On August 8, 2019 Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACRS), a physician-led biopharmaceutical company focused on immuno-inflammatory and dermatological diseases, reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2019, and provided a business strategy update and an update on its clinical development programs and commercial products (Press release, Aclaris Therapeutics, AUG 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234538408]).

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Business Strategy Update:

Aclaris announced that it is undertaking a strategic business review of its commercial and research and development (R&D) portfolio of assets to determine how to optimally deploy capital to maximize shareholder return. As part of this undertaking, Aclaris reported the following:
Today, it is voluntarily discontinuing the commercialization of ESKATA (hydrogen peroxide) Topical Solution, 40% (w/w) (ESKATA) in the United States due to the fact that revenues from product sales were insufficient for Aclaris to sustain continued commercialization as a result of the product not achieving sufficient market acceptance by physicians and patients, and not for efficacy or safety reasons, and is seeking a strategic partner to commercialize this product, both in the United States and worldwide (excluding Canada).
Aclaris currently intends to seek a strategic partner to further develop its investigational compounds, ATI-501 (oral) and ATI-502 (topical) Janus Kinase (JAK) 1/3 inhibitors, for alopecia.
Aclaris plans to continue to invest in its other immuno-inflammatory drug candidates, including its internally developed investigational candidate ATI-450, an oral MK2 inhibitor. If Aclaris successfully completes its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial for this drug candidate, Aclaris expects to advance ATI-450 into two Phase 2 clinical trials: one for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and one for an additional inflammatory indication.
Highlights:
Clinical

Aclaris’ Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for ATI-450 for the treatment of RA was allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2019. Aclaris announced today that the first patient in its Phase 1 clinical trial of ATI-450 has been dosed. ATI-450 is Aclaris’ first internally developed novel compound to enter the clinical phase of development.
In May 2019, Aclaris completed enrollment of its open-label safety extension Phase 3 clinical trial (WART-303) evaluating the long-term safety of A-101 45% Topical Solution, an investigational drug, as a potential treatment for common warts.
Aclaris recently announced data readouts from multiple Phase 2 clinical trials of ATI-501 and ATI-502.
Commercial and Business

During the second quarter of 2019, total net revenues were $5.9 million, which included net sales of RHOFADE (oxymetazoline hydrochloride) cream, 1% (RHOFADE) of $4.7 million.
In July 2019, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued U.S. Patent No. 10,335,391 covering methods of treating facial erythema associated with rosacea using a 1.0% w/w oxymetazoline hydrochloride composition. This issued U.S. Patent is the sixth patent listed in the Orange Book for RHOFADE and is set to expire in June 2035.
In April 2019, the USPTO issued U.S. Patent No. 10,265,258 covering methods of treating alopecia areata (AA) using ruxolitinib or isotopic forms of ruxolitinib. The claims in this issued patent cover the use of an effective amount of isotopic forms of ruxolitinib, such as deuterated ruxolitinib, to treat AA. This patent is exclusively licensed to Aclaris. This represents the continued expansion of the IP estate with numerous claims directed against ruxolitinib, baricitinib, tofacitinib and decernotinib.
Maxine Gowen, Ph.D. was appointed to the Board of Directors in July 2019.
"We have had a busy few months with the continuation of our commercial relaunch of RHOFADE, generating data from our ATI-501 and ATI-502 trials, and most recently, initiating a Phase 1 trial with ATI-450, our first internally developed compound," said Dr. Neal Walker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aclaris. "We look forward to reporting the results of our Phase 3 wart trials in the second half of this year and providing further updates on our business strategy review."

Clinical Pipeline Update:

A-101 45% Topical Solution:
Aclaris’ THWART-1 and THWART-2 Phase 3 pivotal clinical trials, assessing A-101 45% Topical Solution as a potential treatment for common warts, are progressing as planned. Aclaris has completed enrollment of more than 1,000 patients across these two trials, and data for both trials are expected in the second half of 2019.
An open-label safety extension Phase 3 clinical trial (WART-303) evaluating the long-term safety of A-101 45% Topical Solution as a potential treatment for common warts has also completed enrollment of 425 patients.

