Medigene AG Reports Half-Year 2024 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

On August 13, 2024 Medigene AG (Medigene or the "Company", FSE: MDG1, Prime Standard), an oncology platform company focused on the research and development of T cell receptor (TCR)-guided therapies for the treatment of cancer, reported financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2024, and provided a corporate update (Press release, MediGene, AUG 13, 2024, View Source [SID1234645825]).

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The half-year 2024 earnings report can be found on the website: View Source

Select Half-Year 2024 Financial Results:

Revenues in the reporting period amounted to EUR 4.5 million, an increase of 46% compared to EUR 3.1 million in the first half of 2023. This increase compared to the first half of 2023 is due to the reversal of the remaining contractual liability to Hongsheng Sciences HK Limited (EUR 1.5 million) following the termination of the partnership.

General & administrative expenses decreased by 5% to EUR 4.1 million in the first half of 2024 (6M 2023: EUR 4.3 million including selling expenses), in particular due to lower personnel expenses.

Research and development expenses increased by 21% to EUR 6.3 million in the first half of 2024 (6M 2023: EUR 5.2 million). The reason for the increase is the focus on the development of TCR-T therapies (MDG1015, MDG2011 and MDG2021) for the treatment of solid tumors and preparatory activities for clinical trials (MDG1015).

The net result of the first half of 2024 improved by EUR 0.3 million to EUR -6.7 million compared to the first half of 2023 (6M 2023: EUR -7.0 million).

As of June 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 14.0 million (December 31, 2023: EUR 16.7 million including time deposits). There were no open credit lines.

"In the first half of 2024, we are delighted to have again delivered on all the elements of our corporate strategy. We significantly advanced our End-to-End Platform, adding new technologies such as our innovative Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) Biosensor and our novel TCR-specific antigen-antibody combination technology, UniTope & TraCR. We advanced our lead program MDG1015 towards a first-in-human clinical trial, which is expected to start by the end of 2024 subject to additional financing," said Selwyn Ho, Chief Executive Officer of Medigene." We also successfully closed an oversubscribed capital raise with subscription rights resulting in gross proceeds of approximately EUR 5.9 million, which allowed us to extend our cash runway into July 2025. In addition, we announced our new strategic partnership with WuXi Biologics last week, expanding the ability to apply Medigene’s TCRs into new modalities, such as TCR-guided T cell engagers, to create additional value beyond TCR-T therapies for both, patients and our shareholders."

Financial Guidance 2024:

Performance in the first half of 2024 was in line with the Executive Management Board’s expectations.

On May 8, 2024, the Company reported that it had successfully completed an oversubscribed capital raise with gross proceeds of approximately EUR 5.9 million. The Company therefore amended its guidance and extended its cash runway into July 2025 (initial 2024 guidance: cash runway into April 2025).

Research and development costs were also amended and are expected to increase from prior estimates of EUR 11.0 to 13.0 million to EUR 11.5 to 13.5 million in 2024 to support additional activities enabling first patient enrollment for MDG1015 Phase 1 clinical trial by the end of 2024, subject to further financing.

The Company maintained its guidance on expected revenues to be between EUR 9.0 and 11.0 million (unchanged) in 2024.

These projections include potential future milestone payments from existing partnerships that are highly likely to materialize(see Annual Report 2023). They do not include potential milestone payments from or future/new partnerships or transactions as the occurrence of such payments or their timing and size largely depend on third parties and cannot be controlled or influenced by Medigene.

Program development highlights:

MDG1015: MDG1015 is a first-in-class, third generation T cell receptor engineered T cell (TCR-T) therapy targeting NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1a (New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 / L Antigen Family Member-1a), armored and enhanced by the costimulatory switch protein PD1-41BB and targeting HLA-A*02 (HLA, human leukocyte antigen). Pre-clinical data presented in 2024 at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) and CHI conferences demonstrated the clear potential of MDG1015 to improve clinical outcomes in solid tumors with the innovative approach of combining a 3S (specific, sensitive and safe) TCR with the Company’s PD1-41BB costimulatory switch protein technology as well as an optimized drug product composition.

Following positive EU and US preliminary regulatory interactions, the Company remains on track for IND-filing in Q3 and CTA-filing in Q4 2024. Subject to financing, the Company expects to initiate a first in-human trial for MDG1015 by the end of 2024.

