Epigenomics AG Reports 2019 First Quarter Financial Results

On May 8, 2019 Epigenomics AG (FSE: ECX, OTCQX: EPGNY; the "Company") reported the financial results (according to IFRS; unaudited) for the first quarter of the FY 2019 (Press release, Epigenomics, MAY 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234535904]).

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KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Financial

Total revenue increased to EUR 331 thousand (Q1 2018: EUR 309 thousand) primarily due to higher product revenue of EUR 322 thousand (Q1 2018: EUR 108 thousand), while licensing revenue decreased to EUR 9 thousand due to termination of licensing agreement for the Chinese market.
Other income in the first quarter of 2019 of EUR 499 thousand (Q1 2018: EUR 10 thousand) resulted primarily from exchange rate gains.
Selling and administrative expenses increased from EUR 1.8 million (Q1 2018) to EUR 2.4 million as a result of higher marketing expenses.
EBITDA (before share-based payment expenses) improved from EUR -3.2 million (Q1 2018) to EUR -3.0 million.
Net loss for the period improved to EUR -3.0 million (Q1 2018: EUR -3.2 million); loss per share reduced to EUR 0.08 (Q1 2018: EUR 0.13).
Cash consumption increased to EUR 4.3 million (Q1 2018: EUR 2.4 million) in the first quarter of 2019 due to higher operating cash outflows.
As of March 31, 2019, liquidity amounted to EUR 12.9 million (incl. marketable securities) compared to EUR 17.1 million at year-end 2018.

Operational highlights

On May 3, 2019, after the end of the reporting period, the Company announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has accepted the Company’s application for a National Coverage Determination (NCD) review of Epi proColon, Epigenomics’ blood test for colorectal cancer screening. The NCD is one of two options to obtain CMS coverage for Epi proColon, which would represent a major U.S. market breakthrough for the Company.
Greg Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer of Epigenomics AG: "With the acceptance of our NCD application no decision has yet been made on coverage, but CMS has determined that there is a rationale to accept the NCD review at this time. The decision of the CMS is a major step to receive a positive coverage decision in 2019."

On January 7, 2019, the Company announced positive results from a microsimulation model for the Epi proColon blood test. Microsimulation models are utilized by various screening guideline groups in the U.S. to aid in the development of screening recommendations.
Reintroduction of the bi-partisan "Donald Payne Sr. Colorectal Cancer Detection Act" (HR 1765) to the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of March 2019 as a necessary step on the legislative path to reimbursement.

Outlook 2019

Revenue

The Company confirms revenue expectation in 2019 within the range of EUR 3.0 million to EUR 6.0 million even without Medicare coverage.

EBITDA /Cash consumption

On EBITDA before share-based payment expenses, Epigenomics expects to remain unchanged from the previous year’s guidance in a range of EUR -11.5 million to EUR -14.0 million. Based on the Company’s 2019 business plan, the cash consumption is expected to be in line with the EBITDA guidance (before share-based payment expenses).

Further information

The 2019 Q1 interim statement (unaudited) is available on the Epigenomics Website at: View Source

Conference call for analysts and investors

Epigenomics AG will host a conference call for analysts and investors today at 4.00 pm (CET) / 10.00 am (EDT). The webcast can be accessed on the company’s website: View Source

The dial-in numbers for the conference call are:

Dial-in number within Germany: +49 30 2325 31428
Dial-in number within the UK: +44 20 3872 0882
Dial-in number within the U.S.A.: +1 516 269 8974

Participants are kindly requested to dial in 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.

An audio replay of the conference call will be provided on Epigenomics’ website subsequently.

Daiichi Sankyo Announces [Fam-] Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Demonstrated Clinically Meaningful Response in Patients with Refractory HER2 Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer, a Population with High Unmet Need

On May 8, 2019 Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) and AstraZeneca reported positive topline results for the pivotal phase 2 DESTINY-Breast01 trial of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan (DS-8201) (Press release, Daiichi Sankyo, MAY 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234535903]). The HER2 targeting antibody drug conjugate (ADC) was evaluated in patients with HER2 positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1).

