On November 1, 2018 F-star, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of novel bispecific antibodies that target the immune system to fight cancer, reported that it will present preclinical data on two new proprietary bispecific antibodies at the SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, PEGS Summit Europe and the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Immuno-Oncology Congress (Press release, f-star, NOV 1, 2018, View Source [SID1234530648]).

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Checkpoint antagonists dominate the clinical landscape and yet despite encouraging progress, only a small patient population reaches a durable and clinically meaningful response. Current approaches have shown limited efficacy for poorly immunogenic tumours which harness different and often multiple escape or resistance mechanisms to attenuate the local immune response.

FS120 is a dual agonist mAb² simultaneously targeting OX40 (CD134, TNFRSF4) and CD137 (4-1BB). FS222 is an agonist/antagonist mAb² against CD137 and PD-L1 (Programmed Death-Ligand 1). Both OX40 and CD137 are co-stimulatory molecules, part of the Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptor Super Family (TNFRSF). Unlike checkpoint antagonists, engagement of OX40 or CD137 on activated T cells triggers a positive signal that enhances several cellular and effector functions, essential to the elimination of tumour cells.

Neil Brewis, CSO of F-star said "It is only recently that the full complexity of tumour heterogeneity and how this translates into the clinical setting has been appreciated. With the increase in tumour resistance to checkpoint therapies, there is an urgent need to generate new and efficacious treatment options for cancer patients. F-star’s new programmes have the potential to leverage a more targeted, potent and safer immune response, even in highly immune-suppressive tumour microenvironments."

The data to be presented will highlight the potent anti-tumour activity of F-star’s mAb² and how each of them outperforms combinations of monospecific agents in multiple syngeneic tumour models. Furthermore, the results will describe how F-star’s bispecific format can alleviate some of the inherent limitations of an antibody-mediated TNFRSF activation, such as low efficacy or dose-dependent liver toxicity observed in current clinical trials.

Eliot Forster, CEO of F-star said "I am very excited about the presentation of these wholly owned molecules to these conferences. The data on FS120 a dual agonist mAb² and FS222 an agonist/antagonist mAb² demonstrate the versatility and power of our Modular Antibody Technology and its ability to address the known heterogeneity of tumour types and, especially, their immune evasion mechanisms. With the potential to go beyond combination approaches, the two programmes are heading towards INDs in 2019, reinforcing F-star’s commitment to deliver life-changing treatments for cancer patients".

Details of the presentations are below:

SITC Annual Meeting – 7-11 Nov 2018 – Washington DC

Oral presentation information:

Title: FS120 mAb², a dual agonist bispecific antibody targeting OX40 and CD137, activates T cells in vitro and induces potent, FcγR-independent anti-tumour activity
Session: Next Generation Bispecifics and Antibody-Like Molecules
Session date and time: 11 Nov from 08:05-10:30

Poster presentations information:

Title: FS120 mAb², a dual agonist bispecific antibody targeting OX40 and CD137, activates T cells in vitro and induces potent, FcγR-independent anti-tumour activity
Abstract poster number: O44
Poster hall location: Hall E
Poster hall hours: 09 Nov from 08:00 – 20:00 and 10 Nov from 08:00 – 20:30
Poster presentation hours: 10 Nov from 12:20 – 13:50 and 19:00 – 20:30

Title: A novel CD137/PD-L1 bispecific antibody modulates the tumour microenvironment by activating CD8+ T cells and results in tumour growth inhibition
Abstract poster number: P631
Poster hall location: Hall E
Poster hall hours: 09 Nov from 08:00 – 20:00 and 10 Nov from 08:00 – 20:30
Poster presentation hours: 09 Nov from 12:45 – 14:15 and 18:30 – 20:00

PEGS Summit Europe 2018 – 12-16 Nov 2018 – Lisbon

Oral presentation information:

Title: Agonist bispecific antibodies delivering the next Immuno-Oncology breakthrough Session: Advancing Bispecifics and Combination Therapy to the Clinic
Presentation time: 15 Nov at 11:15

ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress – 13-16 Dec 2018 – Geneva

Poster presentation information:

Title: Optimising TNFRSF Agonism and Checkpoint Blockade with a Novel CD137/PD-L1 Bispecific Antibody
Abstract: 444
Session date and time: 14-15 Dec, lunch time

On November 1, 2018 Syros Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SYRS), a leader in the development of medicines that control the expression of genes, reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 and provided an update on recent accomplishments and upcoming events (Press release, Syros Pharmaceuticals, NOV 1, 2018, View Source [SID1234530647]).