JAK Inhibitor Trials:
AA-201 Topical – This Phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, parallel-group, vehicle-controlled trial evaluated the safety, efficacy and dose response of two concentrations of ATI-502, a topical JAK1/3 inhibitor, on the regrowth of hair in 129 patients with AA. In June 2019, Aclaris announced that ATI-502 did not achieve statistical superiority at the primary or secondary endpoints in this trial due to high rates of disease resolution in vehicle-treated patients. Aclaris currently intends to seek a strategic partner to further develop ATI-502 for this indication.
AGA-201 Topical – This ongoing Phase 2 open-label uncontrolled clinical trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of ATI-502, a topical JAK1/3 inhibitor, on the regrowth of hair in 31 patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA), also known as male/female pattern hair loss. 6-month data were reported in June 2019 and 12-month data are expected in the fourth quarter of 2019. If the 12-month data from this trial are positive, Aclaris currently intends to seek a strategic partner to further develop ATI-502 for this indication.
VITI-201 Topical – This ongoing Phase 2 open-label uncontrolled clinical trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of ATI-502, a topical JAK1/3 inhibitor, on the repigmentation of facial skin in 34 patients with vitiligo. Although an interim analysis at 6 months demonstrated evidence of repigmentation in some patients, the response rate has been slow and not sufficient to be clinically meaningful. ATI-502 has been observed to be generally well-tolerated and no treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs) have been reported to date. Based on this interim analysis, Aclaris has decided to discontinue the further development of ATI-502 for this indication.
AD-201 Topical – This Phase 2 open-label uncontrolled clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of ATI-502, a topical JAK1/3 inhibitor, in 22 adult subjects with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) (i.e., subjects who had a Physician’s Global Assessment (PGA) score of 3 or 4 on a 5 point scale). The primary objective was the assessment of safety and tolerability of ATI-502. In this trial, ATI-502 was observed to be generally well-tolerated and no treatment-related SAEs were reported. 7 of the 17 evaluable subjects, or 41%, met the secondary endpoint of achieving a PGA score of less than or equal to 1, with at least a two point change in the PGA score.
These results suggest that a topical JAK inhibitor emollient-containing solution may be a viable option for the treatment of moderate-to-severe AD. As a result, Aclaris intends to advance ATI-1777, its internally developed investigational topical soft-JAK inhibitor, as a potential treatment for AD. Aclaris currently intends to submit an IND for ATI-1777 to the FDA for the treatment of AD by the end of the first half of 2020 and, if the IND is allowed by the FDA, to commence a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in the second half of 2020.
AUAT-201 Oral – This Phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the safety, efficacy and dose response of three doses of ATI-501, an oral JAK 1/3 inhibitor, on the regrowth of hair in 87 subjects with AA. In July 2019, Aclaris announced that ATI-501 achieved statistically significant improvement over placebo in several measures of hair growth, including the primary endpoint and certain secondary endpoints of this trial. ATI-501 was observed to be generally well-tolerated at all doses. There were no SAEs reported. All adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate in severity and rates of AEs were similar across all groups. No thromboembolic events were observed in the trial. The most common AEs across all groups were: nasopharyngitis, influenza, upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, acne, increased blood creatine phosphokinase, and sinusitis. Two subjects in each of the placebo and 400 mg groups and one subject in the 600 mg group had AEs leading to discontinuation of study drug, with no such AEs in the 800 mg group. Aclaris currently intends to seek a strategic partner to further develop ATI-501 for this indication.

