On March 7, 2024 Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONCT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel oncology therapies, reported a business update and provided fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results (Press release, Oncternal Therapeutics, MAR 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234640932]).

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"We are encouraged by the progress in our clinical programs and their potential to address significant unmet needs in advanced prostate cancer and aggressive B-cell malignancies. Our Phase 1 study of ONCT-534 in patients with R/R mCRPC is progressing through the initial dose escalation portion of the study according to plan and we look forward to an initial clinical readout in the second quarter of this year that will include response readouts from patients dosed at potentially therapeutic levels. We continue to believe that the novel mechanism of action of ONCT-534 and the wealth of preclinical data we generated underpins its potential to address the needs of prostate cancer patients who progress after treatment with approved AR pathway inhibitors," said James Breitmeyer, M.D., Ph.D., Oncternal’s President and CEO. "Our ROR1 CAR T program showed encouraging initial response results and we believe that the protocol amendments will further ensure patient safety as we investigate the optimal dose of ONCT-808 for patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B cell lymphoma, including patients who have relapsed after CD19 CAR T treatment."

Recent Highlights

In January 2024, we announced that two patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) were enrolled into the third dosing cohort (160 mg daily) in the Phase 1/2 dose escalation/dose expansion study of ONCT-534, our novel dual-action androgen receptor inhibitor (DAARI). The third cohort is now fully enrolled.
In December 2023, we updated the status of our dose escalation/dose expansion Phase 1/2 Study ONCT-808-101, evaluating our ROR1-targeting autologous CAR T cell therapy ONCT-808 for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma, including patients who have failed previous CD19 CAR T treatment.
Encouraging response signal at the initial dose of 1×106 CAR T cells per kg, with two of the three patients achieving complete metabolic response (CMR) and the third achieving a partial response (PR) by FDG PET-CT.
Common adverse events in the initial dosing cohort included decreased blood counts, pneumonia and Grade 1-2 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) as of a 4 December 2023 data cutoff.
The first patient treated at the second dose level of 3×106 CAR T cells per kg, an 80-year-old with bulky disease who had received four previous lines of therapy including CD19 CAR T, experienced a Grade 5 (fatal) serious adverse event consistent with CRS and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). No evidence of his lymphoma was found histologically, based on the patient’s initial autopsy report.
In alignment with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the company decided to implement protocol changes that include modified eligibility criteria and testing lower doses for future patients in the study.
In January 2024, we announced a 1-for-20 reverse stock split of our common stock and regained compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement.
Expected Upcoming Milestones

ONCT-534, our dual-action androgen receptor inhibitor
Initial clinical data update in the second quarter of 2024
Additional clinical data readouts in the fourth quarter of 2024
ONCT-808, our autologous ROR1-targeted CAR T cell therapy
Clinical data update in mid-2024
Additional clinical data readouts in the fourth quarter of 2024

On March 7, 2024 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), a clinical-stage immunotherapeutics company focused on oncology, reported recent operational highlights and financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023 (Press release, Oncolytics Biotech, MAR 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234640931]). All dollar amounts are expressed in Canadian currency unless otherwise noted.

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"Positive 2023 data further de-risked pelareorep and re-defined Oncolytics as a late-stage cancer company. Data from the randomized BRACELET-1 breast cancer trial in HR+/HER2- metastatic patients, reported in June using a March 3, 2023 cut-off date, nearly tripled response rates in the test arm compared to the control arm. Additionally, median progression-free survival was 50% higher in the test arm, and the hazard ratio was 0.29. In the coming months, we expect to report overall survival results from the BRACELET-1 study and define a registrational path that will focus on patients with metastatic HR+/HER2- disease and utilize a pelareorep/paclitaxel combination. Productive, ongoing discussions with our clinical collaborators and potential strategic partners have sharpened and enriched our thinking on the design of this study," said Dr. Matt Coffey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oncolytics.

"Our gastrointestinal-focused GOBLET Phase 1/2 study showed that pelareorep combinations provided clinically impactful improvements in objective response rates compared to historical controls, especially in the pancreatic and anal cancer cohorts, and with no toxicity concerns. With these results in hand, we have expanded enrollment in the anal cancer cohort, and, in pancreatic cancer, we intend to initiate an adaptive trial in first-line patients this year. This registration-enabled study will be a landmark achievement for Oncolytics and evaluate the GOBLET pancreatic cohort treatment regimen that was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA. Additionally, the planned PanCAN-supported trial utilizing a modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX)-pelareorep combination could expand our pancreatic cancer program to include both of the most widely used treatment backbones, which may result in broad adoption of pelareorep as a therapeutic solution in this indication.

