Cryoport Reports 2020 Second-Quarter Results

On August 6, 2020 Cryoport, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYRX) ("Cryoport"), a global leader in life sciences supply chain solutions, reported financial results for Second Quarter and six-month period ended June 30, 2020 (Press release, Cryoport, AUG 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234563206]).

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"For the Second Quarter of 2020, we reported revenue of $9.4 million, an increase of 11% from the Second Quarter of 2019. This was largely driven by revenue from our biopharma segment. We are pleased to have achieved these solid results and to have provided advanced temperature-controlled supply chain services to deliver high-value therapies to eligible patients across our clinical and commercial portfolios globally and without disruption," said Jerrell Shelton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

"Our Second Quarter results reflect the strength and resilience of our company where we saw continued year-over-year growth despite the challenging environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the tireless work of our colleagues around the world, we continue to successfully navigate the external realities, and we remain focused on our mission of supporting life and health by delivering reliable and comprehensive temperature-controlled supply chain solutions for the life sciences through our innovation, advanced technologies, and global supply chain network.

"We now support four (4) commercial cell and gene therapies: KYMRIAH, YESCARTA, TECARTUS and ZYNTEGLO along with Lisocabtagene Maraleucel (liso-cel), which was recently validated by the European Medicines Agency ("EMA").

"Gilead’s Kite renewed our agreement for temperature-controlled supply chain support of their commercial and clinical therapies, and we are in the final stages of renewing our agreement with Novartis in support of its commercial and clinical therapies. Over the past several years, Cryoport’s advanced solutions have supported both KYMRIAH and YESCARTA through their respective clinical phases and subsequent respective commercial rollouts. The continuance of these partnerships with these pioneers in the regenerative medicine market is important as each extends its life-saving therapies to greater and greater patient populations, globally. We think that as the only company with a proven and advanced integrated suite of proprietary temperature-controlled supply chain solutions to support the global high-volume distribution of these valuable therapies, Cryoport’s position is highly entrenched and we work hard every day to maintain that position. These renewals together with the increasing number of clinical trials we support demonstrate our leading position, which we will continue to fortify as the number of cell and gene therapy trials grow and commercial therapies come to market.

"Also, during the second quarter, FedEx extended its agreement with Cryoport Systems, a relationship that allows both companies to continue to jointly deliver temperature-controlled solutions for select clients in the Biopharma, Animal Health and Reproductive Medicine markets. The continuation of this partnership is a validation of Cryoport’s innovative technologies and FedEx’s foresight and an indication of the life sciences industry’s growing demand for advanced temperature-controlled supply chain solutions.

Biopharma

"We continue to grow our leading position in the biopharma market and are happy to report strong biopharma clinical trial growth for the second quarter as a net total of 26 clinical trials were added, bringing the total number of clinical trials supported by Cryoport to a record 491. And, on another positive note, of the 56 clinical trials suspended at the end of the first quarter due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only 3 remain suspended as of the end of the second quarter. None of the remaining trials, to Cryoport’s knowledge, have been terminated.

"Cryoport’s market share leadership of temperature-controlled life science solutions continues to grow stronger as our client base expands and our competency in tailored information technology extends our market lead. The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) reported that at the end of June there were 11 ongoing clinical trials worldwide for the development of COVID-19 treatments utilizing regenerative medicine and advanced therapies, and Cryoport supports eight of them. This area remains very active globally as many companies with the help of regulatory support are moving at a rapid pace in search for a cure. Cryoport is committed to supporting these important programs as we all seek an end to the global pandemic.

"In July 2020, another Cryoport-supported therapy received FDA approval, bringing the total number of commercial products supported by Cryoport to four, and, in addition, one more was validated by the EMA, and entered the EMA’s centralized review process. A further six (6) Cryoport supported Marketing Authorization Applications or Biologic License Applications are expected to be filed in 2020 and two additional commercial approvals are possible, based on internal information and forecasts from ARM, although the timing of some of these may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors."