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"Syros continued to make great progress in the third quarter, marked by the achievement of two key 2018 goals: advancing SY-1365 into the expansion portion of the Phase 1 trial to evaluate it in multiple ovarian and breast cancer patient populations; and naming SY-5609, an oral selective CDK7 inhibitor, as our next development candidate," said Nancy Simonian, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Syros. "Together, these accomplishments speak to our leadership in gene control, as well as our belief in the transformative potential of selective CDK7 inhibition for treating a range of solid tumors and blood cancers. Looking ahead, we expect to build on our momentum as we unveil the first-ever clinical data on a selective CDK7 inhibitor from the dose escalation portion of our Phase 1 trial of SY-1365 and present initial clinical data from the combination arms of our Phase 2 trial of SY-1425."

Upcoming Milestones:

Syros plans to present initial clinical data from cohorts in its Phase 2 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of SY-1425 in combination with azacitidine in RARA and IRF8 biomarker-positive patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are not suitable candidates for standard chemotherapy, and in combination with daratumumab in biomarker-positive patients with relapsed or refractory AML and higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), at the 2018 American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.
Syros plans to present clinical data from the dose escalation portion of its Phase 1 trial of SY-1365 in patients with advanced solid tumors in an oral plenary session at the 30th EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium on Thursday, November 15, 2018. The presentation will include data on safety, pharmacokinetics, and proof-of-mechanism using pharmacodynamic markers. In three additional presentations at EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper), Syros plans to present new preclinical data showing the mechanistic rationale for the ongoing clinical evaluation of SY-1365 in combination with carboplatin in ovarian cancer; the first preclinical data from its oral CDK7 inhibitor program; and the discovery of drug targets and patient subsets from its analysis of the super-enhancer landscape in ovarian cancer.
Recent Pipeline Highlights:

In October 2018, Syros selected SY-5609 as its next development candidate from a suite of internally developed, highly selective and potent oral CDK7 inhibitors. Syros is advancing SY-5609 into IND-enabling studies in oncology.
In October 2018, Syros published preclinical data supporting its hypomethylating agent (HMA) combination development strategy for SY-1425 in Haematologica, a peer-reviewed journal of the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper). The publication reviews data demonstrating the mechanistic rationale of SY-1425 in combination with HMAs in in vitro and in vivo models of AML with high RARA expression. SY-1425 in combination with HMAs, including azacitidine, resulted in synergistic anti-proliferative effects supported by evidence of DNA damage and apoptosis. In patient-derived xenograft models of AML with high RARA expression, SY-1425 in combination with azacitidine showed both greater clearance of tumor cells in bone marrow and other tissues and greater duration of response, compared to either azacitidine or SY-1425 alone.
In September 2018, Syros advanced SY-1365 into the expansion portion of its Phase 1 trial, opening of cohorts in ovarian and breast cancer patient populations. Based on preclinical data, showing robust anti-tumor activity in ovarian and breast cancers, a strong mechanistic rationale, and high unmet need, Syros decided to focus the initial expansion of its Phase 1 trial on these tumor types. The expansion cohorts are evaluating the safety and anti-tumor activity of SY-1365 as a single agent in primary platinum-refractory ovarian cancer patients; as a single agent in ovarian cancer patients who have relapsed after three or more therapies; in combination with carboplatin in ovarian cancer patients who have relapsed after one or more prior therapies; and in combination with fulvestrant in patients with hormone-receptor positive (HR+) metastatic breast cancer who have progressed after treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. An additional cohort is enrolling patients with any solid tumor accessible for biopsy to further evaluate the mechanism of action of SY-1365.
Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of September 30, 2018 were $113.2 million, compared with $72.0 million on December 31, 2017.

For the third quarter 2018, Syros reported a net loss of $15.7 million, or $0.47 per share, compared to a net loss of $13.8 million, or $0.53 per share, for the same period in 2017.

