On May 12, 2022 Theseus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: THRX) (Theseus or the Company), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of cancer patients through the discovery, development and commercialization of transformative targeted therapies, reported business highlights and reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 (Press release, Theseus Pharmaceuticals, MAY 12, 2022, View Source [SID1234614386]).
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"We are pleased by the progress achieved in the first quarter of 2022 as we continue to make strides in advancing our pipeline of novel pan-variant targeted therapies. Notably, we began the year by enrolling patients in our first clinical trial of THE-630 in advanced GIST, and more recently presented encouraging preclinical data on our EGFR program at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) that support our approach of pan-variant inhibition in a single molecule," said Tim Clackson, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Theseus. "Over the next 12 months we have a robust set of milestones, including the nomination of a development candidate for our EGFR program and the expansion of our pipeline with a third TKI program. We look forward to seeing these developments over the remainder of 2022, and to sharing initial clinical data from THE-630 in the first half of 2023."
Recent Business Highlights and Upcoming Milestones:
Enrollment ongoing in Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating THE-630, targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT, in patients with advanced GIST. In January 2022, the first patient was treated in a Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion clinical trial of THE-630 in patients with advanced GIST, a disease that remains largely KIT-dependent even after multiple lines of therapy. THE-630 is a single molecule pan-variant inhibitor of KIT, designed for patients whose cancer has developed resistance to earlier lines of therapy. The Company continues activating sites and enrolling patients in this study, with initial data from the Phase 1 portion of the clinical trial expected to be presented at a scientific conference in the first half of 2023.
Presented preclinical data supporting nomination of a development candidate for fourth-generation EGFR program, expected in the third quarter of 2022. At the 2022 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in April, Theseus presented preclinical data demonstrating that pan-variant inhibition of all major single-, double-, and triple-EGFR mutants, including T790M and C797S, with selectivity over wild-type and central nervous system (CNS) penetration, can be achieved with a single molecule. Theseus expects to nominate a fourth-generation EGFR inhibitor designed to inhibit the full range of EGFR variants found in the tumors of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC that have developed C797S-mediated resistance to first- or later-line osimertinib treatment. Additional preclinical data on the development candidate are expected to be presented at a scientific conference in the fourth quarter of 2022 and Theseus expects to submit an IND for this program in 2023.
Additional TKI program expected to be disclosed by year-end 2022. Theseus continues advancing its preclinical discovery pipeline and expects to introduce a new kinase target program by the end of 2022.
Continued to strengthen leadership team. Theseus recently appointed Claire Coleman, Ph.D., as Vice President, Program Management. Dr. Coleman joined the Company from Allena Pharmaceuticals, where she served as Executive Director, Program Management, and earlier in scientific and program management roles of increasing responsibility at Momenta Pharmaceuticals. She will play an integral role in shepherding Theseus’ programs through preclinical and clinical-stage development.
First Quarter Financial Results:
Cash Position: As of March 31, 2022, Theseus had cash, cash equivalents and short-term and long-term investments of $237.0 million. Theseus expects its cash, cash equivalents, and investments to fund operations and capital expenditures into the second half of 2024 based on its current operating plan.
R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $6.5 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $3.8 million for the same period in 2021. This increase was primarily due to $1.8 million of increased employee-related costs, and $0.8 million in increased expenses for clinical and preclinical studies.
G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $4.0 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $0.7 million for the same period in 2021. This increase was primarily due to $2.1 million of increased employee-related costs, as well as $1.1 million of increased general expenses, primarily driven by public company-related costs.
Net Loss: Net loss was $10.5 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to a net loss of $4.5 million for the same period in 2021.