On August 7, 2019 Immunomedics, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMMU) ("Immunomedics" or the "Company"), a leading biopharmaceutical company in the area of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), reported financial results for the second quarter of 2019 (Press release, Immunomedics, AUG 7, 2019, View Source [SID1234538294]). Please refer to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for more details on the Company’s financial results.

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"We continued to execute well against our key strategic priorities for sacituzumab govitecan this quarter. In particular, we are very pleased to have reached target enrollment in the ASCENT study in less than twenty months. We believe this rapid pace is testament to the unmet need in late-stage metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) and the confidence of our investigators in the safety and efficacy of our ADC to provide a meaningful clinical benefit to patients," commented Dr. Behzad Aghazadeh, Executive Chairman of Immunomedics.

Based on current projections, the Company anticipates reporting top-line data from ASCENT in mid-2020. "We are grateful to the patients, their families and caregivers who have participated in our studies. We look forward to the data readout as we continue to work on delivering this important, potential new treatment paradigm to mTNBC patients," added Dr. Aghazadeh.

"The Company’s preparation of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for sacituzumab govitecan in mTNBC is progressing according to plan," said Scott Canute, Executive Director of Immunomedics. "Our goal is to have a high-quality resubmission and a successful reinspection. To that end, we have made steady progress in both areas and we remain confident that we will meet our guided resubmission timeline of early fourth quarter 2019."

Building on the ASCENT momentum and leveraging the existing relationships with breast cancer specialists, the Company has launched the registrational Phase 3 TROPICS-02 in hormonal receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2–) metastatic breast cancer (mBC).

"Given our experience treating patients with sacituzumab govitecan in ASCENT, we are excited to be a participant in the TROPICS-02 study," stated Principal Investigator Hope S. Rugo, M.D., FACP, Professor of Medicine; and Director, Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education, University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA. "We are very encouraged about sacituzumab govitecan’s efficacy and look forward to utilizing the ADC for patients with mTNBC. Additional effective treatment options for those with both mTNBC and HR+ disease are critical for our patients."

The randomized global TROPICS-02 study has dosed the first patients with HR+/HER2– mBC who have failed at least two prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease. With progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR) serving as co-primary endpoints, the study allows for an analysis of ORR on a pre-specified number of patients as a basis of a potential accelerated approval submission.

"Targeting HR+/HER2– mBC, which accounts for 70% of all breast cancers, signifies our intention to establish sacituzumab govitecan as a foundational therapy for mBC," continued Dr. Aghazadeh. "To further unlock the full potential of sacituzumab govitecan, we have initiated, for the first time, a Trop-2-enriched study in various difficult-to-treat cancers, beginning with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Finally, the combination study with sacituzumab govitecan and rucaparib in second-line mTNBC and other cancers, in collaboration with Clovis, is now open for patient enrollment."

Recent Company Highlights

The Phase 3 confirmatory ASCENT study (NCT02574455) has reached its target enrollment for mTNBC patients previously treated with at least two systemic chemotherapy regimens. Top-line data is expected to be available in mid-2020 based on projected event trajectory and timelines associated with central review, database lock and analysis.

The global randomized, open-label, Phase 3 registrational TROPICS-02 study (NCT03901339) has dosed the first patients with HR+/HER2– mBC. This study includes an ORR analysis on a pre-specified number of patients for a potential accelerated approval submission. Enrollment of 400 patients is expected to take approximately eighteen months to complete.

The Company launched TROPICS-03 (NCT03964727), an open-label, Trop-2-enriched multi-cohort Phase 2 study designed to assess the clinical activity of sacituzumab govitecan in patients with metastatic solid tumors, including NSCLC, small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and endometrial cancer. Dosing of the first NSCLC patient is expected in the third quarter of 2019.

The open-label Phase 1b/2 SEASTAR study (NCT03992131) of sacituzumab govitecan in combination with Clovis’ PARP inhibitor, rucaparib, in mTNBC, mUC, and platinum resistant ovarian cancer is recruiting patients with at least one prior line of standard therapy for advanced disease.