MK2 Inhibitor Trial:
ATI-450-PKPD-101 – Aclaris’ IND for ATI-450 for the treatment of RA was allowed by the FDA in May 2019. Aclaris initiated a Single Ascending Dose / Multiple Ascending Dose pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic Phase 1 clinical trial of approximately 60 subjects, and announced today that the first patient has been dosed in this trial. If Aclaris successfully completes the Phase 1 clinical trial, Aclaris expects to advance ATI-450 into two Phase 2 clinical trials: one in patients with RA and one in an additional inflammatory indication.
Commercial Update:

RHOFADE prescriptions for the second quarter of 2019 exceeded 23,200, as estimated per the IQVIA Monthly National Prescription Audit (NPA) data. This is the highest prescription count in a calendar quarter since the fourth quarter of 2017 when the product was owned by Allergan, and represents 12% growth as compared to the first quarter of 2019.
New prescriptions for RHOFADE achieved growth of 9% in the second quarter of 2019 compared to the first quarter, as estimated per the IQVIA Monthly NPA data.
Commercial payer coverage for RHOFADE continues to have coverage for 85% of lives and with unrestricted access for 52% of commercially insured lives, according to Managed Markets Insight & Technology data.
Aclaris reported that is voluntarily discontinuing the commercialization of ESKATA in the United States, and is withdrawing its marketing authorizations it had previously received for the product in all countries outside of the United States. Aclaris will continue to maintain the NDA for ESKATA in the United States, and is currently seeking a strategic partner to commercialize ESKATA, both in the United States and worldwide (excluding Canada). Aclaris made this decision due to the fact that revenues from product sales were insufficient for Aclaris to sustain continued commercialization as a result of the product not achieving sufficient market acceptance by physicians and patients, and not for efficacy or safety reasons.
Financial Highlights:
Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of June 30, 2019, Aclaris had aggregate cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $115.5 million compared to $168.0 million as of December 31, 2018. For the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, net cash used in operating activities was $21.4 million and $52.7 million, respectively. As of June 30, 2019, Aclaris had approximately 41.3 million shares of common stock outstanding.

Aclaris anticipates that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of June 30, 2019 will be sufficient to fund its operations into the fourth quarter of 2020, without giving effect to any potential new business development transactions or financing activities.

Second Quarter 2019 and Year-to-Date Financial Results

Net revenues increased to $5.9 million and $10.9 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $3.7 million and $4.8 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018.

Net RHOFADE sales increased to $4.7 million and $8.4 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively. There were no RHOFADE sales in either prior year period as Aclaris acquired the rights to the product in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Net ESKATA sales decreased to $0.3 million for both the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019 from $1.5 million of net ESKATA sales in the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018. Aclaris launched ESKATA in May 2018.

Contract research revenues decreased slightly to $0.9 million and $2.1 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared to $1.1 million and $2.3 million for the prior year periods.

A one-time upfront milestone payment of $1.0 million received from Cipher Pharmaceuticals was recognized as other revenue for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018.

Cost of revenue, excluding amortization, was $2.7 million and $5.5 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, compared to $1.2 million and $2.1 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018. The amounts for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019 included a $0.4 million non-cash charge for the write-down of ESKATA finished inventory. Non-cash amortization expense of the definite-lived intangible asset for RHOFADE intellectual property was $1.7 million and $3.3 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively. There was no such expense in either prior year period.

Aclaris recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $18.5 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019 as a result of recent decline in its stock price. There was no impairment charge in either prior year period.

R&D expenses were $17.6 million and $37.5 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared to $14.0 million and $27.6 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. The increases were mainly the result of Aclaris’ Phase 3 trials of A-101 45% Topical Solution for the treatment of common warts, which Aclaris initiated in the third quarter of 2018, and preclinical development activities associated with ATI-450, for which Aclaris recently initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial, along with increased headcount to support these programs. These increases were offset in part by decreases in expenses for Aclaris’ JAK inhibitor programs, as several Phase 2 clinical trials of ATI-501 and ATI-502 neared their completion in 2019.

