On August 12, 2024 FORE Biotherapeutics reported the appointment of Michael Byrnes as chief financial officer of the company (Press release, Fore Biotherapeutics, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645728]). Mr. Byrnes brings over 20 years’ experience in the biotechnology industry, both in private and public companies, spanning all phases of development from pre-clinical to pre-commercial stages and across multiple indications. As CFO, he has led multiple companies through equity and debt transactions and been involved in M&A totaling close to $4B.

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Prior to joining Fore, Mr. Byrnes was chief financial officer for eFFECTOR Therapeutics where he took the company public in 2021. Previous to that, Mr. Byrnes was senior vice president of finance at Principia Biopharma, Inc. (PRNB), which was acquired by Sanofi in September 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Byrnes served as chief financial officer of Alkahest, Inc. and chief financial officer of Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. (OCRX) until its acquisition by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in his career, Mr. Byrnes held finance positions of increasing responsibility with Maxygen, Inc. (MAXY), NeurogesX, Inc. (NGSX), Lipid Sciences, Inc. (LIPD) and ADAC Laboratories, Inc. (ADAC). Mr. Byrnes received his B.S.C. in finance from Santa Clara University and an M.B.A. from California State University, Hayward.

Bill Hinshaw, CEO of Fore commented: "I am excited to have Mike join as our CFO. He brings highly relevant experience to Fore given his background and track record in both private and public companies. He will be a key leader in supporting the performance and growth of the company. I would like to thank Jeff Sacher from Danforth Advisors and to acknowledge his valuable contributions during his interim tenure with the company.

Mike’s hire is part of our continued investment in talent to drive and support our growth, including the recent addition of Payman Darouian, PharmD, as Senior VP, Corporate Development, Strategy and Commercial."

"I’m excited to join Fore as chief financial officer and leverage my extensive experience from multiple high-growth biotechnology companies. This is an exciting time to join Fore, with multiple value-creating catalysts anticipated in the near-term and going forward across the trials. I believe the company and its lead asset plixorafenib are well positioned for significant growth and look forward to helping shape Fore’s future and its mission to reset the standard for BRAF treatment," said Mr. Byrnes.

On August 12, 2024 Plus Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PSTV) ("Plus" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing targeted radiotherapeutics with advanced platform technologies for central nervous system (CNS) cancers, presented data in a podium presentation updating the progress of its ReSPECT-LM clinical trial of Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda (Rhenium Nanoliposome, 186RNL) in leptomeningeal disease (LM) (Press release, Plus Therapeutics, AUG 12, 2024, View Source;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_7iHFh0KC8ADHT3IGm6h7byl9V4K0V69JyOE9qDTPXopUgBVfARSb1X2ufy9S8Czy3EIXS309imxXx6d5vPJC9WIkhuA&_hsmi=319707572&utm_content=319707572&utm_source=hs_email [SID1234645751]). The data were presented at the 2024 Society for NeuroOncology (SNO)/American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) CNS Metastases Conference August 8-10, 2024 in Denver, Colorado.

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The presentation, titled, "Phase 1 Dose Escalation of Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda (Rhenium Nanoliposome, 186RNL) for the Treatment of Leptomeningeal Metastases (LM): Ongoing Clinical Study Update for Initial Safety and Feasibility," provided a safety and efficacy update on the single dose trial for the first 4 cohorts (n = 16 patients). The trial is currently enrolling in Cohort 5. The study was presented by Andrew Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Kolitz/Zachry Endowed Chair Neuro-Oncology Research; Co-Leader, Experimental and Developmental Therapeutics Program, University of Texas Health, San Antonio.

Key ReSPECT-LM highlights through Cohort 4:

16 patients were treated: 8 patients had a breast cancer primary diagnosis, 4 patients had a lung cancer primary diagnosis, and 4 patients had a mix of other primary cancers
There were no dose limiting toxicities through cohort 4 and the maximum tolerated dose or maximum feasible dose was not reached
We observed a linear increase in absorbed radiation dose to the spinal fluid and ventricles and cranial subarachnoid space over 4 cohorts
In cohort 4, the mean average absorbed radiation dose to the ventricles and cranial subarachnoid space was 156 Gy vs. 1 Gy to the spleen
The majority of adverse events (AEs) across all 4 cohorts were mild or moderate and unrelated or unlikely related to the study drug
There was a mean reduction of CSF circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of 53% at 28 days post treatment vs. baseline (CTCs only performed on only Cohorts 1-3 as testing was commercially unavailable during Cohort 4)
Median overall survival for Cohorts 1-4 was 12 months with 8 of 16 patients alive at the time of analysis
"The ReSPECT-LM Phase 1 dose escalation study continues to show feasibility, safety, and a response in circulating tumor cells in LM patients treated with Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda," said Dr. Andrew Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., "Furthermore, a median overall survival rate of 12 months is very encouraging and is consistent with the high doses of absorbed radiation delivered and the mean circulating tumor cell reduction we have observed."