Revenues were $0.4 million for the third quarter of 2018, which relate entirely to Syros’ target discovery collaboration with Incyte Corporation. Syros did not record revenues in the third quarter of 2017.
Research and development expenses were $12.9 million for the third quarter of 2018, as compared to $10.4 million for the same period in 2017. This increase was primarily attributable to an increase in SY-1365 contract manufacturing costs and professional consulting fees in support of our clinical trials, as well as an increase in employee-related expenses.
General and administrative expenses were $3.9 million for the third quarter of 2018, as compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2017. This increase was primarily due to an increase in employee-related expenses.
Financial Guidance

Based on its current plans, Syros believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund its planned operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into 2020.

Conference Call and Webcast:

Syros will host a conference call today at 7:30 a.m. ET to discuss these third quarter 2018 financial results and provide a corporate update.

The live call may be accessed by dialing (866) 595-4538 for domestic callers or (636) 812-6496 for international callers and referencing conference ID number: 3988733. A live webcast of the conference call will be available online on the Investors & Media section of the Syros website at www.syros.com. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for approximately 90 days.

On November 1, 2018 argenx (Euronext & Nasdaq: ARGX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a deep pipeline of differentiated antibody-based therapies for the treatment of severe autoimmune diseases and cancer, reported updated data from the ongoing Phase 1 dose-escalation part of its Phase 1/2 clinical trial of cusatuzumab (ARGX-110) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (Press release, argenx, NOV 1, 2018, View Source [SID1234530646]). As of the data cut-off on July 16, 2018, a 92% (11/12 patients) overall response rate (ORR) was observed, with 42% of patients achieving minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity. The median response duration was 6.9 months as of the data cut-off date.

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Data from this ongoing AML trial are expected to be further updated, including ORR and duration of response, during a company workshop to be held around the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.

"The clinical data published today are encouraging and underscore our decision to move forward into a Phase 2 clinical trial of cusatuzumab in AML, which we launched earlier this year. These data also support the deep understanding of the disease biology of CD70 as demonstrated by the preclinical work of our collaborators at the University of Bern, highlighting cusatuzumab’s potential to offer a novel mechanism of action in AML against leukemic blasts and leukemic stem cell compartments," commented Nicolas Leupin, MD, Chief Medical Officer of argenx. "We look forward to providing an update on key metrics from the Phase 1 dose-escalation of the Phase 1/2 trial, including response rate and duration of response, at our annual workshop around ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper)."

Phase 1/2 Results for Cusatuzumab in AML

In this trial, argenx evaluated the safety, tolerability and efficacy of cusatuzumab in combination with azacytidine (AZA) in an open-label, Phase 1/2 clinical trial in 12 newly diagnosed AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy. The data published today are from all 12 patients across four dose cohorts (1 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) from the Phase 1/2 dose-escalation trial.

As of the data cut-off on July 16, 2018, the ORR across the 12 patients was 92% (11/12 patients), including 9 patients (82%) with a complete response with or without hematologic recovery (CR/CRi), 1 patient (9%) who reached morphologic leukemia-free status, and 1 (9%) partial response (PR). The median duration on study as of data cut-off was 6.9 months, ranging from 2 to 14.4 months, with 7 patients still on study. Five patients (42%) achieved MRD negativity as measured by flow cytometry. Translational data demonstrated that cusatuzumab monotherapy and in combination with AZA

significantly reduced leukemic stem cells in the bone marrow of AML patients. Cusatuzumab continued to be well-tolerated in AML patients across the different doses. More details can be found here.

Cusatuzumab in Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma

argenx also announced today updated results from its non-randomized, open-label, multicenter Phase 1/2 trial of cusatuzumab in 27 patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). More details can be found here.

argenx announced in May 2018 that it is no longer devoting resources to the development of cusatuzumab in CTCL in order to focus on the drug candidate’s potential in AML.

