On March 23, 2023 Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing and commercializing therapeutic innovations that improve medical care, reported financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 and highlighted recent corporate updates (Press release, Heron Therapeutics, MAR 23, 2023, View Source [SID1234629243]).

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Recent Corporate Updates

Acute Care Franchise

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ZYNRELEF:

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Net product sales of ZYNRELEF (bupivacaine and meloxicam) extended-release solution for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 were $3.9 million and $10.2 million, respectively. Net product sales of ZYNRELEF for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2021 were $0.8 million and $2.9 million, respectively (ZYNRELEF was launched July 1, 2021). ZYNRELEF end-user (ambulatory surgical centers and hospitals) demand unit sales were 20,765 in the fourth quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 38% over the prior quarter. We currently expect first quarter 2023 ZYNRELEF demand unit sales to increase approximately 10% over the prior quarter.

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Since launch on July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022, 793 unique accounts purchased ZYNRELEF with 90% of those accounts reordering the product.

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The supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for ZYNRELEF, to support the proposed indication for greatly expanded use of ZYNRELEF in soft tissue and orthopedic surgical procedures, was submitted in December 2022 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of October 23, 2023.

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APONVIE:

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The APONVIE (aprepitant) injectable emulsion, the only intravenous (IV) substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist (RA) indicated for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in adults, became commercially available in the U.S. in March 2023.

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services granted pass-through payment status for APONVIE, effective April 1, 2023, under C-code C9145.

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PONV represents a significant opportunity that leverages our existing sales organization in the acute care setting. There are approximately 36 million surgical procedures annually in patients at moderate to high risk for PONV, where guidelines recommend using multiple agents from different classes of drugs for prophylaxis.

Oncology Care Franchise

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2022 Oncology Care Franchise Net Product Sales: For the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022, oncology care franchise net product sales were $26.1 million and $97.5 million, respectively, compared to $19.9 million and $83.4 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2021.

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CINVANTI Net Product Sales:Net product sales of CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 were $23.1 million and $87.3 million, respectively, compared to $17.4 million and $73.5 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2021.

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Validation of large-scale manufacturing of CINVANTI was completed, resulting in a significant reduction in cost of product sales beginning in the fourth quarter of 2022.

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SUSTOL Net Product Sales: Net product sales of SUSTOL (granisetron) extended-release injection for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 were $3.0 million and $10.2 million, respectively, compared to $2.5 million and $9.9 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2021.

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2023 Oncology Care Franchise Net Product Sales Guidance: Heron currently expects full-year 2023 net product sales for the oncology care franchise of $99 million to $103 million.

"2022 was an important year for Heron, highlighted by the expansion of our acute care franchise to cover the two most common concerns for patients and clinicians after surgery, pain and nausea and vomiting. We were thrilled with the approval and recent launch of our fourth commercial product, APONVIE, for PONV, and remain encouraged with the continued growth of ZYNRELEF sales even in a quarter where seasonal declines are anticipated," said Barry Quart, Pharm.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "In our oncology care franchise, we saw strong growth, exceeding our full-year 2022 guidance with $97.5 million in net product sales. In addition, the significant reduction in cost of goods for CINVANTI achieved in the fourth quarter will have an important impact on reducing cash burn in 2023 and beyond."

Financial Results

Net product sales for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 were $30.0 million and $107.7 million, respectively, compared to $20.7 million and $86.3 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2021.

Heron’s net loss for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 was $19.9 million, or $0.17 per share, and $182.0 million, or $1.67 per share, respectively, compared to $54.6 million, or $0.54 per share, and $220.7 million, or $2.24 per share, respectively, for the same periods in 2021. Net loss for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 included non-cash, stock-based compensation expense of $10.5 million and $43.0 million, respectively, compared to $12.9 million and $46.9 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2021.

As of December 31, 2022, Heron had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $84.9 million, compared to $157.6 million as of December 31, 2021. Net cash used for operating activities for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 was $37.5 million and $146.9 million, respectively, compared to $45.3 million and $203.4 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2021. The decrease in our net cash used for operating activities was primarily due to the reduction in headcount implemented in June 2022 and changes in working capital, as well as a decrease in net loss.

Conference Call and Webcast

Heron will host a conference call and webcast on March 23, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (646) 307-1963 for domestic callers and (800) 715-9871 for international callers. Please provide the operator with the passcode 7469717 to join the conference call. The conference call will also be available via webcast under the Investor Relations section of Heron’s website at www.herontx.com. An archive of the teleconference and webcast will also be made available on Heron’s website for 60 days following the call.

