On May 11, 2022 QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) reported that it has signed agreements to acquire a 96% majority ownership stake in BLIRT S.A. (Polish Stock Exchange: BLR), a manufacturer of recombinant enzymes for the life science industry based in Gdansk, Poland (Press release, Qiagen, MAY 11, 2022, View Source [SID1234614208]).

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BLIRT develops, manufactures and commercializes standardized and customized solutions for proteins and enzymes as well as molecular biology reagents. Its offering includes proteins and enzymes that are critical to the life sciences industry and diagnostic kit manufacturers, especially for non-COVID-19 applications. BLIRT, founded in 1994 in Gdansk, Poland, has approximately 90 employees and generated 2021 sales of less than $10 million.

"The addition of BLIRT to QIAGEN brings highly complementary capabilities that will create additional growth prospects for our enzymes and reagents business," said Thomas Schweins, Senior Vice President and Head of QIAGEN’s Life Sciences Business Area. "BLIRT will also widen our geographic presence, add new sales channels, strengthen our production and R&D capacities and safeguard our supply chains. This acquisition will further strengthen our sample technologies business, one of our five pillars of growth. And it also supports our strategy to focus on attractive growth opportunities in the life science and molecular diagnostic markets and our disciplined approach to value-creating acquisitions."

"Over recent years, we have intensively grown our business: we have invested, observed trends and found new markets", said Marian Popinigis, CEO of BLIRT S.A. "Thanks to QIAGEN, the growth of BLIRT will accelerate. First and foremost, the scale of operations will increase, and our employees will become part of a global team. We accepted QIAGEN’s offer because it would benefit everyone involved: both companies, customers, distributors and employees. I am confident that we will observe positive synergy effects from the joint operations of QIAGEN and BLIRT in the upcoming years. This will create exciting new possibilities. Among other things, customers will have access to a broader offer, and employees will take advantage of new career options."

Under the terms of the agreement, QIAGEN has acquired more than 96% of the outstanding shares of BLIRT in transactions with a group of leading shareholders. QIAGEN intends to obtain full ownership of BLIRT, which will be fully consolidated by QIAGEN following the closing of the transaction in the second quarter of 2022. The acquisition of BLIRT does not have any material impact on QIAGEN’s financial outlook for 2022, as announced on April 26, 2022.

On May 11, 2022 Targovax ASA reported that members of its executive management team and key scientist are invited to present at upcoming conferences (Press release, Targovax, MAY 11, 2022, View Source [SID1234614188]):

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33rd Annual Cancer Progress Conference, virtual
Panel: Victor Levitsky (CSO)
Panel title: Cancer Vaccines Redux: mRNA, Oncolytic Viruses, Or Good Old-Fashioned Peptides – Is It the Target(s), Immunization Platform, Clin Dev Strategy, or All of the Above?
Date: 11 May 2022
Time: 13:30 CET

Preclinical Immuno-Oncology, virtual
Presentation: Thomas B Hansen (VP Research)
Date: 18 May 2022
Time: 12:25 BST /13:25 CET

ABGSC Life Science Summit 2022, virtual
Presentation: Erik Digman Wiklund (CEO)
Date: 19 May 2022
Time: 10:30 CET

8th Annual Immuno-Oncology Innovation Forum, virtual
Panel: Lubor Gaal (CFO)
Panel title: Optimizing the Inherent Combination Value of Oncolytic Viruses Panel
Date: 25 May 2022
Time: 14:20 EDT / 20:20 CET

The presentations will be available on www.targovax.com after the conferences.

On May 11, 2022 Targovax ASA (OSE: TRVX), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing immune activators to target hard-to-treat solid tumors, reported that it has entered into a clinical collaboration and supply agreement with Agenus Inc. (NASDAQ: AGEN) to combine Targovax’s oncolytic immunotherapy ONCOS-102 with two of Agenus´ checkpoint inhibitors in a multi-cohort phase 2 trial to treat anti-PD1 refractory malignant melanoma (Press release, Targovax, MAY 11, 2022, View Source [SID1234614186]).

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Targovax has previously reported a highly competitive 35% objective response rate (ORR) for ONCOS-102 in a phase 1 trial in anti-PD1 refractory melanoma. Importantly, deep translational analyses revealed broad and powerful ONCOS-102-induced immune activation, which correlated with tumor responses and demonstrated strong scientific evidence for additional combination treatments beyond anti-PD1 blockade. Based on these encouraging clinical findings, Targovax is preparing for a multi-cohort phase 2 trial to test ONCOS-102 with novel immunotherapy combinations in a larger number of patients.

Agenus is an immuno-oncology company with an extensive pipeline of therapeutics designed to activate immune response to cancers and infections. Agenus and Targovax plan to test ONCOS-102 in combination with Agenus´ two proprietary checkpoint inhibitors, balstilimab and botensilimab. Balstilimab is an anti-PD1 blocking antibody currently in clinical development in several solid tumors. Botensilimab is an Fc-enhanced anti-CTLA4 antibody that has shown promising activity in early trials in several treatment-resistant solid tumors as monotherapy and in combination with balstilimab.

