Avinger announces strategic partnership with Zylox-Tonbridge

Avinger announced a new strategic partnership with Zylox-Tonbridge Medical Technology, a medical device company in the neuro- and peripheral-vascular interventional market in China. The strategic partnership provides up to $15 million of equity funding from Zylox-Tonbridge in two tranches, a licensing agreement providing access for Avinger’s products in the Greater China region, and a technology transfer agreement to build cost-efficient manufacturing capacity to support global sales. In addition, the parties have signed a strategic collaboration agreement which provides the opportunity for Avinger to access certain Zylox-Tonbridge peripheral vascular products for distribution in the U.S. and Germany. Under the terms of the financing agreement, Zylox-Tonbridge will invest up to $15 million into Avinger through the purchase of preferred and common stock in two tranches. The initial $7.5 million investment was priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules at a purchase price of $3.66 per share on an as converted to common stock basis. A second tranche of $7.5 million will be funded upon achieving key milestones, including successfully registering Zylox-Tonbridge as a manufacturer of Avinger’s products with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and Avinger achieving $10 million in aggregate revenue over four consecutive quarters. Avinger’s obligation to accept conversion of the initial shares of preferred stock and issue and sell shares of preferred stock upon completion of the milestones are each subject to receipt of the approval of Avinger’s stockholders. Concurrent with the Zylox-Tonbridge first tranche investment, CRG Partners, the primary holder of Avinger debt and preferred equity exchanged its Series A preferred stock with an aggregate liquidation preference of approximately $60 million for new Series A-1 preferred stock with a value of $10 million. The new Series A-1 preferred stock is convertible at the same price as the Zylox-Tonbridge transaction and carries no liquidation preference or dividends. Additionally, CRG extended principal payments on Avinger’s debt from the first quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2027, with interest payments accruing during this time.