Allegations
According to the complaint, Metagenomi introduced itself to investors during its initial public offering as a “genetic medicines company” having a long-standing business relationship with Moderna, one of the leading Covid-19 vaccine companies. Integral to Metagenomi’s collaboration with Moderna was the claim that the two companies had entered into a Strategic Collaboration and License Agreement on October 29, 2021, which included multiple four-year research programs and a subsequent licensed product-by-licensed product agreement.
Metagenomi completed its initial public offering on February 13, 2024, selling 6.25 million shares at $15 per share. However, less than three months later, on May 1, 2024, Metagenomi announced that it and Moderna had “mutually agreed to terminate their collaboration” agreement. An analyst reported on the announcement, noting that the news was surprising, as was its timing. The analyst also noted that the partnership Metagenomi had with Moderna was a critical part of the core thesis and that losing this partnership during this early stage in development raised more questions than answers. In response to the news, Metagenomi’s stock price declined from $7.04 per share on May 1, 2024 to $6.17 per share on May 2, 2024.