Financing Fuels Kneat's Strong Revenue Growth
and Improving Margin Profile
LIMERICK, Ireland, June 26,
2023 /CNW/ - kneat.com, inc. (the "Company" or
"Kneat") (TSX: KSI) (OTC: KSIOF), a leader in digitizing and
automating validation and quality processes, is pleased to announce
that it has secured up to €15 million in secured debt financing
from IPF Partners, a leading financing provider focused exclusively
on the healthcare sector. The credit facilities (the
"Facilities") consist of three term credit facility commitments of
€5 million each, to be availed by Kneat's Irish subsidiary, Kneat
Solutions Limited. Each Facility matures 18 quarters from its
initial drawdown date. In addition to the usual conditions for
utilization of the Facilities, availability under the latter two
Facilities shall be subject to achievement of Annual Recurring
Revenue (ARR) milestones. Kneat intends to use the financing
alongside its own funds from operations for general corporate
purposes.
"The financing we are announcing today provides Kneat with
greater financial flexibility as we continue building out the
next-gen platform for quality management and supports us on our way
toward profitability," said Eddie
Ryan, CEO of Kneat. "With our strong revenue growth,
improving gross margins, and ongoing wins inside the world's
largest pharmaceutical companies, we continue to consolidate our
leadership position in digital validation for the life science
industry."
"We are pleased to support Kneat's efforts helping make life
sciences companies' processes for quality management leaner,
faster, smarter and more sustainable," said Raeto Guler, a partner
at IPF Partners. "We are confident in Kneat's ability to
continue executing on their strategy."
Each of the Facilities carries an annual cash interest of
three-month EURIBOR + 7.0%, payable quarterly; and capitalized
interest of 2.0%, accrued and capitalized quarterly, in addition to
customary structuring and exit fees. The total cash cost of the
arrangement is dependent on the final number of the three
facilities availed of and whether the debt is repaid on each
maturity date or earlier. Kneat intends to draw down the
first €5 million facility this quarter.
The Facilities are guaranteed by the Company and its U.S. wholly
owned subsidiary, and are secured by a perfected, sole
first-priority security interest in all existing and after acquired
tangible and intangible assets of Kneat Solutions Limited, the
Company and its U.S. wholly owned subsidiary.
About Kneat
Kneat, a Canadian company with operational headquarters in
Limerick, Ireland, develops and
markets the next-generation Kneat Gx SaaS platform. Multiple
business work processes can be configured on the platform from
equipment to computer validation, through to quality document
management. Kneat's software allows users to author, review,
approve, execute testing online, manage any exceptions, and
post-approve final deliverables in a controlled FDA 21 CFR Part 11/
EU Annex 11-compliant platform. Macro and micro report dashboards
enable powerful oversight into all systems, projects and processes
globally. Customer case studies are reporting productivity
improvements in excess of 100% and a higher data integrity and
compliance standard. For more information
visit www.kneat.com
About IPF
IPF Partners, based in Luxembourg, is a leading alternative financing
provider focused on the healthcare sector. IPF invests directly in
commercial stage Digital Health and Healthcare Services companies
and late development stage Pharma/Biotech. Founded in 2011 by a
seasoned multi-disciplinary team combining over fifty years of
healthcare management and eighty years of finance and investment
experience, IPF has developed a unique business model using the
team's specialist sector knowledge to provide bespoke, long-term
financing. For more information visit www.ipfpartners.com.
Cautionary and Forward-Looking
Statements
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein,
certain information presented constitutes "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
laws. Such forward-looking information includes, but is not limited
to, the future profitability of the Company, the ability to access
the Facility based on ARR milestones, the relationship between
Kneat and the customer, Kneat's business development activities,
the use and implementation timelines of Kneat's software within the
customer's validation processes, the ability and intent of the
customer to scale the use of Kneat's software within the customer's
organization and the compliance of Kneat's platform under
regulatory audit and inspection. While such forward-looking
statements are expressed by Kneat, as stated in this release, in
good faith and believed by Kneat to have a reasonable basis, they
are subject to important risks and uncertainties. As a result of
these risks and uncertainties, the events predicted in these
forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual
results or events. These forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance, given that they involve risks and
uncertainties.
Kneat does not undertake any obligation to release publicly
revisions to any forward-looking statement, except as may be
required under applicable securities laws. Investors should not
assume that any lack of update to a previously issued
forward-looking statement constitutes a reaffirmation of that
statement. Continued reliance on forward-looking statements is at
an investor's own risk.
SOURCE kneat.com, inc.