MDG2011: MDG2011 is a potential best-in-class third generation TCR-T therapy targeting KRAS G12V (HLA-A*11), further armored and enhanced by the PD1-41BB costimulatory switch protein. Pre-clinical data on MDG2011 was presented at the International Neoantigen Summit and the CIMT (Free CIMT Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in 2024.

MDG2021 MDG2021is the second candidate within the KRAS library targeting KRAS G12D (HLA-A*11) for which the Company announced the lead selection in June 2024.

MDG2012: The lead selection for the Company’s third announced KRAS-targeted program MDG2012,KRAS G12V (HLA-A*03), is expected in 2025.

Corporate development highlights:

In May 2024, Medigene successfully closed an oversubscribed capital raise with subscription rights resulting in gross proceeds of approximately EUR 5.9 million.

Subsequent to the quarter on August 8, 2024, the Company announced it has entered into a three-year, multi-target strategic partnership to design and co-research T cell receptor (TCR)-guided T Cell Engagers (TCR-TCEs) for the treatment of difficult-to-treat tumors with WuXi Biologics. The collaboration combines the respective expertise of each company with Medigene’s 3S TCR generation and characterization capabilities and WuXi Biologics’ unique anti-CD3 mAb, its industry-leading TCE platform and proprietary bispecific antibody platform WuXiBody. The companies aim to co-research TCR-TCE constructs, which will be owned by both cooperation partners with options to Medigene to further advance their development.

Expansion of patent portfolio:

The advancement of its End-to-End Platform allowed the Company to extend and strengthen its patent portfolio with new technologies as well as to expand existing patents into additional jurisdictions, such as the submission of three patents to the European Patent Office protecting the Company’s innovative Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) Biosensor and its novel T cell receptor (TCR)-specific antigen-antibody combination technology, UniTope & TraCR, the patent grant by the European Patent Office and Japan Patent Office protecting the inducible Medigene T cell receptor (iM-TCR) technology as well as the patent grant by the European Patent Office protecting the Company’s TCR targeting NY-ESO-1 and LAGE 1a. As of June 30, 2024, the patent portfolio consisted of 97 issued patents and 124 pending patent applications (December 31, 2023: 28 patent families, 112 issued patents and 131 pending patent applications).

Conference call and webcast:

The Company will host a conference call today, August 14, at 3:30 pm CEST / 9:30 am EDT. In addition to the financial results for the first six months of 2024, Medigene will provide a corporate update including its new partnership with WuXi Biologics (see press release on Aug 8, 2024).

Full details for the conference call and webcast are as follows:

Date Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Time 3:30 pm CEST (9:30 am EDT)
Conference call Registration conference call here
Webcast Join the live webcast here
Participants may pre-register and will receive dedicated dial-in details to easily and quickly access the call with the above registration link for the conference call.
Please dial in 10 minutes ahead of time to ensure a timely start of the conference call.
Following the call, an archived webcast will be accessible on the Investors & Media section on Medigene’s website: View Source

XOMA Royalty Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Highlights Recent Activities

On August 13, 2024 XOMA Royalty Corporation (NASDAQ: XOMA), the biotech royalty aggregator, reported its second quarter 2024 financial results and highlighted recent activities (Press release, Xoma, AUG 13, 2024, View Source [SID1234645824]).

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"The second quarter was marked by pipeline progress, the realization of several cash milestones, the addition of three commercial or late-stage programs, and the acquisition of Kinnate Pharmaceuticals," stated Owen Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of XOMA Royalty. "Most important, children suffering from relapsed or refractory low-grade glioma (pLGG) have a new option with the approval of Day One’s OJEMDA, which is now our fifth commercial royalty. And finally, with a robust cash position in hand, we look to further solidify our foundation for future growth via a disciplined approach to capital deployment."