Sales and marketing (S&M) expenses were $7.2 million and $17.0 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared to $12.4 million and $23.6 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. The decreases of $5.2 million and $6.6 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, were mainly due to a reduction in direct marketing and professional fees, which were incurred last year related to the preparation for the commercial launch of ESKATA in May 2018. Personnel related costs, including stock-based compensation, also decreased in 2019 due to turnover in our sales force during the first half of this year. These decreases were partially offset by increases in marketing costs for RHOFADE which were incurred in 2019 to support product re-launch initiatives.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $8.0 million and $16.2 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared to $8.1 million and $14.4 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. The prior year periods included a one-time $1.5 million commercial milestone payment that we made to a licensor. The increases of $1.4 million and $3.3 million, excluding the milestone payment, were mainly due to additional professional and legal fees, which included costs incurred under the transition services agreement with Allergan related to RHOFADE. Both personnel expenses and medical affairs activities also increased during the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019 in order to support Aclaris’ increased commercial activity since 2018.

Total costs and expenses for the second quarter of 2019 were $55.7 million, compared to $35.7 million for the second quarter of 2018. For the six months ended June 30, 2019, total costs and expenses were $98.0 million, compared to $67.7 million for the same period in 2018. These amounts included non-cash stock-based compensation of $4.8 million and $9.7 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared to $5.2 million and $10.4 million for the prior year periods, respectively.

Net loss was $49.9 million for the second quarter of 2019, which included the $18.5 million non-cash goodwill impairment charge, compared to net loss of $31.2 million for the second quarter of 2018. Net loss was $87.4 million for the first half of 2019, compared to $61.4 million for the first half of 2018.
2019 Financial Outlook

Aclaris reiterates that it expects 2019 GAAP R&D expenses to be in the range of $61 to $64 million, including estimated stock-based compensation of $7 million.

Aclaris now expects decreased 2019 GAAP S&M expenses to be in the range of $32 to $35 million, including stock-based compensation of $3 million, compared to its original estimate of $37 to $40 million, including estimated stock-based compensation of $4 million.

Aclaris reiterates that it expects 2019 GAAP G&A expenses to be in the range of $29 to $31 million, including estimated stock-based compensation of $10 million.
Company to Host Conference Call
Management will conduct a conference call at 5:00 PM ET today to discuss Aclaris’ financial results and provide a general business update. The conference call will be webcast live over the Internet and can be accessed by logging on to the "Investors" page of the Aclaris Therapeutics website, www.aclaristx.com, prior to the event. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the Aclaris Therapeutics website for 30 days following the call.
To participate on the live call, please dial (844) 776-7782 (domestic) or (661) 378-9535 (international), and reference conference ID 3391498prior to the start of the call.

On August 8, 2019 Molecular Partners AG (SIX: MOLN), a clinical-stage biotech company that is developing a new class of drugs known as DARPin therapies*, reported the appointment of Nicolas Leupin, M.D., MBA, to the role of Chief Medical Officer and Member of Management Board as of September 1, 2019 (Press release, Molecular Partners, AUG 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234538424]). Dr. Leupin will succeed Chief Medical Officer Andreas Harstrick, M.D., who will remain with the company and continue to support its medical strategy.

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Dr. Leupin is a medical oncologist with a proven track record in drug development, most recently as Chief Medical Officer of argenx, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing antibody-based therapies for treatment of severe autoimmune diseases and cancer. In that role he led the company’s global clinical strategy and execution, successfully supporting the company’s transformation into a late-stage clinical company, and was responsible for translating preclinical hypotheses into innovative proof-of concept clinical trials.

Prior to argenx, Dr. Leupin held roles of increasing responsibility at Celgene, where he supported the clinical development of several drug candidates in lymphoma and multiple myeloma, resulting in regulatory filings in Europe and the U.S.

"Nicolas’ deep experience in developing and translating innovative therapeutic concepts into patient value will be a key asset to Molecular Partners, as we broaden our pipeline of novel DARPin drug candidates in our quest to change the treatment paradigms in oncology," said Patrick Amstutz, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Molecular Partners. "We’re very grateful to Andreas for his important contributions to shepherd our first oncology DARPin candidates into multiple clinical trials, and to prove the capabilities of systemic administration for this drug class, with long half-life and very low immunogenic risks. Further, his expertise and leadership were instrumental to generate first patient value with MP0250 in multiple myeloma."

