Latham & Watkins Advises eFFECTOR Therapeutics on deSPAC Merger with Locust Walk Acquisition Corp.

eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Inc. (eFFECTOR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on pioneering the development of selective translation regulation inhibitors (STRIs) for the treatment of cancer, and Locust Walk Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: LWAC), a blank-check company, have announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, anticipated to occur in the third quarter of 2021, the combined company will be named eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Inc. and will be led by Steve Worland, Ph.D., president, and CEO. The combined company’s common stock is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “EFTR”.

Latham & Watkins LLP represents eFFECTOR in the transaction with a corporate team led by San Diego partner Matt Bush, Houston partner Ryan Maierson, San Diego partner Cheston Larson, and San Diego counsel Anthony Gostanian, with Houston associate Blake Berkey, San Diego associate Alaina Ellis, Houston associate Ben Marek, and San Diego associate Shelby Harrison. Advice was also provided on benefits and compensation matters by San Diego partner Holly Bauer, with Chicago associate Daniel Gocek; on tax matters by Los Angeles/Orange County partner Sam Weiner, with New York associate Sam Yang; on FDA and regulatory matters by Washington, D.C. partner Ben Haas and Bay Area counsel Betty Pang, with Washington, D.C. associate Chad Jennings; on data privacy and security matters by Bay Area counsel Heather Deixler, with Los Angeles associate Heather Lui; on intellectual property matters by San Diego and Bay Area partner Christopher Hazuka, with San Diego associate Michael Sweeney; and on antitrust matters by Washington, D.C. partner Jason Cruise and Washington, D.C. counsel Joseph Simei.