EX-99.3 7 ny20006362x2_ex99-3.htm EXHIBIT 99.3

Exhibit 99.3

From: Siddhartha Kadia
To: All Employees
Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Subject: Berkeley Lights to Acquire IsoPlexis

Dear Berkeley Lights team,

Today we are taking a pivotal step toward building a growing, profitable, and sustainable life sciences company by acquiring IsoPlexis. This will bring together two industry pioneers with talented teams and proven capabilities, united in their dedication to advancing functional cell biology. We’ve spoken a great deal about the importance of our strategic plan to achieving our potential. This combination accelerates our progress across every strategic pillar and creates a path to achieving positive operating cash flow earlier than we expected to as a standalone company.

Known for its leading IsoCode cellular behavior multiplexing platform, IsoPlexis is well-respected by researchers and clinicians for its scientific results and its easy-to-use software and hardware. They have a unique cell library of proteomically active cells and are an emerging immune profiling leader in single-cell proteomics with targeted proteomics and single-cell multiomics platforms under development. Once the transaction is completed, the combined company, which will be named PhenomeX (Nasdaq: CELL), will be a premier functional cell biology company. We will unite complementary portfolios that will provide live cell biology tools which deliver deep insights into cellular function and new perspectives on phenomes.

There is a lot to be excited about as a combined company. Our commercial execution will be strengthened with a diversified customer base, broadened sales team, enhanced geographical footprint, and emphasis on accessible pricing for our customers and recurring revenue growth. And we will serve as a platform for further consolidation in the high-growth functional cell biology tools space. In addition, having spent time with members of the IsoPlexis team, I am confident that this combination will also be a strong fit culturally and strategically and support a smooth integration for our stakeholders. Together, we will build on our shared cultures to deliver for customers and shareholders and create expanded opportunities for career development for our employees.

As we move forward, please keep in mind that this announcement is only the first step. We expect the transaction to close in the first quarter of 2023, subject to approval by shareholders of both Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis, and other customary closing conditions. Until that time, Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis will continue to operate as separate companies, and it remains business as usual.

We understand that you may have questions about this announcement and what it means for our company and you – and we are committed to keeping you informed. Tomorrow morning at 8:00 am PT, I will be hosting a town hall meeting, where I look forward to sharing more information about IsoPlexis and the opportunity we see for the combined organization. In the near term, I am attaching an FAQ, which you can also access here [LINK]. For additional questions about this announcement, please email blicommunication@berkeleylights.com.

We expect today’s announcement will lead to increased interest in Berkeley Lights from the media and our investors. It is important that our company speaks with one voice. If you receive questions, please forward them to Suzanne Hatcher at suzanne.hatcher@berkeleylights.com.

As always, thank you all for your hard work and dedication to Berkeley Lights and our customers. I could not be more excited about this new chapter in our story.

Wishing you all a happy holiday!

Sincerely,

Siddhartha


Forward-Looking Statements
 
Certain statements in this communication regarding the proposed transaction between Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis, the expected timetable for completing the transaction, benefits and synergies of the transaction, future opportunities for the combined company and products and any other statements regarding Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, financial conditions, assumptions or future events or performance that are not historical facts are “forward-looking” statements made within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may”, “believe,” “anticipate,” “would,” “could”, “should,” “intend,” “seek,” “plan,” “will,” “expect(s),” “estimate(s),” “predict(s),” “project(s),” “target(s),” “forecast(s)”, “continue(s),” “contemplate(s),” “positioned,” “potential,” “strategy,” “outlook,” “forward,” “continuing,” “ongoing” and similar expressions. All such forward-looking statements involve estimates and assumptions that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed in the statements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements are the following:  the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all; the failure to receive, on a timely basis or otherwise, the required approvals of the proposed transaction by both Berkeley Lights’ stockholders and IsoPlexis’ stockholders; the possibility that any or all of the various conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied or waived, including the failure to receive any required regulatory approvals from any applicable governmental entities (or any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on such approvals); the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the definitive transaction agreement relating to the proposed transaction, including in circumstances which would require Berkeley Lights or IsoPlexis to pay a termination fee; the effect of the announcement, pendency or completion of the proposed transaction on each of Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ ability to attract, motivate or retain key employees, its ability to maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers, distributors and others with whom it does business, or its operating results and business generally; risks related to the proposed transaction diverting management’s attention from each of Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ ongoing business operations; the risk of stockholder litigation in connection with the proposed transaction, including resulting expense or delay; the possibility that the parties may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in connection with the proposed transaction within the expected timeframes or at all and to successfully integrate IsoPlexis’ operations into those of Berkeley Lights; the integration of IsoPlexis’ operations into those of Berkeley Lights being more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; effects relating to the announcement of the proposed transaction or any further announcements or the consummation of the proposed transaction on the market price of the common stock of each of Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis; the possibility that each of Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ expectations as to expenses, cash usage and cash needs may prove not to be correct for reasons such as changes in plans or actual events being different than its assumptions; the impacts of changes in general economic and business conditions, including changes in the financial markets; the implementation of each of Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ business model and strategic plans for its products and technologies, and challenges inherent in developing, manufacturing, launching, marketing and selling existing and new products; uncertainties in contractual relationships, including interruptions or delays in the supply of components or materials for, or manufacturing of, products for each of Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis; the ability of each of Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis to establish and maintain intellectual property protection for products or avoid or defend claims of infringement; risks relating to competition within the industry in which each of Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis operate; the impacts of potential product performance and quality issues; changes to and the impact of the laws, rules and regulations that regulate each of Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ operations; and any other risks discussed in each of Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ filings with the SEC, including Berkeley Lights’ and IsoPlexis’ Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8‑K.  Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis assume no obligation to update or revise publicly the information in this communication, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.
 

Participants in the Solicitation
 
Berkeley Lights, IsoPlexis and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction between Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis under the rules of the SEC. Information regarding Berkeley Lights’ directors and executive officers is set forth in Berkeley Lights’ Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 15, 2022, and in certain of Berkeley Lights’ Current Reports on Form 8-K. To the extent holdings of Berkeley Lights’ securities by Berkeley Lights’ directors and executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in such proxy statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on subsequent statements of beneficial ownership filed with the SEC. Information regarding IsoPlexis’ directors and executive officers is set forth in IsoPlexis’ revised Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 29, 2022, and in certain of IsoPlexis’ Current Reports on Form 8-K. To the extent holdings of IsoPlexis’ securities by IsoPlexis’ directors and executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in such proxy statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on subsequent statements of beneficial ownership filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated below. Additional information regarding the interests of these participants will be set forth in the joint proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed transaction when it becomes available.
 
Additional Information and Where to Find It
 
In connection with the proposed transaction between Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis, Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis intend to file relevant materials with the SEC, including a Berkeley Lights registration statement on Form S‑4 that will include a joint proxy statement of Berkeley Lights and IsoPlexis that also constitutes a prospectus of Berkeley Lights.  INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BERKELEY LIGHTS, ISOPLEXIS AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents relating to the proposed transaction (when they are available) can be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These documents (when they are available) can also be obtained free of charge from Berkeley Lights’ investor relations website at www.investors.berkeleylights.com or from IsoPlexis’ investor relations website at www.investors.isoplexis.com.
 
No Offer or Solicitation
 
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.