New translational data in breast and pancreatic cancer reported in the fourth quarter continued to highlight pelareorep’s role in stimulating tumor-directed immune responses and shaping the tumor microenvironment, affirming its immunotherapeutic mechanism of action (MOA). These studies also point to the potential use of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, or TILs, as a clinical biomarker for future studies and patient care based on a positive association with tumor responses. We are optimistic about the potential for pelareorep to provide improved outcomes for cancer patients and look forward to updating investors and our key stakeholders on our registrational readiness and progress as the year unfolds," concluded Dr. Coffey.

Fourth Quarter and Subsequent Highlights

Expansion of enrollment in the GOBLET anal carcinoma cohort. Cohort 4 of the GOBLET study evaluates pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in patients with second-line or later unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCA). The cohort was expanded (link to the PR) based on positive preliminary data from Stage 1 of the study, presented at the 2nd International Multidisciplinary Anal Cancer Conference (IMACC), showing that the combination of pelareorep and atezolizumab provided a 37.5% objective response rate, including one patient with a long-lasting complete response, and good overall tolerability (link to the PR, link to the poster). These data represent a meaningful contrast to recent clinical trial results, which showed that second-line or later anal carcinoma patients treated with checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy experienced response rates of 10-14%1-3. With a modest expansion of fewer than 20 patients, there could be a sufficient efficacy signal to move to a registrational study.

Additional positive data from the gastrointestinal cancer Phase 1/2 GOBLET study. Pancreatic and colorectal cancer data were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress 2023. Additional data were reported from Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients in cohort 1, including median progression-free survival and interim median overall survival rates that exceed historical control results (link to the PR, link to the poster). Third-line metastatic colorectal cancer patients receiving pelareorep, atezolizumab, and trifluridine/tipiracil (Cohort 3) recorded a 40% disease control rate and met the pre-specified success criteria according to the Simon two-stage methodology (link to the PR, link to the poster). All three GOBLET study cohorts that have completed Stage 1 met the pre-specified success criteria.

Filed amendment to initiate Phase 1/2 pancreatic cancer study with support from PanCAN. Cohort 5 of the GOBLET study will evaluate pelareorep in combination with mFOLFIRINOX with and without atezolizumab in newly diagnosed PDAC patients. Having filed the amendment to the GOBLET study, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (Germany’s regulatory body) must approve this change before patient enrollment in this cohort can begin (link to the PR). The study is being supported by a US$5 million Therapeutic Accelerator Award grant from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), an innovative program established to accelerate the development of new treatments for pancreatic cancer.

Positive translational data from further analysis of the AWARE-1 breast cancer and GOBLET studies. AWARE-1 data presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) 38th Annual Meeting and the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2023 underscored pelareorep’s MOA as an immunotherapeutic agent. These data showed the expansion of T cell populations in both the tumor and blood in patients treated with pelareorep. Importantly, translational data from pancreatic cancer patients reported at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) showed a correlation between tumor response and the expansion of TIL clones in the blood. This expansion of tumor resident T cells demonstrates that pelareorep treatment can increase the population of presumed tumor-reactive inflammatory cells and could become an informative biomarker of clinical outcomes to be used in future clinical studies and guide patient care.

Addition of new Director, Pat Andrews. Pat Andrews joined the Oncolytics Board of Directors and brings experience navigating registrational trials in oncology and completing significant business development agreements. Her addition expands the strategic expertise of the Board, helping to accelerate the company’s registrational plans and transformational mindset as a late-stage oncology company.

Financial Highlights

•As of December 31, 2023, the Company reported $34.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, with a projected cash runway for at least 12 months.

•Net cash used in operating activities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 was $28.4 million, compared to $23.4 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022. The change reflected higher net operating activities.

•General and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $4.2 million, compared to $3.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2022. The increase was primarily due to higher investor relations activities and changes in personnel costs.

•Research and development expenses for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $4.7 million, compared to $4.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2022. The decrease was primarily due to lower GOBLET and BRACELET-1 study costs, as well as reduced clinical and safety data management. The decrease was partly offset by higher manufacturing expenses related to the preparation and start of a production run.

