On August 7, 2020 Replimune Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REPL), a biotechnology company developing oncolytic immuno-gene therapies derived from its Immulytic platform, reported financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2020 and provided a business update (Press release, Replimune, AUG 7, 2020, View Source [SID1234563156]).
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"In the past few months, we have made important progress in demonstrating the power of our Immulytic platform to deliver meaningful new treatment options for a range of cancers," said Philip Astley-Sparke, CEO of Replimune. "In June, we provided an interim update from the Phase 2 portion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of RP1 in combination with Opdivo, establishing clinical proof of principle for RP1 in immune-responsive tumor types, including in patients with anti-PD1 refractory disease. In particular, we believe the data generated bode well for our registration directed programs already underway with RP1 in CSCC and anti-PD1 refractory melanoma. Following a successful follow-on offering, Replimune is now well-financed to advance and expand our pipeline with many exciting milestones ahead of us. We look forward to providing an initial data readout from RP2 later this year, as well as initiating clinical development with RP3 as we seek to establish our products more broadly, beyond immune-responsive tumor types, as a cornerstone of immuno-oncology."
Recent Events and Corporate Updates
Presented interim clinical data from the Phase 2 portion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of RP1 in combination with Opdivo in non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers that continue to support the clinical programs in both cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and anti-PD1 refractory melanoma.
In CSCC, six of seven evaluable patients demonstrated ongoing response, with four of these six patients having ongoing complete responses (CRs).
Provided interim data evaluating treatment with RP1 in combination with Opdivo in 16 patients with anti-PD1 refractory cutaneous melanoma. Five of the 16 patients at the data cut-off had met the formal criteria for response, including four who had previously failed both anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 therapies, providing for a final response rate from this cohort of at least 31%.
Announced promising data of RP1 in combination with Opdivo in patients with anti-PD1 naïve cutaneous melanoma, mucosal melanoma and uveal melanoma.
Announced plans to enroll a new 30 patient cohort of anti-PD1 refractory NSCLC patients into the Phase 2 portion of the clinical trial of RP1 combined with Opdivo.
A link to the data presented can be found here.
Strengthened management team with the appointment of Andrea Pirzkall, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Pirzkall brings to Replimune a track record of drug development success in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, particularly in immuno-oncology, together with multi-disciplinary clinical experience at the intersection of radiology and oncology. Dr. Pirzkall previously served as Executive Director of Clinical Development at BeiGene, Ltd., a publicly traded commercial-stage biotechnology company with responsibility for the development of tislelizumab (anti-PD1) and led successful pivotal trials in squamous and non-squamous cell lung cancer, prior to which Dr. Pirzkall spent 10 years at Genentech in roles of increasing responsibility.
Extended anticipated cash runway to mid-2023. In June 2020, the Company raised gross proceeds of $115 million through a public offering of common stock and pre-funded warrants. The Company believes that the existing cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, along with a limited use of debt, will enable the Company to fund additional studies and the overall operating plan to mid-2023.
COVID-19 potential impact on milestones: Enrollment into our clinical trials, such as the Company’s clinical trial of RP1 in solid organ transplant patients with CSCC, representing a highly immunocompromised patient population, has been slower than expected, which the Company attributes to the global pandemic. As the clinical sites continue to evaluate their capacity to treat patients, the Company could see additional impact in the second half of 2020 across its programs. The Company has not yet experienced delays that would require an update to previous guidance.
Program Highlights
Replimune is currently developing three oncolytic immuno-gene therapies derived from its Immulytic platform. The Company’s first clinical product candidate, RP1, is a proprietary new strain of herpes simplex virus armed with a gene encoding a potent fusogenic protein (GALV-GP-R), intended to enhance tumor killing potency, immunogenic cell death and the activation of systemic anti-tumor immune responses and a gene encoding the cytokine GM-CSF. In addition to expressing GALV-GP-R and GM-CSF, the Company’s second clinical candidate, RP2, also expresses a genetically encoded anti-CTLA-4 antibody-like molecule intended to block the inhibition of the initiation of immune response caused by CTLA-4. RP3 is a further armed oncolytic immuno-gene therapy which additionally expresses two immune co-stimulatory activating ligands – CD40L and 4-1BBL – together with anti-CTLA-4 and GALV-GP-R. CD40L activates CD40, with the goal of achieving broad activation of both innate and adaptive immunity, and 4-1BBL activates 4-1BB (CD137), intended to promote the expansion of cellular and memory immune responses.