Key Second Quarter Events

Partner


Event

Day One Biopharmaceuticals

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Day One’s OJEMDA (tovorafenib) for use in patients with pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG). XOMA Royalty earned a $9.0 million milestone upon the approval and recorded $0.4 million in income resulting from OJEMDA sales in the second quarter of 2024. In addition, XOMA Royalty received an $8.1 million payment related to Day One’s sale of its priority review voucher.
Daré Bioscience

XOMA Royalty added economic interests to three best- or first-in-category assets to its portfolio. XACIATO vaginal gel 2% is commercially available and marketed by Organon. Bayer holds the U.S. rights to commercialize Ovaprene, a hormone-free monthly intravaginal contraceptive, currently in Phase 3 clinical trials. XOMA Royalty also acquired a synthetic royalty in Sildenafil Cream, 3.6%, a Phase 3-ready asset for female sexual arousal disorder. Daré recently published the efficacy results from its Phase 2b study of Sildenafil Cream, 3.6% in the publication Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Rezolute


RZ358—Dosed first patient in its Phase 3 trial of RZ358; XOMA Royalty earned a $5.0 million milestone associated with the event.

Presented Phase 2 RIZE study sub-analysis at the 2024 Pediatric Endocrine Society Annual Meeting.

RZ402—Presented positive topline results from its Phase 2 proof-of-concept study of RZ402 in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). The data indicate RZ402 could be an effective oral therapy for patients with DME prior to anti-VEGF injections. Rezolute announced its intention to seek a partner for the next stage of development and future commercialization activities.

Takeda

Announced late-breaking data from Takeda’s Phase 2b study of mezagitamab demonstrating its potential to transform the treatment of primary immune thrombocytopenia1. In the study, patients receiving mezagitamab showed rapid and sustained increases in platelet counts that persisted 8 weeks after the last dose through to week 162.
Kinnate Pharmaceuticals

XOMA Royalty added several potential royalty streams, as well as more than $9.5 million to its cash balance as it completed the acquisition of Kinnate Pharmaceuticals.
LadRx

Regained development and commercialization rights to aldoxorubicin from ImmunityBio. XOMA Royalty is eligible to receive a low single-digit percent royalty on future sales of aldoxorubicin and a portion of any future milestone payments LadRx receives.

1
View Source

2
Kuter D, Pulanic D, et al. Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of mezagitamab (TAK-079) in chronic or persistent primary immune thrombocytopenia: Interim results from a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. In: International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) Congress; June 22-26, 2024; Bangkok, Thailand. Abstract LB 01.1.

Subsequent Events
Partner


Event

Zevra Therapeutics

FDA convened a meeting of its Genetic Metabolic Diseases Advisory Committee (GeMDAC) on August 2, 2024, to discuss the New Drug Application (NDA) for arimoclomol as a treatment in adults and pediatric patients 2 years and older with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC). The GeMDAC Advisory Committee voted favorably (11 yes, 5 no) that the data support that arimoclomol is effective in the treatment of patients with NPC. The Committee’s recommendation will be considered by FDA as it completes its independent review of the arimoclomol NDA; however, the feedback from the GeMDAC is not binding upon the Agency.
Anticipated 2024 Events of Note
Partner


Event

Zevra Therapeutics

September 21, 2024 – FDA PDUFA action date for arimoclomol NDA
Takeda

In its press release dated June 22, 2024, Takeda announced plans to initiate a global Phase 3 trial of mezagitamab in ITP in the second half of fiscal year 2024.1
Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

XOMA Royalty recorded total income and revenues of $11.1 million for the second quarter of 2024, which included $4.9 million in estimated income associated with two commercial products in our portfolio, $0.5 million in income from the $9.0 million milestone payment received from the FDA approval of OJEMDA, and $5.0 million in revenue from contracts with customers related to a milestone payment from Rezolute. In the second quarter of 2023, XOMA Royalty reported total income and revenue of $1.7 million, which included $1.1 million of revenue from contracts with customers related to a milestone earned from Janssen.

Research and development (R&D) expenses were $1.2 million in the second quarter of 2024, reflecting the ongoing clinical activities related to Kinnate’s Phase 1 clinical trial of KIN-3248, which XOMA Royalty assumed upon completing the Kinnate merger. The Company expects to incur additional R&D costs as this trial winds down in the second half of 2024. R&D expenses in the second quarter of 2023 were $39,000.

General and administrative ("G&A") expenses were $11.0 million for the second quarter of 2024 compared with $5.8 million in the second quarter of 2023. The increase of $5.2 million was driven primarily by expenses associated with our acquisition of Kinnate, which included $3.6 million in severance costs paid to Kinnate senior leadership, $1.0 million in consulting fees, and $0.8 million in other administrative costs.