About Cusatuzumab

Cusatuzumab (ARGX-110) is an investigational SIMPLE Antibody targeting CD70, an immune checkpoint target involved in hematological malignancies, several solid tumors and severe autoimmune diseases. Cusatuzumab is designed to: block CD70, kill cancer cells expressing CD70 through complement dependent cytotoxicity, enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis and enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, and restore immune surveillance against solid tumors (Silence K. et al. mAbs 2014; 6 (2):523-532). Cusatuzumab is currently being evaluated in patients with hematological malignancies, including a Phase 1/2 trial in combination with azacitidine in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and the Phase 2 part of a Phase 1/2 trial in patients with relapsed/refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Preclinical work on cusatuzumab in AML was performed in collaboration with the Tumor Immunology Lab of Prof. A. F. Ochsenbein at the University of Bern, who won, together with Prof. Manz at the University Hospital of Zürich, the prestigious 2016 Otto Naegeli Prize for his breakthrough research on CD70/CD27 signaling with therapeutic potential for cancer patients.

On November 1, 2018 Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) reported recent company events and reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 (Press release, Geron, NOV 1, 2018, View Source [SID1234530644]). The Company ended the third quarter of 2018 with $184.8 million in cash and marketable securities and expects to utilize these financial resources to advance the clinical development of imetelstat, the Company’s first-in-class telomerase inhibitor.

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"We are very excited to have 100% ownership of imetelstat, a Phase 3 ready asset with Phase 2 data from both IMerge and IMbark that have been selected for oral presentations at the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) meeting in December," said John A. Scarlett, M.D., Geron’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are in the process of transitioning imetelstat back to Geron and have the cash to support our key near-term objective of commencing enrollment for the Phase 3 portion of IMerge by mid-year 2019."

Recent Company Events

Geron regained the global rights to develop and commercialize imetelstat upon the termination of a collaboration and license agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen). The transition of the entire imetelstat program back to Geron is expected to occur over approximately 12 months, through September 2019, with operational support from Janssen. Patients currently enrolled in the ongoing imetelstat clinical trials in myelofibrosis (IMbark) and myelodysplastic syndromes (IMerge) will continue to be supported through the respective trial protocols, including treatment and follow-up. Previously, Geron and Janssen shared both the IMerge and IMbark clinical development costs 50/50. While Geron is now solely accountable for imetelstat development costs, each company will be responsible for their own respective transition costs as the imetelstat program transfers back to Geron.

After sponsorship of the imetelstat Investigational New Drug (IND) application has been transferred from Janssen, Geron plans to initiate the Phase 3 portion of IMerge in lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and is targeting mid-year 2019 for patient screening and enrollment. In addition, Geron intends to discuss the results of the IMbark primary analysis, including the assessment of overall survival as it compares to historical data, with experts in myelofibrosis (MF), as well as regulatory authorities. The Company believes feedback from these discussions will provide important information on the feasibility, scope and design of any potential future clinical trials for imetelstat in Intermediate-2 or High-risk MF patients who have relapsed after or are refractory to prior treatment with a JAK inhibitor.

Third Quarter and Year to Date 2018 Results

For the third quarter of 2018, the Company reported a net loss of $5.6 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to $6.9 million, or $0.04 per share, for the comparable 2017 period. Net loss for the first nine months of 2018 was $19.7 million, or $0.11 per share, compared to $20.5 million, or $0.13 per share, for the comparable 2017 period.

Revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $165,000 and $691,000, respectively, compared to $163,000 and $874,000 for the comparable 2017 periods. Revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 included royalty and license fee revenues under various non-imetelstat license agreements. The Company adopted the new revenue recognition accounting standard as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. Financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 are presented under the new accounting standard, but prior period amounts have not been adjusted and continue to be reported under accounting standards used historically. Therefore, there is a lack of comparability to the prior periods presented. As a result, the decrease in revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to the same period in 2017, reflects not only a reduction in the number of active non-imetelstat license agreements, but also a change in the accounting method. However, the Company does not expect the adoption of the new revenue recognition accounting standard to have a material impact to its financial statements on an ongoing basis.

Total operating expenses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $7.0 million and $22.2 million, respectively, compared to $7.4 million and $22.3 million for the comparable 2017 periods.

Research and development expenses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $2.7 million and $8.4 million, respectively, compared to $2.6 million and $8.5 million for the comparable 2017 periods. The changes in research and development expenses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to the same periods in 2017, primarily reflect the net result of higher personnel related expenses, partially offset by lower costs for our proportionate share of clinical development expenses under the former imetelstat collaboration with Janssen. Geron expects research and development expenses to increase in the future as Geron’s share of imetelstat development costs increases from 50% previously to 100% as of the termination date of the collaboration agreement and as it adds personnel, consultants and a global contract research organization (CRO) to support the further development of imetelstat.