"It’s a very exciting time in the history of cancer therapy, and Molecular Partners’ approach has all the ingredients to play a key role in moving the needle of medicine," said Dr. Leupin. "Thanks to their unique architecture, DARPin molecules allow for clever therapeutic designs, and could therefore offer new solutions for difficult-to-treat cancers. As Chief Medical Officer, my focus will be to fully exploit the huge potential of this new class of drugs in order to offer innovative options for patients who are most in need."

Financial Calendar
August 27, 2019 Publication of Half-year Results 2019 (unaudited)
October 31, 2019 Interim Management Statement Q3 2019
December 12, 2019 R&D Day in New York
View Source

*DARPin is a registered trademark owned by Molecular Partners AG

About the DARPin Difference
DARPin therapeutics are a new class of protein therapeutics opening an extra dimension of multi-specificity and multi-functionality. DARPin candidates can engage more than five targets, offering potential benefits over those offered by conventional monoclonal antibodies or other currently available protein therapeutics. The DARPin technology is a fast and cost-effective drug discovery engine, producing drug candidates with ideal properties for development and very high production yields.

With their low immunogenicity and long half-life in the bloodstream and the eye, DARPin therapeutics have the potential to advance modern medicine and significantly improve the treatment of serious diseases, including cancer and sight-threatening disorders. Molecular Partners is partnering with Allergan to advance clinical programs in ophthalmology and is advancing a proprietary pipeline of DARPin drug candidates in oncology and immuno-oncology. The most advanced global product candidate is abicipar, a molecule currently in phase 3, in partnership with Allergan. Several DARPin molecules for various ophthalmic indications are also in preclinical development. The most advanced DARPin therapeutic candidate wholly owned by Molecular Partners, MP0250, is in phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of solid and hematological tumors. MP0274, the second-most advanced DARPin candidate owned by Molecular Partners, binds to Her2 and inhibits downstream signaling, which leads to induction of apoptosis. MP0274 is currently in phase 1. The company’s lead immuno-oncology product candidate MP0310 is a FAP x 4-1BB multi-DARPin therapeutic candidate designed to locally activate immune cells in the tumor by binding to FAP on tumor stromal cells (localizer) and co-stimulating T cells via 4-1BB (immune modulator). Molecular Partners has closed a collaboration agreement with Amgen for the exclusive clinical development and commercialization of MP0310. MP0310 is expected to enter into the clinic in H2 2019. Molecular Partners is also advancing a growing preclinical and research pipeline in immuno-oncology that features its "I/O toolbox" and additional development programs. DARPin is a registered trademark owned by Molecular Partners AG.

On August 8, 2019 Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBYI), a biopharmaceutical company, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 (Press release, Puma Biotechnology, AUG 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234538440]). Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons are for the second quarter 2019 compared to the second quarter of 2018.

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Product revenue, net consists entirely of sales revenue from NERLYNX, Puma’s first commercial product. Net NERLYNX revenue in the second quarter of 2019 was $53.8 million, compared to net NERLYNX revenue of $50.8 million in the second quarter of 2018. Net NERLYNX revenue in the first six months of 2019 was $99.4 million, compared to net NERLYNX revenue of $86.8 million in the first six months of 2018.

Based on accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP), Puma reported a net loss of $37.4 million, or $0.97 per share, for the second quarter of 2019, compared to a net loss of $44.3 million, or $1.17 per share, for the second quarter of 2018. Net loss for the first six months of 2019 was $47.5 million, or $1.23 per share, compared to a net loss of $68.7 million, or $1.82 per share, for the first six months of 2018.