In the second quarter of 2024, as a result of communications with Aronora, XOMA Royalty evaluated the status of the partnered programs for potential impairment and recorded a one-time, non-cash impairment charge of $9.0 million and a reduction of royalty receivables of $9.0 million associated with Aronora. In 2023, as a result of the announcement by Bioasis to suspend its operations and the termination of its research collaboration and license agreement with Chiesi, XOMA Royalty recorded a one-time, non-cash impairment charge of $1.6 million and a reduction of $1.6 million under long-term royalty receivables in the second quarter of 2023.

In the second quarters of 2024 and 2023, G&A expenses included $2.7 million and $2.2 million, respectively, in non-cash stock-based compensation expenses.

XOMA Royalty recorded a $19.3 million gain on the acquisition of Kinnate in the second quarter of 2024 due to the fair value of net assets that exceeded total purchase consideration.

During the second quarter of 2024, XOMA Royalty recognized an $8.1 million change in the fair value of an embedded derivative related to the payment of $8.1 million for the sale of a priority review voucher by Day One that was earned pursuant to XOMA Royalty’s RPA with Viracta.

Interest expense in the second quarter of 2024 was $3.4 million, representing interest related to the Blue Owl Loan established in December 2023.

The Company reported total other income, net, of $2.1 million in the second quarter of 2024, as compared to total other income, net, of $0.6 million in the corresponding period of 2023. The $1.5 million increase reflects a $1.2 million increase in investment income due to higher cash balances and higher market interest rates on our investments, as well as the change in the market price of Rezolute’s common stock.

Net income for the second quarter of 2024 was $16.0 million, compared to a net loss of $5.4 million for the second quarter of 2023.

On June 30, 2024, XOMA Royalty had cash and cash equivalents of $149.9 million (including $6.0 million in restricted cash). On December 31, 2023, XOMA Royalty had cash and cash equivalents of $159.6 million (including $6.3 million in restricted cash). During the second quarter of 2024, XOMA Royalty received $22.6 million in cash from royalty and milestone payments and deployed $22.0 million to acquire new royalty and milestone economic interests. Net cash used in operating activities during the quarter was $2.2 million. On July 15, 2024, the Company paid a total of $1.4 million in cash dividends on the 8.625% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (Nasdaq: XOMAP) and the 8.375% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (Nasdaq: XOMAO).

UroGen Pharma Ahead of Schedule to Complete UGN-102 NDA Submission and Reports 2024 Second Quarter Financial Results and Business Highlights

On August 13, 2024 UroGen Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: URGN), a biotech company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, and provided an overview of recent developments (Press release, UroGen Pharma, AUG 13, 2024, View Source [SID1234645823]).

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"Our immediate priority is completing the submission of a New Drug Application in the very near term for UGN-102, which we believe has the potential to be a practice-changing therapy for the treatment of low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer," said Liz Barrett, President and Chief Executive Officer of UroGen. "The compelling body of clinical data, including the ENVISION trial, which demonstrated an unprecedented 82.3% 12-month duration of response by Kaplan-Meier analysis in patients who had previously achieved a complete response at three months, reinforces the opportunity for UGN-102 to be the first FDA-approved medicine for the treatment of low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer."

Ms. Barrett continued, "We estimate that approximately 82,000 patients suffering from this highly recurrent disease each year may benefit from an innovative treatment, creating an estimated five-billion-dollar market opportunity. Our immediate commercial focus is preparing for UGN-102’s potential approval and launch with the goal to establish our leadership in urothelial cancers."

Q2 2024 and Recent Business Highlights:

UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution:

In June 2024, UroGen reported positive 12-month duration of response (DOR) data from the Phase 3 ENVISION pivotal trial evaluating UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution in patients with low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (LG-IR-NMIBC). The 12-month DOR was 82.3% (95% CI, 75.9%, 87.1%) by Kaplan-Meier estimate in patients who had achieved complete response (CR) at three months from the first instillation of investigational drug UGN-102. The ENVISION trial previously met its primary endpoint by demonstrating that patients treated with UGN-102 had a 79.6% (95% CI, 73.9%, 84.5%) CR rate at three months following the first instillation of UGN-102. UGN-102 was well tolerated, with a safety profile that was consistent with previous clinical trials.
The ENVISION 12-month DOR data were presented in a virtual event "New Horizons in Bladder Cancer" hosted by UroGen on June 13. This event included presentations by company management and several key opinion leaders with expertise in urology. There was also a panel discussion on the treatment of LG-IR-NMIBC and insights from a patient from the ENVISION trial. A replay of the event can be accessed here.
The latest DOR data is expected to support a New Drug Application (NDA) for UGN-102 as a treatment for LG-IR-NMIBC, which the Company plans to complete in the very near term. There is potential for an FDA decision as early as the first quarter of 2025, assuming the FDA grants priority review. UroGen initiated submission of the rolling NDA for UGN-102 in January 2024.
JELMYTO (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution in low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (LG-UTUC):

