Oragenics Inc. started an underwritten public offering of common shares and warrants to buy common shares.

The underwriter will have an option to buy additional common shares and warrants at the public offering price.

Tampa, Fla.-based Oragenics plans to use net proceeds to fund research of its drug candidate AG013, a potential treatment for oral mucositis in cancer patients. Oral mucositis, or mouth sores, are a common complication of cancer treatments.

Proceeds will also be used for clinical trials and preclinical development of the company's lantibiotics program, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is the sole book-running manager for the offering.