Phio Pharmaceuticals Announces Exercise of Warrants for Approximately $2.5 Million Gross Proceeds

Rhea-AI Summary

Phio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PHIO) has secured approximately $2.5 million in gross proceeds through the exercise of outstanding warrants. The agreement involves the exercise of warrants to purchase 928,596 shares of common stock, with 100,000 shares at $2.00 per share and 828,596 shares at a reduced price of $2.485 per share.

In exchange for immediate cash exercise, holders will receive new unregistered warrants for up to 1,857,192 shares at $2.485 per share. These new warrants include two tranches: one with a 24-month term for 1,538,596 shares and another with a 5-year term for 318,596 shares. The offering, managed by H.C. Wainwright & Co., is expected to close around July 28, 2025.

Positive

• Secured $2.5 million in immediate funding through warrant exercise
• Additional $232,149 received from new warrant issuance fees
• New warrants provide potential for future capital raises at $2.485 per share

Negative

• Reduced warrant exercise price from $3.00 to $2.485 for certain warrants indicates pricing pressure
• Dilutive effect from issuance of new warrants for up to 1,857,192 additional shares
• Company still requires funding for working capital needs

Insights

Financial Analyst

Phio secures $2.5M through warrant exercise, issuing new warrants with potential future dilution but immediate cash boost.

Phio Pharmaceuticals has secured approximately $2.5 million in gross proceeds through the exercise of outstanding warrants. This transaction involves 928,596 warrants originally issued in December 2024 and January 2025, with exercise prices between $2.00 and $3.00 per share. Specifically, 100,000 warrants are being exercised at $2.00 per share, while 828,596 warrants are being exercised at a reduced price of $2.485 per share.

In exchange for this immediate cash exercise, Phio is issuing new unregistered warrants to purchase up to 1,857,192 additional shares. These new warrants have an exercise price of $2.485 per share, with 1,538,596 warrants having a 24-month term and 318,596 warrants having a 5-year term. The company is receiving an additional $232,149 from the $0.125 per new warrant payment.

This financing strengthens Phio's cash position in the near term, with the proceeds intended for working capital and general corporate purposes. However, the issuance of new warrants exceeding the number of exercised warrants creates potential future dilution. The transaction represents a strategic trade-off: immediate capital infusion versus potential long-term equity dilution if the new warrants are eventually exercised. For a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company like Phio, which is developing siRNA therapeutics for cancer treatment, maintaining adequate funding for research and development activities is critical to advance its pipeline.

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - July 25, 2025) - Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: PHIO), a clinical-stage siRNA biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics using its proprietary INTASYL® gene silencing technology to eliminate cancer, today announced the entry into definitive agreements to exercise certain outstanding warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 928,596 shares of common stock of the Company originally issued in December 2024 and January 2025, having exercise prices between $2.00 and $3.00 per share. Warrants to purchase 100,000 shares of common stock at the existing exercise price of $2.00 per share will be exercised at their existing exercise price of $2.00 per share and warrants to purchase 828,596 shares of common stock will be exercised at a reduced exercise price of $2.485 per share. The shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are registered pursuant to effective registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-284381). The gross proceeds to the Company from the exercise of the warrants are expected to be approximately $2.5 million, prior to deducting placement agent fees and offering expenses.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

In consideration for the immediate exercise of the warrants for cash and the payment of additional $0.125 per new unregistered warrant (additional $232,149 in the aggregate, which are included in the gross proceeds to the Company), the exercising holders will receive new unregistered warrants to purchase shares of common stock in a private placement pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). The new warrants will be exercisable for an aggregate of up to 1,857,192 shares of common stock, at an exercise price of $2.485 per share and will be immediately exercisable upon issuance and (i) will have a term of twenty-four months with respect to new warrants to purchase up to 1,538,596 shares of common stock and (ii) will have a term of five years with respect to new warrants to purchase up to 318,596 shares of common stock, in each case, following the effective date of the resale registration statement registering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the new warrants.

The offering is expected to close on or about July 28, 2025, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

The new warrants described above were offered in a private placement pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and, along with the shares of common stock issuable upon their exercise, have not been registered under the 1933 Act, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the SEC or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. The securities were offered only to accredited investors. The Company has agreed to file a registration statement with the SEC covering the resale of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the new warrants.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or 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 Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: PHIO) is a clinical-stage siRNA biopharmaceutical company advancing its INTASYL® gene silencing technology focused on immuno-oncology therapeutics. Phio's INTASYL compounds are designed to enhance the body's immune cells to more effectively kill cancer cells. Phio's lead clinical program is an INTASYL compound, PH-762, that silences the PD-1 gene implicated in various forms of skin cancer. The on-going Phase 1b trial (NCT# 06014086) is evaluating PH-762 for the treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma. PH-762 is a potential non-surgical treatment for skin cancers.

For additional information, visit the Company's website, www.phiopharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

completion of the offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering and the anticipated use of proceeds therefrom.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "intends," "believes," "anticipates," "indicates," "plans," "expects," "suggests," "may," "would," "should," "potential," "designed to," "will," "ongoing," "estimate," "forecast," "target," "predict," "could" and similar references, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Examples of forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, among others, the completion of the offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering and the anticipated use of proceeds therefrom.

These statements are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of important factors, including, but not limited to, the impact to our business and operations by inflationary pressures, rising interest rates, recession fears, the development of our product candidates, results from our preclinical and clinical activities, our ability to execute on business strategies, our ability to develop our product candidates with collaboration partners, and the success of any such collaborations, the timeline and duration for advancing our product candidates into clinical development, the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, the success of our efforts to commercialize our product candidates if approved, our ability to manufacture and supply our product candidates for clinical activities, and for commercial use if approved, the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our technology platform, our ability to obtain future financing, market and other conditions and those identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the caption "Risk Factors" and in other filings the Company periodically makes with the SEC. Readers are urged to review these risk factors and to not act in reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ from those contemplated by our forward-looking statements. Phio does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views, events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Contact:
Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp.
Jennifer Phillips: jphillips@phiopharma.com
Corporate Affairs

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/260151

FAQ

How much funding did Phio Pharmaceuticals (PHIO) raise through warrant exercise in July 2025?

Phio Pharmaceuticals raised approximately $2.5 million in gross proceeds through the exercise of warrants to purchase 928,596 shares of common stock.

What is the exercise price for the new warrants issued by Phio Pharmaceuticals?

The new warrants have an exercise price of $2.485 per share and cover up to 1,857,192 shares of common stock.

When will the new PHIO warrants expire?

The new warrants have two expiration terms: 24 months for warrants covering 1,538,596 shares and 5 years for warrants covering 318,596 shares, following the effective date of the resale registration statement.

How will Phio Pharmaceuticals use the proceeds from the warrant exercise?

Phio Pharmaceuticals intends to use the net proceeds for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

Who is the placement agent for Phio Pharmaceuticals' warrant exercise offering?

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.