On November 6, 2024 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 third quarter ended September 30, 2024, and provided a pipeline update on its clinical-stage investigational molecules – targeting TIGIT, HIF-2a, CD73, the A2a/A2b receptors, CD-39, AXL and PD-1 – across multiple common cancers (Press release, Arcus Biosciences, NOV 6, 2024, View Source [SID1234647801]).

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"Through the course of this year, we have presented multiple compelling datasets at medical conferences that we believe have de-risked several programs and support potential best-in-class profiles for our molecules, including our HIF-2a inhibitor casdatifan in ccRCC and our Fc-silent anti-TIGIT antibody domvanalimab in lung and upper gastrointestinal cancers," said Terry Rosen, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Arcus. "Meanwhile, in addition to our rapidly approaching first Phase 3 readout for domvanalimab in gastric cancer, we are aggressively pursuing our development plan for casdatifan, including in the IO-naive ccRCC setting in collaboration with AstraZeneca, and in the post-IO setting with the initiation of our Phase 3 PEAK-1 study in the first half of next year."
Corporate Updates:

•In October 2024, Arcus announced a clinical collaboration with AstraZeneca to evaluate casdatifan in combination with volrustomig, AstraZeneca’s investigational PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, in IO-naive patients with ccRCC. AstraZeneca will operationalize the study. This is the second clinical collaboration between Arcus and AstraZeneca. Gilead retains the right to opt in to the development and commercialization for casdatifan after delivery of a qualifying data package.
Pipeline Highlights:

Casdatifan (HIF-2a inhibitor)
Casdatifan Updates:
•First clinical data from the casdatifan 100mg and 50mg expansion cohorts of ARC-20, a Phase 1/1b study in metastatic ccRCC, were presented in an oral plenary session at the 2024 EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) Symposium in October. Observations from the 100mg daily expansion cohort included:
◦An objective response rate (ORR) of 34% (2 responses are pending confirmation; 25% confirmed ORR), a low rate of primary progression of 19% and a high disease control rate of 81%.
◦The median progression-free survival (PFS) had not been reached at the time of the data cutoff.

◦Together, these data support the potential for casdatifan to be a best-in-class HIF-2a inhibitor for the treatment of ccRCC.
•In the third quarter, Arcus had a successful Type B meeting with the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss its first Phase 3 study for casdatifan, PEAK-1, which will evaluate casdatifan in combination with cabozantinib versus cabozantinib in post-IO patients with ccRCC. Arcus is moving rapidly toward the initiation of PEAK-1 in the first half of 2025.
Upcoming Casdatifan Milestones:
•Multiple expansion cohorts of ARC-20 evaluating casdatifan in ccRCC as a monotherapy and in combination with cabozantinib in ccRCC are underway with additional data presentations expected in the next 12 months.
◦100mg (50mg twice daily (BID), capsules) and 50mg expansion cohorts: Updated data, including median PFS, are expected to be presented in the first quarter of 2025.
◦150mg and 100mg (once daily (QD), tablets) expansion cohorts: Initial data are expected to be presented in 2025.
◦100mg of casdatifan plus cabozantinib: Safety data are expected to be presented in 2025.
Domvanalimab (Fc-silent anti-TIGIT antibody) plus Zimberelimab (anti-PD-1 antibody)
Domvanalimab-Zimberelimab Updates:
•Data from Part 1 of ARC-10, a randomized study evaluating domvanalimab plus zimberelimab in PD-L-1 high NSCLC are being presented at the SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in November.
•Domvanalimab plus zimberelimab was associated with greater PFS, overall survival, and objective response rate compared with zimberelimab or chemotherapy.
◦A 36% reduction in risk of death (hazard ratio [HR]=0.64) was observed for domvanalimab plus zimberelimab compared to that of zimberelimab alone.
◦Zimberelimab reached a median overall survival of 2 years, and the median overall survival for domvanalimab plus zimberelimab was not reached.
◦Treatment-related adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation were low (10.5%) for the combination of domvanalimab and zimberelimab.
•Data from an investigator-sponsored trial evaluating domvanalimab plus zimberelimab in anti-PD-(L)1 refractory hepatocellular carcinoma will be presented in an oral session at the SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.
Upcoming Domvanalimab-Zimberelimab Milestones:
•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 2025.