Mr. Shelton continued, "We expect revenue from our agreement with Gilead’s Kite to increase following the recent FDA approval of TECARTUS, its chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We are also seeing an acceleration of other Cryoport supported regenerative therapies approaching commercialization with the recent validation of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Application for CAR T-Cell Therapy Lisocabtagene Maraleucel (liso-cel) by the EMA.

"Cryoport now supports a net total of 491 clinical trials as of June 30, 2020 compared to 413 as of June 30, 2019. The number of trials in Phase III grew to 66, compared to 52 as of June 30, 2019. Of the 491 total trials Cryoport supports, 400 are in the Americas, 72 in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and 19 in APAC (Asia Pacific). This compares to 353 in the Americas, 53 in EMEA and 7 in APAC as of June 30, 2019. Our market leading share of clinical trials continues to climb as according to ARM there were a total of 1,078 active clinical trials globally at the end of the second quarter, with 394 in Phase I, 587 in Phase II and 97 in Phase III.

"Another sign of the strength and belief in the potential of cell and gene therapies can be seen in the financial markets. Despite the economic challenges and uncertainty presented by the pandemic regenerative medicine companies raised approximately $10.7B in financing in the first half of 2020, a 120% increase from the first half of 2019.

"To meet upcoming customer demand, further strengthen our global footprint and support capabilities, we are continuing to build out our new Cryoport Express Global Supply Chain Network and our full range of temperature-controlled supply chain solutions, which include a full range of bioservices and life sciences logistics support. Both new Supply Chain Centers in Morris Plains, NJ and Houston, TX should be online by the first quarter of 2021. Additionally, we continue to build our global alliance network as we recently announced a partnership with Medipal Holdings, one of the leading pharma wholesalers and distributors in Japan. This partnership helps us grow our abilities in the APAC region.

"Cryogene, the life sciences industry’s most trusted biostorage facility specializing in the secure storage of biological specimens, materials, and samples for research purposes, contributed revenue of $1.3 million for the second quarter. Its operations were minimally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and we continue to plan the geographic expansion of our bioservices offering both in the U.S. and globally."

Animal Health

Mr. Shelton continued, "Animal Health revenue remained steady at $0.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020; however, we are building a strong pipeline of potential new clients and expect to grow Animal Health revenue in the second half of 2020."

Reproductive Medicine

"The Reproductive Medicine market was impacted by the temporary closure of fertility clinics globally and, consequently, contributed revenue of $0.6 million in the second quarter of 2020; however, we have begun to see restrictions lifted, leading to a significant ramp in Reproductive Medicine revenue during the final month of the second quarter. We were pleased to see our partnership with Inception Fertility contribute to this revenue ramp and believe we are well-positioned, globally, for growth in this important market."

Financial Highlights

Revenue increased 11% to $9.4 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020, compared with the same period in the prior year.
Revenue increased 27% to $19.2 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, compared with the same period in the prior year.
Excluding revenue from the Cryogene acquisition in May of 2019, revenue grew 2.7% for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020, compared with the same period in the prior year. Excluding revenue from the Cryogene acquisition in May of 2019, revenue grew 14.2% for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, compared with the same period in the prior year.
Biopharma revenue increased by 4.7% in the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
Commercial Biopharma revenue increased $0.7 million or 38%, to $2.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to $1.9 million for the same period in 2019.
Gross margin for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 was 55% and 54% respectively, compared to 51% and 52% for the same periods in the prior year.
Operating costs and expenses increased by $4.3 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020, compared to the same period in the prior year, as a result of strategic initiatives, such as the continued investments in infrastructure buildout, including software development, which will provide a platform for continuing the scaling of our business; engineering initiatives, which includes the development of revolutionary packaging and monitoring and communications resources, the development of our Cryoport Express Global Supply Chain Network, and the build out of competencies in support of advancing our infrastructure and the growth in demand for Cryoport’s solutions.
Net loss for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020 was $5.8 million, or $0.15 per share, compared to a net loss of $2.5 million, or $0.08 per share in the same period in 2019.
Net loss for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 was $9.7 million, or $0.26 per share, compared with $4.9 million, or $0.16 per share, in the same six-month period in 2019.
Adjusted EBITDA for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020 was ($2.5 million), compared with $0.2 million in the same period in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, was ($4.1 million), compared with ($0.1 million) in the same six-month period in the prior year.
Cryoport reported $208.2 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of June 30, 2020, compared with $94.3 million as of December 31, 2019. This increase includes net proceeds of approximately $111 million received from a convertible debt offering during the three-month period ended June 30, 2020.
Further information on Cryoport’s financial results is included on the attached condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations, and additional explanations of Cryoport’s financial performance are provided in Cryoport’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2020, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on or about August 10, 2020. The full report will be available on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of Cryoport’s website at www.cryoport.com.