•The net loss for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $3.9 million, compared to a net loss of $8.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2022. The basic and diluted loss per share was $0.05 in the fourth

quarter of 2023, compared to a basic and diluted loss per share of $0.14 in the fourth quarter of 2022. The net loss for the fourth quarter of 2023 included a $4.8 million gain mainly related to the change in fair value of the warrants issued as part of our 2023 public offering.

Anticipated Milestones

•H1 2024: Guidance on the registration path for HR+/HER2- mBC (metastatic breast cancer)
•H1 2024: Initiation of the Phase 1/2 PDAC trial incorporating pelareorep/mFOLFIRINOX +/- atezolizumab and supported by PanCAN
•2024: Initiation of the adaptive registration-enabling trial for pelareorep in first-line metastatic PDAC
•H2 2024: Overall survival results from the BRACELET-1 trial

Webcast and Conference Call

Management will host a conference call for analysts and investors at 4:30 p.m. ET today, March 7, 2024. To access the call, please dial (888) 664-6383 (North America) or (416) 764-8650 (International), and if needed, provide Conference ID: 6244-5815. To join the conference call without operator assistance, please click here. A live webcast of the call will also be available by clicking here or on the Investor Relations page of Oncolytics’ website, available by clicking here, and will be archived for three months. A dial-in replay will be available for one week and can be accessed by dialing (888) 390-0541 (North America) or (416) 764-8677 (International) and using replay code: 445-815#.

On March 7, 2024 Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MACK) ("Merrimack" or the "Company") reported its full year 2023 financial results for the period ended December 31, 2023 (Press release, Merrimack, MAR 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234640929]).

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"As Ipsen reported in February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the supplemental new drug application for Onivyde (irinotecan liposome injection) plus 5 fluorouracil/leucovorin and oxaliplatin (NALIRIFOX) as a first-line treatment for people living with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC)" said Gary Crocker, CEO and Chairman of Merrimack’s Board of Directors. "This approval triggers a $225 million payment which is due from Ipsen to Merrimack before the end of March. We expect to hold a special meeting of stockholders to approve a Plan of Dissolution and a liquidating dividend payable to stockholders. We currently anticipate the initial liquidating dividend to be in the range of between approximately $14.65 and $15.35 per share."

Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Merrimack reported net loss of $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, or $0.08 per basic share, compared to a net loss of $1.5 million, or $0.11 per basic share, for the same period in 2022.

Merrimack reported a gain on sale of assets for the year ended December 31, 2023, of $0.1 million compared to $0.4 million for the same period in 2022.

General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $2.2 million, compared to $2.2 million for the same period in 2022.

As of December 31, 2023, Merrimack had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $18.9 million, compared to $19.4 million as of December 31, 2022.

As of December 31, 2023, Merrimack had 14.4 million shares of common stock outstanding.

Updates on Programs Underlying Potential Milestone Payments and Planned Dissolution

On February 13, 2024, we announced that Ipsen S.A. announced it had received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, to market ONIVYDE as a first-line treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma on the pancreas. As a result of this approval by the FDA, we are entitled to receive a $225 million milestone payment from Ipsen, which is expected to be received by the end of March 2024.

Merrimack’s Board of Directors has evaluated the likelihood of receiving additional milestone payments under the Ipsen Agreement and from the 2019 Agreement with Elevation Oncology and has concluded that it is unlikely that any additional milestone payments from either agreement will become payable. The Plan of Dissolution will include establishment of a liquidating trust for the benefit of stockholders in the unlikely event that Merrimack might receive any future milestone payments from Ipsen or Elevation Technology.

On March 7, 2024 MacroGenics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGNX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, reported an update on its recent corporate progress and announced financial results for the year ended December 31, 2023 (Press release, MacroGenics, MAR 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234640928]).

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"We expect that 2024 will be an important year for MacroGenics, with multiple pipeline advancements anticipated," said Scott Koenig, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of MacroGenics. "Late last year, we completed enrollment of 177 patients in the TAMARACK Phase 2 study of vobra duo, which was ahead of schedule. We plan to present the initial TAMARACK clinical data in the second quarter of this year. Later in the year, we expect to share updated clinical data from the trial. In addition, we continue to enroll the LORIKEET Phase 2 study of lorigerlimab in mCRPC and expect to start enrolling patients in the dose expansion portion of the combination study of vobra duo and lorigerlimab. Finally, we are excited about the potential of our topoisomerase I inhibitor-based ADCs, including MGC026, for which we recently began a Phase 1 study, and MGC028, for which we anticipate submitting an IND by year end."

