On November 7, 2024 IMUNON, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNN), a clinical-stage company in late-stage development with its DNA-mediated immunotherapy, reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 (Press release, IMUNON, NOV 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234647930]). The Company also provided an update on its clinical development of IMNN-001 including progress toward commencing a Phase 3 study in advanced ovarian cancer, and an update on IMNN-101, its seasonal COVID-19 booster candidate.

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"The third quarter was a period of important milestones and outstanding progress for IMUNON, driven largely by presentation of highly compelling topline results from our OVATION 2 Study with IMNN-001 in advanced ovarian cancer," said Stacy Lindborg, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of IMUNON. "In this study, treatment with IMNN-001 was associated with an overall survival improvement of 11.1 months compared to treatment with standard of care, and results were even stronger in the subset of patients who were also treated with PARP inhibitors. Building on this momentum, we have been highly encouraged by the interest in these results among global leaders from the medical and scientific communities. We have also engaged with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to craft the design of our planned registrational study and are preparing for an in-person End-of-Phase 2 meeting with the agency later this month. We remain on track to begin our planned 500-patient pivotal Phase 3 study during the first quarter of 2025."

"Tomorrow afternoon we will be presenting new OVATION 2 data at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) 39th Annual Meeting. Our abstract is being highlighted as a late-breaking acceptance, so compelling that it was accepted after the deadline. Given the strength of the data, we are unsurprised with SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper)’s decision to include our data for presentation. This is an exceptional opportunity to gain further awareness for IMNN-001 and our trial results."

"In summary, IMUNON is extraordinarily well-positioned to address the unmet need in a deadly cancer while also playing an important role in public health. We are justifiably excited about our prospects for patients and shareholders alike," Dr. Lindborg concluded.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

IMNN-001 Immunotherapy

Presenting Additional Phase 2 data for IMNN-001 at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) – On October 30, 2024 the Company announced the acceptance of a late-breaking presentation featuring new clinical data from the Phase 2 OVATION 2 Study of IMNN-001 at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) 39th Annual Meeting, being held in Houston, TX. The presentation, titled "Phase I/II study of Safety and Efficacy of Intraperitoneal IMNN-001 with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy of Paclitaxel and Carboplatin in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer," will be made on Friday, November 8, 2024 from 12:15-1:45 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. CST by Jennifer Scalici, M.D., Professor, Division of Gynecological Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine and a principal investigator in the trial.

Imunon Ovarian Cancer R&D Day – On September 18, 2024 the company held an Ovarian Cancer R&D Day in New York City that included presentations from executive management and a panel of renowned leaders in research and patient care including:

● Sid Kerkar, M.D., T cell biology review editor, Frontiers in Immunology. Dr. Kerkar discussed the important role of interleukin-12 (IL-12) in treating cancer.

● William Bradley, M.D., Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Bradley discussed the safety and efficacy of IMNN-001.

● L.J. Wei, Ph.D., Professor of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Wei discussed the opportunity to combine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) to provide a clinically interpretable evaluation of the IMNN-001 treatment effect.

● Amir Jazaeri, M.D., Vice Chair for Clinical Research, Director, Gynecologic Cancer Immunotherapy Program, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Jazaeri discussed the ongoing Phase 1/2 study of IMNN-001 in combination with bevacizumab in advanced ovarian cancer, for which he serves as principal investigator, including the importance of minimal residual disease and early translational insights.

● Premal Thaker, M.D., Interim Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, David & Lynn Mutch Distinguished Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Director of Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Research, Washington University School of Medicine, and the OVATION 2 Study Chair. Dr. Thaker discussed the OVATION 2 topline results and their clinical significance.

Positive topline results from the OVATION 2 Study in advanced ovarian cancer – On July 30, 2024, the Company announced topline results from the study that provide strong further validation of the potential safety and efficacy of IMNN-001 in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. Highlights from patients treated with IMNN-001 plus standard of care in a first-line treatment setting included:

● An 11.1 month increase in median OS compared with standard of care alone in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population.

● A hazard ratio in the ITT population of 0.74, which represents a 35% improvement in survival.

● Among the approximately 90% of trial participants who received at least 20% of specified treatments per-protocol in both study arms, patients in the IMNN-001 arm had a 15.7 month increase in median OS, representing a further extension of life with a hazard ratio of 0.64, a 56% improvement in survival.