The FDA has granted Fast Track designation to Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda for the treatment of LM. The FDA has also granted Orphan Drug designation to Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda for the treatment of LM in breast cancer patients.

The ReSPECT-LM clinical trial is funded in part, by a 3-year, $17.6 million grant by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas. Additional information about the ReSPECT-LM trial can be found here.

About Leptomeningeal Metastases (LM)

LM is a rare complication of cancer in which the primary cancer spreads to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and leptomeninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. All malignancies originating from solid tumors, primary brain tumors, or hematological malignancies have this LM complication potential with breast cancer as the most common cancer linked to LM, with 3-5% of breast cancer patients developing LM. Additionally, lung cancer, GI cancers and melanoma can also spread to the CSF and result in LM. LM occurs in approximately 5% of people with cancer and is usually terminal with 1-year and 2-year survival of just 7% and 3%, respectively. The incidence of LM is on the rise, partly because cancer patients are living longer and partly because many standard chemotherapies cannot reach sufficient concentrations in the spinal fluid to kill the tumor cells, yet there are no FDA-approved therapies specifically for LM patients, who often succumb to this complication within weeks to several months, if untreated.

About Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda

Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda is a novel injectable radiotherapy specifically formulated to deliver direct targeted high dose radiation in CNS tumors in a safe, effective, and convenient manner to optimize patient outcomes. Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda has the potential to reduce off target risks and improve outcomes for CNS cancer patients, versus currently approved therapies, with a more targeted and potent radiation dose. Rhenium-186 is an ideal radioisotope for CNS therapeutic applications due to its short half-life, beta energy for destroying cancerous tissue, and gamma energy for real-time imaging. Rhenium (186Re) Obisbemeda is being evaluated for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma and leptomeningeal metastases in the ReSPECT-GBM and ReSPECT-LM clinical trials. ReSPECT-GBM is supported by an award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and ReSPECT-LM is funded by a three-year $17.6M grant by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

On August 12, 2024 Gossamer Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOSS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of seralutinib for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD), reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024 and provided a business update (Press release, Gossamer Bio, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645729]).

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"Between the continued progress made in the enrollment of the Phase 3 PROSERA Study and the transformational collaboration agreement with the Chiesi Group, Gossamer has made great strides in the second quarter to advance the clinical development and strengthen the market potential of seralutinib," said Faheem Hasnain, Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Gossamer Bio.

"Additionally, we look forward to announcing seralutinib presentations and posters at major medical meetings in the coming months, which continue to support the potential of seralutinib as a novel agent in the treatment of patients with PAH and PH-ILD."

Seralutinib (GB002): Inhaled PDGFR, CSF1R and c-KIT Inhibitor for PAH and PH-ILD
•Enrollment is ongoing in the PROSERA Study, a global registrational Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with WHO Functional Class II and III PAH. The primary endpoint is change in six-minute walk distance (6MWD) from baseline at week 24. Topline results from the PROSERA Study are expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.
•In mid-2025, after engaging and discussing with global regulatory authorities, we expect to commence a global registrational Phase 3 clinical trial of seralutinib for the treatment of patients with PH-ILD.
•On May 6, Gossamer Bio and the Chiesi Group announced a development and co-commercialization collaboration for seralutinib. Gossamer and Chiesi will split global development costs for seralutinib, except for the PROSERA Study, for which Gossamer will remain solely responsible. In the United States, Gossamer and Chiesi will split profits and losses, and Chiesi will be solely responsible for commercialization of seralutinib outside of the United States, for which Gossamer will receive mid-to-high teens royalties.