Updates on Proprietary Investigational Programs

Recent progress and anticipated events related to MacroGenics’ investigational product candidates are highlighted below.

Vobramitamab duocarmazine (vobra duo) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets B7-H3, an antigen with broad expression across multiple solid tumors and a member of the B7 family of molecules involved in immune regulation.
MacroGenics completed enrollment of the TAMARACK Phase 2 study of vobra duo in November 2023. A total of 177 patients have been dosed in the study, exceeding the study design goal of 100 participants. TAMARACK is being conducted in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who were previously treated with one prior androgen receptor axis-targeted therapy (ARAT). Participants may have received up to one prior taxane-containing regimen, but no other chemotherapy agents. The TAMARACK study is designed to evaluate vobra duo at two different doses: 2.0 mg/kg or 2.7 mg/kg every four weeks (q4W).

In late January 2024, the TAMARACK independent data safety monitoring committee (IDSMC) recommended continuing the study. Also, in early February, MacroGenics submitted an abstract to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) that included the safety data reviewed by the IDSMC, based on a January 2024 data cut-off. The Company anticipates presenting updated safety and preliminary efficacy data at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper).
MacroGenics intends to expand the TAMARACK study of vobra duo by enrolling patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and anal cancer. The Company expects to initiate dosing in these additional cohorts in mid-2024.
MacroGenics continues to enroll a Phase 1/2 dose escalation study of vobra duo in combination with lorigerlimab in patients with various advanced solid tumors. The Company anticipates commencing a dose expansion study of this combination in mCRPC and at least one additional indication in 2024.
Lorigerlimab is a bispecific, tetravalent PD-1 × CTLA-4 DART molecule. MacroGenics is enrolling LORIKEET, a randomized Phase 2 study of lorigerlimab in combination with docetaxel vs. docetaxel alone in second-line, chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients. A total of 150 patients are planned to be treated in the 2:1 randomized study. The current trial design includes a primary study endpoint of radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS). The Company anticipates providing a study update in the second half of 2024.
MGD024 is a next-generation, humanized CD123 × CD3 DART molecule designed to minimize cytokine-release syndrome, while maintaining anti-tumor cytolytic activity, and permitting intermittent dosing through a longer half-life. MacroGenics continues to enroll patients in a Phase 1 dose-escalation study of MGD024 in patients with CD123-positive neoplasms, including acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.
MGC026 is a clinical ADC directed against B7-H3, incorporating a novel site-specific linker and topoisomerase I inhibitor-based cytotoxic payload developed by Synaffix (a Lonza company). With distinct mechanisms of action, vobra duo and MGC026 may address different cancers, tumor stages, or be used in combination with alternate agents — or potentially with one another — to enhance their clinical utility. The Company plans to present MGC026 preclinical data at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in April 2024. MacroGenics recently initiated a Phase 1 dose escalation study of MGC026 in patients with advanced solid tumors.
MGC028 is a preclinical ADC incorporating an ADAM9-targeting antibody and represents the second MacroGenics ADC molecule that incorporates Synaffix’s novel site-specific linker and topoisomerase I inhibitor-based cytotoxic payload. ADAM9 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain 9) is a member of the ADAM family of multifunctional type 1 transmembrane proteins that play a role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression and is overexpressed in multiple cancers, making it an attractive target for cancer treatment. MacroGenics plans to present preclinical data for MGC028 at the upcoming AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in April and currently anticipates submitting an investigational new drug (IND) application for MGC028 by the end of 2024.

MGC028 is the second ADAM9-targeted ADC that MacroGenics has pursued. The first was IMGC936, a molecule with a maytansinoid payload that was advanced under a co-development arrangement with ImmunoGen, Inc. (ImmunoGen, now part of AbbVie). Under the 50/50 collaboration, ImmunoGen led clinical development and completed initial Phase 1 dose escalation and dose expansion studies. Neither MacroGenics nor AbbVie intends to further pursue development of IMGC936 as the molecule did not achieve pre-established clinical safety and efficacy benchmarks. The Company believes ADAM9 remains a promising target for delivery of an alternative cytotoxic payload.
Enoblituzumab is an Fc-optimized monoclonal antibody that targets B7-H3. MacroGenics’ academic collaborators have initiated the HEAT study, an investigator-sponsored, randomized Phase 2 clinical trial. This study will evaluate the activity of neoadjuvant enoblituzumab given prior to radical prostatectomy in up to 219 men with high-risk localized prostate cancer.
2023 Financial Results

Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities balance as of December 31, 2023, was $229.8 million, compared to $154.3 million as of December 31, 2022.
Revenue: Total revenue was $58.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to total revenue of $151.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in revenue from collaborative and other agreements.
R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $166.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $207.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was primarily due to decreased manufacturing-related costs for vobra duo, decreased development and clinical trial costs related to margetuximab, and decreased costs related to discontinued studies, partially offset by increased expenses related to MGC026 and MGC028 development.
SG&A Expenses: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $52.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $58.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was primarily related to decreased selling costs for MARGENZA.
Other Income: During the year ended December 31, 2023, MacroGenics received $100.0 million proceeds from the sale of its single-digit royalty interest on global net sales of TZIELD to DRI Healthcare Acquisitions LP. In addition, the Company received a $50.0 million milestone payment from Sanofi S.A. related to the achievement of a primary endpoint in a TZIELD clinical study. Under GAAP guidelines and pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification 470, this combined $150.0 million was included in Other Income as a "Gain on royalty monetization arrangement" in 2023.
Net Loss: Net loss was $9.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to net loss of $119.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Shares Outstanding: Shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2023 were 62,070,627.
Cash Runway Guidance: MacroGenics anticipates that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities balance of $229.8 million as of December 31, 2023, in addition to projected and anticipated future payments from partners and product revenues should extend its cash runway into 2026. The Company’s expected funding requirements reflect anticipated expenditures related to the Phase 2 TAMARACK clinical trial, the Phase 2 LORIKEET study as well as MacroGenics’ other ongoing clinical and preclinical studies.
Conference Call Information

To participate via telephone, please register in advance at this link. Upon registration, all telephone participants will receive a confirmation email detailing how to join the conference call, including the dial-in number along with a unique passcode and registrant ID that can be used to access the call.

The listen-only webcast of the conference call can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investor Relations section of MacroGenics’ website at View Source A recorded replay of the webcast will be available shortly after the conclusion of the call and archived on MacroGenics’ website for 30 days following the call.

On March 7, 2024 Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic cell therapies for unmet medical needs, reported its fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial and operating results and will host a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results and provide a business update (Press release, Lineage Cell Therapeutics, MAR 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234640927]).

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"Throughout 2023, our team has continued to advance our clinical and preclinical pipeline of differentiated cell transplant programs," stated Brian M. Culley, Lineage CEO. "The most important area of attention has remained our partnership with Roche and Genentech and the support we provide to the ongoing Phase 2a clinical study of OpRegen in patients with geographic atrophy secondary to AMD. With the recent clearance of our IND amendment for OPC1, we are excited for the opportunity to return this program back into the clinic in both subacute and, for the first time, chronic spinal cord injury patients. Following the closing of our recent financing, a transaction conducted without a discount or warrants, our balance sheet has been strengthened, which will help us advance our programs and reach important milestones this year that can help provide a meaningful impact for patients."

2023 Select Development Highlights

RG6501 (OpRegen)
Continued execution under our collaboration with Roche and Genentech across multiple functional areas, including support for the ongoing Phase 2a clinical study in patients with geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Long-term follow-up of patients from the Phase 1/2a clinical study of OpRegen:
Positive clinical data presented at 2023 Eyecelerator, 23rd EU RETINA Congress, and 2023 ARVO Annual Meetings.
U.S. Patent No.11,746,324 entitled "Large Scale Production of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells," issued.
OPC1
Submitted an Investigational New Drug Amendment (INDa) for OPC1 for the treatment of chronic and subacute spinal cord injury to enable initiation of DOSED (Delivery of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells for Spinal Cord Injury: Evaluation of a Novel Device) clinical study in subacute and chronic spinal cord patients. INDa clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in February 2024.
Received CIRM grant to support the 1st Annual Spinal Cord Injury Investor Symposium, hosted in partnership with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
Preclinical Programs
Reported positive ANP1 initial proof of concept results from collaboration with the University of Michigan; initial results demonstrated delivery, engraftment, and survival of ANP1 cells into specific target areas, supporting advancement of program into functional preclinical testing.
Initiated development activities for hypoimmune pluripotent cell line for neurology indications under collaboration with Eterna Therapeutics.
Balance Sheet Highlights

Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of $35.5 million as of December 31, 2023, together with the approximate $13.8 million in net proceeds from the registered direct offering of our common shares completed in February 2024, is expected to support planned operations into Q3 2025.