Non-GAAP adjusted net loss was $22.0 million, or $0.57 per share for the second quarter of 2019, compared to non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $22.2 million, or $0.59 per share for the second quarter of 2018. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss for the first six months of 2019 was $13.9 million, or $0.36 per share, compared to non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $21.2 million, or $0.56 per share, for the first six months of 2018. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss excludes stock-based compensation expense. For a reconciliation of GAAP net loss to non-GAAP adjusted net loss and GAAP net loss per share to non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share, please see the financial tables at the end of this news release.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the second quarter of 2019 was $44.2 million, compared to net cash used in operating activities of $17.6 million in the second quarter of 2018. Net cash provided by operating activities for the first six months of 2019 was $28.1 million, compared to net cash used in operating activities of $23.9 million in the first six months of 2018. At June 30, 2019, Puma had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of $117.7 million, compared to cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $165.4 million at December 31, 2018. The reduction in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities in the second quarter was the result of the previously disclosed repayment of the $155 million outstanding loan using cash on hand and $100 million in new borrowings from an amended and restated loan agreement in June 2019.

"The second quarter of 2019 included the achievement of several key milestones for Puma," said Alan H. Auerbach, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Puma. "This included sequential NERLYNX sales growth and the expansion of our global presence with NERLYNX with our European licensing agreement with Pierre Fabre. We saw the achievement of additional key milestones in July with the filing of the new drug application for neratinib in the metastatic breast cancer indication and obtaining approval for NERLYNX in the extended adjuvant indication from Health Canada."

Mr. Auerbach added, "We anticipate the following key milestones during the remainder of 2019: (i) meeting with the FDA to discuss the clinical development and regulatory strategy for the SUMMIT trial in the third quarter of 2019; (ii) reporting additional data from the Phase II CONTROL trial in the fourth quarter of 2019; and (iii) receiving regulatory decisions for the extended adjuvant HER2-positive early stage breast cancer indication in additional countries."

Revenue

Total revenue consists of product revenue, net from sales of NERLYNX, Puma’s first commercial product, license revenue and royalty revenue. For the second quarter ended June 30, 2019, total revenue was $53.9 million, of which $53.8 million was net NERLYNX revenue and $0.1 million was royalty revenue received from Puma’s sub-licensees. This compares to total revenue of $50.8 million in the second quarter of 2018, all of which was net product revenue. For the first six months of 2019, total revenue was $153.0 million, of which $99.4 million was net product revenue, $53.5 million was license revenue received from Puma’s sub-licensees, and $0.1 million was royalty revenue. This compares to total revenue for the first six months of 2018 of $117.3 million, of which $86.8 million was net product revenue and $30.5 million was license revenue.

Operating Costs and Expenses

Total operating costs and expenses were $79.7 million in the second quarter of 2019, compared to $92.2 million in the second quarter of 2018. Operating costs and expenses in the first six months of 2019 were $168.9 million, compared to $182.1 million in the first six months of 2018.

Cost of Sales:

Cost of sales was $9.3 million for the second quarter of 2019 and $17.3 million for the first six months of 2019, compared to $8.8 million for the second quarter of 2018 and $15.2 for the first six months of 2018.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses:

Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) were $33.5 million for the second quarter of 2019, compared to $40.1 million for the second quarter of 2018. SG&A expenses for the first six months of 2019 were $79.0 million, compared to $76.7 million for the first six months of 2018. The approximately $2.3 million year-to-date increase resulted primarily from increases of approximately $2.9 million for professional fees, such as legal fees and marketing and commercial support, $0.6 million in office and banking expenses, and $0.4 million in payroll and payroll-related expenses. These were partially offset by decreases of approximately $1.4 million in travel and meeting-related expenses and $0.2 million related to stock-based compensation expense.

Research and Development Expenses:

Research and development (R&D) expenses were $36.9 million for the second quarter of 2019, compared to $43.3 million for the second quarter of 2018. R&D expenses for the first six months of 2019 were $72.6 million, compared to $90.2 million for the first six months of 2018. The $17.6 million year-to-date decrease resulted primarily from decreases of approximately $13.8 million for stock-based compensation, $3.5 million for internal R&D primarily related to payroll and payroll-related expenses, and $0.5 million in consulting fees related to clinical trials.

