RedHill Biopharma Announces Pricing of $20 Million Underwritten Offering

On December 6, 2018 RedHill Biopharma Ltd. (Nasdaq:RDHL) (Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange:RDHL) ("RedHill" or the "Company"), a specialty biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on proprietary drugs for gastrointestinal diseases, reported the pricing of its previously reported underwritten public offering for a total number of 2,857,143 American Depositary Shares ("ADSs"), each representing ten of its ordinary shares, at a public offering price of $7.00 per ADS (Press release, RedHill Biopharma, DEC 6, 2018, View Source [SID1234531941]).

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Gross proceeds from the sale of the ADSs before underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses are expected to be approximately $20 million. The offering is expected to close on or about December 11, 2018, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company has also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the number of ADSs offered to the public at the public offering price, less underwriting discount.

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., a subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS) and Nomura Securities International, Inc. are acting as joint book-running managers. H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC is acting as lead manager and LifeSci Capital LLC, Ascendiant Capital Markets, LLC, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. and WBB Securities LLC are acting as co-managers for the offering. Roth Capital Partners is acting as financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with its existing cash and cash equivalents, to fund preparations for TALICIA (H. pylori) commercial launch and commercialization activities, clinical development programs, including initiation of a pivotal Phase 3 study with RHB-204 for NTM, preparations for a second Phase 3 study with RHB-104 for Crohn’s disease and for acquisitions and general corporate purposes.

The ADSs described above will be issued pursuant to shelf registration statements that were previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and declared effective by the SEC on March 11, 2016 and July 31, 2018, respectively. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering has been filed with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus and other documents we have filed with the SEC for more complete information about us and this offering. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained by contacting Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., Prospectus Department, 277 Park Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, New York 10172, by calling (212) 409-2000, or by email at [email protected]; or Nomura Securities International, Inc., Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, Worldwide Plaza, 309 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10019-7316, or by telephone at 212-667-9000, or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Moleculin Announces Conference Call to Discuss FDA Filing and New Immune Checkpoint Data on Wednesday, December 12, 2018

On December 6, 2018 Moleculin Biotech, Inc., (Nasdaq: MBRX) ("Moleculin" or the "Company"), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology drug candidates, all of which are based on license agreements with The University of Texas System on behalf of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, reported it will host a conference call to discuss the recent discovery of a use of one its molecule for cancer treatment and provide a business update (Press release, Moleculin, DEC 6, 2018, View Source [SID1234531938]). The call will be at 4:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.

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Participants can dial (800) 860-2442 or (412) 858-4600 to access the conference call, or can listen via a live Internet web cast, which is available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.moleculin.com. A webcast replay will be available in the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.moleculin.com for 90 days. A teleconference replay will be available at (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088, confirmation code 10126965, through December 19, 2018.

MorphoSys Presents Updated Data from L-MIND Study of MOR208 in combination with Lenalidomide in r/r DLBCL at ASH 2018

On December 6, 2018 MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment; MDAX & TecDAX; Nasdaq: MOR) reported its data from the ongoing single-arm phase 2 clinical trial known as L-MIND in an oral presentation at the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2018 in San Diego, USA (Press release, MorphoSys, DEC 6, 2018, View Source [SID1234531937]). L-MIND is designed to investigate the antibody MOR208 in combination with lenalidomide in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL) who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). MOR208 is an investigational humanized Fc-enhanced monoclonal antibody directed against CD19 and is currently in clinical development in blood cancer indications.

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The L-MIND study enrolled patients with r/r DLBCL, who are ineligible for HDC and ASCT, after up to three prior lines of therapy, with at least one prior therapy including an anti-CD20 targeting therapy, such as rituximab. The updated interim data reported today (cut-off date June 5, 2018) included all 81 patients enrolled in the L-MIND trial, with a median observation time of 12 months. Efficacy results in this update are based on assessment by the investigators for all 81 patients. Patients enrolled had a median age of 72 years and had received a median of two prior treatment lines.

The data showed a response in 47 out of 81 patients (overall response rate, or ORR, 58%), with complete responses (CR) in 27 (33%) and partial responses (PR) in 20 (25%) patients. The median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 16.2 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.3 months – not reached). Responses were durable with the median duration of response (DoR) not reached (95% CI: NR – NR) and 70% of responding patients were without progression at 12 months (12-month DoR rate: 70%, Kaplan-Meier estimate). A significant proportion of patients (37/81; 46%) were still on study treatment, with 19 having been treated for over 12 months. Median overall survival (OS) was not reached (95% CI: 18.6 months – NR); the 12-month OS rate was 73% (95% CI: 63% – 85%).