Initiated by Dr. Aditya Bardia, Massachusetts General Hospital is sponsoring a Phase 1b/2 study (NCT04039230) evaluating sacituzumab govitecan in combination with Pfizer’s PARP inhibitor, talazoparib, in patients with mTNBC previously treated with no more than one prior therapeutic regimens for metastatic disease.
Second Quarter and Six Months 2019 Financial Results
The Company had no revenues for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, due primarily to the discontinued sale of LeukoScan in February 2018 in order for the Company to focus on its ADC business. Revenues in the comparable quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018 were $0.4 million and $0.9 million, respectively.

Total costs and expenses were $67.2 million for the quarter and $146.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $52.8 million for the comparable quarter and $90.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018. The increases were due primarily to increased expenses in research and development and sales and marketing, partially offset by decreases in general and administrative expenses. The increases in research and development costs were mostly attributable to activities related to preparations for the approval and commercial launch of sacituzumab govitecan for patients with at least two prior lines of treatment for metastatic TNBC in the United States and expanded clinical development of sacituzumab govitecan into other indications.

The Company had no non-cash warrant-related income or expense for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to non-cash warrant-related expenses of $58.9 million for the comparable quarter and $49.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018, due to the net appreciation in the fair value of then outstanding warrants. There were no warrants outstanding as of June 30, 2019.

Interest expense was $10.6 million for the quarter and $20.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $9.4 million for the comparable quarter and $20.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018. The increases were due primarily to the net appreciation in the fair value of our debt balances as a result of the agreement with RPI Finance Trust.

Net loss attributable to stockholders was $76.0 million, or $0.40 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, compared to $117.0 million, or $0.68 per share, for the comparable quarter ended June 30, 2018. Net loss attributable to stockholders was $163.3 million, or $0.85 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $152.6 million, or $0.91 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2018.

As of June 30, 2019, the Company had $432.7 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, including the $65 million upfront payment received from the licensing agreement with Everest Medicines for sacituzumab govitecan for Greater China. The Company believes this amount is adequate to support its clinical development plan for sacituzumab govitecan, further build its clinical and manufacturing infrastructure and fund its operations through 2020.

Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call and live audio webcast today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss second quarter 2019 financial results and provide a corporate update. To access the conference call, please dial (877) 303-2523 or (253) 237-1755 using the Conference ID 2069775. The conference call will be webcast via the Investors page on the Company’s website at View Source Approximately two hours following the live event, a webcast replay of the conference call will be available on the Company’s website for approximately 30 days.

On August 7, 2019 Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLDX) reported business and financial highlights for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 (Press release, Celldex Therapeutics, AUG 7, 2019, View Source [SID1234538293]). The Company will host a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET today to provide an update on its pipeline and upcoming milestones for the remainder of 2019.

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"Celldex made considerable progress in the first half of the year across multiple programs," said Anthony Marucci, Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Celldex Therapeutics. "We presented exciting data from our CDX-3379 program in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper), where we observed intriguing clinical activity across a number of patients with similar gene mutation patterns. As a result, we have expanded the study to allow for a deeper evaluation of these biomarkers for patient selection. This could be important for the field as patients with refractory head and neck cancer face extremely limited treatment options and a particularly poor prognosis.

We also reported data from multiple programs at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper), including from our ongoing dose escalation study of CDX-1140. We recently successfully completed the monotherapy dosing cohorts and are advancing nicely through the combination cohorts with our dendritic cell growth factor, CDX-301. We are currently finalizing plans to initiate a combination cohort with a checkpoint inhibitor and look forward to presenting data from the ongoing program this fall.

Finally, we made an important addition to the Celldex leadership team. In June, we announced that Dr. Diane Young has joined Celldex as Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Young brings a deep background in successful drug development to Celldex that will strengthen our clinical development efforts and support the continued progress of our product pipeline," concluded Marucci.

Recent Pipeline Highlights:

· CDX-1140—a potent CD40 agonist that Celldex believes has the potential to successfully balance systemic doses for good tissue and tumor penetration with an acceptable safety profile.

