On August 14, 2025 Candel Therapeutics, Inc. (Candel or the Company) (Nasdaq: CADL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing multimodal biological immunotherapies to help patients fight cancer, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025, and provided a corporate update (Press release, Candel Therapeutics, AUG 14, 2025, View Source [SID1234655283]).
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
"This quarter marked several pivotal achievements for Candel, highlighted by the FDA RMAT Designation for CAN-2409, and being selected for an oral presentation at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper), reflecting the strength of the data based on our pivotal phase 3 clinical trial in localized prostate cancer," said Paul Peter Tak, M.D. Ph.D. FMedSci, President and CEO of Candel. "Further, the addition of Dr. Maha Radhakrishnan to our Board of Directors, as well as the appointment of Charles Schoch as Chief Financial Officer, further strengthens our organization as we accelerate our pre-commercialization activities and advance toward BLA submission, anticipated in Q4 2026."
Dr. Tak continued, "The positive results from our clinical trials in prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer reinforce the therapeutic potential of CAN-2409 as a novel therapy. With the proceeds from our recent registered direct offering being utilized to support pre-commercialization and launch readiness activities, and with multiple regulatory designations, we believe we are well-positioned to execute on our near-term milestones and advance toward our goal of bringing this important treatment option to patients with prostate cancer."
Second Quarter 2025 & Recent Highlights
•
CAN-2409 – Prostate Cancer
•
In an oral presentation at the 2025 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting on June 3, 2025, in Chicago, IL, the Company reported phase 3 results from the CAN-2409 clinical trial in intermediate-to-high risk localized prostate cancer. The primary endpoint, agreed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA), was met, with a statistically significant improvement of 30% in disease-free survival among CAN-2409 recipients (HR 0.70, p=0.0155) when compared to placebo, both in combination with standard-of-care external beam radiation therapy. This data was supported by secondary endpoints.
•
On June 3, 2025, Candel hosted a conference call featuring perspectives from leading prostate cancer specialists, John E. Sylvester, M.D., Atlantic Urology Clinics, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Ronald F. Tutrone, Jr., M.D., FACS, CPI, National Medical Director of Clinical Research, United Urology Group, Towson, Maryland. Both physicians were principal investigators on the trial. The call replay can be accessed here.
•
This phase 3 study was conducted under a SPA agreed with the FDA, meaning that certain data generated from this study could be sufficient for the Company to seek regulatory approval for CAN-2409 in this indication.
•
The Company is advancing its pre-BLA readiness, including through Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) activities and documentation, and preparation of clinical study reports.
•
In May, the Company received RMAT Designation from the FDA for CAN-2409 for the treatment of newly diagnosed, localized prostate cancer in patients with intermediate-to-high-risk disease. The FDA previously granted Fast Track Designation for CAN-2409 for the treatment of localized primary prostate cancer.
•
The Company continues to work toward a BLA submission for CAN-2409 in prostate cancer in Q4 2026.
•
CAN-2409 – Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
•
In March, the Company reported positive overall survival data from its phase 2a clinical trial of CAN-2409 in patients with stage III/IV NSCLC inadequately responding to ICI treatment.
•
In patients with an inadequate response to ICI treatment (Cohorts 1+2, n=46), median overall survival (mOS) was 24.5 months.
•
In patients with progressive disease, despite ICI treatment (Cohort 2, n=41), mOS was 21.5 months, which is markedly longer than the 9.8–11.8 months of survival reported in published literature1,2 in the same patient population receiving standard of care of docetaxel chemotherapy.
•
37% of patients with progressive disease at enrollment were still alive > 24 months after CAN-2409 treatment at the time of the March 3, 2025 data cut, suggesting a long tail of survival. 14/15 patients with overall survival > 24 months and 9/9 patients with overall survival > 30 months had non-squamous NSCLC.
•
In patients with non-squamous NSCLC and progressive disease despite ICI (cohort 2, n=33), observed mOS was 25.4 months after CAN-2409 treatment.
•
A decrease in the size of uninjected tumors was observed in 69% of patients with multiple lesions (n=35), indicating that a local injection is associated with a systemic anti-tumor immune response.
•
CAN-2409 maintained its generally favorable safety and tolerability profile throughout the extended follow-up period.
•
The FDA previously granted Fast Track Designation for CAN-2409 for the treatment of NSCLC.
•
CAN-2409 – Pancreatic Cancer
•
In February 2025, the Company reported positive overall survival data from the randomized, controlled, phase 2a clinical trial of CAN-2409 in borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
•
Patients who had received experimental treatment with CAN-2409 and chemoradiotherapy achieved a mOS of 31.4 months versus 12.5 months observed in the control arm treated with chemoradiotherapy.