● For the nearly 40% of trial participants treated with a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, the hazard ratio decreased further to 0.41, with median OS in the IMNN-001 treatment arm not yet reached at the time of database lock, compared with median OS of 37.1 months in the standard-of-care treatment arm.

The PFS results, the trial’s primary endpoint, support the OS results with:

● A three-month improvement in PFS compared with standard of care alone.

● A hazard ratio in the ITT population of 0.79, indicating a 27% improvement in delaying progression for the IMNN-001 treatment arm.

CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS

Raised gross proceeds of $10 million in a registered direct financing – On July 30, 2024, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with certain institutional and accredited investors, pursuant to which the Company issued, in a registered direct offering, an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an offering price of $2.00 per share for gross proceeds of $10.0 million. In a concurrent private placement (together with the registered direct offering) and also pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company issued to the Purchasers unregistered warrants to purchase shares of common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $2.00 per share and became exercisable immediately after the issuance for a term of five and one-half years following the date of issuance. The closing of the registered direct offering occurred on August 1, 2024.

Additions to leadership team to ensure operational excellence and support future plans – On October 7, 2024, Susan Eylward was named General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. She was most recently Senior Counsel at Science 37, Inc., a solutions organization focused on decentralized clinical trials, where she was responsible for a variety of complex legal matters, including corporate governance, securities compliance, executive compensation and acquisitions.

Kristin Longobardi was named Senior Vice President of Operations, bringing more than two decades of experience in enhancing business processes and operations across the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. Previously, she served as Vice President of R&D Quality, Operations and Performance at Biogen. Her expertise in portfolio management, financial planning and operational excellence will be pivotal in driving IMUNON’s operational frameworks toward supporting ambitious company growth.

THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS

The Company had $10.3 million in cash, investments and accrued interest receivable as of September 30, 2024. The Company believes it has sufficient capital resources to fund its operations into the third quarter of 2025.

Research and development expenses were $3.3 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared with $2.0 million for the third quarter of 2023. General and administrative expenses were $1.7 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared with $1.9 million for the third quarter of 2023.

Net loss was $4.9 million, or $0.34 per share, for the third quarter of 2024, compared with a net loss of $3.5 million, or $0.37 per share, for the third quarter of 2023.

YEAR-TO-DATE FINANCIAL RESULTS

Research and development expenses were $9.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared with $7.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. General and administrative expenses were $5.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared with $7.3 million for nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Year-to-date net loss was $14.6 million, or $1.39 per share, compared with a net loss of $14.6 million, or $1.64 per share, for the same period of 2023.

Conference Call and Webcast

The Company is hosting a conference call at 11:00 a.m. ET today to provide a business update, discuss third quarter 2024 financial results and answer questions. To participate in the call, please dial 833-816-1132 (Toll-Free/North America) or 412-317-0711 (International/Toll) and ask for the IMUNON third quarter 2024 earnings call. A live webcast of the call will be available here.

The call will be archived for replay until November 21, 2024. The replay can be accessed at 877-344-7529 (U.S. Toll-Free), 855-669-9658 (Canada Toll-Free) or 412-317-0088 (International Toll), using the replay access code 10193110. A webcast of the call will be available here for 90 days.

On November 7, 2024 Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to change lives by changing the course of blood cancer, reported financial results for the third quarter of 2024 and recent business highlights (Press release, Geron, NOV 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234647928]).

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"This has been a transformative year for Geron, following our first FDA approval and commercial launch of RYTELO in June. The initial full quarter of product revenue from our U.S. launch exceeded our expectations and demonstrates strong execution as a commercial company. These results also reflect the high unmet need in lower-risk MDS and the compelling value proposition of RYTELO for hematologists and patients, giving us confidence in future continued demand and momentum for RYTELO," said John A. Scarlett, M.D., Geron’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We were also pleased to announce this morning the completion of important synthetic royalty and debt financing transactions with Royalty Pharma and Pharmakon Advisors. We believe that the favorable terms in these transactions reflect the significant commercial potential of RYTELO and provide us with critical flexibility to fuel continued growth and invest in our future."