Generated net product revenue of $21.8 million in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $21.1 million in the second quarter of 2023.
JELMYTO was featured in three presentations at the AUA 2024 Annual Meeting. Independent long-term, real-world analyses explored use of the product in broad patient types, and with different methods of administration. The results showed that JELMYTO treatment appears to demonstrate favorable recurrence-free survival rates for patients with LG-UTUC who respond to initial induction. There does not appear to be a recurrence difference according to the intent of JELMYTO induction, original tumor size, multifocality or tumor location.
Next-generation novel mitomycin-based formulation for urothelial cancers

UroGen is developing UGN-103 and UGN-104, next-generation novel mitomycin-based formulations for UGN-102 and JELMYTO, respectively. These candidates combine UroGen’s RTGel technology with a novel mitomycin formulation licensed from medac GmbH in an agreement signed in January 2024. The development programs potentially offer both manufacturing efficiencies and additional intellectual property protection for the Company’s low-grade urothelial cancer franchise.
In April 2024, the U.S. FDA accepted the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for UGN-103. If approved, UGN-103 is expected to provide several advantages related to production, cost, supply, and product convenience.
UroGen has initiated the Phase 3 study and has onboarded three clinical sites to explore the safety and efficacy of UGN-103 in LG-IR-NMIBC. UroGen plans to initiate a Phase 3 study of UGN-104 in LG-UTUC early next year.
Corporate

In June 2024, UroGen appointed David Lin as Chief Commercial Officer and member of the Executive Leadership Team. Mr. Lin is spearheading UroGen’s commercial strategy and will be leveraging his extensive experience to prepare for the potential launch of UGN-102, if approved.
Public offering of ordinary shares and pre-funded warrants

In June 2024, the Company completed an underwritten public offering of 5,000,000 ordinary shares at a price to the public of $17.50 per ordinary share, and, to certain investors in lieu of issuing ordinary shares, pre-funded warrants to purchase 1,142,857 ordinary shares at a purchase price of $17.499 per pre-funded warrant, which equals the public offering price per ordinary share less the $0.001 per share exercise price for each pre-funded warrant. Gross proceeds to UroGen from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, were approximately $107.5 million.
In July 2024 the underwriters exercised their option to purchase the full 921,428 additional shares. This yielded further gross proceeds to the Company of $16.1 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.
Second quarter 2024 financial results

JELMYTO Revenue: JELMYTO net product revenues were $21.8 million and $21.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

R&D Expense: Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $15.4 million, including non-cash share-based compensation expense of $0.6 million as compared to $11.6 million, including non-cash share-based compensation expense of $0.5 million, for the same period in 2023.

SG&A Expense: Selling, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $30.1 million, including non-cash share-based compensation expense of $3.0 million. This compares to $22.5 million, including non-cash share-based compensation expense of $1.7 million, for the same period in 2023.

Financing on Prepaid Forward Obligation: UroGen reported non-cash financing expense related to the prepaid forward obligation to RTW Investments of $5.8 million in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $5.3 million in the same period in 2023.

Interest Expense on Long-Term Debt: Interest expense related to the up to $200 million term loan facility with funds managed by Pharmakon Advisors was $3.5 million in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $3.8 million in the same period in 2023.

Net Loss: UroGen reported a net loss of $33.4 million or ($0.91) per basic and diluted share in the second quarter of 2024 compared with a net loss of $24.1 million or ($1.03) per basic and diluted share in the same period in 2023.

Cash & Cash Equivalents: As of June 30, 2024, cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $241.3 million.

