Ocuphire Announces Closing of $15 Million Registered Direct Offering Priced At-the-Market

Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: OCUP), a clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company focused on development and commercialization of therapies for the treatment of several eye disorders, announced today the closing of its previously announced registered direct offering of 3,076,923 shares of the Company's common stock (the "Shares") and warrants to purchase 1,538,461 shares of the Company's common stock (the "Warrants", and together with the Shares, the "Securities") at a combined purchase price of $4.875 per one Share and 0.5 Warrant in an offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. The Warrants have an exercise price of $6.09 per share, will be exercisable on issuance date, and will expire five years following the issuance date. Gross proceeds from the offering were approximately $15 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company.

Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC was the lead investor in the offering. Additional investors participating in the offering included Ayrton Capital, District 2 Capital Fund LP, Altium Capital, and other new and existing institutional healthcare investors.

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners acted as sole placement agent for the offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to cover clinical (2ndPhase 3 trial and pediatric trial), manufacturing (including commercial batches), and regulatory costs associated with the submission of a New Drug Application for Nyxol®for the reversal of pharmacologically-induced mydriasis, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Company expects that this offering combined with cash on hand will fund operations until late 2022.

This offering was made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-252715) previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). 

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the 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 registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Ocuphire Pharma

Ocuphire is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: OCUP), clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of several eye disorders. Ocuphire's pipeline currently includes two small-molecule product candidates targeting front and back of the eye indications. The company's lead product candidate, Nyxol® (0.75% phentolamine ophthalmic solution) Eye Drops, is a once-daily preservative-free eye drop formulation of phentolamine mesylate, a non-selective alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist designed to reduce pupil size, and is being developed for several indications, including dim light or night vision disturbances ("NVD"), reversal of pharmacologically-induced mydriasis ("RM"), and presbyopia, and has been studied in 8 clinical trials including the recently completed Phase 3 trial in RM. Ocuphire reported positive topline data in March 2021 for MIRA-2, a Phase 3 FDA registration study for treatment of RM. Nyxol is also currently in Phase 3 clinical development for NVD and in Phase 2 for presbyopia. Ocuphire's second product candidate, APX3330, is an oral tablet designed to inhibit angiogenesis and inflammation pathways relevant to retinal and choroidal vascular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy ("DR") and diabetic macular edema ("DME") and has been studied in 11 Phase 1 and 2 trials. APX3330 is currently enrolling subjects in a Phase 2 clinical trial in subjects with DR/DME. As part of its strategy, Ocuphire will continue to explore opportunities to acquire additional ophthalmic assets and to seek strategic partners for late-stage development, regulatory preparation, and commercialization of drugs in key global markets. Please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov to learn more about Ocuphire's completed Phase 2 trials, recently completed Phase 3 registration trial (NCT04620213), ongoing Phase 3 registration trial (NCT04638660), Phase 2 trial in presbyopia (NCT04675151), and Phase 2 trial in DR/DME (NCT04692688).