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The response rate in DESTINY-Breast01, as assessed by an independent review committee, confirms in a heavily-pretreated global patient population the unprecedented clinical activity in the recently published phase 1 trial. The safety and tolerability profile of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan was also consistent with previous experience. These results are expected to support planned global regulatory submissions, including the Biologics License Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) anticipated in the first half of fiscal year 2019.

DESTINY-Breast01 is a pivotal phase 2, open-label, global, multicenter, two-part trial of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan. The optimal dose of 5.4 mg/kg was previously identified in part one of the trial. Today’s results from part two evaluated the efficacy and safety of that dose in patients who have failed or discontinued previous treatment with T-DM1.

"These results confirm our commitment to pursue accelerated regulatory pathways in HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer with [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan," said Antoine Yver, MD, MSc, Executive Vice President and Global Head, Oncology Research and Development, Daiichi Sankyo. "We are more dedicated than ever to our comprehensive and ambitious development strategy evaluating the potential across a spectrum of HER2expressing cancers including breast, gastric, lung and colorectal."

"We are encouraged to see positive data from [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan, with the DESTINY-Breast01 trial now reinforcing what earlier data have shown," said José Baselga, Executive Vice President and President R&D Oncology, AstraZeneca. "We believe this antibody drug conjugate has the potential to redefine the treatment of patients with HER2 expressing cancers, and we are eager to bring it as quickly as possible to patients with refractory HER2 positive breast cancer who continue to have high unmet medical need."

[Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan has been granted U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation and Fast Track Designation for HER2 positive patients in the advanced or refractory breast cancer setting. A recent publication in The Lancet Oncology reported long-term phase 1 safety and preliminary efficacy results in HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. This investigational agent is currently in development for the treatment of multiple HER2 expressing cancers, including in patients with HER2 low expression.

Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca plan to present the data from DESTINY-Breast01 at an upcoming medical meeting.

About HER2

HER2 is a tyrosine kinase receptor growth-promoting protein found on the surface of some cancer cells that is associated with aggressive disease and poorer prognosis in breast cancer patients.[1] To be considered HER2 positive, tumor cancer cells are usually tested by one of two methods: immunohistochemistry (IHC) or fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).IHC test results are reported as: 0, IHC 1+, IHC 2+, or IHC 3+.1 A finding of IHC 3+ and/or FISH amplification is considered positive.1There are currently no targeted therapies for HER2 FISH negative, IHC 2+ or IHC 1+ tumors.

Unmet Need in HER2 Positive Breast Cancer

Approximately one in five breast cancers are HER2 positive.[2]Several unmet treatment needs remain today in HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. Many HER2 positive breast cancers eventually advance to the point where no currently approved HER2 targeting medicine continues to control the disease;[3] after treatment with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and T-DM1, optimal treatment is less clearly defined, and choices may be limited.[4]

About DESTINY-Breast01

DESTINY-Breast01 is a pivotal phase 2, open-label, global, multicenter, two-part trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in patients with HER2 positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with T-DM1. The primary endpoint of the trial is objective response rate. Secondary objectives include duration of response, disease control rate, clinical benefit rate, progression-free survival and overall survival.

The first part of the trial includes a pharmacokinetic stage and a dose-finding stage to identify the recommended dose of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan to be evaluated in the second part of the trial. The second part enrolled patients into one of two cohorts: patients resistant or refractory to T-DM1 (part 2a) and patients who discontinued treatment with T-DM1 for reasons other than resistant or refractory disease (part 2b). Enrollment into DESTINY-Breast01 was completed in September 2018 with 253 patients at more than 100 sites across North America, Europe, Japan and other countries in Asia.

The safety and tolerability profile of [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in DESTINY-Breast01 was consistent with the recently published phase 1 trial, in which the most common adverse events (≥30 percent, any grade) included nausea, decreased appetite, vomiting, alopecia, fatigue, anemia, diarrhea, and constipation. Cases of drug-related pneumonitis, including grade 5 events, have also been reported in the clinical development program.