2024 Revenue, Operating Expense, and RTW Expense Guidance: With respect to the Company’s previously provided full-year 2024 JELMYTO revenue guidance, the Company sees a path toward the lower end of the guidance range. With respect to the Company’s previously provided full-year 2024 operating expense guidance, the Company expects to be toward the higher end of the guidance range, with a revised non-cash share-based compensation expense of $9 to $13 million, subject to market conditions. The anticipated full year 2024 non-cash financing expense related to the prepaid obligation to RTW Investments is unchanged and expected to be in the range of $21 to $26 million. The rate for the cash component of the RTW obligation will be 13% of global net product sales of JELMYTO in 2024.

Conference Call & Webcast Information: Members of UroGen’s management team will host a live conference call and webcast today at 10:00 AM Eastern Time to review UroGen’s financial results and provide a general business update.

The live webcast can be accessed by visiting the Investors section of the Company’s website at View Source Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the live webcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be needed to access the webcast.

About JELMYTO

JELMYTO (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution is a mitomycin-containing reverse thermal gel containing 4 mg mitomycin per mL gel indicated for the treatment of adult patients with LG-UTUC. It is recommended for primary treatment of biopsy-proven LG-UTUC in patients deemed appropriate candidates for renal-sparing therapy. JELMYTO is a viscous liquid when cooled and becomes a semi-solid gel at body temperature. The drug slowly dissolves over four to six hours after instillation and is removed from the urinary tract by normal urine flow and voiding. It is approved for administration in a retrograde manner via ureteral catheter or antegrade through nephrostomy tube. The delivery system allows the initial liquid to coat and conform to the upper urinary tract anatomy. The eventual semisolid gel allows for chemoablative therapy to remain in the collecting system for four to six hours without immediately being diluted or washed away by urine flow.

APPROVED USE FOR JELMYTO

JELMYTO is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer of the lining of the upper urinary tract including the kidney called low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (LG-UTUC).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You should not receive JELMYTO if you have a hole or tear (perforation) of your bladder or upper urinary tract.

Before receiving JELMYTO, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. JELMYTO can harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO. Females who are able to become pregnant: You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 6 months after the last dose. Males being treated with JELMYTO: If you have a female partner who is able to become pregnant, you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 3 months after the last dose.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if JELMYTO passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with JELMYTO and for 1 week after the last dose.
Tell your healthcare provider if you take water pills (diuretic).
How will I receive JELMYTO?

Your healthcare provider will tell you to take a medicine called sodium bicarbonate before each JELMYTO treatment.
You will receive your JELMYTO dose from your healthcare provider 1 time a week for 6 weeks. It is important that you receive all 6 doses of JELMYTO according to your healthcare provider’s instructions. If you miss any appointments, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment. Your healthcare provider may recommend up to an additional 11 monthly doses.
JELMYTO is given to your kidney through a tube called a catheter.
During treatment with JELMYTO, your healthcare provider may tell you to take additional medicines or change how you take your current medicines.
After receiving JELMYTO:

JELMYTO may cause your urine color to change to a violet to blue color. Avoid contact between your skin and urine for at least 6 hours.
To urinate, males and females should sit on a toilet and flush the toilet several times after you use it. After going to the bathroom, wash your hands, your inner thighs, and genital area well with soap and water.
Clothing that comes in contact with urine should be washed right away and washed separately from other clothing.
JELMYTO may cause serious side effects, including:

Swelling and narrowing of the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureteric obstruction). If you develop swelling and narrowing, and to protect your kidney from damage, your healthcare provider may recommend the placement of a small plastic tube (stent) in the ureter to help the kidney drain. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop side pain or fever during treatment with JELMYTO.
Bone marrow problems. JELMYTO can affect your bone marrow and can cause a decrease in your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests prior to each treatment to check your blood cell counts during treatment with JELMYTO. Your healthcare provider may need to temporarily or permanently stop JELMYTO if you develop bone marrow problems during treatment with JELMYTO.
The most common side effects of JELMYTO include: urinary tract infection, blood in your urine, side pain, nausea, trouble with urination, kidney problems, vomiting, tiredness, stomach (abdomen) pain.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1‑800‑FDA‑1088. You may also report side effects to UroGen Pharma at 1-855-987-6436.

Please see JELMYTO Full Prescribing Information, including the Patient Information, for additional information.

About Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (UTUC)

Urothelial cancer is the ninth most common cancer globally and the eighth most lethal neoplasm in men in the U.S. Between five percent and ten percent of primary urothelial cancers originate in the ureter or renal pelvis and are collectively referred to as upper tract urothelial cancers (UTUC). In the U.S., there are approximately 6,000 – 7,000 new or recurrent low-grade UTUC patients annually. Most cases are diagnosed in patients over 70 years old, and these older patients often face comorbidities. There are limited treatment options for UTUC, with the most common being endoscopic surgery or nephroureterectomy (removal of the entire kidney and ureter). These treatments can lead to a high rate of recurrence and relapse.

About UGN-102

UGN-102 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution is an innovative drug formulation of mitomycin, currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of LG-IR-NMIBC. Utilizing UroGen’s proprietary RTGel technology, a sustained release, hydrogel-based formulation, UGN-102 is designed to enable longer exposure of bladder tissue to mitomycin, thereby enabling the treatment of tumors by non-surgical means. UGN-102 is delivered to patients using a standard urinary catheter in an outpatient setting by a trained healthcare professional. UroGen anticipates completing its NDA submission for UGN-102 in the very near term with a potential FDA decision as early as the first quarter of 2025, assuming priority review.

SELLAS Life Sciences Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

On August 13, 2024 SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLS) ("SELLAS’’ or the "Company"), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for a broad range of cancer indications, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, and provided a corporate update (Press release, Sellas Life Sciences, AUG 13, 2024, View Source [SID1234645822]).

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"We are pleased with our second-quarter performance marked by significant advancements in our development efforts and clinical programs," said Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., President and Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS. "The initial Phase 2a dataset from the SLS009 trial in AML showed early signs of treatment efficacy across all cohorts exceeding the targeted ORR of at least 20% and median overall survival (mOS) of more than 3 months. We observed remarkable responses in patients with ASXL1 mutations and expanded the trial to include two cohorts of patients with ASXL1 and myelodysplasia-related changes other than ASXL1. As SLS009 continues to show promise as a treatment for hematologic malignancies, its potential has been recently recognized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) with the orphan drug designations for AML and peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) and FDA with two rare pediatric disease designations for pediatric AML and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Furthermore, our recent $21 million capital raise strengthens our financial position and provides sufficient resources to reach several meaningful data readouts."

Dr. Stergiou continued: "As for our Phase 3 REGAL study of galinpepimut-S (GPS) in AML, we were pleased to report that based on recent efficacy and safety assessment, the IDMC has recommended trial continuation without modifications. The committee projects that the 60 events will occur by the fourth quarter which will trigger the interim analysis. We remain confident in the positive trajectory of both GPS and SLS009 and we look forward to the interim results from the Phase 3 REGAL study, as well as additional data from the Phase 2 trial of SLS009 in AML."

Pipeline Highlights
Galinpepimut-S (GPS): Wilms Tumor-1 (WT1) targeting immunotherapeutic

Phase 3 REGAL study in AML: The IDMC conducted a prespecified risk-benefit assessment of unblinded data from the study in June and has recommended that the trial continue without modifications. Based on a detailed analysis of all unblinded data, the IDMC projects that the interim analysis (60 events) will occur by the fourth quarter of 2024.

SLS009: highly selective and specific CDK9 inhibitor

Completed Enrollment in Phase 2a Trial of SLS009 in r/r AML: 30 patients relapsed after or refractory to venetoclax-based regiments were enrolled ahead of schedule in 5 centers across the US. Except for one, all patients in this Phase 2a trial had adverse risk AML (97%) and were treated with continued venetoclax–azacytidine combination therapy after having failed it or similar venetoclax-based combinations, often more than once. The expected overall survival in those patients is approximately 2.5 months.

Announced Positive Initial Phase 2 Data of SLS009 in r/r AML: The preliminary data showed the overall response rate (ORR) of 33% and 50% in 60 mg QW and 30 mg BIW cohorts, respectively. The ORR in patients with ASXL1 mutation in the 30 mg BIW reached a remarkable 100% to date. In the safety dose of 45 mg QW, the median overall survival (mOS) was 5.4 months vs 2.5 months with standard of care. The mOS in 60 mg QW and 30 mg BIW has not been reached yet. SLS009 was well-tolerated across all doses.

Additional Phase 2 Cohorts in Venetoclax Combinations in r/r AML Opened for Enrollment: Development of SLS009 continued with the opening of two new cohorts – AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML MRC) with ASXL1 mutations and AML with myelodysplasia related changes other than ASXL1 mutations. These new cohorts are also open for enrollment of certain pediatric patients.

