Geron Corporation Announces Exercise Of Over-Allotment Option
Menlo Park, CA – September 20, 2005 – Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) today announced that on Monday, September 19, 2005, the underwriters of its public offering of six million shares of common stock have exercised their over–allotment option in full to purchase 900,000 additional shares, resulting in an additional gross public offering price of $8.1 million. The public offering and over–allotment exercise are expected to close on September 21, 2005.
UBS Investment Bank is acting as the sole book–running manager for the underwritten public offering. SG Cowen & Co., LLC, Needham & Company LLC, Lazard Capital Markets LLC, Rodman & Renshaw, LLC and WBB Securities, LLC are acting as co–managers.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein. A final prospectus supplement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering of these securities may be made only by means of the prospectus supplement and related base prospectuses, copies of which are available from UBS Investment Bank, Prospectus Department, 299 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10171, phone: (212) 821–3884.
Geron is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing three groups of products: i) therapeutic products for oncology that target telomerase; ii) pharmaceuticals that activate telomerase in tissues impacted by senescence, injury or degenerative disease; and iii) cell–based therapies derived from its human embryonic stem cell platform for applications in multiple chronic diseases.
This news release may contain forward–looking statements made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including with respect to the consummation of the offering, and potential applications of Geron’s technologies. Investors are cautioned that such forward–looking statements in this press release constitute forward–looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, need for future capital and maintenance of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward–looking statements. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Geron’s Prospectus Supplement filed under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on September 16, 2005, and in Geron’s periodic reports, including the quarterly report on Form 10–Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2005.
Contact:
Geron Corporation
David L. Greenwood
Chief Financial Officer
650–473–7765
