company pioneering therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other movement disabilities, today announces that it successfully raised an amount of EUR 50,850,000 million in gross proceeds by way of an accelerated bookbuild offering through a private placement with institutional investors of 11.3 million new ordinary shares (the “Private Placement” and such shares the “New Shares”) via the Joint Bookrunners (as defined below). The New Shares were offered at an issue price of EUR 4.50 per share (the “Issue Price”). The Issue Price was determined by the Company’s pricing committee.

The successful transaction involved existing and new investors including the listed company Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA (“Ottobock”), a global player in the fields of prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeleton technology, as cornerstone investor, and healthcare specialist investor Invus alongside ASR Global Impact Equity Fund managed by a.s.r. Asset Management N.V., as anchor investors.

“We are delighted to complete this successful transaction, supported by Ottobock and driven by strong demand from high-quality, long-term investors,” said Dave Marver, CEO of ONWARD Medical. “We have successfully transitioned to a commercial-stage company, validated by robust demand for our ARC-EX^® System. We plan to use this capital to expand ARC-EX commercial activities while advancing our pipeline with the planned initiation of our pivotal study for the implantable ARC-IM^® System. This transaction provides fuel for our mission to deliver innovative therapies that restore movement, function, and independence after a spinal cord injury.”

“We believe in ONWARD Medical’s technology. These developments fit perfectly into our future strategy in the field of neuro-orthotics. We therefore decided to strengthen our role as the largest shareholder and strategic partner with new investments”, said Oliver Jakobi, CEO of Ottobock.

ONWARD currently envisions using the net proceeds of the Private Placement, together with the existing cash balance, to:

• Fund development initiatives, including but not limited to product development, clinical studies and regulatory activities for the investigational ARC-IM^® System to address blood pressure instability in people with spinal cord injury (40%);
• Expand sales and operations to support commercialization of the ARC-EX System^® in the United States, Europe and select other geographies (30%);
• Support and scale quality and administrative activities (20%);
• Fund working capital and other general corporate purposes (5%); and
• Cover financing costs including the existing debt obligation (5%).
  

The net proceeds from the Private Placement are expected to provide the Company with cash runway through at least end of 2026, assuming no draw down of the Company’s debt facility.

During the bookbuilding period of one business day for the Private Placement, trading of the Company’s shares on the regulated markets of Euronext Brussels, Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris was temporarily suspended and shall resume today (October 24, 2025) as of the start of the trading day.

The New Shares are expected to be listed and admitted to trading on Euronext Brussels, Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris on October 28, 2025, and payment and delivery of the New Shares are expected to take place on October 28, 2025. The New Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares in the Company.

UBS AG London Branch, Stifel Europe Securities SAS and Stifel Europe Limited Paris Branch acted as Joint Global Coordinators and, together with Bank Degroof Petercam SA/NV as Senior Joint Bookrunner and BNP Portzamparc as Joint Bookrunner of the Private Placement.

The Company, Ottobock, as well as certain members of the Board of Directors have agreed to a 90-day lock-up, subject to certain exceptions.

About ONWARD Medical

ONWARD Medical is the leading neurotechnology company pioneering therapies designed to restore movement, function, and independence in people with spinal cord injuries and other movement disabilities. Building on decades of scientific discovery, preclinical research, and clinical studies conducted at leading hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and neuroscience laboratories, the Company developed ARC Therapy. It has subsequently been awarded 10 Breakthrough Device designations from the FDA. The Company’s ARC-EX^® System is cleared for commercial sale in the US. The Company is also developing an investigational implantable system called ARC-IM^®, which can be paired with a brain-computer interface (BCI) to restore thought-driven movement.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the Company has a Science and Engineering Center in Switzerland and a US office in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company is listed on Euronext Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam (ticker: ONWD) and its US ADRs can be traded on OTCQX (ticker: ONWRY). For more information, please visit ONWD.com.

To stay informed about ONWARD’s research studies, technologies, and the availability of therapies in your area, please complete this webform.

For Media Inquiries:
Sébastien Cros, VP Communications
media@onwd.com  

For Investor Inquiries:
investors@onwd.com

Forward-Looking Statements  

Certain statements, beliefs, and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company’s or, as appropriate, the Company directors’ current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve several risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, delays in regulatory approvals, changes in demand, competition, and technology, can cause actual events, performance, or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person’s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Trademarks: ONWARD, ARC-EX, ARC-IM, ARC-BCI, and the stylized O-Logo are proprietary and registered trademarks of ONWARD Medical. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

ARC-EX Indication for Use (US): The ARC-EX System is intended to deliver programmed, transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation in conjunction with functional task practice in the clinic to improve hand sensation and strength in individuals between 18 and 75 years old that present with a chronic, nonprogressive neurological deficit resulting from an incomplete spinal cord injury (C2-C8 inclusive).

