SEATTLE, WA, Aug 14, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Targeted Genetics Corporation (NASDAQ: TGEN) today announced that,
on August 10, 2009, it received a letter from the Nasdaq Stock Market
indicating that the Company has failed to regain compliance with
Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), which requires companies listed on
the Nasdaq Capital Market to maintain a minimum $1.00 bid price per
share. The letter stated that the Company's non-compliance with the
bid price requirement serves as an additional basis for delisting the
Company's common stock from the Nasdaq Capital Market, in addition to
the Company's non-compliance with the shareholders' equity requirement
of Listing Rule 5550(b) previously announced by the Company.
As previously announced, on July 23, 2009 the Nasdaq staff notified
the Company of its determination to delist the Company's securities on
the grounds of the Company's non-compliance with the shareholders'
equity requirement. The Company appealed the Nasdaq staff's
determination and was granted a hearing before a Nasdaq hearing
panel, and the delisting has been stayed until the hearing is
completed and the panel has issued a written decision. The Nasdaq
hearing panel will consider the Company's non-compliance with both
the shareholders' equity requirement and the bid price requirement in
rendering its decision regarding the Company's continued listing on
the Nasdaq Capital Market. A written decision is expected within 35
days from the hearing date. There can be no assurance that,
following the hearing, the panel will grant the Company's request for
continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or that the Company
will be able to regain or maintain compliance with the Nasdaq listing
requirements.
If the Company is delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market, its common
stock may be traded over-the-counter on the OTC Bulletin Board or in
the "pink sheets" if one or more market makers seeks and obtains
approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to
continue quoting in the Company's common stock. The over-the-counter
market, however, is generally considered to be less efficient than
the Nasdaq Capital Market. Many over-the-counter stocks trade less
frequently and in smaller volumes than securities traded on the
Nasdaq markets, which would likely have a material adverse effect on
the liquidity and value of the Company's common stock.
About Targeted Genetics Corporation
Targeted Genetics Corporation is a biotechnology company committed to
the development of innovative targeted molecular therapies for the
prevention and treatment of acquired and inherited diseases with
significant unmet medical need. Targeted Genetics' proprietary
Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) technology platform allows it to deliver
genes that encode proteins to increase gene function or RNAi to
decrease or silence gene function. To learn more about Targeted
Genetics, visit Targeted Genetics' website at
www.targetedgenetics.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995:
This release contains forward-looking statements, including
statements regarding the Company's potential delisting from the Nasdaq
Capital Market, the process for the Company's appeal of the Nasdaq
staff's determination to delist the Company's securities and
potential trading of the Company's securities on the over-the-counter
market. These statements involve current expectations, forecasts of
future events and other statements that are not historical facts.
Inaccurate assumptions and known and unknown risks and uncertainties
can affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements and cause
actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by
the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect actual
future events or results include, but are not limited to, the risk
that the Company will not be able to sell or otherwise monetize its
manufacturing or other assets or enter into one or more strategic
transactions, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise
capital or secure other financial resources in the very near term and
will be required to cease its operations or otherwise wind up its
business, the risk that the Company will run out of cash earlier
than expected, the risk that the Company will not receive the cash it
expects to receive from its collaborative partners, grants and other
business activities, the risk that the Company will be unable to
regain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market listing requirements
for shareholders' equity and/or minimum bid price and that its appeal
to the Nasdaq listing qualifications panel will be unsuccessful,
resulting in the inability of the Company to maintain its listing on
the Nasdaq Capital Market, the risk that an over-the-counter market
will not trade the Company's shares if the Nasdaq Capital Market
delists the Company, the risk that the Company will be unable to meet
its obligations under its Bothell lease termination agreement, which
would result in the Company not being released from its obligations
under the Bothell lease, and the risk factors described in the
section entitled "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A of the Company's
quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2009,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not
rely unduly on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as
of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no duty to
publicly announce or report revisions to these statements as new
information becomes available that may change the Company's
expectations.
Investor and Media Contact:
Stacie D. Byars
206.660.2588
Email Contact
SOURCE: Targeted Genetics
http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=DD631F9EB01C8237