Earnings Conference Call Information

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: A document titled "Cryoport Second Quarter 2020 in Review", providing a review of Cryoport’s recent financial and operational performance and a general business update, will be issued at 4:05 pm ET on Thursday, August 6, 2020. The document is designed to be read by investors before the questions and answers conference call and can be accessed at http://ir.cryoport.com/events-and-presentations.

Cryoport management will host a conference call at 5:00 pm ET on August 6, 2020. The conference call will be in the format of a questions and answers session and will address any queries investors have regarding the Company’s reported results.

Conference Call Information

Date:

August 6, 2020

Time:

5:00 p.m. ET

Dial-in numbers:

+1 (800) 496-4125 (U.S.), +1 (720) 452-9104 (International)

Confirmation code:

Request the "Cryoport Call"

Live webcast:

‘Investor Relations’ section at www.cryoport.com or at this link. Please allow 10 minutes prior to the call to visit this site to download and install any necessary audio software.

Questions and answers will be recorded and available approximately three hours after completion of the live event on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.cryoport.com for a limited time. To access the replay of the questions and answers, please follow this link. A dial-in replay of the call will also be available, to those interested, until August 13, 2020. To access the replay, dial +1 (844) 512-2921 (United States) or +1 (412) 317-6671 (International) and enter replay pin number: 7980251.

CTI BioPharma Reports Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results

On August 6, 2020 CTI BioPharma Corp. (Nasdaq: CTIC) reported its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2020 (Press release, CTI BioPharma, AUG 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234563205]).

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"This past quarter we announced enrollment of the first patient in our PRE-VENT Phase 3 clinical trial of pacritinib in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19, an important step for CTI as we work to provide a new therapeutic option for COVID-19 patients," said Adam R. Craig, M.D., Ph.D. "With regards to the PACIFICA Phase 3 trial, we continue to enroll patients but the enrollment rate is lower than planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we now anticipate at least a six-month delay in the trial. However, given our cash runway into Q4 2021, we remain confident in our ability to successfully execute on the development of pacritinib for the treatment of severely thrombocytopenic myelofibrosis patients."

Second Quarter Financial Results
Operating loss was $10.0 million and $21.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively, compared to operating loss of $11.0 million and $21.5 million for the respective periods in 2019. Operating loss for the three months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to the comparable period in 2019 resulted primarily from a decrease in general and administrative expenses. The increase in operating loss for the six months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to the comparable period in 2019 resulted primarily from the recording of a full allowance against certain VAT receivables due to an increased uncertainty of collectability.

No revenues were recognized for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, while revenues of $0.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively, were recognized for the comparable periods in 2019. License and contract revenues in 2019 resulted from royalty and other revenues recognized from Les Laboratoires Servier and Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier ("Servier") related to transition period activities pursuant to the terms of the Termination and Transfer Agreement with Servier.

Net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2020 was $14.0 million, or $(0.19) for basic and diluted loss per share, compared to net loss of $11.0 million, or $(0.19) for basic and diluted loss per share, for the same period in 2019. Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was $26.2 million, or $(0.38) for basic and diluted loss per share, compared to net loss of $21.8 million, or $(0.38) for basic and diluted loss per share, for the same period in 2019.

As of June 30, 2020, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $70.1 million, compared to $33.7 million as of December 31, 2019. We expect current cash and cash equivalents will enable us to fund our operations into the fourth quarter of 2021.