About ZYNRELEF for Postoperative Pain

ZYNRELEF is the first and only dual-acting local anesthetic that delivers a fixed-dose combination of the local anesthetic bupivacaine and a low dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam. ZYNRELEF is the first and only extended-release local anesthetic to demonstrate in Phase 3 studies significantly reduced pain and significantly increased proportion of patients requiring no opioids through the first 72 hours following surgery compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care local anesthetic for postoperative pain control. ZYNRELEF was initially approved by the FDA in May 2021 for use in adults for soft tissue or periarticular instillation to produce postsurgical analgesia for up to 72 hours after bunionectomy, open inguinal herniorrhaphy and total knee arthroplasty. In December 2021, the FDA approved an expansion of ZYNRELEF’s indication. In December 2022, we submitted an sNDA to support the proposed indication for greatly expanded use of ZYNRELEF in soft tissue and orthopedic surgical procedures, and the FDA assigned a PDUFA goal date of October 23, 2023. ZYNRELEF is now indicated in the U.S. in adults for soft tissue or periarticular instillation to produce postsurgical analgesia for up to 72 hours after foot and ankle, small-to-medium open abdominal, and lower extremity total joint arthroplasty surgical procedures. Safety and efficacy have not been established in highly vascular surgeries, such as intrathoracic, large multilevel spinal, and head and neck procedures.

Please see full prescribing information, including Boxed Warning, at www.ZYNRELEF.com.

About APONVIE for PONV

APONVIE is a substance NK1 RA, indicated for the prevention of PONV in adults. Delivered via a 30-second IV push, APONVIE 32 mg was demonstrated to be bioequivalent to oral aprepitant 40 mg with rapid achievement of therapeutic drug levels. APONVIE is the same formulation as Heron’s approved drug product CINVANTI. APONVIE is supplied in a single-dose vial that delivers the full 32 mg dose for PONV. APONVIE was approved by the FDA in September 2022.

Please see full prescribing information at www.APONVIE.com.

About CINVANTI for Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) Prevention

CINVANTI, in combination with other antiemetic agents, is indicated in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (HEC) including high-dose cisplatin as a single-dose regimen, delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (MEC) as a single-dose regimen, and nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of MEC as a 3-day regimen. CINVANTI is an IV formulation of aprepitant, an NK1 RA. CINVANTI is the first IV formulation to directly deliver aprepitant, the active ingredient in EMEND capsules. Aprepitant (including its prodrug, fosaprepitant) is the only single-agent NK1 RA to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and the delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy). The FDA-approved dosing administration included in the U.S. prescribing information for CINVANTI include 100 mg or 130 mg administered as a 30-minute IV infusion or a 2-minute IV injection.

Please see full prescribing information at www.CINVANTI.com.

About SUSTOL for CINV Prevention

SUSTOL is indicated in combination with other antiemetics in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) combination chemotherapy regimens. SUSTOL is an extended-release, injectable 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 RA that utilizes Heron’s Biochronomer drug delivery technology to maintain therapeutic levels of granisetron for ≥5 days. The SUSTOL global Phase 3 development program was comprised of two, large, guideline-based clinical studies that evaluated SUSTOL’s efficacy and safety in more than 2,000 patients with cancer. SUSTOL’s efficacy in preventing nausea and vomiting was evaluated in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy).

Please see full prescribing information at www.SUSTOL.com.

On March 23, 2023 Exscientia plc (Nasdaq: EXAI) reported that it has recent developments in the Company’s pipeline, collaborations, and operations as well as financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2022 are summarised below (Press release, Exscientia, MAR 23, 2023, View Source [SID1234629242]). Exscientia will host a conference call today, March 23, at 12:30 p.m. GMT / 8:30 a.m. EDT.

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"2022 was marked by significant milestones for Exscientia, including signing a groundbreaking strategic collaboration with Sanofi, as we continue to validate our end-to-end platform of AI-driven tools and distinguish ourselves as leaders in AI-based drug design, discovery and development," said Professor Andrew Hopkins, D.Phil., founder and Chief Executive Officer of Exscientia. "We also initiated IGNITE, a Phase 1/2 study of our A2A receptor antagonist EXS21546 (‘546), and are using the clinical data to further confirm biomarker accuracy in selecting patients likely to respond best to treatment. More recently, last month, Bristol Myers Squibb initiated a first-in-human study of EXS4318 (‘4318), our fourth AI-designed molecule to enter the clinic and the first in inflammatory disease. Looking at progress to date, we remain very confident in our differentiated approach and our company’s ability to bring innovative, high-quality treatments to patients faster and more efficiently than today’s industry standard."
Recent Highlights