Recent Business Highlights

Strong execution in the first full quarter of U.S. launch, with net product revenue for RYTELO (imetelstat) of $28.2 million in the third quarter of 2024.
In November 2024, completed synthetic royalty and debt financing transactions to strengthen our cash position and further solidify our balance sheet while providing strategic flexibility to invest in our future. We entered into a synthetic royalty agreement with Royalty Pharma providing $125 million of capital in exchange for tiered royalty payments. We also entered into a 5-year, senior term loan agreement with Pharmakon for up to $250 million, from which we have drawn a first tranche of $125 million, a portion of which was used to fully repay amounts owed under our existing loan with Hercules Capital, Inc. and Silicon Valley Bank ($86.5 million), which has now been terminated, with the ability to borrow another $125 million prior to the end of 2025, subject to specified conditions.
Jim Ziegler appointed as Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer in September 2024, to spearhead Geron’s global commercial strategy and operations, lead the commercial organization and be responsible for driving growth of RYTELO. Mr. Ziegler brings more than 25 years of commercial experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, spanning leadership, strategic and operational roles in both large and smaller organizations.
New data to be presented at upcoming American Society for Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting highlights the potential of imetelstat in myeloid hematologic malignancies (please view ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) press release for more details).
Upcoming Milestones

We expect review of the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for RYTELO in lower-risk MDS by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) could be completed in late 2024 or early 2025, with potential approval by the European Commission in the first half of 2025. We are continuing to prepare for the potential launch of RYTELO in the EU, and subject to regulatory approval, are planning to commercialize RYTELO in select EU markets commencing in 2026.
We expect an interim analysis from the Phase 3 IMpactMF trial in patients with relapsed/refractory MF may occur in early 2026 (when approximately 35% of planned enrolled patients have died) and the final analysis may occur in early 2027 (when approximately 50% of planned enrolled patients have died), based on our most recent planning assumptions for enrollment and death rates in the trial.
Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

As of September 30, 2024, we had approximately $378.9 million in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities. On a pro forma basis, including gross proceeds from the upfront payment under the Royalty Pharma Agreement and the first tranche of the Pharmakon loan and after repayment of our existing debt, we had approximately $542.4 million in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities as of September 30, 2024.

Net Loss

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company reported a net loss of $26.4 million, or $0.04 per share, and $149.2 million, or $0.23 per share, respectively, compared to $44.8 million, or $0.08 per share and $132.2 million, or $0.23 per share, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Revenues

Total product revenue, net for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, was $28.2 million and $29.0 million, respectively.

Total net revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, was $28.3 million and $29.5 million, respectively, compared to $164,000 and $214,000 for the same periods in 2023. The increase in revenue is due to product revenue from U.S. sales of RYTELO, which was available for prescribers to order from specialty distributors as of June 27, 2024.

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, were $56.5 million and $183.1 million, respectively, compared to $47.8 million and $139.9 million for the same periods in 2023.

Cost of goods sold was approximately $456,000 and $473,000 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, which consisted of costs to manufacture and distribute RYTELO.

Research and development expenses for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2024, were $20.2 million and $80.3 million, respectively, and $29.4 million and $92.1 million, for the same periods in 2023. The decrease is primarily due to manufacturing and quality costs that were capitalized in the current period due to FDA approval of RYTELO, compared to being expensed in the prior period.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, were $35.9 million, and $102.4 million, respectively, and $18.4 million and $47.7 million for the same periods in 2023. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses primarily reflects higher commercial launch expenses, and increases in headcount and related expenses in connection with the U.S. launch of RYTELO.

Interest income was $4.9 million and $14.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, compared to $5.0 million and $13.6 million for the same periods in 2023. The decrease in interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to the same period in 2023 was due to a decrease in interest rates. The increase in interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to the same period in 2023 primarily reflects a larger marketable securities portfolio with the receipt of net cash proceeds from the underwritten offering completed in March 2024, as well as higher yields from recent marketable securities purchases.

Interest expense was $3.0 million and $9.8 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, compared to $2.1 million and $6.0 million for the same periods in 2023. The increase in interest expense primarily reflects rising interest rates.

2024 Financial Guidance

For fiscal year 2024, we expect total operating expenses to be in the range of approximately $260 million to $270 million, which includes non-cash items such as stock-based compensation expense, amortization of debt discounts and issuance costs, and depreciation and amortization.

Based on our current operating plans and assumptions, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities (including the $250 million gross proceeds received under the Pharmakon loan and Royalty Pharma agreements), together with anticipated revenues from U.S. sales of RYTELO, will be sufficient to fund our projected operating requirements for at least the next 12 months from the date of this press release. We believe that our projected financial resources will be sufficient to support commercial launch of RYTELO in the U.S. and potential launch in the EU, complete the Phase 3 IMpactMF trial in relapsed/refractory MF, invest in supply chain redundancy for RYTELO, and fund our general working capital requirements.