Dr. Lone Ottesen, Chief Medical Officer of Targovax, said: "The excellent efficacy, immune activation potency and safety profile of ONCOS-102 argues strongly for moving into later stage development in combination with complementary immunotherapies. Based on our clinical biomarker and genomic data, we firmly believe we can further boost response rates in anti-PD1 refractory melanoma patients with novel combinations. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to work with Agenus´ new anti-CTLA4 candidate botensilimab, which has the potential to significantly improve on both efficacy and toxicity compared to ipilimumab, as well as enhancing the systemic activity of ONCOS-102."

Under the agreement, Targovax will be the sponsor and responsible for operational execution of the combination trial, and Agenus will provide drug supply and scientific support. Following demonstration of competitive clinical efficacy in the planned phase 2 study, the parties intend to extend the collaboration into a registrational development program.

Dr. Erik Digman Wiklund, Chief Executive Officer of Targovax ASA, added: "We are thrilled to extend our existing relationship with Agenus. We were looking for a collaboration partner with a portfolio of innovative, complementary immunotherapies, and in Agenus we have found the perfect fit. Together, we will test novel and differentiated combination treatments in melanoma with the goal to achieve response rates beyond the already observed 35% ORR. We are confident this will confirm ONCOS-102 as a leading candidate to address the growing unmet medical need for immune activators that can effectively reverse resistance to checkpoint inhibitor therapy."

On May 11, 2022 Scandion Oncology (Scandion), a biotech company developing first-in-class medicines aimed at treating cancer which is resistant to current treatment options, reported ramps up its clinical development capabilities with the appointment of Dr. Alfredo Zurlo as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) (Press release, Scandion Oncology, MAY 11, 2022, View Source,c3564960 [SID1234614185]). Alfredo Zurlo joins Scandion immediately as part of the company’s Executive Management-team.

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A medical doctor by training, Alfredo Zurlo has more than 20 years of experience in planning and conducting early and late-stage clinical programs in oncology (cancer). He has held several global management positions in a seven-year long career with Roche, including serving as International Medical Director of Oncology and heading the launch of bevacizumab (Avastin) in Europe and the rest of the world for the colorectal indication.

Following his tenure at Roche, Alfredo Zurlo has served as CMO in the two biotech companies Glycotope and Mologen. In addition to his extensive strategic and operational clinical trial experience, he brings a large international network of health care professionals, research scientists and industry experts to Scandion.

"I am delighted to welcome Alfredo Zurlo to Scandion. As we develop both our company and development pipeline, most notably our lead asset SCO-101, it is critical to further strengthen our capabilities in clinical development. With his experience in the field of cancer drug development, Alfredo is an excellent addition to our team, and he will play a key role in the execution of our clinical trials and the planning of pivotal development", says Bo Rode Hansen, President & CEO of Scandion.

"Scandion has a tremendous potential to help address cancer’s resistance to existing treatments, which is perhaps the biggest problem in modern cancer treatment. I am excited by the opportunity to join this company and contribute to the development of new treatments to the benefit of patients, their relatives, health care professionals and society", says Alfredo Zurlo, CMO at Scandion.

Alfredo Zurlo replaces Peter Michael Vestlev, who will continue to work for Scandion in the position of Distinguished Medical Scientist, ensuring an effective handover to Alfredo Zurlo.

On May 11, 2022 RAPT Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: RAPT), a clinical-stage, immunology-based biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing oral small molecule therapies for patients with significant unmet needs in inflammatory diseases and oncology, reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 (Press release, RAPT Therapeutics, MAY 11, 2022, https://investors.rapt.com/news-releases/news-release-details/rapt-therapeutics-reports-first-quarter-2022-financial-results [SID1234614183]).

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"As we kick off 2022, we continue to make strong and steady progress in our programs in inflammatory diseases and oncology," said Brian Wong, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of RAPT Therapeutics. "Recently, at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting, we reported biomarker data from our Phase 1b clinical trial of RPT193 in atopic dermatitis that further support the clinical data we reported last June. We are now gearing up to initiate our Phase 2b clinical trial in AD this quarter and to initiate a Phase 2a trial in asthma in the second half of the year. In addition, we are continuing development of FLX475 in several oncology indications, including EBV+ lymphoma, nasopharyngeal cancer and head and neck cancer. We believe our pipeline of promising oral drugs is a key differentiator for RAPT and can serve as a foundation for growth and building stockholder value."

Financial Results for the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2022

First Quarter Ended March 31, 2022

Net loss for the first quarter of 2022 was $20.5 million, compared to $16.5 million for the first quarter of 2021.

Research and development expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were $16.7 million, compared to $13.8 million for the same period in 2021. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily due to higher costs for the RPT193 and FLX475 clinical trials, personnel and facilities, partially offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation expense.

General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were $4.7 million, compared to $4.0 million for the same period in 2021. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to increases in personnel costs, stock-based compensation expense and facilities costs, partially offset by a decrease in consulting expenses.

As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $173.0 million.