Internal pipeline
●In March 2023, Exscientia highlighted two new differentiated precision oncology programmes in IND-enabling studies; EXS74539 (‘539), a reversible and brain penetrant LSD1 inhibitor and EXS73565 (‘565), an allosteric MALT1 protease inhibitor
●In November 2022, Exscientia initiated IGNITE, a Phase 1/2 study of its A2A product candidate, ‘546, with the first patient expected to be enrolled in the first half of 2023
○The trial is examining the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ‘546 when used in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and will enrol up to 110 patients
○At the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Immuno-Oncology Annual Congress in December 2022, Exscientia presented new data on the development of a novel biomarker to identify patients more likely to respond to ‘546 and to explore the relationship to potential impact of adenosine on PD-1 inhibitor response:
▪The study identified a novel patient selection multi-gene transcript signature, the adenosine burden score (ABS)
▪The ABS was shown to outperform other published adenosine signatures and indicated that reducing adenosine using ‘546 could enhance the efficacy of cancer treatments. These findings will be further explored in the IGNITE study
●Exscientia anticipates enrolling the first patient in a Phase 1/2 trial for its CDK7 inhibitor, GTAEXS617 (‘617), in the first half of 2023
●Four posters will be presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) from April 14-19, 2023, highlighting data from the ‘546 and ‘539 programmes as well as data from the Company’s precision medicine platform leveraged for biomarker and target discovery

Partnered programmes
●In February 2023, Exscientia announced a first-in-human study of ‘4318, the first immunology & inflammation candidate designed by Exscientia and in-licensed by Bristol Myers Squibb
○‘4318 is a potentially first-in-class potent and selective PKC-theta inhibitor and is Exscientia’s fourth molecule to enter the clinic
○Bristol Myers Squibb will oversee the clinical and commercial development and Exscientia is eligible for milestone payments and, if approved, tiered royalties on net product sales

Collaboration with leading European medical centre
●In March 2023, Exscientia and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Charité) announced an academic collaboration to utilise Exscientia’s functional drug testing platform in haematological cancers
○Charité will establish a biobank of viably cryopreserved blood, bone marrow and lymph node tissues to support technology development, clinical and future translational research
○Partnership will further validate Exscientia’s platform to predict drug resistances and standard of care responses in haematological cancers

Exscientia expands precision medicine centre of excellence in Vienna
●Exscientia opened a new, 50,000 square foot state-of-the-art laboratory in Vienna, Austria to further advance its primary patient sample precision medicine and translational research platforms. Exscientia’s approach integrates complex multi-omics and functional data into its AI-driven platform, with the aim of increasing clinical success through better preclinical models
●In 2022, the Company expanded its next generation sequencing (NGS), multi-omics platform, patient tissue collaborations and precision medicine capabilities

Investor call and webcast information
Exscientia will host a conference call today, March 23 at 12:30 p.m. GMT / 8:30 a.m. EDT. A webcast of the live call can be accessed by visiting the "Investors and Media" section of the Company’s website at investors.exscientia.ai. Alternatively, the live conference call can be accessed by dialling +1 (888) 330 3292 (U.S.), +44 203 433 3846 (U.K.), +1 (646) 960 0857 (International) and entering the conference ID: 8333895. A replay will be available for 90 days under "Events and Presentations" in the "Investors and Media" section of the Exscientia website.

Fourth quarter and full year 2022 financial results
Exscientia consolidates and reports its financials in pounds sterling. For the convenience of the reader, the Company has translated pounds sterling amounts to U.S. dollars at the rate of £1.000 to $1.2077 for all periods, which was the noon buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on December 30, 2022.

Revenue: Recognised revenue for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 was $8.2 million and $32.9 million, respectively, compared to $5.0 million and $33.0 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2021.

Research and development expenses: R&D expenses for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022, were $43.0 million and $155.6 million, respectively, as compared to $22.6 million and $53.2 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2021. The increase in research and development expenses was in part due to the growth of Exscientia’s internal and co-owned portfolio, in addition to increased headcount and other costs associated with the Company’s continued technology investments. Share-based compensation accounted for $26.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $7.8 million for the same period ended December 31, 2021.

General and administrative expenses: G&A expenses for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022, were $9.9 million, or 15.4% of total operating expenses, and $46.4 million, or 19.2% of total operating expenses respectively. For the full year 2022, G&A expenses increased by $15.3 million compared to the full year 2021, primarily associated with an increase in personnel costs.

Cash inflows: For the full year 2022, Exscientia received $117.8 million in cash inflows from its collaborations as compared to $85.3 million during the full year 2021.