Proteostasis Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results

On August 6, 2020 Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTI), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of groundbreaking therapies to treat cystic fibrosis (CF), reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 (Press release, Proteostasis Therapeutics, AUG 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234563204]).

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"The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the unmet needs of the CF community and reaffirmed our commitment to providing more treatment choices for people living with CF," said Meenu Chhabra, President and Chief Executive Officer of Proteostasis Therapeutics. "Our team continues to work tirelessly to advance our mission and we anticipate announcing data from the ex vivo portion of the CHOICES development program in the fourth quarter of 2020, and plan to move into the clinical portion by year-end."

The CHOICES (Crossover trial based on Human Organoid Individual response in CF – Efficacy Study) development program is based on testing PTI drug combinations in an ex vivo study and, subsequently, in a clinical trial to assess the predictability of the organoid assay for clinical outcomes. The ex vivo portion of the study will quantify the functional response of patient-derived organoids to PTI investigational agents dirocaftor, posenacaftor and nesolicaftor. Enrollment of 502 patients with CF in the ex vivo portion of the study is now complete and the Company expects ex vivo data in the fourth quarter of 2020. The dataset will enable targeted enrollment into the clinical portion of the CHOICES trial of subjects with rare Cystic Fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutations based on their individual ex vivo response. The clinical portion of the trial is expected to begin by the end of 2020. PTI and its HIT-CF partners are currently in the process of activating approximately 30 clinical sites in Europe to support the CHOICES execution. The results from the CHOICES clinical trial may serve as the basis for a potential Marketing Authorization Application with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2021 through a novel regulatory pathway.

Recent Highlights

In June of this year, Proteostasis announced results from in vitro studies evaluating the use of PTI-129 as a potential treatment for COVID-19. PTI-129 is a pre-clinical, once-daily, oral small molecule identified through our Disease Relevant Translation (DRT) platform and originally designed to treat protein misfolding disorders involving the unfolded protein response (UPR). In in vitro studies conducted at Calibr, the drug discovery division of Scripps Research, PTI-129 demonstrated the potential to reduce viral protein production in host cells by activating the adaptive branches of the UPR pathway and reducing the levels of misfolded cellular proteins.

Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Proteostasis reported a net loss of approximately $8.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to a net loss of $20.0 million for the same period in the prior year.

The Company recorded no revenue in the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.

Research and development expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 were $4.6 million, as compared to $16.9 million for the same period in the prior year. The decrease in research and development expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 was primarily due to a decrease in clinical-related activities and related work as the CF studies progressed to data read out in late 2019.

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 were $4.4 million, as compared to $3.7 million for the same period in the prior year. The increase in general and administrative expenses for three months ended June 30, 2020 was due primarily to an increase in professional fees supporting financing activities.

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $48.9 million as of June 30, 2020, compared to $69.5 million as of December 31, 2019. The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are sufficient to fund operations into the second half of 2021. However, additional funding will be necessary to advance the Company’s proprietary combination therapy candidates through regulatory approval and into commercialization, if approved.

Eiger BioPharmaceuticals Reports Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

On August 6, 2020 Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: EIGR), focused on the development and commercialization of targeted therapies for serious rare and ultra-rare diseases, reported financial results for second quarter 2020 and provided a business update (Press release, Eiger Biopharmaceuticals, AUG 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234563203]).

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"Eiger is executing toward multiple important milestones across our pipeline, including anticipated FDA approval of Zokinvy in Progeria and Progeroid Laminopathies," said David Cory, President and CEO. "Our Phase 3 HDV D-LIVR trial continues to enroll and dose patients with full enrollment expected in 2021, and we plan for end-of-treatment and end-of-study data from our Phase 2 HDV LIFT study of peginterferon lambda in combination with lonafarnib this year. In addition, we look forward to results from multiple ongoing investigator sponsored studies of peginterferon lambda in COVID-19 patients."