Enrollment is complete in the monotherapy arm and progressing on track in the CDX-301 combination arm of the Phase 1 dose-escalation study of CDX-1140 in patients with recurrent, locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors and B cell lymphomas. Celldex plans to present data from the ongoing study at a medical meeting this fall.
— Eight monotherapy dosing cohorts ranging from 0.01 to 3.0 mg/kg have been completed and the dose limiting toxicity (DLT) window successfully cleared.
— Three combination cohorts in solid tumors (0.09, 0.18 and 0.36 mg/kg) with CDX-301 have been completed and the DLT window successfully cleared. Patients enrolled in the fourth cohort at 0.72 mg/kg have been dosed and are currently completing the DLT observation period. Assuming successful clearance, the 1.5 mg/kg combination cohort with CDX-301 should open shortly.
— Additional patient enrollment (backfill) has been initiated to characterize the effects of CDX-1140 in the tumor microenvironment and expansion cohorts are being actively planned. Future combination opportunities include PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and Celldex’s potent CD27 agonist monoclonal antibody varlilumab.
Interim data from the study were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2019 in April and support that CDX-1140 is a potent activator of CD40 and can be safely administered at doses that Celldex believes will support good tissue and tumor penetration.
· CDX-3379—a differentiated human monoclonal antibody designed to block the activity of ErbB3 (HER3). ErbB3 is expressed in many cancers, including head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) and is believed to be an important receptor regulating cancer cell growth and survival as well as resistance to targeted therapies.

Enrollment continues in the Phase 2 study of CDX-3379 in advanced HNSCC in combination with Erbitux in Erbitux-resistant patients who have been previously treated with or are ineligible for checkpoint therapy.
— Interim data from the study (n=15) were presented at the 2019 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in June that suggested notable clinical activity in this refractory patient population and a promising biomarker strategy.
— Emerging data from the Phase 2 study and earlier studies of CDX-3379 suggest that antitumor activity may be associated with somatic mutations in the FAT1 and NOTCH1, NOTCH2 or NOTCH3 (NOTCH1-3) genes—genes associated with tumor suppression.
— In the exploratory analyses presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper), seven patients were identified as having FAT1 mutated tumors and four of these patients demonstrated clinical response (3 confirmed).
– All four clinical responses occurred in patients with the primary tumor site of oral cavity.
– Three of the four clinical responses occurred in patients with NOTCH1-3 mutations.
– Also, of note, all patients (n=7 of 18) who experienced clinical benefit (objective response or stable disease greater than or equal to 12 weeks) had FAT1 and/or NOTCH1-3 mutations.
— Inactivating mutations in the FAT1 and NOTCH genes occur in sizeable subsets of HPV negative HNSCC tumors, having been identified in 32% (FAT1) and 26% (NOTCH) of these tumors, respectively.
— Based on these biomarker observations and the clinical activity observed in the ongoing Phase 2 study, the study has been expanded (n= ~45 patients, including at least 15 patients with FAT1 mutations) to allow for an evaluation of the utility of biomarkers for patient selection. Enrollment is ongoing.
· CDX-0159—a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds the KIT receptor and potently inhibits its activity. The KIT receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed in a variety of cells, including mast cells. In certain inflammatory diseases, such as chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), mast cell degranulation plays a central role in the onset and progression of the disease.

Celldex plans to submit an Investigation New Drug (IND) Application and initiate a Phase 1a study of CDX-0159 by year-end 2019. The study is designed to evaluate the safety profile, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of single ascending doses of CDX-0159 in healthy subjects. Following completion of this study, the Company plans to further study CDX-0159 in CIU, a mast cell-related disease. CIU presents as itchy hives, angioedema or both for at least six weeks without a specific trigger; multiple episodes can play out over years or even decades. The prevalence of CIU is estimated to be 0.5% to 1% of the total population or up to 3.2 million cases in the United States. About 50% of patients with CIU achieve symptomatic control with antihistamines or leukotriene receptor antagonists. Omalizumab, an IgE inhibitor, provides relief for roughly half of the remaining antihistamine/leukotriene refractory patients. Consequently, there is a need for more effective later line therapies.
· Celldex continues to advance a robust preclinical portfolio with data from multiple programs presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper).