Net Operating cash flow and cash balance: For the full year ending December 31, 2022, net operating cash outflows were $73.1 million, in comparison to net operating cash inflows of $8.1 million for the full year 2021, reflecting meaningful investment into the Company’s pipeline and platform. Cash, cash equivalents and short term bank deposits as of December 31, 2022 were $610.9 million, as compared to $678.9 million as of December 31, 2021 using the December 31, 2022 constant currency rate.
●Includes constant currency mark-to-market foreign exchange impact of negative 12% based on the strength of the USD during the year
●During the year, Exscientia recognised net foreign exchange gains of $27.0 million
●The Company holds its deposits in both GBP and USD intended to match expected operational cash needs in order to limit the impact of exchange rate fluctuations

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS, CONSTANT CURRENCY CONVERSION (unaudited)
($ millions, except per share data, at the rate of £1.000 to $1.2077)

Three months ended December 31, Twelve months ended
December 31,
2022 2021 2022 2021
Revenue 8.2 5.0 32.9 33.0
Cost of sales (11.5) (5.8) (40.2) (20.7)
Research and development expenses (43.0) (22.6) (155.6) (53.2)
General and administrative expenses (9.9) (7.7) (46.4) (31.1)
Operating expenses (64.4) (36.1) (242.2) (105.0)
Foreign exchange gains/(losses) (7.6) 2.6 40.6 1.1
Loss on forward contracts - - (13.6) -
Other income 1.9 0.9 6.9 4.5
Operating loss (61.9) (27.6) (175.4) (66.4)
Finance income/(expense) 3.5 - 6.5 (0.1)
Share of loss on joint ventures - (0.2) (0.8) (1.4)
Loss before taxation (58.4) (27.8) (169.7) (67.9)
Income tax benefit 11.3 3.6 26.5 8.4
Loss for the period (47.2) (24.2) (143.4) (59.5)
Net loss per share (0.38) (0.22) (1.17) (1.20)

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET, CONSTANT CURRENCY CONVERSION (unaudited)
($ millions, except per share data, at the rate of £1.000 to $1.2077)

December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021
Cash, cash equivalents and short term bank deposits 610.9 678.9
Total assets 784.6 773.7
Total equity 578.3 684.5
Total liabilities 206.3 89.2
Total equity and liabilities 784.6 773.7

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, CONSTANT CURRENCY CONVERSION (unaudited)
($ millions, except per share data, at the rate of £1.000 to $1.2077)
Twelve months ended December 31,
2022 2021
Net cash outflows from operating activities (73.1) (8.1)
Net cash flows used in investing activities (148.2) (32.1)
Net cash (used in)/generated from financing activities (4.8) 643.6
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents (226.1) 603.4
Exchange gain/(loss) on cash and cash equivalents 35.7 (0.1)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash, cash equivalents and short-term bank deposits* (68.1) 603.3

On March 23, 2023 Erasca, Inc. (Nasdaq: ERAS), a clinical-stage precision oncology company singularly focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies for patients with RAS/MAPK pathway-driven cancers, reported financial results for the fiscal quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022, and provided business updates (Press release, Erasca, MAR 23, 2023, View Source [SID1234629241]).

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"Erasca had a strong year in 2022, culminating in our licensing of exclusive worldwide rights for naporafenib, a pan-RAF inhibitor that has demonstrated preliminary clinical proof of concept data in multiple indications and has strong synergy across our pipeline, as well as our concurrent $100 million equity financing," said Jonathan E. Lim, M.D., Erasca’s chairman, CEO, and co-founder. "In addition, we achieved several important clinical milestones, including disclosing preliminary monotherapy safety and efficacy data for our ERK1/2 inhibitor ERAS-007 and SHP2 inhibitor ERAS-601, dosing the first patient with our CNS-penetrant EGFR inhibitor ERAS-801 in THUNDERBBOLT-1, and dosing the first patient with the combination of ERAS-007 plus ERAS-601 in the MAPKlamp sub-study of HERKULES-1."

Dr. Lim continued, "In 2023, we expect data readouts for ERAS-007, ERAS-601, and ERAS 801. In addition, based on our strategic decision to focus more resources on accelerating SEACRAFT-1 for naporafenib and promising sub-studies for ERAS-007 and ERAS-601, we now anticipate SEACRAFT-1 combination data between the second and fourth quarters of 2024, dose expansion data for HERKULES-3 in BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer between the second half of 2023 and the first half of 2024, and dose expansion data for FLAGSHP-1 in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the first half of 2024."