Conference Call

Geron will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 7, 2024, to discuss business updates and third quarter financial results.

A live webcast of the conference call and related presentation will be available on the Company’s website at www.geron.com/investors/events. An archive of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website for 30 days.

Participants may access the webcast by registering online using the following link, View Source

About RYTELO (imetelstat)

RYTELO (imetelstat) is an FDA-approved oligonucleotide telomerase inhibitor for the treatment of adult patients with low-to-intermediate-1 risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) with transfusion-dependent anemia requiring four or more red blood cell units over eight weeks who have not responded to or have lost response to or are ineligible for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). It is indicated to be administered as an intravenous infusion over two hours every four weeks.

RYTELO is a first-in-class treatment that works by inhibiting telomerase enzymatic activity. Telomeres are protective caps at the end of chromosomes that naturally shorten each time a cell divides. In LR-MDS, abnormal bone marrow cells often express the enzyme telomerase, which rebuilds those telomeres, allowing for uncontrolled cell division. Developed and exclusively owned by Geron, RYTELO is the first and only telomerase inhibitor approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

On November 7, 2024 CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a leader in the field of masked, conditionally activated biologics, reported third quarter 2024 financial results and provided a business update (Press release, CytomX Therapeutics, NOV 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234647927]).

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"We are encouraged by the progress during Q3 across our clinical pipeline including the ongoing Phase 1a evaluation of CX-904 and robust early enrollment for the CX-2051 Phase 1 study in colorectal cancer," said Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., chief executive officer and chairman of CytomX. "We continue to explore the optimal dose and schedule for CX-904 to enable potential initiation of tumor-specific Phase 1b cohorts in 2025. Regarding CX-2051, our successful continued escalation to higher dose levels reflects the favorable tolerability profile observed to date for this first in class antibody drug conjugate directed against EpCAM, a very high potential but previously undruggable target expressed in many cancer types. We are also thrilled to have treated the first patient in the Phase 1 study of CX-801, reinforcing the multi-modality breadth of the PROBODY therapeutic platform and our ongoing commitment to addressing as many areas of unmet need as we can with our technology," continued Dr. McCarthy.

Third Quarter Business Highlights and Recent Developments

Pipeline

CX-904, PROBODY T-cell-engager (TCE) targeted to EGFRxCD3; Phase 1a dose escalation and optimization continue.

Preliminary data from 35 patients were presented on May 8, 2024, based on a data cutoff of April 16, 2024, including non-step and step dosing cohorts up to a target dose of 10 mg.
CX-904 has now cleared the 15 mg target dose level, utilizing a step-dose schedule. Dose escalation and optimization continue in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. A maximum tolerated dose for step-dosing has not yet been reached.
Potential Phase 1b initiation in one or more tumor types is anticipated in 2025 pending the selection of an optimized dose and schedule and alignment with our global development partner, Amgen.
CX-2051, a first in class EpCAM-directed PROBODY antibody drug conjugate; Phase 1a dose escalation continues.

The Phase 1 study of CX-2051 was initiated in Q2 2024 and is currently focused in metastatic colorectal cancer, one of many tumor types in which high expression of EpCAM has been documented. EpCAM expression levels in the Phase 1 study are being assessed retrospectively and are anticipated to be high in the majority of CRC patients.
The CX-2051 payload, a next generation topoisomerase-1 inhibitor licensed from AbbVie (formerly Immunogen), is tailored to specific EpCAM-expressing indications, including colorectal cancer, and includes a payload-antibody linker designed to drive bystander effect, contributing to anti-tumor activity.
The study is currently enrolling the fifth dose escalation cohort with favorable safety and tolerability having been observed to date.
Initial Phase 1a data are expected in the first half 2025.
CX-801, PROBODY interferon-alpha 2b; Phase 1a dose escalation study initiated.

In Q3 2024, the first patient was dosed in the CX-801 Phase 1 study.
Phase 1 dose escalation is ongoing with a primary focus in melanoma. The study will evaluate safety and initial clinical activity for CX-801 monotherapy and for CX-801 in combination with KEYTRUDA.
Initial Phase 1a data are expected in the second half of 2025.
Q3 2024 Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $117.6 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $137.2 million as of June 30, 2024. Based our current operating plan, we expect our existing capital resources will be sufficient to fund operations to the end of 2025, not including the impact of potential milestones that may be earned in our existing collaborations.