Data from the Company’s CDX-527 bispecific candidate and its TAM program were presented in April 2019 at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual meeting. CDX-527 uses Celldex’s proprietary highly active anti-PD-L1 and CD27 human antibodies to couple CD27 co-stimulation with blockade of the PD-L1/PD-1 pathway. TAM receptors (Tyro3, Axl, MerTK) are receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) expressed in innate immune cells. These receptors have been gaining importance in the immunotherapy field due to their role as checkpoint molecules on macrophages, dendritic cells and other immune cells, where they can negatively regulate anti-tumor immunity.
Recent Business Highlights:

· Diane C. Young, M.D. joined Celldex as Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer in July 2019. Over the span of a 30 year career in biopharmaceuticals, Dr. Young, a medical oncologist, has led clinical and cross-functional research and development teams responsible for the global development of numerous novel therapies from Phase 1 through successful product registrations. Dr. Young received her M.D. from Harvard Medical School and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.

· Celldex continues to preserve our financial resources and direct them towards reaching meaningful development milestones across our pipeline. In June, the Company decided to consolidate its Massachusetts lab and manufacturing facilities. The lease for the Needham, MA facility will not be renewed and most functions and employees will be integrated into the Company’s Fall River, MA facility. The Company estimates that this consolidation along with a reduction in square footage at our Hampton, NJ facility earlier this year will decrease our facility footprint by over 35% and will save the Company over $3.5 million annually, starting in the second half of 2020.

Second Quarter 2019 Financial Highlights and 2019 Guidance

Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of June 30, 2019 were $81.3 million compared to $85.1 million as of March 31, 2019. The decrease was primarily driven by second quarter cash used in operating activities of $11.0 million, partially offset by $7.2 million in net proceeds from sales of common stock under the Cantor agreement. At June 30, 2019, Celldex had 14.8 million shares outstanding.

Revenues: Total revenue was $0.7 million in the second quarter of 2019 and $2.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $2.8 million and $6.8 million for the comparable periods in 2018. The decrease in revenue was primarily due to lower revenue from the collaboration agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and the contract manufacturing and research and development agreements with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and Rockefeller University.

R&D Expenses: Research and development (R&D) expenses were $10.1 million in the second quarter of 2019 and $21.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $21.4 million and $43.3 million for the comparable periods in 2018. The decrease in R&D expenses was primarily due to lower clinical trial, personnel and contract manufacturing costs.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $3.9 million in the second quarter of 2019 and $8.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $5.6 million and $11.2 million for the comparable periods in 2018. The decrease in G&A expenses was primarily due to lower personnel and commercial planning costs and lower lease restructuring expense.

Changes in Fair Value Remeasurement of Contingent Consideration: The Company recorded a $1.0 million gain on fair value remeasurement of contingent consideration during the second quarter of 2019 and a $0.5 million loss on fair value remeasurement of contingent consideration during the six months ended June 30, 2019, primarily due to changes in discount rates and the passage of time.

Net Loss: Net loss was $11.8 million, or ($0.84) per share, for the second quarter of 2019, and $29.0 million, or ($2.21) per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to a net loss of $16.4 million, or ($1.67) per share, for the second quarter of 2018 and $134.5 million, or ($14.01) per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2018.

Financial Guidance: Celldex believes that the cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at June 30, 2019, combined with the anticipated proceeds from future sales of common stock under the Cantor agreement, are sufficient to meet estimated working capital requirements and fund planned operations through 2020. This could be impacted if Celldex elects to pay Kolltan contingent milestones, if any, in cash.

Webcast and Conference Call
Celldex executives will host a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET today to discuss financial and business results and to provide an update on key 2019 objectives. The conference call and presentation will be webcast live over the internet and can be accessed by going to the "Events & Presentations" page under the "Investors & Media" section of the Celldex Therapeutics website at www.celldex.com. The call can also be accessed by dialing (866) 743-9666 (within the United States) or (760) 298-5103 (outside the United States). The passcode is 9256839.

A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the live call concludes through August 14, 2019. To access the replay, dial (855) 859-2056 (within the United States) or (404) 537-3406 (outside the United States). The passcode is 9256839. The webcast will also be archived on the Company’s website.