About [Fam-] Trastuzumab Deruxtecan

[Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan (DS-8201; [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan in U.S. only; trastuzumab deruxtecan in other regions of world) is the lead product in the investigational ADC Franchise of the Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise and the most advanced program in AstraZeneca’s ADC Scientific platform. ADCs are targeted cancer medicines that deliver cytotoxic chemotherapy ("payload") to cancer cells via a linker attached to a monoclonal antibody that binds to a specific target expressed on cancer cells.

Designed using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary DXd ADC technology, [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is comprised of a humanized HER2 antibody attached to a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor payload by a tetrapeptide-based linker. It is designed to target and deliver chemotherapy inside cancer cells and reduce systemic exposure to the cytotoxic payload (or chemotherapy) compared to the way chemotherapy is commonly delivered.

A broad and comprehensive development program with [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is underway in North America, Europe and Asia, including five pivotal trials in HER2 expressing breast and gastric cancers, including in breast cancer patients with HER2 low expression. [Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is also in phase 2 development for HER2 expressing advanced colorectal cancer and metastatic non-squamous HER2 overexpressing or HER2 mutated NSCLC, and phase 1 development in combination with nivolumab for HER2 expressing metastatic breast and bladder cancers.

[Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation in 2017 by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of patients with HER2 positive, locally-advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have been treated with trastuzumab and pertuzumab and have disease progression after T-DM1. Fast Track Designation was also granted in the U.S. for the treatment of HER2 positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer in patients who have progressed after prior treatment with HER2 targeted medicines, including T-DM1. Trastuzumab deruxtecan has received SAKIGAKE designation for the treatment of HER2 positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer by the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

[Fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan is an investigational agent that has not been approved for any indication

in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

About the Collaboration between Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca

In March 2019, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca entered into a global collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan as a medicine worldwide, except in Japan where Daiichi Sankyo will maintain exclusive rights. Daiichi Sankyo will be solely responsible for manufacturing and supply.

About Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise

The mission of Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise is to leverage our world-class, innovative science and push beyond traditional thinking to create meaningful treatments for patients with cancer. We are dedicated to transforming science into value for patients, and this sense of obligation informs everything we do. Anchored by three pillars including our investigational Antibody Drug Conjugate Franchise, Acute Myeloid Leukemia Franchise and Breakthrough Science, we aim to deliver seven distinct new molecular entities over eight years during 2018 to 2025. Our powerful research engines include two laboratories for biologic/immuno-oncology and small molecules in Japan, and Plexxikon Inc., our small molecule structure-guided R&D center in Berkeley, CA. Compounds in pivotal stage development include: [fam-] trastuzumab deruxtecan, an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) for HER2 expressing breast, gastric and other cancers; quizartinib, an oral selective FLT3 inhibitor, for newly-diagnosed and relapsed/refractory FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia (AML); and pexidartinib, an oral CSF1R inhibitor, for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). For more information, please visit: www.DSCancerEnterprise.com.

BioCryst Reports First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

On May 8, 2019 BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:BCRX) reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 and provided a corporate update (Press release, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, MAY 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234535902]).

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"In a year with many milestones across our multiple advancing programs of oral medicines for rare diseases, BioCryst has achieved significant progress in the first quarter and we look forward to reporting data from our APeX-2 trial in the second quarter and filing a new drug application by the end of the year," said Jon Stonehouse, president and chief executive officer of BioCryst.

"We believe that oral BCX7353 could be transformative for many HAE patients and provide them with the opportunity for a normal life without the burden and discomfort of frequent injections and infusions," Stonehouse added.

First Quarter 2019 Corporate Developments

The company dosed the first patients in its APeX-J trial in Japan, designed to support potential Japanese approval of BCX7353 for the prevention of HAE attacks.

On March 4, 2019, the company announced that it is advancing BCX9930, an oral Factor D inhibitor, into Phase 1 clinical development in the second quarter of 2019 for the treatment of complement-mediated diseases.