ARC-EX Indication for Use (EU): The ARC-EX System is intended to deliver programmed, transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation in conjunction with functional task practice in the clinic and with take-home exercises in the home to improve hand sensation and strength in individuals between 18 and 75 years old that present with a chronic (>1 year post-injury), non-progressive neurological deficit resulting from an incomplete spinal cord injury (C2-C8 inclusive).

Other Investigational Products: All other ONWARD Medical devices and therapies including ARC-IM and ARC-BCI are investigational and not available for commercial use.

Additional important information

These materials may not be published, distributed or transmitted in the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. These materials do not contain, constitute or form part of an offer of securities for sale or a solicitation of an offer to purchase securities (the “Securities”) of ONWARD Medical N.V. (the “Company”), in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. The Securities of the Company may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). There will be no public offering of the Securities in the United States. The Securities of the Company have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act. The Securities referred to herein may not be offered or sold in Australia, Canada or Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Canada or Japan subject to certain exceptions. No public offering of the securities will be made in the United States.

This document (and the information contained within) is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of the Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 in each member state (“Member State”) of the European Economic Area (the “Prospectus Regulation”). The Company has not authorised any offer to the public of Securities in any Member State of the European Economic Area. With respect to each Member State (each a “Relevant State”), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of securities requiring publication of a prospectus in any Relevant State. As a result, the Securities may and will only be offered in Relevant States (i) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation; or (ii) in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation. For the purpose of this paragraph, the expression "offer of securities to the public" means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be offered so as to enable the investor to decide to exercise, purchase or subscribe for the Securities.

This document (and the information contained within) is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as it forms part of U.K. domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the “U.K. Prospectus Regulation”). No action has been undertaken or will be undertaken that constitutes an offer of the securities referred to herein to the public in the United Kingdom or requires the publication of a prospectus in the United Kingdom. The securities referred to herein may not and will not be offered in the United Kingdom, except to qualified investors as defined in the UK Prospectus Regulation, and who are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Financial Promotion Order"), (ii) high net worth entities or other persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Financial Promotion Order or (iii) persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended)) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons being referred to as “Relevant Persons”).

In the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at Relevant Persons. This document is directed only at Relevant Persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

This communication is not a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation. This communication cannot be used as basis for any investment agreement or decision. Acquiring investments to which this announcement relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing the entire amount invested. Persons considering making such investments should consult an authorised person specialising in advising on such investments. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the securities referred to herein.

No announcement or information regarding the offering, listing or securities of the Company referred to above may be disseminated to the public in jurisdictions where a prior registration or approval is required for such purpose. No steps have been taken, or will be taken, for the offering or listing of securities of the Company in any jurisdiction where such steps would be required, except for the admission of the offered shares on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels, Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris. The issue, exercise, or sale of, and the subscription for or purchase of, securities of the Company are subject to special legal or statutory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. The Company is not liable if the aforementioned restrictions are not complied with by any person.

Information to Distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended from time to time (“MiFID II”); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local
implementing measures (together, the “MiFID II Product Governance Requirements”), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any ‘manufacturer’ (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the offered shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the offered shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the “Target Market Assessment”). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the offered shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the offered shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the offered shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Private Placement. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, the placement agents in the Private Placement will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the offered shares.

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the offered shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.

UBS, Stifel, Degroof Petercam and BNP Portzamparc are acting exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the Private Placement. In connection with such matters, they, their affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents will not regard any other person as their client, nor will they be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to their clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement or any other matters referred to in this announcement.

FAQ

How much did ONWARD Medical (ONWRY) raise in the October 24, 2025 private placement?

ONWARD raised EUR 50,850,000 through a private placement of 11.3 million new ordinary shares.

What price per share did ONWRY set for the private placement on October 24, 2025?

The New Shares were offered at an issue price of EUR 4.50 per share.

How will ONWRY use the net proceeds from the October 2025 capital raise?

Proceeds are allocated: 40% to ARC-IM development, 30% to ARC-EX commercialization, 20% to quality/admin, 5% working capital, 5% financing costs.

Does the October 24, 2025 placement change ONWRY’s cash runway?

Yes. The company expects the net proceeds to provide cash runway through at least end of 2026, assuming no debt draw down.

When will the new ONWRY shares from the October 24, 2025 placement be admitted to trading?

The New Shares are expected to be listed and admitted to trading on Euronext Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris on October 28, 2025.

Who were the anchor and cornerstone investors in ONWRY’s October 2025 placement?

Institutional participants included cornerstone investor Ottobock, healthcare investor Invus, and ASR Global Impact Equity Fund.