Erbitux is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly & Co.

On August 7, 2019 MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ:MNKD) reported financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019 (Press release, Mannkind, AUG 7, 2019, View Source [SID1234538292]).

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"We continue to execute our commercial strategy for Afrezza, which resulted in product growth of 62% versus the second quarter of 2018," said Michael Castagna, Chief Executive Officer of MannKind Corporation. "Our partner in Brazil, Biomm, received marketing approval for Afrezza and expects to launch in the second half of this year. Meanwhile, our partnership with United Therapeutics continues to gain strength as we celebrated the completed construction of a new high-potency manufacturing suite in our Danbury facility in July."

Second Quarter 2019 Results
Total revenues were $15.0 million for the second quarter of 2019, reflecting Afrezza net revenue of $6.1 million and collaboration and services revenue of $8.9 million. Afrezza net revenue increased 62% compared to $3.8 million in the second quarter of 2018, primarily driven by higher product demand, a more favorable mix of Afrezza cartridges and price. Collaboration and services revenue increased $8.9 million compared to the second quarter of 2018, reflecting the licensing and research agreements signed with United Therapeutics in September 2018.

Afrezza gross profit was $1.7 million for the second quarter of 2019, an increase of $3.1 million, or 230%, compared to a gross loss of $1.3 million for the same period in 2018, primarily due to an increase of $2.3 million in net revenue, a $0.4 million decrease in realized currency loss associated with a foreign exchange contract and a $0.2 million decrease in inventory write-offs, partially offset by increased costs due to higher sales.

Research and development (R&D) expenses for the second quarter of 2019 were $1.6 million compared to $3.0 million for the second quarter of 2018. This 45% decrease was primarily attributable to a $0.5 million decrease in clinical trial spending and a $0.5 million decrease in personnel costs.

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses for the second quarter of 2019 were $16.6 million compared to $21.7 million for the second quarter of 2018. This decrease of $5.1 million, or 24%, was primarily attributable to a $2.3 million decrease in personnel related costs, a $1.3 million decrease in professional fees and a $1.0 million decrease in marketing spending.

Interest expense on notes (facility financing obligation and senior convertible notes) for the second quarter of 2019 was $0.6 million compared to $1.7 million for the second quarter of 2018. This $1.1 million decrease was primarily due to a reduction in debt principal balances.

The net loss for the second quarter of 2019 was $12.4 million, or $0.07 per share compared to a $22.7 million net loss in the second quarter of 2018 or $0.16 per share. The decrease was primarily the result of total revenues increasing from higher Afrezza commercial demand and from our licensing and research agreements with United Therapeutics.

Six Months Ended June 30, 2019
Total revenues were $32.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, reflecting Afrezza net revenue of $11.1 million and collaboration and services revenue of $21.3 million. Afrezza net revenue increased 56% compared to $7.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018, primarily due to higher product demand, a more favorable mix of Afrezza cartridges and price. Collaboration and services revenue increased $21.2 million compared to the six months ended June 30, 2018, reflecting the licensing and research agreements signed with United Therapeutics in September 2018.

Afrezza gross profit was $2.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $4.7 million or 243% compared to a gross loss of $1.9 million in the same period in 2018, primarily due to an increase of $4.0 million in net revenue, a $0.8 million decrease in inventory write-offs, partially offset by increased costs due to higher sales.

R&D expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2019 were $3.3 million compared to $5.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018. This 41% decrease was primarily attributable to a $1.0 million decrease in personnel related costs and a $0.7 million decrease in clinical trial spending.

SG&A expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2018 were both $42.3 million. The first half of 2019 included a $9.3 million expenditure for a television campaign for Afrezza offset by a $4.5 million decrease in personnel related costs, a $2.0 million decrease in professional fees, a $1.6 million decrease in marketing spending and a $0.4 million decrease in sponsorship expense.

Interest expense on notes (facility financing obligation and senior convertible notes) for the six months ended June 30, 2019 was $1.2 million compared to $3.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018. This $2.3 million decrease was primarily due to a reduction in debt principal balances.