General and administrative expenses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $4.3 million and $13.8 million, respectively, compared to $4.8 million and $13.8 million for the comparable 2017 periods. The decrease in general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2018, compared to the same period in 2017, primarily reflects the net result of reduced personnel related expenses, including lower stock-based compensation expense, partially offset by higher consulting expenses. Geron expects general and administrative expenses to increase in the future with the elimination of cost-sharing with Janssen as of the termination date of the collaboration agreement for imetelstat patent prosecution expenses and as it adds additional personnel to support the expansion of internal research and development functions.

Interest and other income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 was $1.1 million and $2.2 million, respectively, compared to $363,000 and $1.0 million for the comparable 2017 periods. The increase in interest and other income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to the same periods in 2017, primarily reflects higher yields on the Company’s increased marketable securities portfolio.

Conference Call and Webcast

Geron will host a conference call to discuss third quarter financial results and recent events at 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

Participants may access the conference call live via telephone by dialing domestically +1 (877) 303-9139 or internationally +1 (760) 536-5195. The passcode is 7133129. A live, listen-only webcast will also be available on the Company’s website at www.geron.com/investors/events. If you are unable to listen to the live call, an archived webcast will be available on the Company’s website for 30 days.

About Imetelstat

Imetelstat is a novel, first-in-class telomerase inhibitor exclusively owned by Geron and being developed in hematologic myeloid malignancies. Early clinical data suggest imetelstat may have disease-modifying activity through the suppression of malignant progenitor cell clone proliferation, which allows potential recovery of normal hematopoiesis. Ongoing clinical studies of imetelstat include a Phase 2/3 trial called IMerge in lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and a Phase 2 trial called IMbark in Intermediate-2 to High-risk myelofibrosis. Imetelstat received Fast Track designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with transfusion-dependent anemia due to lower risk MDS who are non-del(5q) and refractory or resistant to an erythroid stimulating agent.

On November 1, 2018 NewLink Genetics Corporation (NASDAQ:NLNK) reported consolidated financial results for the third quarter 2018 and reviewed recent highlights and upcoming milestones (Press release, NewLink Genetics, NOV 1, 2018, View Source [SID1234530642]).

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"NewLink Genetics continues to produce encouraging data supporting indoximod in targeted cancer indications. We remain confident in the advancement of our clinical programs as we strive to develop novel therapies addressing areas of great unmet need," said Charles J. Link, Jr, MD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to presenting data at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) and ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) this fall."
Data to be Presented at Upcoming Medical Meetings

Abstract accepted for oral presentation at the ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, December 1-4, 2018
◦
Abstract 332: Indoximod combined with standard induction chemotherapy is well tolerated and induces a high rate of complete remission with MRD-negativity in patients with newly diagnosed AML: results from a Phase 1 trial, Emadi, A., et al. – to be presented during the oral session, 616 entitled "Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Novel Therapy, excluding Transplantation: Combination Therapy" Sunday, Dec 2, 2018, 9:30-11:00 AM PT. Data indicate that a high percentage of newly diagnosed AML patients treated with indoximod plus standard-of-care (SOC) chemotherapy achieved complete response (CR) and showed no evidence of minimal residual disease (were MRD-negative). Indoximod was well tolerated.
•
Abstracts accepted for poster presentation at the SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, November 7-11, 2018
◦
Abstract 11213: A phase 1a clinical trial of NLG802, a prodrug of indoximod with enhanced pharmacokinetic properties, Rixe, O., et al. (Poster #P331)
◦
Abstract 10294: The immunogenomic impact of indoximod on the tumor microenvironment of melanoma patients, Yu, J., et al. (Poster #P142)
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Abstract 10304: Effects of indoximod plus gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel on tumor microenvironment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, Yu, J., et al. (Poster #P706)
◦
Posters are being presented on Friday, November 9th, and Saturday, November 10th, from 8 AM to 8 PM, in Exhibition Hall E of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Outlook for 2019

Updated results from Phase 1 trial of indoximod plus radiotherapy for pediatric patients with recurrent malignant brain tumors including initial survival data expected to be presented 1H 2019

