On June 11, 2020 BeyondSpring Inc. (the "Company" or "BeyondSpring") (NASDAQ: BYSI), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative cancer therapies, reported its financial results and provided an operational update for the three months ended March 31, 2020 (Press release, BeyondSpring Pharmaceuticals, JUN 11, 2020, View Source [SID1234560998]).
"During the first quarter, we continued to make progress in the two lead indications for Plinabulin for both the prevention of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)," said Dr. Lan Huang, Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our recent data from PROTECTIVE-2 Phase 2 showed Plinabulin combined with G-CSF improves chemotherapy compliance compared to G-CSF alone, which potentially leads to better clinical outcomes. The Plinabulin-G-CSF combination’s potential to prevent infection and hospitalization becomes even more important to the physicians, patients and the healthcare system in the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect to reach the pre-specified interim analysis for PROTECTIVE-2 Phase 3 this month to evaluate superiority in CIN, which has the potential to mark the first significant enhancement in preventing neutropenia in 30 years."
"With over 1,200 patients enrolled to date for Plinabulin clinical programs, we believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on our upcoming regulatory milestones with multiple New Drug Application (NDA) filings followed by near term commercial opportunities. Looking ahead, we continue to advance our clinical studies to support our view of Plinabulin as a ‘pipeline in a drug’ and believe its potential in improving standard of care in CIN prevention and cancer treatments will help many patients in need globally."
Select First-Quarter 2020 and Recent Operational Highlights
Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia (CIN)
PROTECTIVE-2 Phase 2 for Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia Shows Positive Results in Chemotherapy Optimization with Potentially Better Clinical Outcomes
In June 2020, BeyondSpring announced that PROTECTIVE-2 Phase 2 superiority trial for CIN shows that Plinabulin in combination with Neulasta (pegfilgrastim), a long-lasting G-CSF, which is a predominant therapy to treat CIN, enables more cancer patients to receive the optimal chemotherapy dose and regimen, which potentially leads to better clinical outcomes.
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In breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (TAC, a high-risk chemotherapy) with 20mg/m2 of Plinabulin combined with 6mg of Neulasta (n=16) compared with 6mg of Neulasta alone (n=22), Plinabulin + G-CSF improved compliance with targeted chemotherapy
Dose reduction (over 15 percent): only 6.3 percent of patients in the Plinabulin-Neulasta combination arm versus 22.7 percent in Neulasta arm – a 72 percent improvement
Downgraded regimen (from TAC, to docetaxel and cyclophosphamide, or TC): No (0 percent) patients in the Plinabulin + G-CSF arm downgraded chemotherapy from the TAC regimen to the TC regimen versus 18.2 percent in the Neulasta arm – p < 0.05
Plinabulin’s Mechanism of Action Complements Neulasta in Cancer Treatment
In May 2020, two Company abstracts were presented at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Virtual Scientific Program, evaluating Plinabulin alongside Neulasta.
BeyondSpring’s e-publication, titled, "Comparison of CD34+ mobilization effects of standard dose pegfilgrastim (Peg) versus low-dose peg combined with plinabulin (Plin)," demonstrates the efficacy of Plinabulin-Neulasta combination in increasing CD34+ counts for patients, with fewer adverse events
Additionally, BeyondSpring’s poster presentation, titled, "Head-to-head comparison of the non-G-CSF small molecule single agent (SA) plinabulin with SA pegfilgrastim for the prevention of docetaxel chemotherapy (chemo)-induced neutropenia (CIN) in the protective-1 trial," compares Plinabulin versus Neulasta as an effective monotherapy for CIN prevention
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
DSMB Recommends DUBLIN-3 Phase 3 NSCLC to Continue Without Modification
In June 2020, BeyondSpring reported it had reached the pre-specified second interim analysis for DUBLIN-3 for NSCLC treatment with Plinabulin.
Upon reviewing the efficacy and safety data of over 500 patients at an approximately 300-patient death event, DSMB advised BeyondSpring to continue the study without any modifications
DUBLIN-3 is a global Phase 3 trial for Plinabulin, in combination with docetaxel versus docetaxel alone, for the treatment of second- / third-line EGFR wild-type NSCLC
Thus far, over 600 cancer patients have been dosed with Plinabulin, which has demonstrated good tolerability and satisfies the safety database standard of both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA)
Intellectual Properties
BeyondSpring Granted U.S. Patent for Plinabulin to Treat Severe CIN from Taxane in Cancer Patients
In May 2020, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted BeyondSpring a new patent for methods of treating severe CIN in cancer patients treated with taxane with protection through 2033. This patent establishes Plinabulin’s beneficial effects in reducing CIN associated with taxane, one of the most commonly used chemotherapies
The Company currently owns 76 patents, including 17 issued U.S. patents, for Plinabulin and its analogs with protection through 2036
Financial Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2020
Research and development ("R&D") expenses were $13.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, compared to $6.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. The $7.4 million increase was largely attributable to an increase of $4.4 million in clinical trial expenses and an increase of $3.0 million in non-cash share-based compensation.
Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses were $2.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, compared to $1.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. The $1.3 million increase was mainly due to a $0.6 million increase in commercial and marketing expense, a $0.3 million increase in salary, wages and benefits expense, and a $0.4 million increase in other expenses.
Net loss attributable to the Company was $16.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, compared to $7.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.
As of March 31, 2020, the Company had a cash balance of $24.9 million. The Company believes currently available financial resources will be sufficient to support its clinical trials and submit NDAs in the U.S. and China for Plinabulin for the CIN and NSCLC indications, as well as to advance its immuno-oncology pipeline and ubiquitination protein degradation research platform.
Anticipated Milestones
The following outlines the Company’s anticipated upcoming milestones and projected timelines:
Interim topline data readout for PROTECTIVE-2 Phase 3 for CIN – June 2020
Final data readout for PROTECTIVE-2 Phase 3 for CIN – H2 2020
Final data readout for PROTECTIVE-1 Phase 3 for CIN – H2 2020
NDA submission for Plinabulin for CIN in the U.S. – H2 2020
Final data readout for DUBLIN-3 for NSCLC – H2 2020
NDA submission for Plinabulin for NSCLC in China – H2 2020
NDA submission for Plinabulin for NSCLC in the U.S. – H1 2021