On February 23, 2019, the company announced data from the completed ZENITH-1 trial (including the 250 mg and 500 mg dose cohorts) of BCX7353 for the acute treatment of HAE attacks at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. The company plans to commence a Phase 3 trial, ZENITH-2, in the summer of 2019.

On February 6, 2019, the company announced it had entered into a $100 million secured credit facility with MidCap Financial Trust pursuant to the terms and conditions of an amended and restated credit and security agreement.

On January 4, 2019, the company announced it had appointed Steve Aselage to its board of directors.

On January 2, 2019, the company announced the dosing of the first subject in a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate intravenous galidesivir, its investigational broad-spectrum antiviral drug, in healthy volunteers.
Upcoming Key Milestones

HAE Program – BCX7353

Report 24-week safety and efficacy results from the Phase 3 APeX-2 clinical trial (Q2 2019)

Begin ZENITH-2, a Phase 3 clinical trial of oral BCX7353 (750 mg) for the acute treatment of HAE (Summer 2019)

File a new drug application for oral BCX7353 for the prevention of HAE attacks with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Q4 2019)

File a marketing authorization application for oral BCX7353 for the prevention of HAE attacks with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) (Q1 2020)
Complement Factor D Inhibitor Program – BCX9930

Begin a Phase 1 trial of BCX9930, an oral Factor D inhibitor for treatment of complement-mediated diseases, in healthy subjects (Q2 2019)

Report Phase 1 results (Q4 2019)
ALK-2 Inhibitor Program – BCX9250

Begin a Phase 1 clinical trial of BCX9250, an oral ALK-2 kinase inhibitor for treatment of FOP, in healthy subjects (2H 2019)
First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, total revenues were $5.9 million, compared to $4.0 million in the first quarter of 2018. The increase was primarily due to the recognition of $1.7 million of peramivir product sales to Green Cross, the company’s commercial partner in Korea, and an increase in revenue from galidesivir development under U.S. government contracts, and partially offset by lower royalty revenue.

Research and development (R&D) expenses for the first quarter of 2019 increased to $27.5 million from $18.4 million in the first quarter of 2018, primarily due to increased spending on the HAE, preclinical and galidesivir programs.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses for the first quarter of 2019 decreased to $6.2 million, compared to $7.6 million in the first quarter of 2018. The decrease was primarily due to approximately $4.7 million of merger-related costs that were incurred in the first quarter of 2018 but did not recur in 2019, offset by an overall increase in G&A expenses as the company prepares for the commercial launch of BCX7353.

Interest expense was $2.7 million in the first quarter of 2019, compared to $2.2 million in the first quarter of 2018 and was primarily associated with enhancements to the company’s secured credit facility in July 2018 and February 2019.

Net loss for the first quarter of 2019 was $31.1 million, or $0.28 per share, compared to a net loss of $25.8 million, or $0.26 per share, for the first quarter of 2018.

Cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $121.6 million at March 31, 2019, and reflect a decrease from $128.4 million at December 31, 2018. Cash and investments reflect the proceeds from an enhancement to our secured credit facility in February 2019 and were partially offset by normal operating expenses. Operating cash use for the first quarter of 2019 was $27.1 million.

In February 2019, the company entered into a $100 million secured credit facility with MidCap Financial Trust which further enhanced the company’s cash position with $20 million of immediate additional non-dilutive capital and also provided additional financial flexibility through the ability to draw another $50 million of milestone-based non-dilutive capital.

Financial Outlook for 2019

BioCryst continues to expect net operating cash use to be in the range of $105 to $130 million, and its 2019 operating expenses to be in the range of $120 to $145 million. The company’s operating expense range excludes equity-based compensation expense due to the difficulty in reliably projecting this expense, as it is impacted by the volatility and price of the company’s stock, as well as by the vesting of the company’s outstanding performance-based stock options.