RP1 in combination with Libtayo in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC): The Company is actively enrolling patients into the 240-patient registration-directed Phase 2, randomized, controlled clinical trial in the US and Australia, with clinical trial sites in Canada and Europe expected to open later in the year.
RP1 in combination with Opdivo in melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, and MSI-H/dMMR tumors: The clinical trial remains on track with enrollment and accrual of the initial melanoma cohort completing in the first half of 2020 and patients expected to be fully accrued from the non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) cohort by the end of 2020. The Company is accumulating data from the MSI-H/dMMR cohort to inform a decision as to whether to pursue MSI-H/dMMR tumors into registration-directed development in 2021.
RP1 in combination with Opdivo in anti-PD-1 refractory melanoma: The Company initiated recruitment into a new registration-directed 125-patient cohort in the Phase 2 clinical trial of RP1 in combination with Opdivo in February 2020 and is currently enrolling patients.
RP1 in anti-PD1 refractory patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): In June 2020, the Company announced its plans to add a 30 patient cohort of anti-PD1 refractory patients with NSCLC to the RP1 combined with Opdivo clinical trial. The Company plans to initiate enrollment into this cohort later this year.
RP1 as monotherapy in solid organ transplant recipients with CSCC: The Company initiated enrollment into a 30 patient Phase 1b clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of RP1 in liver and kidney transplant recipients with recurrent CSCC in May 2020.
RP2 alone and in combination with Opdivo: The Company plans to present initial safety and efficacy data from the ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating RP2 alone and in combination with Opdivo by the end of 2020.
RP3 alone and in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy: The Phase 1 clinical trial of RP3 alone and in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy remains on track to initiate in 2020.
Financial Highlights
Cash Position: As of June 30, 2020, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $261.8 million, as compared to $168.6 million as of March 31, 2020. This increase was primarily related to $109.5 million in net proceeds from financing activities offset by cash utilized in fiscal quarter one operating activities largely associated with advancing our expanded clinical development plan.
The Company believes that the existing cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, along with a limited use of debt, will enable the Company to fund additional studies and the overall operating plan to mid-2023.
R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $12.2 million for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020, as compared to $7.5 million for the first quarter ended June 30, 2019. This increase was primarily due to increased clinical and manufacturing expenses driven by the Company’s lead programs and increased personnel expenses. Research and development expenses included $1.0 million in stock-based compensation expenses for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020.
G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $5.7 million for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020, as compared to $3.5 million for the first quarter ended June 30, 2019. The increase was primarily driven by personnel-related costs, professional fees, and facility expansion. General and administrative expenses included $1.5 million in stock-based compensation expenses for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020.
Net Loss: Net loss was $17.5 million for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020, as compared to a net loss of $9.5 million for the first quarter ended June 30, 2019.
About RP1
RP1 is Replimune’s lead Immulytic product candidate and is based on a proprietary new strain of herpes simplex virus engineered to maximize tumor killing potency, the immunogenicity of tumor cell death and the activation of a systemic anti-tumor immune response.
About RP2 & RP3
RP2 and RP3 are derivatives of RP1 that express additional proteins. RP2 expresses an anti-CTLA-4 antibody-like molecule and RP3 additionally expresses a pair of optimized immune co-stimulatory pathway ligands. These therapeutics are intended to provide targeted and potent delivery to the sites of immune response initiation in the tumor and draining lymph nodes, with the goal of focusing systemic immune-based efficacy on tumors and limiting off-target toxicity.