On August 16, 2021 Inhibikase Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: IKT) (Inhibikase), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics to modify the course of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 and highlighted recent developments (Press release, Inhibikase Therapeutics, AUG 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234586638]).

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Key Business and Clinical Highlights

Begin evaluation of IkT-148009 in Parkinson’s patients: Following a teleconference on July 22, 2021with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Inhibikase and the FDA agreed that the Company may begin a Phase 1b extension study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of the Company’s lead drug candidate IkT-148009 in Parkinson’s patients. The Phase 1b extension study will also assess cognitive, motor function, gut motility and measures of alpha-synuclein aggregate clearance in multiple compartments, as exploratory endpoints.

Interim chronic toxicology studies of IkT-148009 will be submitted to the U.S. FDA to permit 13 week dosing in patients: Inhibikase expects to submit 13-week interim pivotal toxicology studies of IkT-148009 in rodent and primate to the FDA for regulatory review in the third quarter of 2021. Following the Agency’s review, the Company expects to extend dosing in patients out to 3 months. The Company expects to complete the remaining requirements for chronic dosing in the 4th quarter of 2021 and submit the data to the FDA for review early in the 1st quarter 2022.

Investigational New Drug (IND) application for IkT-001Pro in CML: IkT-001Pro is the Company’s prodrug formulation of Imatinib mesylate, designed as a potentially safer, better tolerated treatment for Imatinib-sensitive cancers such as stable-phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). Inhibikase expects to file an IND application in the 3rd quarter of 2021, with initiation of clinical development as soon as practicable, subject to FDA acceptance of the IND.

Successfully completed $45 million follow-on public offering of common stock: In June, 2021 Inhibikase raised $45 million in gross proceeds from its follow-on offering of 15 million shares of its common stock. The company plans to use the net proceeds, together with existing funds, to fund the costs of its Phase 1b extension study for IkT-148009 in Parkinson’s patients, validate target engagement markers in the central and peripheral nervous system, and further support the clinical development of IkT-001Pro through Phase 2 studies.
"In the second quarter of 2021, we completed the financing necessary to validate the first mechanistically defined treatment for sporadic and inherited Parkinson’s disease and related disorders," commented Milton Werner, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Inhibikase. "On the clinical front, following a successful Phase 1 program in older healthy adults, we are advancing into Parkinson’s patients with the initiation of our Phase 1b extension study. This study will provide the first opportunity to evaluate mechanistically-defined therapeutics for this devastating disease. This is an important step for the Company, as we believe IkT-148009 has the potential to drive functional recovery in the brain and gastrointestinal tract, clear pathologic alpha-synuclein aggregates, and block neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s disease. Looking ahead, we remain on track to file an IND for IkT-001Pro, our prodrug formulation of Imatinib for CML, in the third quarter and submit 13-week pivotal toxicology studies of IkT-148009 to the FDA."

Second Quarter Financial Results

Net Loss: Net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, was $2.6 million or $0.22 per share, compared to a net loss of $0.4 million, or $0.05 per share in the second quarter 2020.

Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2021, was $5.3 million or $0.47 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.0 million, or $0.12 per share in the six months ended June 30, 2020.

R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $2.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 compared to $0.3 million in the second quarter 2020. The increase was driven by a $1.0 million increase in grant related research expenditures and a $1.1 million increase in non-grant related research. The non-grant related research was incurred primarily in connection with the Company’s PD Phase I clinical trial.

Research and development expenses were $4.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 compared to $0.5 million in the six months ended June 30, 2020. The increase was driven by a $2.1 million increase in grant related research expenditures and a $2.1 million increase in non-grant related research. The non-grant related research was expended primarily in connection with the Company’s Phase I clinical trial in older healthy subjects.

SG&A Expenses: Selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 were $1.6 million compared to $0.4 million for the second quarter in 2020. The increase was primarily the result of increased non-cash stock compensation expense of $0.1 million, increased director and officer’s liability insurance of $0.3 million related to the Company’s IPO in December 2020, increased legal fees, board fees, investor relation and consulting fees of $0.3 million relating to operating as a public company registrant since December 2020 and a net increase of $0.5 million for other normal operating expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2021 were $3.2 million compared to $0.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020. The increase was primarily the result of increased non-cash stock compensation expense of $0.5 million, increased director and officer’s liability insurance of $0.7 million related to the Company’s initial public offering in December 2020, increased legal fees, board fees, investor relation and consulting fees of $0.6 million relating to operating as a public company registrant since December 2020 and a net increase of $0.5 million for other normal operating expenses.

Cash Position: Cash and cash equivalents were $46.8 million as of June 30, 2021. This includes approximately $41.1 million of proceeds from Inhibikase’s June, 2021 public offering of common stock, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by Inhibikase. The Company expects that existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund operations into the first-half of 2023.