Total revenue was $33.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to $26.4 million for the corresponding period in 2023. The increase in revenue was driven primarily by a higher percentage of completion of research activities related to the collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb.

Research and development expenses increased by $4.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 to $21.4 million, compared to $16.5 million for the corresponding period of 2023 primarily due to increased clinical and manufacturing activities for CX-2051 and clinical-related expenses for CX-904.

General and administrative expenses increased by $1.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 to 8.0 million, compared to the corresponding period of 2023, primarily due to higher professional services expenses supporting intellectual property related activities and internal controls.

Conference Call & Webcast
CytomX management will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast today at 5 p.m. EST (2 p.m. PST) to discuss the financial results and provide a business update. Participants may access the live webcast of the conference call from the Events and Presentations page of CytomX’s website at View Source Participants may register for the conference call here and are advised to do so at least 10 minutes prior to joining the call. An archived replay of the webcast will be available on the company’s website.

On November 7, 2024 Cullinan Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CGEM; "Cullinan"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing modality-agnostic targeted therapies, reported recent and anticipated business highlights and announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024 (Press release, Cullinan Oncology, NOV 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234647926]).

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"We are making meaningful progress in executing our strategic plans for CLN-978 in autoimmune diseases while simultaneously advancing our oncology pipeline," said Nadim Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of Cullinan Therapeutics. "We have secured clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for our IND application and Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval in Australia to initiate our global Phase 1 study for CLN-978 in moderate to severe SLE. These important regulatory clearances position us to share initial clinical data for CLN-978 in the fourth quarter of 2025. We also continue to make significant progress in advancing our oncology portfolio, with data from two of our key programs expected in 2025. For CLN-619, we remain on track to share initial expansion data for endometrial and cervical cancers in the second quarter of 2025. We also completed enrollment of the pivotal Phase 2b study of zipalertinib ahead of schedule, and we plan to provide the results at mid-year 2025."

Portfolio Highlights

Immunology

•
CLN-978 (CD19xCD3 T cell engager): Systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis
o
The company obtained health authority approvals to initiate its global Phase 1 study in moderate to severe SLE, securing U.S. FDA clearance of its IND application and HREC approval in Australia. Cullinan plans to share initial clinical data for SLE in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company also continues to engage with other global health authorities to expand the planned country and site footprint.
o
The company plans to initiate a sponsored clinical trial in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the second quarter of 2025. The trial will be designed and executed in collaboration with FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome in Italy.
o
Cullinan is presenting preclinical data at the upcoming American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2024, taking place in Washington, D.C. from November 14-19, 2024.
Oncology

•
CLN-619 (Anti-MICA/MICB monoclonal antibody):Solid tumors and hematological malignancies
o
In September, Cullinan dosed the first patient in a Phase 1 study of CLN-619 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
o
New biomarker and translational data from the monotherapy dose escalation portion of the Phase 1 study in solid tumors will be presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) in November.
o
The company continues enrollment of disease-specific expansion cohorts of its Phase 1 study in solid tumors, enrolling cervical, endometrial and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Cullinan remains on track to report initial data in endometrial and cervical cancers in the second quarter of 2025.
o
Notably, the company was issued a key composition of matter patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which is expected to extend protection until at least 2041, excluding possible patent term extension.

•
Zipalertinib (EGFR ex20ins inhibitor), collaboration with Taiho Oncology: EGFR ex20ins NSCLC
o
At the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress in September, Cullinan presented positive REZILIENT1 results in patients with EGFR ex20ins NSCLC who have progressed on or after prior amivantamab treatment. Zipalertinib demonstrated a consistent objective response rate of approximately 40% and a manageable safety profile.
o
In September, Cullinan successfully completed enrollment of the pivotal Phase 2b study ahead of schedule, which was originally planned for the end of this year. Cullinan plans to share the results of the pivotal Phase 2b study at mid-year 2025. Taiho continues enrollment of the pivotal study REZILIENT3 in 1L EGFR ex20ins NSCLC.
•
CLN-049 (FLT3xCD3 T cell-engaging bispecific antibody): AML and MDS
o
Following the clinical update in Q2 2024 and discontinuation of subcutaneous administration, enrollment continues with IV administration in the ongoing Phase 1 study in patients with relapsed/refractory AML and MDS.
•
CLN-617 (IL-2 and IL-12 cytokine fusion protein): Solid tumors
o
Enrollment continues in the ongoing Phase 1 study in patients with advanced solid tumors.
Corporate Updates