Research and Development (R&D) Highlights

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Four Poster Presentations at ENA Symposium: In October 2022, Erasca presented four poster presentations supporting the continued development of ERK1/2 inhibitor ERAS-007, SHP2 inhibitor ERAS-601, CNS-penetrant EGFR inhibitor ERAS-801, and KRAS G12D inhibitor program ERAS-4
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Announced Exclusive Worldwide License Agreement for Naporafenib: In December 2022, Erasca announced our exclusive worldwide license agreement with Novartis for naporafenib, a
pivotal-ready pan-RAF inhibitor with first-in-class and best-in-class potential in NRAS-mutated (NRASm) melanoma, RAS Q61X tissue agnostic solid tumors, and other RAS/MAPK pathway-driven tumors
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Received FDA Clearance of IND Application for ERAS-3490: In December 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared an investigational new drug (IND) application for ERAS-3490 (CNS-penetrant KRAS G12C inhibitor) in KRAS G12C-mutated solid tumors
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Dosed First Patient in MAPKlamp Sub-study of HERKULES-1: In December 2022, Erasca dosed the first patient in the MAPKlamp sub-study of HERKULES-1, a Phase 1b trial evaluating ERK1/2 inhibitor ERAS-007 in combination with SHP2 inhibitor ERAS-601 (together, Erasca’s first MAPKlamp) in patients with RAS/MAPK pathway-altered solid tumors

Corporate Highlights

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Entered into a CTCSA with Pfizer for ERAS-007 Combination: In October 2022, Erasca announced a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement (CTCSA) with Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) in which Pfizer will provide its CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (IBRANCE) at no cost to Erasca in connection with a clinical proof-of-concept trial evaluating ERAS-007 in combination with palbociclib for the treatment of patients with KRAS-mutated (KRASm) or NRASm colorectal cancer (CRC) and KRASm pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer (PDAC) as part of the ongoing Phase 1b/2 HERKULES-3 master protocol in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies
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Entered into a CTCSA with Pierre Fabre for ERAS-007 Combination: In November 2022, Erasca announced a CTCSA with Pierre Fabre in which Pierre Fabre will provide its BRAF inhibitor encorafenib (BRAFTOVI) in certain territories outside of the United States at no cost to Erasca in connection with a clinical proof-of-concept trial evaluating ERAS-007 in combination with encorafenib and cetuximab for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic CRC. This combination is being investigated as part of the ongoing Phase 1b/2 HERKULES-3 master protocol in patients with GI malignancies
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Strengthened Executive Leadership: In November 2022, Erasca promoted Minli Xie, Ph.D., to Senior Vice President of Pharmaceutical Development and Operations
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Pricing of an Underwritten Offering for $100 million: In December 2022, Erasca announced the completion of an underwritten offering of 15,384,616 shares of its common stock at a price of $6.50 per share

Key Upcoming Anticipated Milestones

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SEACRAFT-1: Phase 1b trial for naporafenib in RAS Q61X tissue agnostic solid tumors
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Dosing of the first patient in second half of 2023
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Initial Phase 1b combination data between the second and fourth quarters of 2024
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SEACRAFT-2: Randomized pivotal Phase 3 trial for naporafenib in NRASm melanoma
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Dosing of the first patient in first half of 2024
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HERKULES-1: Phase 1b trial for ERAS-007 plus ERAS-601 in patients with advanced solid tumors
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Initial Phase 1b combination data expected in first half of 2024
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HERKULES-2: Phase 1b trial for ERAS-007 in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
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Initial Phase 1b combination data in first half of 2023
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HERKULES-3: Phase 1b trial for ERAS-007 in patients with GI malignancies
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Initial Phase 1b combination data in RAS- and RAF-mutated GI malignancies in first half of 2023
o
Phase 1b combination expansion data in BRAF-mutated CRC between the second half of 2023 and the first half of 2024
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FLAGSHP-1: Phase 1b trial for ERAS-601 in patients with advanced solid tumors
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Initial Phase 1b combination data in first half of 2023
o
Phase 1b combination data in human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in first half of 2024
•
THUNDERBBOLT-1: Phase 1 trial for ERAS-801 in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)
o
Initial Phase 1 data in recurrent GBM in second half of 2023
•
AURORAS-1: Phase 1 trial for ERAS-3490 in patients with KRAS G12Cm NSCLC
o
Initial Phase 1 data in 2024

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Financial Results

Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities were $435.6 million as of December 31, 2022, compared to $459.2 million as of December 31, 2021. During 2022, Erasca completed a $100 million underwritten offering, raising net proceeds of $94.9 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and other offering expenses. Erasca expects its current cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities balance to fund operations into the second half of 2025.

Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: R&D expenses were $29.4 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, compared to $24.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily driven by expenses incurred in connection with clinical trials, preclinical studies, discovery activities, facilities-related expenses and depreciation, and personnel costs, including stock-based compensation. The quarter ended December 31, 2022 also included $100.0 million of in-process R&D expenses related to the $20.0 million upfront payment and issuance of shares of our common stock to Novartis. R&D expenses were $112.5 million for the full year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $73.9 million for the full year ended December 31, 2021. The full years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 also included $102.0 million and $10.8 million, respectively, of in-process R&D expenses related to upfront and milestone payments and stock issuances under certain of our asset acquisition and license agreements.