The net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2019 was $27.3 million, or $0.15 per share compared to a $53.1 million net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2018 or $0.41 per share. The lower net loss was mainly attributable to a $25.1 million increase in total revenues.

Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments at June 30, 2019 was $38.2 million compared to $71.7 million at December 31, 2018. The decrease was primarily due to net cash used in operating activities of $31.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, including the receipt of a $12.5 million milestone payment from United Therapeutics, and a principal payment to Deerfield of $2.5 million.

Business Update
On August 6, 2019, MannKind Corporation and MannKind LLC entered into a Credit and Security Agreement with Apollo Investment Corporation, as lender, and MidCap Financial Trust, as lender and agent, which provides a secured term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $75.0 million and which matures on August 1, 2024 (the "MidCap Credit Facility"). MannKind borrowed the first advance of $40.0 million on August 6, 2019. In connection with the MidCap Credit Facility, MannKind also entered into privately negotiated exchange agreements with each of its existing creditors in order to pay off (in the case of Deerfield as a secured creditor) and restructure (in the case of Bruce & Co. and The Mann Group as unsecured creditors) MannKind’s existing debt obligations. When combined with a July 2019 exchange agreement with Deerfield, these exchanges reduced the principal amount of existing debt by $28.4 million and extended the maturity until November 2024 for $75.1 million (out of $80.3 million) of the remaining debt.

Conference Call

MannKind will host a conference call and presentation webcast to discuss these results today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To participate in the live call by telephone, please dial (866) 548-4713 or (323) 794-2093 and use the participant passcode: 8241782. Those interested in listening to the conference call live via the Internet may do so by visiting the Company’s website at View Source under News & Events.

A telephone replay of the call will be accessible for approximately 14 days following completion of the call by dialing (844) 512-2921 or (412) 317-6671 and use the participant passcode: 8241782#. A replay will also be available on MannKind’s website for 14 days.

On August 7, 2019 Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on commercializing novel vaccines, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 (Press release, Dynavax Technologies, AUG 7, 2019, View Source [SID1234538291]).

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"HEPLISAV-B net product revenue was $8.3 million for the second quarter of this year, which was in line with our expectations," said Ryan Spencer, Co-President and Senior Vice President of Commercial for Dynavax. "Hepatitis B is a highly infectious and potentially fatal disease, which can be prevented with effective vaccination. Although hepatitis B vaccines have been available for decades, recently cases of
hepatitis B have been on the rise. We believe there is a need for a vaccine that provides higher and faster rates of protection, and that HEPLISAV-B, as the only two-dose hepatitis B vaccine approved by the FDA, has the potential to become the standard of care hepatitis B adult vaccine in the U.S. and we are focused on reaching that goal."

Second Quarter and Recent Business Highlights

HEPLISAV-B [Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant), Adjuvanted]

Second quarter 2019 sales of $8.3 million compared to $5.6 million in the first quarter 2019
The company has achieved sales into 6 of the 7 top national retail pharmacy chains, and contracting efforts are underway to secure additional pharmacy partners
More than 1,790 individual customers have purchased HEPLISAV-B since launch
17 of the top 20 Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) have made HEPLISAV-B available to order
668 of our targeted accounts, which represent 59% of the total doses in our targeted customers, have made HEPLISAV-B available to order
187 of the top 300 targeted customers have ordered HEPLISAV-B
Financial Results

Product Revenue, Net. Dynavax’s first commercial product, HEPLISAV-B, was launched in the first quarter of 2018. Net product revenue for the second quarter of 2019 was $8.3 million, compared to $1.3 million for the second quarter of 2018. Net product revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2019, was $13.9 million, compared to $1.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018. Product revenue from sales is recorded at the net sales price, which reflects reductions for estimated product returns, chargebacks, discounts and other fees.