Fourth Quarter Operating Results

Revenues: Lineage’s revenue is generated primarily from collaboration revenues and royalties. Total revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2023 were approximately $2.1 million, a net increase of $0.2 million as compared to $1.9 million for the same period in 2022.

Operating Expenses: Operating expenses are comprised of research and development ("R&D") expenses and general and administrative ("G&A") expenses. Total operating expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2023 were $8.2 million, a decrease of $0.3 million as compared to $8.5 million for the same period in 2022.

R&D Expenses: R&D expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2023 were $3.9 million, a decrease of $0.2 million as compared to $4.1 million for the same period in 2022. The net decrease was primarily driven by $0.2 million in OpRegen program expenses and $0.4 million for other research and development expense programs, partially offset by $0.2 million in OPC1 program expenses and $0.2 million for preclinical programs.

G&A Expenses: G&A expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2023 of $4.3 million were in line with expenses for the same period in 2022.

Loss from Operations: Loss from operations for the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $6.4 million, a decrease of $0.2 million as compared to $6.6 million for the same period in 2022.

Other Income/(Expenses), Net: Other income/(expenses), net for the three months ended December 31, 2023 reflected other income of $1.6 million, compared to other income of $0.3 million for the same period in 2022. The net change was primarily driven by exchange rate fluctuations related to Lineage’s international subsidiaries and fair market value changes in marketable equity securities.

Net Loss Attributable to Lineage: The net loss attributable to Lineage for the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $4.8 million, or $0.03 per share (basic and diluted), compared to a net loss of $6.4 million, or $0.03 per share (basic and diluted), for the same period in 2022.

Full Year Operating Results

Revenues: Lineage’s revenue is generated primarily from licensing fees, collaboration revenues, royalties, and research grants. Total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $8.9 million, a decrease of $5.8 million as compared to $14.7 million for the same period in 2022. The decrease was primarily driven by lower collaboration and licensing revenue recognized from deferred revenues under the collaboration and license agreement with Roche.

Operating Expenses: Operating expenses are comprised of R&D expenses and G&A expenses. Total operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $33.0 million, a decrease of $3.5 million as compared to $36.5 million for the same period in 2022.

R&D Expenses: R&D expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $15.7 million, an increase of $1.7 million as compared to $14.0 million for the same period in 2022. The increase was primarily driven by $0.4 million in OpRegen program expenses, $1.2 million in OPC1 program expenses, and $2.0 million in preclinical programs. These increases were partially offset by $1.9 million in other research and development programs, primarily related to reduced manufacturing activities.

G&A Expenses: G&A expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $17.3 million, a decrease of approximately $5.2 million as compared to $22.5 million for the same period in 2022. The decrease was primarily attributable to $4.2 million in lower litigation and legal expenses, as well as an overall reduction in costs incurred for services provided by third parties, consulting costs, and rent-related expenses.

Loss from Operations: Loss from operations for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $24.7 million, an increase of $2.2 million as compared to $22.5 million for the same period in 2022.

Other Income/(Expenses), Net: Other income (expenses), net for the year ended December 31, 2023 reflected other income of $1.5 million, compared to other expense of ($3.3) million for the same period in 2022. The net change was primarily attributable to fluctuations in intercompany balances and related exchange rates applicable to Lineage’s international subsidiaries, as well as fair market value changes in marketable equity securities.

Net Loss Attributable to Lineage: The net loss attributable to Lineage for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $21.5 million, or $0.12 per share (basic and diluted), compared to a net loss of $26.3 million, or $0.15 per share (basic and diluted), for 2022.

Conference Call and Webcast

Interested parties may access the conference call on March 7th, 2024, by dialing (800) 715-9871 from the U.S. and Canada and should request the "Lineage Cell Therapeutics Call." A live webcast of the conference call will be available online in the Investors section of Lineage’s website. A replay of the webcast will be available on Lineage’s website for 30 days and a telephone replay will be available through March 14, 2024, by dialing (800) 770-2030 from the U.S. and Canada and entering conference ID number 8345585.