National Institute of Health PIVOT program in Pediatric Tumors: The program in multiple pediatric cancer indications continues in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Initial safety and efficacy data are expected to be reported throughout 2H 2024.

Recently Granted Regulatory Designations for SLS009: The FDA granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) to SLS009 for the treatment of pediatric ALL in June 2024 and the FDA granted RPDD to SLS009 for the treatment of pediatric AML in July 2024. Also, the EMA granted Orphan Drug Designation for SLS009 in AML and in PTCL in June 2024 and July 2024, respectively. The FDA previously granted SLS009 Orphan Drug Designations in AML and PTCL and Fast Track designations for r/r AML and r/r PTCL.

Financial Results for the Second Quarter 2024:

R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 were $5.2 million, compared to $5.9 million for the same period in 2023. Research and development expenses in the first half of 2024 were $10.3 million, compared to $13.1 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in consultants, personnel-related expenses due to changes in headcount, and clinical trial expenses.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $2.4 million, compared to $3.1 million for the same period in 2023. General and administrative expenses in the first half of 2024 were $7.0 million, compared to $7.2 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease was primarily attributed to personnel-related expenses due to changes in headcount and outside services and public company costs.

Net Loss: The net loss was $7.5 million for the second quarter of 2024, or a basic and diluted loss per share of $0.13, as compared to a net loss of $8.8 million for the second quarter of 2023, or a basic and diluted loss per share of $0.31. The net loss was $17.0 million for the first half of 2024, or a basic and diluted loss per share of $0.33, as compared to a net loss of $19.9 million for the first half of 2023, or a basic and diluted loss per share of $0.77.

Cash Position: As of June 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents totaled approximately $9.1 million. Subsequent to June 30, 2024, the Company consummated a registered direct offering priced at a premium to market, providing gross proceeds to the Company of $21 million, before deducting placement agent fees and related offering expenses.

Replimune Announces First Patient Dosed in IGNYTE-3 Clinical Trial in Advanced Melanoma

On August 13, 2024 Replimune Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REPL), a clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a novel class of oncolytic immunotherapies, reported that the first patient has been randomized and dosed in the IGNYTE-3 study – a global Phase 3 clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of RP1 (vusolimogene oderparepvec) plus nivolumab in patients with advanced melanoma who have progressed on anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA-4 drugs or are ineligible for anti-CTLA-4 treatment (Press release, Replimune, AUG 13, 2024, View Source [SID1234645821]).

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"The start of the IGNYTE-3 trial and randomization of the first patient is an important milestone in advance of our planned BLA submission of RP1 in advanced melanoma later this year," said Kostas Xynos, MD, PhD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer at Replimune. "This trial is important because it is intended to both support global regulatory interactions and access, and to serve to confirm the clinical benefit reported from the registration intended Phase 2 IGNYTE cohort in anti-PD1 failed melanoma in June."

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer with approximately 100,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths estimated in the U.S. in 2024. Standard of care therapy includes treatment with immune checkpoint blockade, to which approximately half of patients will not respond or will progress following treatment. Treatment options are limited after immune checkpoint blockade therapy, with no standard of care available to patients.

"Clinical trials like IGNYTE-3 are important in the melanoma community and we are excited that another study is open for physicians and patients to consider," said Kyleigh LiPira, CEO of the Melanoma Research Foundation. "As a patient advocacy organization, our mission is to eradicate melanoma by accelerating medical research while educating to and advocating for the melanoma community. Creating awareness for clinical trials is an important part of that mission."

The IGNYTE-3 trial (NCT06264180) will enroll 400 patients and evaluate RP1 plus nivolumab versus a defined list of physician’s choice treatment options, in patients with advanced melanoma who progressed on anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapy or who are ineligible for anti-CTLA-4 treatment. The primary endpoint of the study is overall survival (OS). Key secondary endpoints are progression free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR). For additional information about the IGNYTE-3 trial and to learn more about eligibility, please visit View Source

About RP1
RP1 (vusolimogene oderparepvec) is Replimune’s lead product candidate and is based on a proprietary strain of herpes simplex virus engineered and genetically armed with a fusogenic protein (GALV-GP R-) and GM-CSF, intended to maximize tumor killing potency, the immunogenicity of tumor cell death, and the activation of a systemic anti-tumor immune response.