Cost of Sales – Product. Cost of sales – product, for the second quarter of 2019 was $2.1 million, compared to $5.2 million for the second quarter of 2018. Cost of sales – product, for the six months ended June 30, 2019, was $3.9 million, compared to $5.4 million for same period in 2018. The quarter ended June 30, 2018 included costs relating to excess capacity at the company’s manufacturing facility in Düsseldorf, Germany, which were previously included in research and development expense. The 2018 excess capacity charge is a result of costs associated with resuming operating activities at the Düsseldorf facility after receiving regulatory approval of pre-filled syringes ("PFS") of HEPLISAV-B in late March 2018. Included in cost of sales – product for both periods are fill, finish and overhead costs for HEPLISAV-B incurred after U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. A higher percentage of HEPLISAV-B inventory sold in 2019 used components manufactured after FDA approval compared to 2018, when most of the expense associated with product sold was expensed to research and development prior to approval. The company expects HEPLISAV-B cost of sales will increase in future periods, both in absolute dollars and as a percentage of product revenue, as we produce and then sell inventory that reflects the full cost of manufacturing the product.

R&D Expenses. Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2019 were $16.2 million, compared to $16.3 million for the second quarter of 2018. Research and development expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2019, were $37.4 million, compared to $35.2 million for the same period in 2018. In May 2019, the company announced a strategic organizational restructuring to align its operations around its vaccine business and significantly curtail further investment in immuno-oncology research and development.

SG&A Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2019 were $17.9 million, compared to $15.7 million for the second quarter of 2018. Selling, general and administrative expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2019 were $36.2 million, compared to $32.5 million for the same period in 2018. The increase was due primarily to additional personnel in support of HEPLISAV-B commercial activities.

Restructuring and Related Expenses. On May 23, 2019, the company implemented a strategic organizational restructuring to principally align its operations around its vaccine business. The company is exploring strategic alternatives for its immuno-oncology portfolio. The total restructuring costs related to the restructuring are estimated to be $9.4 million, of which $5.3 million is related to severance, other termination benefits and outplacement services and $4.1 million is related to stock-based compensation expense as a result of accelerated vesting of stock awards and extension of exercise period of stock options. During the three months ended June 30, 2019, the company recognized restructuring charges of $8.8 million and the remaining $0.6 million is expected to be recognized by the end of 2019. The workforce reduction is expected to reduce compensation and benefits cost by approximately $16 million annually. After all existing oncology trials and commitments are complete, the company estimates its operating expenditures related to external oncology costs will be reduced by approximately $8 million per quarter as compared to the first quarter ended March 31, 2019.

Net Loss. Net loss for the second quarter of 2019 was $42.7 million, or $0.66 per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $39.4 million, or $0.63 per basic and diluted share, for the second quarter of 2018. Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2019, was $82.4 million, or $1.28 per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $78.4 million, or $1.26 per basic and diluted share for the six months ended June 30, 2018.

Cash Position. Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $140.5 million at June 30, 2019.

2019 HEPLISAV-B Revenue Expectations

Dynavax expects HEPLISAV-B net product revenue of $32-$36 million for the full year 2019.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Dynavax will hold a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. To access the call, participants may dial (877) 423-9813 (domestic) or (201) 689-8573 (international) and refer to conference ID 13693069. The live call will be webcast and can be accessed in the "Investors and Media" section of the company’s website at www.dynavax.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days following the live event.

About Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a viral disease of the liver that can become chronic and lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. The hepatitis B virus is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV,i and transmission is on the rise. There is no cure for hepatitis B, but effective vaccination can prevent the disease.

In adults, hepatitis B is spread through contact with infected blood and through unprotected sex with an infected person. The CDC recommends vaccination for those at high risk for infection due to their jobs, lifestyle, living situations and travel to certain areas.ii Because people with diabetes are particularly vulnerable to infection, the CDC recommends vaccination for adults age 19 to 59 with diabetes as soon as possible after their diagnosis, and for people age 60 and older with diabetes at their physician’s discretion.iii Approximately 20 million U.S. adults have diabetes, and 1.5 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year.iv

About HEPLISAV-B
HEPLISAV-B is an adult hepatitis B vaccine that combines hepatitis B surface antigen with Dynavax’s proprietary Toll-like Receptor (TLR) 9 agonist to enhance the immune response. Dynavax has worldwide commercial rights to HEPLISAV-B.

