WAYNE, Pa., March 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACRS), a physician-led biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has entered into a loan and security agreement with Silicon Valley Bank pursuant to which Aclaris has borrowed $11.0 million.

“This financing allows us to strengthen our financial position by extending our cash runway and to continue to execute on our refocused business strategy as planned,” said Dr. Neal Walker, President and CEO of Aclaris. Aclaris believes the proceeds from the loan, in combination with its existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, will be sufficient to fund its operations into the first quarter of 2022.

Terms of Financing

The term loan requires interest only payments beginning April 1, 2020 and continuing through March 1, 2022, followed by monthly installments of principal, plus monthly payments of accrued interest, starting on April 1, 2022 and continuing through March 1, 2024. The loan is secured by substantially all of Aclaris’ assets, other than intellectual property. In connection with the term loan, Aclaris issued SVB a warrant to purchase up to 460,251 shares of Aclaris’ common stock at an initial exercise price of $0.956 per share. The warrant became immediately exercisable in full upon the funding of the loan. Other material terms related to the term loan and the warrant can be found in Aclaris’ Current Report on Form 8-K, which will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc.

Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. is a physician-led biopharmaceutical company committed to addressing the needs of patients with immuno-inflammatory diseases who lack satisfactory treatment options. The company has a multi-stage portfolio of drug candidates powered by a robust R&D engine exploring protein kinase regulation. For additional information, please visit www.aclaristx.com and follow Aclaris on LinkedIn or Twitter @aclaristx.