Financial Results for Quarter Ended June 30, 2024
•Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of June 30, 2024, were $354.5 million. The Company expects the combination of current cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund its operating and capital expenditures into the first half of 2027.
•Revenue from Sale of Licenses and from Contracts with Collaborators: For the quarter ended June 30, 2024, revenue from the sale of licenses was $88.8 million and revenue from contracts with collaborators was $7.1 million. Our revenue consists of a one-time development cost reimbursement payment for licenses related to the collaboration with Chiesi and ongoing payments for research and development services related to the collaboration with Chiesi.
•Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: For the quarter ended June 30, 2024, R&D expenses were $35.1 million, compared to $36.3 million for the same period in 2023.
•General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses: For the quarter ended June 30, 2024, G&A expenses were $8.7 million, compared to $10.0 million for the same period in 2023.
•Net Income (Loss): Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $49.2 million, or $0.22 basic net income per share, compared to a net loss of $42.5 million, or $0.45 basic net loss per share, for the same period in 2023.

On August 12, 2024 Mabwell (688062.SH), an innovative biopharmaceutical company with entire industry chain, reported its novel Nectin-4 targeting ADC (R&D code: 9MW2821) has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has failed previous platinum-based chemotherapy and PD-(L)1 inhibitor therapy (Press release, Mabwell Biotech, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645752]).

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The designation as a breakthrough therapy is aimed at expediting the development process of drug candidates for serious diseases, with the drug candidates included having demonstrated significant efficacy or safety advantages compared to existing therapies in early clinical trials.

For drug candidates included in the breakthrough therapy list, CDE will prioritize the allocation of resources to facilitate communication and provide guidance to promote drug development, which will benefit the further advancement of the clinical development progress and the speed of market review and approval. This will help to expedite the development process of 9MW2821 and meet the unmet clinical needs of Chinese patients.

About 9MW2821

9MW2821 is the first site-specific conjugated novel Nectin-4 targeting ADC developed by Mabwell using ADC platform, and is the first drug candidate to enter clinical study among the Nectin-4-targeting ADCs developed by Chinese companies, and also the first therapeutic drug candidate targeting Nectin-4 in the world to reveal clinical efficacy data of cervical cancer (CC), esophageal cancer (EC) and breast cancer. In 2024, 9MW2821 has been granted Fast Track Designation by FDA for the treatment of advanced, recurrent, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), recurrent or metastatic CC progressed on or following prior treatment with a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen, and locally advanced or metastatic Nectin-4 positive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); 9MW2821 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by FDA for the treatment of EC, and also Breakthrough Therapy Designation by China NMPA.

9MW2821 achieves site-specific modification of antibody through proprietary conjugation technology linkers and optimized ADC conjugation process. After injection, 9MW2821 can specifically bind to Nectin-4 on the cell membrane surface, be internalized and release cytotoxic drug, and induce the apoptosis of tumor cells.

On August 12, 2024 Immunome, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNM), a biotechnology company focused on the development of first-in-class and best-in-class targeted oncology therapies, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, and provided a business update (Press release, Immunome, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645730]).

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"Immunome is focused on establishing and developing a broad pipeline of differentiated oncology therapies. We continue to advance work required to prepare AL102 for regulatory submissions, and we are moving towards submitting INDs for IM-1021 and IM-3050," said Clay B. Siegall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer. "These programs are supported by an expanding team of drug developers, including leaders who previously contributed to the successful development and commercialization of ADCs and small molecules."

Dr. Siegall continued, "In addition to our clinical pipeline, we have identified multiple promising ADC targets, all of which offer first-in-class potential. We believe that cost-effective business development efforts combined with focused research can accelerate the expansion of our pipeline and that rigorous science provides the foundation for transformative cancer therapies."

Pipeline Highlights

Full enrollment for the Phase 3 RINGSIDE Part B study of AL102 for the treatment of desmoid tumors was completed in February 2024, and Immunome continues to expect to report topline data for RINGSIDE Part B in the second half of 2025. In parallel, Immunome is performing additional manufacturing and pharmacology work required to support a new drug application filing for AL102.

Immunome also anticipates submitting INDs for IM-1021 and IM-3050 in the first quarter of 2025, as previously disclosed.

These programs are complemented by robust discovery efforts centered on next-generation ADCs and active business development activity, including recent transactions with Atreca, Nectin Therapeutics, Bluefin Biomedicine, and OncoResponse intended to expand Immunome’s ADC toolbox.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

· As of June 30, 2024, cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $278.4 million. Immunome’s current cash runway is expected to extend into 2026.

· Research and development expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 were $29.1 million, including stock-based compensation costs of $1.0 million.
· In-process research and development expenses for the quarter ended June 30th, 2024 were $6.3 million. These expenses were related to Immunome’s business development activity.
· General and administrative expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 were $7.0 million, including stock-based compensation expense of $2.2 million.
· Immunome reported a net loss of $36.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.