Efficacy parameters, such as response rates and median PFS showed comparable results in most patient subgroups of interest, including low/low-intermediate versus intermediate-high/high IPI score, rituximab refractory versus not refractory and primary refractory versus not refractory, amongst others.

No unexpected toxicities were observed for the treatment combination and no infusion-related reactions (IRRs) were reported for MOR208. The most frequent treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) with a toxicity grading of 3 or higher were neutropenia in 35 (43%), thrombocytopenia in 14 (17%), and anemia in 7 (9%) patients each. Treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred in 16 (19.8%) patients, the majority of which were infections or neutropenic fever. 41 (50.6%) patients required dose reduction with lenalidomide, 58 patients (72%) could stay on a daily lenalidomide dose of 20 mg or higher.

The results reported today confirm data from earlier interim analyses reported from this trial in March 2018, when 68 patients had been eligible for investigators’ efficacy assessment at the Dec 12, 2017 cut-off date.

"Patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who, after having failed initial therapies, are ineligible for high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), need more treatment options," commented Dr. Malte Peters, Chief Development Officer of MorphoSys AG. "We are encouraged by our most recent clinical data from the ongoing L-MIND trial. These support our plan to develop MOR208 in combination with lenalidomide, based on our current FDA breakthrough therapy designation, as a potential chemo-free treatment option for this patient population."

Details about the presentation on L-MIND data at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2018:

Abstract publication number: 227

Session name: 626. Aggressive Lymphoma (Diffuse Large B-Cell and Other Aggressive B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas)—Results from Prospective Clinical Trials"

Session date and time: Saturday, December 1, 2018, 4:00pm-5:30pm PST

Presentation time: 5:00pm PST

Room: Marriot Marquis San Diego Marina, Pacific Ballroom 20, San Diego, California.

MorphoSys will hold an investor & analyst event after the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2018 on December 5, 2018, 10:00am EST (3:00pm GMT, 4:00pm CET) in New York. The presentation, a live webcast and a replay of the webcast will be made available at View Source

About DLBCL

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most frequent type of malignant lymphoma worldwide and accounts for approximately 30% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Between 30% and 40% of all patients with DLBCL either fail to respond to or show a relapse to initial therapy. Patients who failed frontline therapy and are not eligible to high dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) are reported to have a poor outcome and require more therapeutic options.

About CD19 and MOR208

CD19 is broadly and homogeneously expressed across different B cell malignancies including DLBCL and CLL. CD19 has been reported to enhance B cell receptor (BCR) signaling, which is assumed important for B cell survival, making CD19 a potential target in B cell malignancies.

MOR208 is an investigational humanized Fc-engineered monoclonal antibody directed against CD19. Fc-modification of MOR208 is intended to lead to a significant potentiation of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), thus aiming to improve a key mechanism of tumor cell killing. MOR208 has been observed in preclinical models to induce direct apoptosis by binding to CD19, which is assumed to be involved in B cell receptor (BCR) signaling.

MorphoSys is clinically investigating MOR208 as a therapeutic option in B cell malignancies in a number of ongoing combination trials. An open-label phase 2 combination trial (L-MIND study) is investigating the safety and efficacy of MOR208 in combination with lenalidomide in patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Based on interim data from L-MIND, in October 2017 the U.S. FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for MOR208 plus lenalidomide in this patient population. The pivotal phase 2/3 B-MIND study is designed to investigate MOR208 in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent bendamustine in patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL who are not eligible for high-

dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in comparison to the combination of the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab plus bendamustine. In addition, MOR208 is currently being investigated in patients with relapsed/refractory CLL/SLL after discontinuation of a prior Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor therapy (e.g. ibrutinib) in combination with idelalisib or venetoclax.

Chugai Receives Orphan Drug Designation for TECENTRIQ® in Small cell Lung Cancer and for Entrectinib in NTRK Fusion-positive Solid Tumors

On December 6, 2018 Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519) reported that humanized anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody TECENTRIQ Intravenous Infusion 1200 mg [generic name: atezolizumab (genetical recombination)], and ROS1/TRK inhibitor entrectinib which is under development, received orphan drug designation by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and NTRK fusion-positive locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors, respectively (Press release, Chugai, DEC 6, 2018, View Source [SID1234531936]).