•
In the third quarter, the company added two rheumatology and immunology experts to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB): Dr. Ricardo Grieshaber-Bouyer and Dr. Chaim Putterman. Dr. Grieshaber-Bouyer and Dr. Putterman’s expertise will further strengthen the company’s Scientific Advisory Board.
o
Dr. Grieshaber-Bouyer is head of the clinical trial unit at FAU Erlangen-Nurnberg Rheumatology and Immunology Department and cares for patients with rheumatic and immune-mediated diseases, in particular in the context of emerging therapies such as T cell redirecting therapies.
o
Dr. Putterman is Professor Emeritus of the Division of Rheumatology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, where his research focuses on mechanisms of autoimmunity, pathogenesis of kidney and neuropsychiatric disease in SLE, novel therapies for lupus, and SLE biomarkers.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

•
Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents, short- and long-term investments, and interest receivable were $639.0 million as of September 30, 2024. Cullinan continues to expect its cash resources to provide runway into 2028 based on its current operating plan.
•
R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $35.5 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared to $33.8 million for the same period in 2023.
•
G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $13.3 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared to $11.0 million for the same period in 2023.
•
Net loss: Net loss was $40.6 million ($0.69 per common share) for the third quarter of 2024, compared to $39.2 million ($0.91 per common share) for the same period in 2023.

On November 7, 2024 Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDTX) (the Company), a biotechnology company using its proprietary Cloudbreak platform to develop drug-Fc conjugate (DFC) immunotherapies designed to save lives and improve the standard of care for patients facing serious diseases, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, and provided an update on its corporate activities and product pipeline (Press release, Cidara Therapeutics, NOV 7, 2024, View Source [SID1234647924]).

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"The recent initiation of our Phase 2b NAVIGATE clinical trial, which will evaluate the efficacy and safety of CD388 for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of seasonal influenza, represents an important clinical achievement for our company," said Jeffrey Stein, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Cidara. "Additionally, the realignment of our organization will ensure the most efficient use of our resources, enabling us to focus on advancing our promising CD388 clinical program. Based on the compelling data generated to date, we believe CD388 has the potential to provide long-term protection against both seasonal and pandemic strains of influenza with a single dose per flu season."

