On August 8, 2017 Stemline Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: STML), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for difficult to treat cancers, reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 (Filing, Q2, Stemline Therapeutics, 2017, AUG 8, 2017, View Source [SID1234520201]). The Company also reviewed recent clinical and regulatory events, and outlined key upcoming milestones:
SL-401 In Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN)
· The SL-401 pivotal Phase 2 trial enrolled 45 BPDCN patients in Stages 1, 2 and 3. Stage 3 was prospectively designed to support potential registration.
· During the quarter, we presented updated data from Stages 1 and 2 of the Phase 2 trial at the 22nd Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) in Madrid, Spain.
· Analysis of Phase 2 data, inclusive of Stage 3, is ongoing and we remain on track to announce top-line results in 2H17. We are also targeting a medical conference to present more detailed results later this year.
· To ensure ongoing patient access to SL-401, we are enrolling both first-line and relapsed/refractory BPDCN patients in an additional cohort.
· Depending on the data from the trial, we plan to use the results generated, along with other relevant data, to support the filing of a Biologics License Application (BLA) for approval in BPDCN. We continue to anticipate a possible BLA filing could begin in 4Q17 or 1Q18.
Additional Clinical Trials
· Clinical trials evaluating SL-401 are ongoing in additional indications including certain myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and multiple myeloma, as a single agent or in combination with other agents. We expect to provide updates on these studies later this year and into next year.
· SL-801, a novel XPO1 inhibitor, is being evaluated in a Phase 1 trial of patients with advanced solid tumors. SL-701 has completed dosing in a Phase 2 trial of patients with second-line glioblastoma. We are targeting medical conferences for updates on both of these studies later this year.
Second Quarter 2017 Financial Results Review
Stemline ended the second quarter of 2017 with $93.2 million in cash, cash equivalents and investments, as compared to $105.8 million as of March 31, 2017, which reflects a use of cash of $12.6 million for the quarter. The company ended the second quarter of 2017 with 25.2 million shares outstanding.
For the second quarter of 2017, Stemline had a net loss of $15.5 million, or $0.66 per share, compared with a net loss of $9.3 million, or $0.52 per share, for the same period in 2016.
Research and development expenses were $11.5 million for the second quarter of 2017, which reflects an increase of $4.6 million, or 67%, compared with $6.9 million for the second quarter of 2016. The higher costs are primarily driven by an increase of $2.1 million in manufacturing expenses to support our potential BLA filing for SL-401. We also incurred $1.2 million in higher costs for regulatory support of our potential BLA filing for SL-401. Additionally, we incurred higher compensation expense as a result of increased headcount.
General and administrative expenses were $4.5 million for the second quarter of 2017, which reflects an increase of $1.6 million, or 57%, compared with $2.9 million for the second quarter of 2016. The increase in expense was primarily attributable to $0.7 million in pre-launch expenses in support of a potential commercialization of SL-401 in BPDCN, if marketing approval from the FDA is granted. The increase in costs was also driven by $0.4 million in higher legal expense as a result of the class action lawsuit, as well as a $0.3 million increase in non-cash stock-based compensation expense.
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