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"SCLC is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis and high unmet medical needs. TECENTRIQ became the first immune checkpoint inhibitor whose efficacy against the disease has been confirmed in the first-line setting, thus it is expected to become a new therapeutic option to treat cancer," said Dr. Yasushi Ito, Chugai’s Executive Vice President, Co-Head of Project & Lifecycle Management Unit. "Entrectinib, moreover, demonstrates efficacy against solid tumors having NTRK fusion gene, regardless of their site of origin. We are aiming to realize a new personalized medicine by combining it with next generation sequencing."

Seven clinical studies of TECENTRIQ are currently underway in patients with lung cancer including a global phase I/III clinical study targeting SCLC (IMpower133 study), and 12 studies are being carried out in patients with other types of cancer in Japan. For entrectinib, a global phase II study (The STARTRK-2 study) is being conducted in Japan.

Roche’s Tecentriq in combination with chemotherapy helped people live significantly longer as an initial treatment for people with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer IMpower 133 study (Roche media release dated September 25, 2018)

View Source

Roche’s investigational personalised medicine entrectinib shrank tumours in people with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumours (Roche media release dated October 21, 2018)

View Source

About small cell lung cancer

In Japan, 114,550 people (77,617 men and 36,933 women; 2014 predicted values) are estimated to be afflicted with lung cancer each year. 73,838 people in Japan (52,430 men and 21,408 women; 2016 predicted values) die as a result of the disease. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Lung cancer can be broadly divided into small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer according to the tissue type, with SCLC accounting for approximately 10 to 15% of all lung cancer cases. SCLC has a high tumor-proliferative capacity, and characteristically causes a wide range of metastases rapidly after tumor diagnosis.

About NTRK fusion gene positive cancer

NTRK fusion gene is an abnormal gene that can be formed by fusing the NTRK genes (NTRK1, NTRK2, NTRK3 encode TRKA, TRKB, TRKC protein, respectively) and other genes (ETV6, LMNA, TPM3, etc.) as a result of chromosomal translocation. The TRK fusion kinase made from NTRK fusion gene is thought to promote cancer cell proliferation. There is very rare expression of NTRK fusion but in various adult and pediatric solid tumors, including appendiceal cancer, breast cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), infantile fibrosarcoma, lung cancer, mammary analogue secretory carcinoma of the salivary gland, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and various sarcomas.

About orphan drugs

Based on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Law, orphan drugs are designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare and granted priority review. The designation criteria are as follows: The number of patients who may use the drug is less than 50,000 in Japan; The drug is indicated for the treatment of serious diseases and there is a significant medical value such as no alternative appropriate drug or treatment, or high efficacy or safety expected compared to existing products; there is a theoretical rationale for using the product for the targeted disease and the development plan is reasonable.

Sources

National Cancer Center Japan, Cancer Information Services "Cancer Registration and Statistics," from: View Source Accessed December 2018.
Govindan R, Page N, Morgensztern D, Read W, Tierney R, Vlahiotis A, et al. Changing epidemiology of small cell lung cancer in the United States over the last 30 years: analysis of the surveillance, epidemiologic, and end results database. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Oct 1; 24: 4539-44.
Japanese Society of Medical Oncology, editor. New Clinical Oncology. 4th ed., Nankodo
Eilas DA. Small cell lung cancer: state-of-the-art therapy in 1996. Chest. 1997 Oct.; 112: 251S-258S.
Cocco E, Scaltriti M, Drilon A. NTRK fusion-positive cancers and TRK inhibitor therapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2018 Oct 17. doi: 10.1038/s41571-018-0113-0. [Epub ahead of print]

Athenex to Host an R&D Day on December 17 in New York

On December 6, 2018 Athenex, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATNX), a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer and related conditions, reported that the Company will host an R&D Day on Monday, December 17, 2018, from 12 noon to 3:00 pm Eastern Time, in New York City (Press release, Athenex, DEC 6, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2379753 [SID1234531935]).

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The Company will provide an overview of the R&D pipeline and updates on key clinical programs. Discussion topics will cover Athenex’s Orascovery, Src Kinase Inhibition and T Cell Receptor Engineered T Cell (TCR-T) Immunotherapy platforms. Management will also discuss commercial development strategy and the market potential of its drug candidates as novel therapies for the treatment of cancer.

This event is intended for institutional investors, sell-side analysts, investment bankers and business development professionals only. Please RSVP in advance if you plan to attend in person, as space is limited. For those unable to attend, a live webcast with slides and replay will be accessible via the News & Events page on the Investor Relations tab of the Athenex website or via this link. If you would like to ask a question during the live Q&A session, please submit your request via email to [email protected]. A replay of the presentation will be available for 60 days following the event.