General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses: G&A expenses were $8.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, compared to $6.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily driven by personnel costs, including stock-based compensation, legal fees, and facilities and related costs. G&A expenses were $33.0 million for the full year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $22.6 million for the full year ended December 31, 2021. The full year ended December 31, 2021 also included $17.5 million of additional G&A expense for the common shares issued to the Erasca Foundation in conjunction with Erasca’s IPO.

Net Loss: Net loss was $135.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, inclusive of the $100.0 million of in-process R&D expenses recorded in connection with the Novartis license agreement, compared to $30.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. For the full year ended December

31, 2022, Erasca reported a net loss of $242.8 million, inclusive of the $100.0 million of in-process R&D expenses recorded in connection with the Novartis license agreement, or $(1.99) per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $122.8 million, inclusive of the $17.5 million in expense recorded for the common shares issued to the Erasca Foundation, or $(1.85) per basic and diluted share, for the full year ended December 31, 2021.

On March 23, 2023 Equillium, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging a deep understanding of immunobiology to develop novel therapeutics to treat severe autoimmune and inflammatory disorders with high unmet medical need, reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2022 and provided corporate and clinical development updates (Press release, Equillium, MAR 23, 2023, View Source [SID1234629240]).

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"Equillium achieved several significant objectives during 2022, and in the process transformed into a company with a newly diversified pipeline including two wholly-owned, first-in-class clinical-stage assets, a proprietary drug discovery platform and a strong balance sheet expected to fund our development programs through multiple key milestones," said Bruce Steel, chief executive officer at Equillium. "We acquired Bioniz Therapeutics in February last year expanding our pipeline with two multi-cytokine inhibitors, EQ101 and EQ102, that we have since advanced into a Phase 2 clinical study in subjects with alopecia areata and a first-in-human clinical study in healthy volunteers to be followed by patients with celiac disease, respectively. We plan to announce data from both studies in the second half of this year. Based on the initiation of EQUATOR, our pivotal study of itolizumab in first-line acute graft-versus-host disease, and positive interim data from the EQUALISE study of itolizumab in patients with lupus nephritis, we secured a strategic partnership with Ono Pharmaceutical under which they purchased an exclusive option to acquire our rights for the development and commercialization of itolizumab. The partnership came with payments to Equillium totaling $38.6 million during December 2022, funding of itolizumab research and development costs during the option period, and potential future option exercise and milestone payments totaling approximately $139 million1. Based on our strong cash balance and significantly reduced operating burn resulting from the Ono partnership, we expect to be able to fund operations into 2025, and potentially beyond if Ono exercises its option. We look forward to upcoming data from the EQ101 and EQ102 development programs and continuing to advance itolizumab under our Ono partnership."

2022 Corporate Highlights:

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Acquired Bioniz Therapeutics, adding a proprietary product discovery platform and significantly expanding the company’s pipeline of novel immunomodulatory drug candidates, including two first-in-class clinical-stage assets: EQ101, a tri-specific inhibitor of IL-2, IL-9 and IL-15, and EQ102, a bi-specific inhibitor of IL-15 and IL-21.

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Entered into an option and asset purchase agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical for the exclusive option to acquire our development and commercialization rights to itolizumab. Equillium received an upfront payment of $26.4 million and is also eligible to receive up to approximately $139 million1 in option exercise and payments for achieving certain development and commercialization milestones. Equillium will be responsible for conducting all research and development of itolizumab, which will be funded by Ono on a quarterly basis commencing July 1, 2022 through the option period.

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Appointed Barbara Troupin, M.D., to Equillium’s board of directors.

1
Option exercise payment is denominated in Japanese yen (5 billion) and subject to currency exchange rates at the time of payment (U.S. dollar amount estimated above is based on the exchange rate as quoted by MUFG Bank, Ltd. on March 16, 2023). R&D funding and milestone payments are denominated in U.S. dollars.

2022 Clinical Highlights:

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Initiated a multicenter, Phase 2 open-label, proof-of-concept clinical study of EQ101 in adult subjects with at least 35% scalp hair loss due to alopecia areata. Approximately 30 subjects will be enrolled in the study where they will be dosed intravenously once weekly for 24 weeks. Subcutaneous formulation development of EQ101 is ongoing and expected to be ready for subsequent clinical studies.

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Initiated a Phase 1 first-in-human randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of EQ102 administered subcutaneously in single ascending dose (SAD) and multiple ascending dose (MAD) cohorts in up to 64 healthy volunteers.

