Pharma CEO Now Denies Price Was Offered Exclusive Deal On Stock

Source: Talking Points Memo



By MATT SHUHAM Published JANUARY 31, 2017, 11:15 AM EDT

The CEO of an Australian pharmaceutical company is forcefully denying offering President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services a sweetheart stock deal.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) was one of fewer than 20 American investors in Innate Immunotherapeutics, Ltd. to have been offered discounted shares of the company.

But Simon Wilkinson, the company’s CEO and a quoted source for the Journal’s story, wrote to CNN Tuesday that it was “NOT factually correct” to say Price was one of fewer than 20 U.S. investors to have been offered discounted shares.

"All Australian and New Zealand shareholders (the company had about 2,400 shareholders at the time of whom 850 had actively supported share offerings over the previous 5 or more years) were 'invited' (offered) new shares at the same discount," Wilkinson wrote to CNN. "Our 'accredited' US resident shareholders were also made aware of the offering. About 600 AU/NZ shareholders and about 20 US shareholders/investors took up the 'invitation.'"

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