Recent Corporate Highlights

Dosed first subjects in Phase 2b NAVIGATE trial evaluating efficacy and safety of CD388 for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of seasonal influenza. In September 2024, Cidara initiated a randomized, double-blind, controlled Phase 2b trial targeting enrollment of 5,000 healthy, unvaccinated adult subjects who are not at risk of complications from influenza. Three CD388 dose groups and one placebo group are being randomized in a 1:1:1:1 ratio and we administered CD388 at the beginning of this influenza season. Subjects will be followed for the remainder of the influenza season to monitor for breakthrough cases. Rates of laboratory and clinically confirmed influenza will be compared between subjects receiving the various single doses of CD388 or placebo. The study includes sites in the U.S. and UK.
Highlighted CD388 in two presentations at the 2024 IDWeek Conference. In October 2024, positive Phase 2a human challenge study data were presented in an oral presentation, which demonstrated that a single subcutaneous dose of CD388 administered five days prior to influenza challenge was shown to be effective in preventing symptomatic disease. Positive first-in-human data from a Phase 1 trial studying the safety and PK of CD388 administered by intramuscular and subcutaneous injection were also presented. The results showed that CD388 was rapidly absorbed to achieve target exposure levels and slowly eliminated, regardless of administration route, with no concerning safety signals, supporting the potential for a single dose of CD388 per flu season.
Highlighted CD388 in an oral and poster presentation at the 2024 OPTIONS XII for the Control of Influenza conference. Phase 1 and Phase 2a safety data from three clinical trials on the Company’s CD388 asset were presented in oral presentation format, and pharmacokinetics and safety of CD388 following subcutaneous administration in healthy Japanese participants were presented. Overall, results were consistent with a previous Phase 1 clinical study in Western participants. CD388 injection was well tolerated, and the data support further clinical studies with CD388 in the Japanese population for the prevention of seasonal influenza.
Strengthened Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) with four infectious disease experts. In September 2024, Rick Bright, Ph.D., Philip Krause, M.D., Mario Barro, Ph.D., and Frederick Hayden, M.D., FACP, were appointed to the Company’s SAB. The new members’ collective expertise working in infectious diseases including influenza, pandemic preparedness, and clinical and regulatory processes will be instrumental as Cidara conducts its CD388 Phase 2b NAVIGATE trial.
Appointed Jim Beitel as Chief Business Officer. In August 2024, Jim Beitel joined Cidara as Chief Business Officer. Mr. Beitel brings over 20 years of experience in life science corporate development, including strategy, business development, commercialization, finance, and other roles.
Restructured workforce to focus on planned clinical development of CD388. In September 2024, Cidara announced an approximate 30% reduction in workforce to focus on the clinical development of its novel DFC candidate for influenza A and B, CD388. This restructuring is expected to substantially reduce Cidara’s capital needs related to recurring personnel costs.
Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $127.4 million as of September 30, 2024, compared with $35.8 million as of December 31, 2023.
Revenue was zero and $1.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, compared to $9.2 million and $20.5 million for the same periods in 2023, respectively. Revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 related to research and development and clinical supply services provided to J&J Innovative Medicine, previously Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen), under our license and collaboration agreement with Janssen (the Janssen Collaboration Agreement). The Janssen Collaboration Agreement was terminated upon the effectiveness of our license and technology transfer agreement with Janssen (the Janssen License Agreement) on April 24, 2024.
Acquired in-process research and development expenses were $84.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and related to an upfront payment of $85.0 million paid to Janssen under the Janssen License Agreement, on April 24, 2024, plus $0.4 million in direct transaction costs, offset by a settlement gain of $0.5 million to settle the preexisting Janssen Collaboration Agreement relationship.
Research and development expenses were $12.4 million and $25.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, compared to $10.4 million and $28.8 million for the same periods in 2023, respectively. The increase in research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023 is primarily due to higher expenses associated with our CD388 Phase 2b NAVIGATE study and higher personnel costs, including $1.2 million for severance payments and employee benefits related to a reduction in force, offset by lower nonclinical expenses associated with our Cloudbreak platform. The decrease in research and development expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023 is primarily due to lower nonclinical expenses associated with our Cloudbreak platform, offset by higher expenses associated with our CD388 Phase 2b NAVIGATE study and higher personnel costs, including $1.2 million for severance payments and employee benefits related to a reduction in force.

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $5.0 million and $13.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, compared to $3.3 million and $10.1 million for the same periods in 2023, respectively. The SG&A expenses for all periods primarily relate to consulting, personnel and legal costs.
On April 24, 2024, Cidara entered into an asset purchase agreement with Napp Pharmaceutical Group Limited (Napp) an affiliate of Mundipharma Medical Company, pursuant to which we sold to Napp all of our rezafungin assets and related contracts. We completed all conditions of the sale on April 24, 2024. We determined that the sale of rezafungin represented a strategic shift that will have a major effect on our operations and financial results. Accordingly, the sale of rezafungin is classified as discontinued operations. We have separately reported the financial results of rezafungin as discontinued operations in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for all periods presented. Net loss from discontinued operations for the three months ended September 30, 2024, was $0.5 million and net income from discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $0.4 million, compared to net loss from discontinued operations of $5.3 million and $2.8 million for the same periods in 2023, respectively.

Net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $16.0 million and $117.5 million, respectively, compared to a net loss of $9.1 million and $19.7 million for the same periods in 2023, respectively.
On July 18, 2024, the Company’s stockholders approved the issuance of up to 16,800,000 shares of common stock upon conversion of 240,000 shares of Series A Convertible Voting Preferred Stock issued in our private placement completed in April 2024. On July 19, 2024, the Company issued 2,469,250 shares of common stock upon automatic conversion of 35,275 shares of Series A Convertible Voting Preferred Stock.
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, Cidara did not sell any shares of common stock pursuant to its at-the-market sales agreement.

As of September 30, 2024, Cidara had 7,046,633 shares of common stock outstanding, 204,725 shares of Series A Convertible Voting Preferred Stock outstanding, which are convertible into 14,330,750 shares of common stock, and 2,104,472 shares of Series X Convertible Preferred Stock outstanding, which are convertible into 1,052,236 shares of common stock, for a total of 22,429,619 shares of common stock equivalents outstanding.