DLA Piper represented San Diego-based Mast Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that makes clinical-stage therapies for serious or life-threatening diseases, in a merger agreement with Savara Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on developing treatments for rare respiratory diseases.

The merger, which is subject to stockholder approval, will result in a portfolio consisting of three inhalation therapies. The products include AeroVanc, an inhaled dry-powder vancomycin to treat chronic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pulmonary infection in cystic fibrosis; Molgradex, an inhaled nebulized Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor to treat pulmonary alveolar proteinosis; and AIR001, an inhaled nebulized sodium nitrite solution to treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

The products are all in advanced clinical development. Following the merger, Savara stockholders will become the majority owners of the combined company, which will be headquartered in Austin. Savara's current management team and name will be retained.

The DLA Piper team representing Mast consisted of partners Larry Nishnick and Michael Kagnoff (both of San Diego).