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Initiated EQUATOR, a pivotal Phase 3 randomized, double-blind clinical study of up to 200 patients to assess the efficacy and safety of itolizumab versus placebo as a first-line therapy for acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in combination with corticosteroids.

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Announced positive interim results from the Type B portion of the EQUALISE study of itolizumab in subjects with lupus nephritis

Anticipated Upcoming Milestones:

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EQ101: Phase 2 clinical study in subjects with alopecia areata – initial data anticipated in 2H 2023, topline data anticipated in mid-2024

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EQ102: Phase 1 first-in-human study in healthy volunteers and subjects with celiac disease – SAD/MAD data anticipated in 2H 2023, celiac disease patient data anticipated in 2024

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Itolizumab: EQUALISE lupus nephritis topline data anticipated in 1H 2024, EQUATOR aGVHD interim review anticipated in 2024

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Financial Results

Revenue for the fourth quarter and full year of 2022 was $15.8 million and was derived from the company’s asset purchase agreement with Ono. There was no revenue recognized in the year ended December 31, 2021.

Research and development (R&D) expenses for the fourth quarter of 2022 were $8.5 million, compared with $7.5 million for the same period in 2021. For the full year of 2022, R&D expenses were $37.5 million, compared with $26.4 million for the full year of 2021. The year-over-year increase in R&D expenses was driven by start-up costs related to our Phase 3 EQUATOR clinical study and to a lesser extent start-up costs related to our EQ101 and EQ102 clinical studies, an increase in non-clinical research expenses and employee compensation and benefits, offset by a greater estimated Australian R&D Tax Incentive benefit and lower costs associated with our other itolizumab clinical studies.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses for the fourth quarter of 2022 were $5.2 million, compared with $2.8 million for the same period in 2021. For the full year of 2022, G&A expenses were $17.2 million, compared with $11.4 million for the full year of 2021. The year-over-year increase was primarily driven by increased legal expenses related to business development activities, greater headcount and consulting expenses, the non-cash write-off of issuance costs related to certain financings where future proceeds were unlikely, and greater overhead expenses.

Net Income for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $2.8 million, or $0.08 per basic share and diluted share, compared with a net loss of $10.6 million, or $(0.36) per basic and diluted share for the same period in 2021. Net loss for the full year of 2022 was $62.4 million, or $(1.85) per basic and diluted share, compared with a net loss of $39.1 million, or $(1.36) per basic and diluted share for the full year of 2021. The increase in net loss for the full year of 2022 compared to the full year of 2021 was driven primarily by greater operating expenses, including a non-cash in-process R&D expense related to the acquisition of Bioniz in 2022, partially offset by revenue recognized in the fourth quarter of 2022 related to the Ono partnership.

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $71.0 million as of December 31, 2022, compared to $80.7 million as of December 31, 2021. Cash provided by operating activities in the fourth quarter of 2022 was $27.7 million. Non-GAAP Adjusted Cash Used in Operations in the fourth quarter of 2022 was $5.2 million, which excludes the one-time upfront payment from Ono and is further adjusted by incorporating only the development funding received from Ono pertaining to itolizumab development costs in the fourth quarter of 2022. Equillium believes that its cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund its currently planned operations into 2025.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited)

In this release, we use the metric of Adjusted Cash Used in Operations, which is a non-GAAP financial measure and is not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). Adjusted Cash Used in Operations reflects adjustments to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities to exclude the effects of any one-time payments from Ono and quarterly development funding received in but unrelated to the period, and add any quarterly development funding amounts receivable related to development costs in the period.

We believe Adjusted Cash Used in Operations is a useful metric to investors as a supplement to GAAP measures in the assessment of our operating cash burn because it removes the effects of any one-time payments, which are not indicative of our ongoing cash flow from operations, and it provides better matching of the timing of itolizumab development funding payments with the associated itolizumab development costs. However, Adjusted Cash Used in Operations may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter, and the estimate provided for one quarter should not be assumed to be representative of other quarters. In addition, this non-GAAP financial measure may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies, even when the same or similarly titled terms are used to identify such measures, limiting their usefulness for comparative purposes.

This non-GAAP financial measure is not meant to be considered in isolation or used as a substitute for net cash provided by (used in) operating activities reported in accordance with GAAP; should be considered in conjunction with our financial information presented in accordance with GAAP; has no standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP; is unaudited; and is not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. In addition, from time to time in the future, there may be other items that we may exclude for purposes of this non-GAAP financial measure, and we may in the future cease to exclude items that we have historically excluded for purposes of this non-GAAP financial measure. Likewise, we may determine to modify the nature of adjustments to arrive at this non-GAAP financial measure. Because of the non-standardized definitions of non-GAAP financial measures, the non-GAAP financial measure as used by us in this press release and the accompanying reconciliation table has limits in its usefulness to investors and may be calculated differently from, and therefore may not be directly comparable to, similarly titled measures used by other companies. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of this non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure are presented in the table at the end of this release.

