On February 24, 2020 Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AGLE), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation human enzyme therapeutics as solutions for diseases with high unmet medical need, today reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 financial results, and provided recent corporate and program highlights (Press release, Aeglea BioTherapeutics, FEB 24, 2020, View Source [SID1234554631]).
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"Our accomplishments this past year illustrate how we are working to reimagine the potential of human enzymes as transformative solutions for challenging rare genetic disorders," said Anthony Quinn, M.B Ch.B, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Aeglea. "In addition to delivering compelling Phase 1/2 data from our lead program for Arginase 1 Deficiency, we’ve made solid progress with our pivotal trial enrollment and started laying the groundwork for the commercial launch. We have also continued to make significant progress in our pipeline, further demonstrating the effectiveness of our platform in advancing programs in multiple therapeutic areas."
"We begin 2020 with a clear vision and heightened conviction of the impact for patients we can create with human enzyme therapeutics. We believe that we are well positioned to achieve a number of important milestones this year, armed with a strong leadership team with deep discovery, development and commercial expertise and driven by our collective goal to address the needs of the communities we serve," concluded Dr Quinn.
Recent Highlights
Pegzilarginase in Arginase 1 Deficiency
The Company expects to complete enrollment of its global, pivotal Phase 3 Pegzilarginase Effect on Arginase 1 Deficiency Clinical Endpoints (PEACE) trial in the third quarter of 2020 and to provide topline data in the first quarter of 2021.
Based on a recent genetic prevalence analysis of Arginase 1 Deficiency (ARG1-D), and with more than 200 patients already identified worldwide, the Company now estimates an addressable patient population of greater than 2,500, up from an estimate of 1,000 patients based solely on initial insights using newborn screening data.
The Company’s patient-identification strategy, informed by critical insights from disease analysis and trial experience, has already identified more than 100 patients in the United States, representing a 40% penetration into the genetic prevalent population.
ACN00177 in Homocystinuria
In January, Aeglea announced the filing of its Clinical Trial Application (CTA) with the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for ACN00177, a novel engineered human enzyme therapy designed to treat homocystinuria, a serious metabolic disorder that results in elevated levels of plasma homocysteine.
The Company expects to initiate a Phase 1/2 trial for ACN00177 in the second quarter of 2020, with initial human proof of concept in the first quarter of 2021.
The Company estimates an addressable homocystinuria patient population of greater than 5,000.
Upcoming Events
Aeglea will be attending the following investor conferences in the coming quarter. Details of the presentations and webcasts will be announced prior to the events.
19th Annual Needham Healthcare Conference, April 14-15, New York City
H.C. Wainwright 2020 Global Life Sciences Conference, April 20-21, London, United Kingdom
Further, Aeglea leadership looks forward to participating in dialogue about our enzyme therapeutics platform during the following industry events, with additional details forthcoming.
Annual Meeting of the Society for Inherited Metabolic Disorders (SIMD), April 26-29, Austin, Texas
World Orphan Drug Congress USA 2020, April 29 to May 1, Oxon Hill, Maryland
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2019 Financial Results
As of December 31, 2019, Aeglea had available cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and restricted cash of $73.4 million. Based on Aeglea’s current operating plan, management believes it has sufficient capital resources to fund anticipated operations through the first quarter of 2021.
Research and development expenses totaled $17.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2019 and $11.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2018. The increase was primarily associated with investing in manufacturing and pre-commercial activities for Aeglea’s lead product candidate, pegzilarginase; ramp-up in toxicology, investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies, and manufacturing activities for ACN00177 in Homocystinuria; and personnel-related expenses.
Research and development expenses totaled $64.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared with $36.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was primarily due to investing in manufacturing and pre-commercial activities for Aeglea’s lead product candidate, pegzilarginase; a ramp-up in toxicology, IND-enabling studies, and manufacturing activities for ACN00177 in Homocystinuria; and expanded clinical development activity and personnel-related expenses.
General and administrative expenses totaled $4.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2019 and $3.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2018. This increase was primarily due to additional employee headcount, commercial readiness support, and facilities to support company growth.
General and administrative expenses totaled $15.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared with $12.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. This increase was primarily due to additional employee headcount, compensation, and facilities to support company growth.
Net loss totaled $21.5 million and $14.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2019 and 2018, respectively, with non-cash stock compensation expense of $1.2 million and $1.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2019 and 2018, respectively. Net loss totaled $78.3 million and $44.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, with non-cash stock compensation expense of $4.9 million and $4.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
About Pegzilarginase in Arginase 1 Deficiency
Pegzilarginase is an enhanced human arginase that enzymatically lowers levels of the amino acid arginine. Aeglea is developing pegzilarginase for the treatment of patients with Arginase 1 Deficiency (ARG1-D), a rare debilitating disease presenting in childhood with persistent hyperargininemia, severe progressive neurological abnormalities and early mortality. Pegzilarginase is intended for use as an enzyme therapy to reduce elevated blood arginine levels in patients with ARG1-D. Aeglea’s Phase 1/2 and Phase 2 open-label extension (OLE) data for pegzilarginase in patients with ARG1-D demonstrated clinical improvements and sustained lowering of plasma arginine. The Company’s single, global pivotal Phase 3 PEACE trial is designed to assess the effects of treatment with pegzilarginase versus placebo over 24 weeks with a primary endpoint of plasma arginine reduction.
About ACN00177 in Homocystinuria
Aeglea is developing ACN00177 for the treatment of patients with cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) deficiency, also known as Classical Homocystinuria. Homocysteine accumulation plays a key role in multiple progressive and serious disease-related complications, including thromboembolic vascular events, skeletal abnormalities including severe osteoporosis, developmental delay, intellectual disability, lens dislocation and severe myopia. ACN00177 has been designed as a novel recombinant human enzyme, which degrades the amino acid homocysteine and its related homocystine dimer. With this mechanism, ACN00177 is intended to lower the abnormally high blood levels of homocysteine in patients with homocystinuria. Preclinical data demonstrated that ACN00177 improved important disease-related abnormalities and survival in a mouse model of homocystinuria. The Company has submitted a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) with the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and expects to initiate a Phase 1/2 trial in the second quarter of 2020.