Conference Call and Webcast

BioCryst management will host a conference call and webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET today to discuss the financial results and provide a corporate update. The live call may be accessed by dialing 877-303-8027 for domestic callers and 760-536-5165 for international callers and using conference ID # 1777029. A live webcast of the call and any slides will be available online at the investors section of the company website at www.biocryst.com. A telephone replay of the call will be available by dialing 855-859-2056 for domestic callers or 404-537-3406 for international callers and entering the conference ID # 1777029.

BerGenBio completes recruitment into second stage of Phase II trial with selective AXL inhibitor bemcentinib in combination with KEYTRUDA® in patients with advanced NSCLC

On May 8, 2019 BerGenBio ASA (OSE: BGBIO) reported that it has completed enrolment into the second stage of its Phase II trial (BGBC008, Cohort A NCT03184571) evaluating the Company’s selective AXL inhibitor bemcentinib in combination with MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), in patients with previously treated advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung (non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC) whose disease is progressing on or after prior systemic chemotherapy (Press release, BerGenBio, MAY 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234535901]).

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The trial has previously met the efficacy endpoint in the first stage and reported preliminary efficacy including a 40% ORR and 5.9 months Progression-free survival (PFS) in AXL positive patients (n=10). The second stage of the trial enrolling a further 24 patients for a total of 48 is designed to confirm the safety, clinical efficacy and biomarker correlation of the combination.

Comprehensive exploratory studies will continue to evaluate biomarkers in tumour and blood indicative of AXL expression and immune modulation. Results from the trial are expected during 2019.

The trial, which began in October 2017, is being conducted under a clinical collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA, through a subsidiary, and is taking place at sites in the US, UK, Norway and Spain.

Richard Godfrey, Chief Executive Officer of BerGenBio, commented: "A majority of NSCLC patients now receive anti-PD(L)-1 therapies like KEYTRUDA as a first- or second-line treatment for their advanced disease. Enhancing responses to these novel agents, particularly in patients with no or limited expression of PD-L1, the established biomarker for these drugs, is a significant unmet need. I am encouraged by the efficacy signals seen during stage 1 of the trial, particularly in AXL positive, and often PD-L1 negative or low, patients and look forward providing data from an extended dataset during the coming months together with further details on our late stage strategy in this indication."

– End –

About NSCLC
It is estimated that more than 230,000 new cases of lung cancer have been diagnosed in the US in 2018 and it is the leading cause of cancer deaths. 65% of NSCLCs are of adenocarcinoma pathology. Although various treatments exist for NSCLC, they are often curtailed by acquired resistance to therapy and immune evasion. Novel treatments overcoming these mechanisms in NSCLC are urgently required.

About the BGBC008 trial
The BGBC008 trial is a Phase II open-label study of bemcentinib in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in previously treated patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung run at centres in the US, UK, Spain and Norway. The objective of the trial is to determine the anti-tumour activity of this novel drug combination and responses will be correlated with biomarker status (including AXL kinase and PD-L1 expression).

Patients eligible for participation in Cohort A must have progressed on or after prior therapy excluding immunotherapy whereas patients in Cohort B will be actively progressing on a therapy regimen containing an anti-PD(L)-1 therapy.

Both cohorts follow a two-stage design, Cohort A has previously successfully progressed into the second stage after meeting its first efficacy endpoint. Cohort B will evaluate advancement into stage 2 after 13 patients have been assessed for response.

For more information please access trial NCT03184571 at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About AXL
AXL kinase is a cell membrane receptor and an essential mediator of the biological mechanisms that drive aggressive and life-threatening diseases. In cancer, AXL drives tumour survival, treatment resistance and spread, as well as suppressing the body’s immune response to tumours. AXL expression has been established as a negative prognostic factor in many cancers. AXL inhibitors, therefore, have potential value at the centre of cancer combination therapy, addressing significant unmet medical needs and multiple high-value market opportunities.

BERGENBIO ASA: RESULTS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER 2019

On May 8, 2019 BerGenBio ASA (OSE:BGBIO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, selective AXL kinase inhibitors for multiple cancer indications, reported its results for the first quarter 2019 (Press release, BerGenBio, MAY 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234535900]).