About Multi-Cytokine Platform and EQ101 & EQ102

Our proprietary multi-cytokine platform generates rationally designed composite peptides that selectively block key cytokines at the shared receptor level targeting pathogenic cytokine redundancies and synergies while preserving non-pathogenic signaling. This approach is expected to avoid the broad immuno-suppression and off-target safety liabilities that may be associated with other therapeutic classes, such as Janus kinase inhibitors. Many immune-mediated diseases are driven by the same combination of dysregulated cytokines, and we believe identifying the key cytokines for these diseases will allow us to target and develop customized treatment strategies for multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Current platform assets include EQ101, a first-in-class, selective, tri-specific inhibitor of IL-2, IL-9 and IL-15, and EQ102, a first-in-class, selective, bi-specific inhibitor of IL-15 and IL-21.

About Itolizumab

Itolizumab is a clinical-stage, first-in-class anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody that selectively targets the CD6-ALCAM signaling pathway to selectively downregulate pathogenic T effector cells while preserving T regulatory cells critical for maintaining a balanced immune response. This pathway plays a central role in modulating the activity and trafficking of T cells that drive a number of immuno-inflammatory diseases.

On March 23, 2023 Cyteir Therapeutics, Inc. ("Cyteir") (Nasdaq: CYT), a clinical stage oncology company, reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022 and provided an update on recent operational highlights (Press release, Cyteir Therapeutics, MAR 23, 2023, View Source [SID1234629239]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

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"We continue to be encouraged by the early clinical activity of CYT-0851 in ovarian cancer and are committed to bringing CYT-0851 to patients," said Markus Renschler, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cyteir. "Our significant cash runway gives us the resources to focus our development on CYT-0851 and into a potentially registrational trial as early as the second half of 2024."

Recent Updates to the CYT-0851 Clinical Program

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In January, Cyteir reported encouraging preliminary clinical activity in the Phase 1 dose escalation cohorts with CYT-0851, an investigational oral monocarboxylate transporter inhibitor, in combination with capecitabine for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. Cyteir announced the prioritization of development of CYT-0851 in combination with capecitabine in advanced ovarian cancer and deferred development of additional indications with this combination. Cyteir plans to enroll up to an additional nine patients with advanced ovarian cancer in the capecitabine combination at the 400 mg CYT-0851 dose level. If supported by the data and regulatory feedback, Cyteir intends to pursue development and potential registration of CYT-0851 in combination with capecitabine as an all-oral treatment for platinum resistant ovarian cancer. Preliminary data on the combination with capecitabine are expected to be disclosed in mid-2023.
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Enrollment in the Phase 1 dose escalation cohorts of CYT-0851 in combination with gemcitabine in solid tumors continues. This combination is currently being evaluated at 300 mg of CYT-0851 in combination with gemcitabine, and if deemed tolerable, will advance to 400 mg of CYT-0851 in combination with gemcitabine. Preliminary data from the Phase 1 dose escalation cohorts of CYT-0851 in combination with gemcitabine are expected to be disclosed in mid-2023.

Recent Business Updates

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In conjunction with the prioritization of the clinical plan for CYT-0851, Cyteir also ceased all discovery projects focused on identifying inhibitors of DNA damage repair. Cyteir is pursuing out licensing of its preclinical pipeline

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Financial Results

Cash and cash equivalents: Cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2022 were $147.1 million, which are expected to fund planned operations into 2026.

Research and development (R&D) expenses: R&D expenses were $7.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 versus $8.3 million for the same period in 2021 and $34.6 million for the full year 2022 versus $31.0 million for full year 2021. The year-over-year increase in R&D spending was due primarily to increased headcount and research activity. The decrease in fourth quarter 2022 R&D spending versus 2021 was due to lower clinical trial costs.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses: G&A expenses were $2.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2021 and $13.5 million for the full year 2022 compared to $11.3 million for full year 2021. The year-over-year increase in full year 2022 G&A expenses was primarily due to employee-related costs, as well as other administrative expenses associated with company growth and operating as a public company. The decrease in fourth quarter 2022 G&A spending versus 2021 was due to lower employee-related costs and other administrative expenses.

Net loss: Net loss was $8.8 million, or $0.25 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to $11.8 million, or $0.34 per share, for the same period in 2021. For the full year 2022, net loss was $46.1 million, or $1.31 per share compared to $42.1 million, or $2.16 per share for full year 2021.