CD73-Adenosine Axis: Quemliclustat (small-molecule CD73 inhibitor) and Etrumadenant (A2a/A2b receptor antagonist)

Quemliclustat
•Arcus has initiated PRISM-1, a Phase 3 trial of quemliclustat combined with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel versus gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer.
Etrumadenant
•Biomarker data from cohort B of ARC-9, a randomized Phase 1b/2 study evaluating etrumadenant plus zimberelimab, FOLFOX chemotherapy and bevacizumab (EZFB) versus regorafenib in third-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), are being presented at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) in November.

Early Clinical Programs

•Evaluation of AB801, a potent and highly selective small-molecule AXL inhibitor, in the dose-escalation phase of a Phase 1/1b study in patients is ongoing. Arcus anticipates advancing this molecule into expansion cohorts in NSCLC in early 2025.
Financial Results for Third Quarter 2024:
•Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities were $1.1 billion as of September 30, 2024, compared to $866 million as of December 31, 2023. The increase during the period is primarily due to the receipt of $320 million in cash from Gilead for their January 2024 equity investment, the receipt of the $100 million option continuation payment from Gilead in July 2024 and proceeds from our $50 million term loan, partially offset by the use of cash in research and development activities. We believe our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities on-hand will be sufficient to fund operations into mid-2027. Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are expected to be between $950 million and $985 million at the end of 2024.
•Revenues were $48 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $32 million for the same period in 2023. In the third quarter 2024, Arcus recognized $41 million in license and development services revenue related to the advancement of programs and Taiho’s exercise of its option for the license of quemliclustat for the Taiho Territory of $15 million, as well as $7 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.
•Research and Development (R&D) Expenses were $123 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $82 million for the same period in 2023. The net increase of $41 million was primarily driven by higher clinical trial and headcount-related costs associated with our late-stage development program activities. Non-cash stock-based compensation expense was $9 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $8 million for the same period in 2023. For the third quarter 2024 and 2023, Arcus recognized gross reimbursements of $37 million and $33 million, respectively, for shared expenses from its collaborations, primarily the Gilead collaboration. R&D expense 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 flat for the third quarter 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. Non-cash stock-based compensation expense was $10 million for each of the third quarter 2024 and 2023.
•Net Loss was $92 million for the third quarter 2024, compared to $71 million for the same period in 2023.
Conference Call Information:
Arcus will host a conference call and webcast today, November 6, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET to discuss its third-quarter 2024 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: 940081. Participants may also register for the call online using the following link: View Source;confId=72838. 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.
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
ARC-7 zim vs. dom + zim vs. etruma + dom + zim 1L NSCLC (PD-L1 ≥ 50%) Ongoing Randomized Phase 2
NCT04262856
EDGE-Lung dom +/- zim +/- quemli +/- chemo 1L/2L NSCLC (lung cancer platform study) Ongoing Randomized Phase 2
NCT05676931
VELOCITY-Lung
dom +/- zim +/- etruma +/- sacituzumab govitecan-hziy or other combos
1L/2L NSCLC (lung cancer platform study) Ongoing Randomized Phase 2
NCT05633667
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 +/- quemli +/- chemo 1L/2L Upper GI Malignancies
Ongoing
Randomized Phase 2
NCT05329766
Colorectal Cancer

ARC-9 etruma + zim + mFOLFOX vs. SOC 2L/3L/3L+ CRC
Ongoing
Randomized Phase 2
NCT04660812
Pancreatic Cancer
PRISM-1 quemli + gem/nab-pac vs. gem/nab-pac 1L PDAC Ongoing Phase 3
NCT06608927
ARC-8 quemli + zim + gem/nab-pac vs. quemli + gem/nab-pac 1L, 2L PDAC Ongoing Randomized Phase 1/1b
NCT04104672
Kidney Cancer
PEAK-1 cas + cabo vs. cabo Post-IO ccRCC Planned Phase 3 TBD
ARC-20 cas, cas + cabo Cancer Patients / ccRCC Ongoing Phase 1/1b
NCT05536141
Other
ARC-25 AB598 Advanced Malignancies Ongoing
NCT05891171
ARC-27 AB801 Advanced Malignancies Ongoing
NCT06120075

cabo: cabozantinib; cas: casdatifan; dom: domvanalimab; durva: durvalumab; etruma: etrumadenant; gem/nab-pac: gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel; nivo: nivolumab; pembro: pembrolizumab; quemli: quemliclustat; SOC: standard of care; zim: zimberelimab; ccRCC: clear cell renal cell carcinoma; CRC: colorectal cancer; EAC: esophageal adenocarcinoma; GEJ: gastroesophageal junction; GI: gastrointestinal; NSCLC: non-small cell lung cancer; PDAC: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.