Recent Highlights and Upcoming Milestones

Zokinvy (lonafarnib) in Progeria and Progeroid Laminopathies

New Drug Application (NDA) accepted for filing by FDA with priority review and Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of November 20, 2020
Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) under review by EMA will follow a standard review timeline. EMA request for inspections, in addition to travel restrictions due to COVID-19, will delay EMA from completing its review within the framework of previously granted accelerated assessment.
Lonafarnib in Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV)

Phase 3 D-LIVR study (N=400) continues to enroll and dose patients
Full enrollment expected in 2021
Peginterferon Lambda in HDV

Phase 2 LIFT (combo with lonafarnib) end-of-treatment data planned for EASL 2020; end-of-study data planned for AASLD 2020
Single, Phase 3 study design agreement with FDA and EMA
Peginterferon Lambda in COVID-19

Six International Investigator Sponsored Studies in progress
Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments as of June 30, 2020 totaled $90.8 million.

The Company reported net loss of $15.3 million, or $0.60 per share, for second quarter 2020, as compared to $17.5 million, or $0.75 per share, for second quarter 2019.

Research and Development expenses were $9.8 million for second quarter 2020, as compared to $12.9 million for second quarter 2019. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in regulatory expenses and lower clinical trial related expenses, including clinical material costs.

General and Administrative expenses were $4.9 million for second quarter 2020, as compared to $4.2 million for second quarter 2019. The increase was primarily due to an increase in outside legal, consulting, advisory and accounting services.

Total operating expenses include total non-cash expenses of $1.8 million for second quarter 2020, as compared to $1.8 million for the same period in 2019.

As of June 30, 2020, the Company had 27,241,640 of common shares outstanding.

Synthetic Biologics Reports 2020 Second Quarter Operational Highlights and Financial Results

On August 6, 2020 Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE American: SYN), a diversified clinical-stage company leveraging the microbiome to develop therapeutics designed to prevent and treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in areas of high unmet need, reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 (Press release, Synthetic Biologics, AUG 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234563198]).

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"During the second quarter, we remained diligently focused on advancing our portfolio of GI and microbiome-focused clinical development programs while continuing to navigate the unprecedented global health and economic crisis sparked by the COVID-19 global pandemic," said Steven A. Shallcross, Chief Executive and Financial Officer of Synthetic Biologics. "We made significant progress positioning SYN-020, our orally delivered recombinant version of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), for its first clinical trial. We were pleased to report the FDA responded to our Investigational New Drug application (IND) with a study-may-proceed letter to conduct a Phase 1 single ascending dose study of SYN-020 in healthy volunteers. Additionally, we expanded our collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the form of an exclusive option agreement to license intellectual property and technology to commercially develop SYN-020 for the treatment and prevention of metabolic and inflammatory diseases associated with aging. The Phase 1 clinical trial is intended to support the clinical development of SYN-020 in multiple indications, including an initial indication for the treatment of radiation enteropathy secondary to pelvic cancer therapy and indications that may be developed under the MGH license agreement."

Mr. Shallcross continued, "Enrollment in the Phase 2b investigator-sponsored clinical trial of SYN-010, intended to treat irritable bowel syndrome-constipation (IBS-C) and being conducted out of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC), has recommenced following a temporary postponement during the first and second quarter due to the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. A data readout in the form of an interim futility analysis is expected during the third quarter and topline data is anticipated during the first quarter of 2021, subject to potential COVID-19 complications." Mr. Shallcross concluded, "We remain in close contact with Washington University as we continue to evaluate opportunities to initiate the planned Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of SYN-004 (ribaxamase) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to closely monitor the crisis caused by the spread of the COVID-19 and look forward to sharing important updates and progress for this and all our GI and microbiome-focused clinical programs."