Total Other Income (Expenses)

Total other expenses were $11.6 million for the second quarter and $31.6 million for the first six months of 2019, compared to total other expenses of $2.9 million for the second quarter and $3.9 million for the first six months of 2018. The increase in other expenses recorded in the first six months of 2019 primarily included $16.4 million related to a March 2019 jury verdict against Puma and $8.1 million related to the debt refinancing.

Conference Call

Puma Biotechnology will host a conference call to report its second quarter 2019 financial results and provide an update on the Company’s business and outlook at 1:30 p.m. PDT/4:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, August 8, 2019. The call may be accessed by dialing 1-877-709-8150 (domestic) or 1-201-689-8354 (international) at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the call and referencing the "Puma Biotechnology Conference Call." A live webcast of the conference call and presentation slides may be accessed on the Investors section of the Puma Biotechnology website at View Source A replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after completion of the call and will be archived on the company’s website for 90 days.

On August 8, 2019 Vaxart, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing oral recombinant vaccines that are administered by tablet rather than by injection, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 (Press release, Vaxart, AUG 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234538458]).

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"We have made significant progress this quarter, achieving a number of important milestones. We completed enrollment in our Phase 1b bivalent norovirus vaccine study and we expect to have topline results by October of this year," said Wouter Latour, M.D., chief executive officer of Vaxart. "Norovirus causes $60 billion in global healthcare related costs annually, and our oral tablet vaccine would be ideal to help protect vulnerable populations such as older adults and the very young. We remain committed to developing the norovirus vaccine, and we are now preparing to start a Phase 2 study with our bivalent norovirus vaccine in 2020, assuming we achieve positive results in the current Phase 1b trial."

"With regard to universal flu, the collaboration with Janssen is an important endorsement of our oral vaccine platform and could position us as a key player in the future of influenza vaccine development. In parallel, we continue our efforts to advance our own oral seasonal flu vaccine, which demonstrated the potential to provide better protection than currently marketed injectable vaccines, such as FluzoneTM, in a human challenge study. Given our focus on the bivalent norovirus and universal flu vaccine programs, we have deprioritized the monovalent norovirus vaccine challenge study and now plan to file our human papilloma virus (HPV) Investigational New Drug application (IND) in 2020," continued Dr. Latour.

Recent Corporate Highlights:

● Completed enrollment in the Phase 1b bivalent norovirus vaccine clinical trial. The vaccine consists of an oral norovirus GI.1 vaccine tablet and an oral norovirus GII.4 vaccine tablet administered concurrently. The trial is designed to evaluate safety and immunogenicity and Vaxart expects to report topline data in early Q4 2019.

● Entered into a research collaboration agreement with Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V. (Janssen) to evaluate Vaxart’s proprietary oral vaccine platform for the Janssen universal influenza vaccine program.

● Priced an underwritten public offering which closed in April. As of June 30, 2019, the aggregate gross proceeds were $10.0 million.

● Entered into an agreement with Lonza Houston to supply vaccine for the planned Phase 2 bivalent norovirus study in 2020.

● Presented preclinical data at the 29th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Amsterdam which showed that Vaxart’s oral quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine conferred 100% protection against a lethal H5N1 pre-pandemic influenza challenge in ferrets, while in the Fluzone group only 62% of the animals survived.

● Published the comprehensive results from a preclinical trial of Vaxart’s chikungunya vaccine in the peer reviewed journal, Vaccine. The preclinical results demonstrated that Vaxart’s vaccine candidate induced significant neutralizing antibodies against chikungunya virus as well as protective efficacy against virus-induced pathologic changes.

● Presented preclinical results of Vaxart’s oral Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine in a poster presentation at the American Society of Microbiology 2019, demonstrating the Vaxart vaccine induces respiratory mucosal memory and protection against RSV infection in cotton rats.