Updated data from Phase 1 trial of indoximod plus radiotherapy in DIPG anticipated in 2019

Data from Phase 2 trial of NLG207 (CRLX101), a nanoparticle formulation of the topoisomerase 1 inhibitor, camptothecin, plus paclitaxel in recurrent ovarian cancer anticipated in 2019

Exhibit 99.1

Clinical Update
NewLink Genetics continues its clinical trials of indoximod in combination therapies for adult patients with newly diagnosed AML, pediatric patients with recurrent brain tumors, and pediatric patients with newly diagnosed DIPG. These targeted indications are those with unmet need where indoximod has produced encouraging early data and where standard-of-care therapy has not changed significantly for decades.
A Phase 2 study evaluating NLG207, a nanoparticle formulation of the topoisomerase 1 inhibitor camptothecin, in combination with paclitaxel for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer is complete, and data analysis is underway. NLG207 is an asset acquired from Cerulean Pharma Inc. in 2017. This trial is being conducted in conjunction with the Gynecological Oncology Group.
Board Changes
Paolo Pucci has resigned his position as a Director on NewLink Genetics’ Board effective October 31, 2018 due to the increasing responsibilities associated with his current position as CEO of ArQule, Inc. and current guidelines of proxy advisors regarding the number of directorships to be held by a CEO. With Mr. Pucci’s departure, NewLink’s Board will consist of seven directors.
Financial Results for the Three-Month Period Ended September 30, 2018
Cash Position: NewLink Genetics ended the quarter on September 30, 2018, with cash and cash equivalents totaling $122.1 million compared to $158.7 million for the year ending December 31, 2017.
R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses for the third quarter of 2018 were $7.6 million, a decrease of $10.9 million from $18.5 million for the same period in 2017. The decrease was due to reductions of $7.3 million in contract research and manufacturing spend, $2.5 million in clinical trial expense, $570,000 in personnel-related and stock compensation expense, $560,000 in supplies and licensing, and $100,000 in restructuring costs. These reductions were offset by an increase of $70,000 in legal and consulting expense.
G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2018 were $7.6 million, a decrease of $320,000 from $7.9 million for the same period in 2017. The decrease was due to reductions of $300,000 in restructuring costs, $240,000 in legal and consulting expenses, and $10,000 in personnel-related and stock compensation expense. These reductions were offset by an increase of $230,000 in supplies and other expense.
Net Loss: NewLink Genetics reported a net loss of $7.4 million or ($0.20) per diluted share for the third quarter of 2018 compared to a net loss of $20.6 million or ($0.69) per diluted share for the third quarter of 2017.
NewLink Genetics ended the quarter with 37,216,892 shares outstanding.
Conference Call and Webcast Details
The Company has scheduled a conference call and webcast for 4:30 p.m. ET today to discuss the results and to give an update on clinical and business development activities. NewLink Genetics’ senior management team will host the call, which will be open to all listeners. There will also be a question and answer session following the prepared remarks.
Access to the live conference call is available by dialing (855) 235-8286 (U.S.) or (267) 753-2161 (international) five minutes prior to the start of the call. The conference call will be webcast live and a link to the webcast can be accessed through the NewLink Genetics website at www.NewLinkGenetics.com in the "Investors & Media" section under "Events and Presentations" or by clicking here. To ensure a timely connection, it is recommended that users register at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled webcast. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call and can be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S.) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and using the passcode 1753698. The replay will be available for two weeks from the date of the call.
About Indoximod
Indoximod is an investigational, orally available small molecule targeting the IDO pathway. The IDO pathway is a key immuno-oncology target, suppressing immune response and allowing for immune escape by degrading tryptophan

Exhibit 99.1

with the resultant production of kynurenine. Indoximod reverses the immunosuppressive effects of low tryptophan and high kynurenine through mechanisms that include modulation of the AhR-driven transcription of genes that control immune function. This results in increased proliferation of effector T cells, increased differentiation into helper T cells rather than regulatory T cells, and downregulation of IDO expression in dendritic cells. Indoximod is being evaluated in combination with treatment regimens including chemotherapy, radiation, checkpoint blockade and cancer vaccines across multiple indications including recurrent pediatric brain tumors, DIPG, and AML