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A presentation and live webcast by the Company’s management will take place today at 10.00 am CET in Oslo, please see below for details.

Richard Godfrey, Chief Executive Officer of BerGenBio, commented: "We are pleased to see the positive strategic and clinical momentum generated in the last year continue into 2019. We have continued to see promising initial data emerging from the clinical development programme with bemcentinib, particularly in AML and NSCLC. We believe that this data provides us with sufficient evidence to begin the initiation of late stage clinical development in these indications during 2019. We are looking forward to providing an update on these data at the forthcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) meeting in June."

Operational Highlights – First Quarter 2019
Lead candidate bemcentinib meets efficacy endpoint in combination with cytarabine in AML patients unfit for intensive therapy

Phase II trial evaluating bemcentinib in combination with low-intensity chemo-therapy in AML patients unfit for intensive therapy fully recruited
Bemcentinib in combination with Low-dose Cytarabine (LDAC) meets efficacy endpoint: Three out of 10 evaluable LDAC patients (30%) had CR/CRi
Combos warrant further expansion, meanwhile, company prepares for late stage bemcentinib monotherapy trial in later line elderly AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy
Phase II trial with bemcentinib and KEYTRUDA in NSCLC made important progress

Additional cohort (Cohort B) added under collaboration agreement with Merck & Co extending eligibility to patients who have disease progression on prior immune checkpoint inhibitors
Start of Phase II Investigator-Initiated Trial Evaluating Selective AXL Inhibitor bemcentinib in high-risk MDS

Up to 43 patients to be enrolled at leading MDS centres across Europe
Start of Phase I trial evaluating first-in-class anti-AXL antibody BGB149

BGB149, a wholly owned asset, is the first therapeutic anti-AXL monoclonal antibody to enter clinical development
Phase I study will investigate safety and pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers
Start of phase I trial evaluating ADCT-601, a novel anti-AXL antibody drug conjugate (ADC), in patients with advanced solid tumours

ADCT-601 uses a proprietary AXL antibody developed by BerGenBio and licensed to ADC Therapeutics for ADC development
Phase I dose escalation and expansion trial will evaluate ADCT-601 in 75 cancer patients
Trial managed and sponsored by ADC Therapeutics
First clinical milestone met and milestone payment received
Preclinical data presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) reinforces bemcentinib’s potential to reverse tumour immunosuppression and therapy resistance

Extensive data in pre-clinical models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic cancer demonstrating AXL’s role in reversing tumour-mediated immunosuppression and therapy resistance presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)
bemcentinib shown to reverse AXL’s effects, thus acting synergistically with immune cells and anti-cancer therapies
Key appointments to executive team and Board to prepare organisation for next phase of development

Key appointments to executive team and Board to prepare organisation for next phase of development; Board of Directors strengthened. Grunde Eriksen, Debra Barker and Pamela Trail elected as new board members.
Dr Dominic Smethurst appointed as permanent Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
Favourable outcome of arbitration brought by BerGenBio against Rigel Pharmaceuticals clarifying the extent of Rigel’s entitlement to receive compensation in the event of a sale of BerGenBio, its assets, or a license to Bemcentinib
R&D grant of up to NOK 11 m awarded by Research Council of Norway
Financial highlights

Total operating expenses for the first quarter were NOK 54.5 million (Q1 2018 NOK 54.8 million)
Research and development expenses accounted for 70% of total operating expenses in Q1
Comprehensive loss for the first quarter amounted to NOK 44.3 million (Q1 2018 a loss of NOK 53.8 million)
Cash and cash equivalents amounted to NOK 306.7 million at the end of March 2019
Presentation and Webcast Details
A presentation by BerGenBio’s senior management team will take place today at 10:00 am CET at:

Felix Konferansesenter,
Bryggetorget 3,
0125 Oslo.

The presentation will webcast live and the link will be available at www.bergenbio.com in the section Investors/Financial Reports. A recording will be available shortly after the webcast has finished.

The results report and presentation will be available at www.bergenbio.com in the section: Investors/Financial Reports from 7:00 am CET the same day.