On May 6, 2025 Arcus Biosciences, Inc. (NYSE:RCUS), a clinical-stage, global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing differentiated molecules and combination therapies for patients with cancer, reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, and provided a pipeline update on its clinical-stage investigational molecules across multiple common cancers (Press release, Arcus Biosciences, MAY 6, 2025, View Source [SID1234652568]).
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"Beginning with an oral presentation at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) for casdatifan in ccRCC, we expect to report a steady stream of data from ARC-20 throughout the remainder of 2025 and into 2026. We believe these data will support our robust development plan for casdatifan across multiple settings. This includes our Phase 3 trial, PEAK-1 in the IO-experienced setting, our clinical trial with AstraZeneca, which will combine casdatifan with their anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody in the IO-naive setting, and three new cohorts in ARC-20 evaluating casdatifan in first- and second-line ccRCC," said Terry Rosen, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Arcus. "We believe that casdatifan has the potential to change the treatment paradigm for ccRCC, including the displacement of TKIs in earlier line settings, and our development plan is designed to establish casdatifan as the HIF-2a inhibitor of choice. Our balance sheet remains strong, and our operational plan and priorities are focused on ensuring that casdatifan is funded through its first Phase 3 readout."
Pipeline Highlights:
Casdatifan (HIF-2a inhibitor)
Casdatifan Updates:
•New clinical data from three monotherapy expansion cohorts in ARC-20 were presented in an oral session at the 2025 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Genitourinary (GU) Cancers Symposium in February. At the time of data cut-off (DCO, January 3, 2025), the efficacy-evaluable population included a total of 87 patients with ccRCC who had received at least two prior lines of therapy, including both anti-PD-1 and a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR)-TKI therapy. These data support the potential for casdatifan to be a best-in-class HIF-2a inhibitor for the treatment of ccRCC:
◦Despite limited follow-up, two of the cohorts exceeded 30% confirmed overall response rate (inclusive of one partial response confirmed after the DCO)
◦A 9.7-month median progression-free survival (PFS) was reached for the 50mg twice-daily casdatifan monotherapy cohort; median PFS was not yet reached for other cohorts
◦No unexpected safety signals were observed at the time of DCO, and casdatifan had an acceptable and manageable safety profile across all doses.
Planned Data Readouts:
•June 2025: Safety and initial efficacy data for the ARC-20 cohort evaluating casdatifan plus cabozantinib in IO-experienced patients will be presented in an oral session at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.
•Fall 2025: More mature data from the cohorts evaluating casdatifan monotherapy in patients who had progressed on both an anti-PD-1 and a TKI therapy.
•2026: More mature data from the casdatifan plus cabozantinib cohort and initial data from the new ARC-20 cohorts evaluating casdatifan in the first-line (1L) and IO-experienced settings.
Upcoming Study and Cohort Initiations:
•The PEAK-1 Phase 3 study evaluating casdatifan plus cabozantinib versus cabozantinib in IO-experienced ccRCC is expected to initiate in the second quarter of 2025.
•Shortly thereafter, Arcus and AstraZeneca expect to initiate a clinical study, part of AstraZeneca’s eVOLVE portfolio, evaluating casdatifan plus volrustomig, AstraZeneca’s investigational anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, in IO-naive ccRCC. This study will be operationalized by AstraZeneca.
Domvanalimab (Fc-silent anti-TIGIT antibody) plus Zimberelimab (anti-PD-1 antibody)
•Overall survival data from the Phase 2 EDGE-Gastric study, evaluating domvanalimab plus zimberelimab and chemotherapy in upper gastrointestinal (GI) adenocarcinomas, are expected to be presented in the fall of 2025.
•The first Phase 3 data readout for domvanalimab plus zimberelimab will be from the ongoing Phase 3 study STAR-221, evaluating domvanalimab plus zimberelimab and chemotherapy in PD-L1 all-comer 1L metastatic upper GI adenocarcinomas and is expected in 2026.
CD73-Adenosine Axis: Quemliclustat (small-molecule CD73 inhibitor) and Etrumadenant (A2a/A2b receptor antagonist)
Quemliclustat:
•In the fourth quarter of 2024, Arcus initiated PRISM-1, a Phase 3 trial of quemliclustat combined with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel versus gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. PRISM-1 is recruiting rapidly, with enrollment completion expected by the end of 2025.
Etrumadenant:
•In March 2025, we engaged with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding promising results from the ARC-9 study evaluating etrumadenant in third-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); although the FDA’s feedback confirmed the potential for a registrational path for this program in third-line mCRC, based on our strategic priorities, we are not pursuing a Phase 3 study at this time.
Financial Results for First Quarter 2025:
•Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities were $1.0 billion as of March 31, 2025, compared to $992 million as of December 31, 2024. The increase during the period is primarily due to the net proceeds from our underwritten offering in February 2025, partially offset by the use of cash in our research and development activities. We believe our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, together with available facilities, will be sufficient to fund operations through the initial pivotal readouts for domvanalimab, quemliclustat and casdatifan, which include PEAK-1.