•
Notably, three out of seven patients in the CAN-2409 arm were long-term survivors and remained alive at 66.0, 63.6, and 35.8 months post-treatment, whereas only one out of six patients from the control arm was still alive at the time of data cut-off (February 20, 2025). Patients in the CAN-2409 arm were stable at the time of last follow up with minimal maintenance therapy and, despite previous recurrence, experienced extended and ongoing post-progression survival, further highlighting the sustained benefit of CAN-2409, even in metastatic disease.
•
The FDA previously granted Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track Designation for CAN-2409 in borderline resectable PDAC.
•
The EMA granted Orphan Designation for CAN-2409 for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in July 2025.
•
Recent Corporate Events
•
In June 2025, the Company completed a registered direct offering, of approximately 3.2 million shares of its common stock, to a select group of existing healthcare-focused institutional investors, executive officers, and directors of the Company, at a price per share of $4.67, resulting in gross proceeds of approximately $15 million, before deducting offering expenses payable by the Company.
•
In June 2025, the Company appointed Charles Schoch as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mr. Schoch previously served as interim CFO of Candel. He will continue to be instrumental as the Company advances its clinical pipeline and prepares for BLA submission of CAN-2409 in localized prostate cancer, anticipated in Q4 2026.
•
In June 2025, the Company appointed Maha Radhakrishnan, M.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Radhakrishnan has significant expertise in product development and commercialization.
Anticipated Milestones
•
Additional clinical and biomarker activity data from an ongoing phase 1b clinical trial evaluating repeat doses of CAN-3110 in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma (rHGG), is expected in Q4 2025.
•
Candel plans to host a virtual Research and Development event in Q4 2025.
•
Submission of BLA for CAN-2409 in prostate cancer expected in Q4 2026.
Financial Results for the Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2025
Research and Development Expenses: Research and development expenses were $7.0 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $5.0 million for the second quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in manufacturing costs in support of the Company’s CAN-2409 programs, partially offset by a decrease in employee-related expenses, which was driven primarily from a reduction in stock-based compensation expense. Research and development expenses included a non-cash stock compensation expense of $0.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to a non-cash stock compensation expense of $1.3 million for the second quarter of 2024.
General and Administrative Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $4.2 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $3.6 million for the second quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in commercial readiness costs as well as higher professional and consulting fees. General and administrative expenses included non-cash stock compensation expense of $0.6 million for both the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2024.
Net Loss: Net loss for the second quarter of 2025 was $4.8 million compared to a net loss of $22.2 million for the second quarter of 2024 and included net other income of $6.4 million and net other expense of $13.7 million, respectively. The decrease in net loss was primarily related to the change in the fair value of the Company’s warrant liability.
Cash Position: Cash and cash equivalents, as of June 30, 2025, were $100.7 million compared to $102.7 million as of December 31, 2024. Based on current plans and assumptions, the Company expects that its existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund operations into Q1 2027, including the Company’s expected submission of the BLA for CAN-2409 in intermediate-to-high-risk prostate cancer to the FDA in Q4 2026.
About CAN-2409
CAN-2409 (aglatimagene besadenovec), Candel’s most advanced multimodal biological immunotherapy candidate, is an investigational, off-the-shelf, replication-defective adenovirus designed to deliver the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene to a patient’s tumor. After intratumoral administration, HSV-tk enzyme activity results in conversion of prodrug (valacyclovir) into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-incorporating nucleotide analogs, leading to immunogenic cell death in cells exhibiting DNA damage and proliferating cells, with subsequent release of a variety of tumor (neo)antigens in the tumor microenvironment. At the same time, the adenoviral serotype 5 capsid protein promotes inflammation through the induction of expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules. Together, this regimen is designed to induce an individualized and specific CD8+ T cell-mediated response against the injected tumor and uninjected distant metastases for broad anti-tumor activity, based on in situ immunization against a variety of tumor antigens. CAN-2409 has the potential to treat a broad range of solid tumors. Encouraging monotherapy activity as well as combination activity with standard of care radiotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors have previously been shown in several preclinical and clinical settings. More than 1,000 patients have been dosed with CAN-2409 with a favorable tolerability profile to date, supporting the potential for combination with standard of care, when indicated.
About CAN-3110
CAN-3110 is a first-in-class, replication-competent herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) next-generation oncolytic viral immunotherapy candidate designed for dual activity for oncolysis and immune activation in a single therapeutic. CAN-3110 is being evaluated in a phase 1b clinical trial in patients with rHGG. In October 2023, the Company announced that Nature published results from this ongoing clinical trial. CAN-3110 was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicity reported. In the clinical trial, the investigators observed improved median overall survival compared to historical controls after a single CAN-3110 injection in this therapy-resistant condition.3 The Company and academic collaborators are currently evaluating the effects of repeat CAN-3110 injections in rHGG, supported by the Break Through Cancer foundation. CAN-3110 has previously received FDA Fast Track Designation and Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of rHGG.