Clinical Development and Operational Update

Submitted an Investigational New Drug application (IND) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for SYN-020, the Company’s recombinant version of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) supporting an initial indication to mitigate the intestinal damage caused by radiation therapy routinely used to treat pelvic cancers (Q2 2020)
Received study-may-proceed letter from FDA to conduct a Phase 1 single ascending dose study in healthy volunteers, designed to evaluate SYN-020 for safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic parameters (Q3 2020),
The Phase 1 clinical program is intended to support the clinical development of SYN-020 in multiple indications, including an initial indication for the treatment and prevention of radiation enteropathy secondary to cancer therapy;
Entered into an agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) granting the Company an option for an exclusive license to intellectual property and technology related to the use of IAP to maintain GI and microbiome health, diminish systemic inflammation, and treat age-related diseases (Q2 2020)
Under the terms of the agreement, Synthetic Biologics is granted exclusive rights to negotiate a worldwide license with MGH to commercially develop SYN-020 to treat and prevent metabolic and inflammatory diseases associated with aging,
If executed, the Company plans to use this license in the advancement of an expanded clinical development program for SYN-020;
Enrollment in the investigator-sponsored Phase 2b clinical trial of SYN-010, intended to treat IBS-C, has recommenced following a temporary halt in Q1 and Q2 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic; however, the ability to continue to recruit new patients into this clinical trial remains at the discretion of CSMC and contingent upon the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic
A data readout in the form of an interim futility analysis is expected during the third quarter of 2020 and topline data is anticipated during the first quarter of 2021, subject to the impact of COVID-19,
CSMC and Synthetic Biologics are co-funding the study. The patent rights covering the use of SYN-010 are owned by CSMC and are exclusively licensed by CSMC to Synthetic Biologics;
Received written notification from the FDA informing the Company that the FDA determined the Phase 1b/2a clinical program in adult allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients may proceed per the submitted clinical program protocol (Q3 2020)
Due to the unique challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, Washington University continues to evaluate non-essential activities, which may have a direct impact on planned and ongoing clinical trials, including the SYN-004 (ribaxamase) Phase 1b/2a clinical program in allogeneic HCT recipients,
At this time, the Company has determined that postponing the initiation of the planned Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in allogeneic HCT recipients until at least the first quarter of 2021 remains the appropriate course of action due to continued uncertainty surrounding the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic;
On July 30, 2020, the Company received written communication from NYSE American LLC (the "Exchange"), the Company’s current listing exchange, stating that in addition to Section 1003(iii), it is now also not in compliance with both Section 1003(i) and Section 1003(ii) of the NYSE American Company Guide since it reported a stockholders’ deficit of ($4.0) million as of March 31, 2020 and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in its five most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2019
The Company has previously submitted a plan of compliance which was accepted by the Exchange addressing how it intends to regain compliance with the Exchange continued listing standards by November 25, 2020, the end of the current compliance plan period,
The NYSE American notification does not affect the Company’s business operations or the listing of the Company’s shares on the Exchange, and does not represent any change or amendment to the Company’s consolidated financial statements or to its quarterly reports for the quarter ended March 30, 2020 or to its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Quarter Ended June 30, 2020 Financial Results

General and administrative expenses increased by 23% to $1.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, from $1.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. This increase is primarily due to increased legal costs related to business development, patent execution and employee contract matters, vacation expense, and insurance costs. The charge related to stock-based compensation expense was $67,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $59,000 the three months ended June 30, 2019.

Research and development expenses decreased by 38% to $1.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, from $2.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. This decrease is primarily the result of the response to the global COVID-19 pandemic by our clinical development partners which led to the postponement of the Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of SYN-004 (ribaxamase) in allogeneic HCT recipients and a temporary halt during the second quarter in new enrollment in the Phase 2b investigator sponsored clinical trial of SYN-010. The charge related to stock-based compensation expense was $19,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $31,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2019.

Other income was $6,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to other income of $80,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2019. Other income for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 is primarily comprised of interest income.

Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2020 totaled $8.1 million, a decrease of $7.0 million from December 31, 2019.

Conference Call

Synthetic Biologics will hold a conference call today, Thursday, August 6, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. (EST). The dial-in information for the call is as follows, U.S. toll free: 1-888-347-5280 or International: +1 412-902-4280. Participants are asked to dial in 15 minutes before the start of the call to register. The call will also be webcast over the Internet at View Source." target="_blank" title="View Source." rel="nofollow">View Source An archive of the call will be available for replay at the same URL, View Source, for 90 days after the call.