•Revenues were $28 million for the first quarter 2025, compared to $145 million for the same period in 2024. In the first quarter 2025, Arcus recognized $20 million in license and development services revenue related to the advancement of programs, as well as $8 million in other collaboration revenue primarily related to Gilead’s ongoing rights to access Arcus’s research and development pipeline in accordance with the Gilead collaboration agreement. Arcus expects to recognize GAAP revenue of between $75 million and $90 million for the full year 2025.
•Research and Development (R&D) Expenses were $122 million for the first quarter 2025, compared to $109 million for the same period in 2024. The net increase of $13 million was primarily driven by higher costs in our early-stage development and preclinical program activities, driven by higher enrollment in our Phase 2 studies. The overall increase was partially offset by reduced spend in our late-stage development activities due to lower manufacturing costs driven by the timing of manufacturing activities. Non-cash stock-based compensation expense was $8 million for the first quarter 2025, compared to $10 million for the same period in 2024. For the first quarters 2025 and 2024, Arcus recognized gross reimbursements of $38 million and $37 million, respectively, for shared expenses from its collaborations, primarily the Gilead collaboration. R&D expenses by quarter may fluctuate due to the timing of clinical manufacturing and standard-of-care therapeutic purchases with a corresponding impact on reimbursements.
•General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses were $28 million for the first quarter 2025, compared to $32 million for the same period in 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by the costs incurred to obtain the Third Gilead Agreement Amendment in 2024. Non-cash stock-based compensation expense was $8 million for the first quarter 2025, compared to $10 million for the same period in 2024.
•Net Loss was $112 million for the first quarter 2025, compared to $4 million for the same period in 2024.
Conference Call Information:
Arcus will host a conference call and webcast today, May 6th, at 1:30 PM PT / 4:30 PM ET to discuss its first-quarter 2025 financial results and pipeline updates. To access the call, please dial +1 (404) 975-4839 (local) or +1 (833) 470-1428 (toll-free), using Access Code: 762544. Participants may also register for the call online using the following link: View Source To access the live webcast and accompanying slide presentation, please visit the "Investors & Media" section of the Arcus Biosciences website at www.arcusbio.com. A replay of the webcast will be available following the live event.
Arcus Ongoing and Announced Clinical Studies:
Trial Name
Arms
Setting
Status
NCT No.
Kidney Cancer
PEAK-1
cas + cabo vs. cabo
Post-IO ccRCC
Planned Phase 3
TBD
AstraZeneca Collaboration (part of eVOLVE portfolio)
cas + volru
2L+ IO-Naive ccRCC
Planned
TBD
ARC-20
cas, cas + cabo, cas +zim
1L, 2L, and 2L+ Cancer Patients/ccRCC
Ongoing Phase 1/1b
NCT05536141
Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers
STAR-221
dom + zim + chemo vs. nivo + chemo
1L Gastric, GEJ and EAC
Ongoing Registrational Phase 3
NCT05568095
EDGE-Gastric (ARC-21)
dom +/- zim +/- chemo
1L/2L Upper GI Malignancies
Ongoing
Randomized Phase 2
NCT05329766
Lung Cancer
STAR-121
dom + zim + chemo vs. pembro + chemo
1L NSCLC (PD-L1 all-comers)
Ongoing Registrational Phase 3
NCT05502237
PACIFIC-8
dom + durva vs. durva
Unresectable Stage 3 NSCLC
Ongoing Registrational Phase 3
NCT05211895
EDGE-Lung
dom +/- zim +/- quemli +/- chemo
1L/2L NSCLC (lung cancer platform study)
Ongoing Randomized Phase 2
NCT05676931
VELOCITY-Lung
dom +/- zim +/- sacituzumab govitecan-hziy or other combos
1L/2L NSCLC (lung cancer platform study)
Ongoing Randomized Phase 2
NCT05633667
Pancreatic Cancer
PRISM-1
quemli + gem/nab-pac vs. gem/nab-pac
1L PDAC
Ongoing Randomized Phase 3
NCT06608927
ARC-8
quemli + zim + gem/nab-pac vs. quemli + gem/nab-pac
1L PDAC
Ongoing Randomized Phase 1/1b
NCT04104672
Other
ARC-25
AB598
Gastric Cancer
Ongoing Phase 1
NCT05891171
ARC-27
AB801
NSCLC
Ongoing Phase 1
NCT06120075
cabo: cabozantinib; cas: casdatifan; ccRCC: clear cell renal cell carcinoma; dom: domvanalimab; durva: durvalumab; EAC: esophageal adenocarcinoma; GEJ: gastroesophageal junction; gem/nab-pac: gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel; GI: gastrointestinal; IO: immunotherapy; nivo: nivolumab; NSCLC: non-small cell lung cancer; PDAC: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; pembro: pembrolizumab; quemli: quemliclustat; volru: volrustomig; zim: zimberelimab.