For more information about HEPLISAV-B, visit View Source

On August 7, 2019 Elicio Therapeutics, a next generation immuno-oncology company, reported that significant preclinical data from a novel lymph-node targeted vaccine targeting the seven KRAS mutations that drive 99% of all KRAS-driven cancers, estimated to be 25% of all human solid tumors (Press release, Elicio Therapeutics, AUG 7, 2019, View Source [SID1234538290]). Elicio’s "AMP KRAS vaccine" ELI-002 will enter initial patient studies in pancreatic cancer patients in Q1-2020.

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These studies, described in "Amphiphile-modifications target mKRAS-antigen and adjuvant to lymph nodes and enable polyfunctional mKRAS-specific immune responses with potent cytolytic activity," co-authored by Peter DeMuth, PhD., Elicio Vice President of Research, will be presented at the Immuno-Oncology Summit in Boston on August 8th, 2019.

"Previous vaccine approaches utilizing synthetic peptides have not effectively targeted the critical immune cells residing in the lymph nodes and have elicited only weak or undetectable immune responses in patients," said Dr. DeMuth. "The Amphiphile technology allows us to simultaneously generate immune response to the seven mutations commonly present in KRAS driven cancers by targeting peptides with a powerful adjuvant directly to the lymph nodes, significantly amplifying the resulting immune responses, and producing highly functional mKRAS-specific T cells capable of killing mKRAS-presenting cells in vivo."

Elicio has demonstrated in multiple tumor models that improving the targeting of immunogens and cell-therapy activators to lymph nodes, where resident immune cells potently orchestrate immunity, can substantially amplify their ability to induce effective tumor-killing immune responses. ELI-002 is an "AMP KRAS vaccine" containing seven Amphiphile mKRAS peptides and a proprietary Amphiphile adjuvant, administered subcutaneously.

The "AMP KRAS vaccine" administration and resulting immune response yields robust activation against all common mutations in the KRAS protein compared to low or undetectable responses generated by soluble or benchmark treatments which fail to effectively reach the lymph nodes. Further, this response is composed of CD4+ as well as CD8+ T-cells resulting in the production of high levels of Th1-associated cytokines upon re-stimulation with mKRAS-specific peptides in vitro. In vivo, robust cytolytic function towards mKRAS-presenting targets can be measured in the T-cells generated through the AMP vaccination regimen.

"To date, ‘drugging’ mKRAS directly has only been achieved in early clinical studies for the G12C allele, using covalent inhibitors. While validating mKRAS as a target in lung cancer, most human tumors have different mutations, or G12C is not a driver mutation. The concern is that chasing mutations is difficult and keeping up with the genomic instability of cancer may lead to resistance. The AMP vaccine approach covers 99% of all mKRAS tumors and G12X or G13X mutations need only be expressed, and not necessarily as driver mutations," said Julian Adams PhD, Elicio’s Chairman.

Elicio is developing ELI-002 to treat and prevent disease recurrence for hundreds of thousands of patients with mKRAS-driven cancers, including pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancer. KRAS mutations are present in 90% of pancreatic cancers, 40% of colorectal cancers, and 30% of non-small cell lung cancers. ELI-002has completed preclinical validation, IND-enabling GLP toxicology studies, GMP manufacturing, and a pre-IND meeting with the FDA and intends to enter initial patient studies in the first half of 2020. These trials will be multi-site, randomized, controlled studies.

About the Amphiphile Platform

The Elicio Amphiphile platform enables precise targeting and delivery of immunogens and cell-therapy activators directly to the lymphatic system, the "brain center" of the immune response, to significantly amplify and enhance the body’s own system of defenses, defeat solid and hematologic cancers, and prevent their recurrence. Once in the lymph nodes, Amphiphile immunotherapies are taken up by antigen presenting cells (APC’s) to orchestrate signaling to natural or engineered immune cells in order to maximize therapeutic immune responses to disease. This strategy has been used to improve the activity of immunostimulatory agents, antigens, adjuvants, and cell-therapies that generate little to no response when used in the conventional forms. By precisely targeting these immunotherapies to the lymph nodes, Amphiphiles can unlock their full potential to generate and amplify anti-tumor immune responses. This substantially enhanced anti-tumor functionality and long-term protective memory may someday unlock the full potential of the immune response to eliminate cancer.