Following a review of the development strategy for norovirus, Vaxart has deprioritized the monovalent GI.1 challenge study. Consequently, the Company is preparing to initiate a Phase 2 safety and immunogenicity study with Vaxart’s bivalent norovirus vaccine in 2020, to be followed by a Phase 3 efficacy study, assuming FDA concurrence.

Financial Results for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2019

● Vaxart reported a net loss of $5.6 million for the second quarter of 2019 compared to $8.9 million for the second quarter of 2018. The principal reasons for the decrease were the absence of a $1.6 million one-off non-cash impairment charge recorded in the second quarter of 2018 and a reduction in research and development expenditure.

● Vaxart ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $16.3 million compared to $8.4 million at March 31, 2019. The increase was primarily due to the $8.7 million net raised as a result of the underwritten offering in April 2019, partially offset by cash used in operations.

● Revenue for the quarter was $85,000 compared to $608,000 in the second quarter of 2018. The decrease was almost entirely due to the absence of revenue of $520,000 from the BARDA contract which ended in 2018.

● Research and development expenses were $3.7 million for the quarter compared to $5.0 million for the second quarter of 2018. The decrease was mainly due to the absence of clinical trials costs for teslexivir and costs incurred for the now-completed BARDA contract, partially offset by higher clinical trial and manufacturing costs incurred in the Company’s norovirus program.

● General and administrative expenses were $1.4 million for the quarter compared to $1.8 million for the second quarter of 2018. The decrease was mainly due to lower legal costs and a reduction in personnel costs.

On August 8, 2019 ViewRay, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRAY) reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019 (Press release, ViewRay, AUG 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234538474]).

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Second Quarter 2019 Summary:

The Company is updating 2019 guidance and now anticipates total revenue in the range of $80 million to $95 million, and total cash usage to be in the range of $80 million to $90 million.
Total revenue was $30.2 million in the quarter, primarily from 5 revenue units, compared to $16.4 million, primarily from 3 revenue units, for the same period last year.
Received 3 new orders in the quarter for MRIdian systems totaling $18.1 million, compared to orders totaling $34.6 million for the same period last year.
Total backlog was $219.3 million as of June 30, 2019, compared to $199.7 million as of June 30, 2018.
Cash and cash equivalents were $122.1 million as of June 30, 2019.
Chief Financial Officer Ajay Bansal will be leaving the company effective September 30, 2019.
"We are disappointed to take down guidance for the year, but we believe it is prudent given the timing of installations around year-end," said Scott Drake, President and CEO. "We remain focused on the long-term opportunity versus short term variability and are confident that we will demonstrate the momentum of our growing pipeline and end-user demand moving forward. Today we are also announcing the departure of our Chief Financial Officer, Ajay Bansal. We thank him for his service over the last three years and wish him well. We are in the midst of a retained search to find his replacement."

Second Quarter 2019 Financial Results:

Total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2019, was $30.2 million, compared to $16.4 million for the same period last year.

Total cost of revenue was $26.9 million, compared to $16.4 million for the same period last year.

Total gross profit was $3.2 million, compared to $0.1 million for the same period last year.

Total operating expenses were $29.5 million, compared to $18.3 million for the same period last year.

Net loss was $30.8 million, or $0.32 per share, compared to $22.0 million, or $0.30 per share, for the same period last year.

ViewRay had total cash and cash equivalents of $122.1 million at June 30, 2019.

Financial Guidance:

The Company is updating 2019 guidance and now anticipates total revenue in the range of $80 million to $95 million, and total cash usage to be in the range of $80 million to $90 million.

Conference Call and Webcast

ViewRay will hold a conference call to discuss results on Thursday, August 8, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT. The dial-in numbers are (844) 277-1426 for domestic callers and (336) 525-7129 for international callers. The conference ID number is 1695303. A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the investor relations page of ViewRay’s corporate website at www.viewray.com.

After the live webcast, a replay of the webcast will remain available online on the investor relations page of ViewRay’s corporate website, www.viewray.com, for 14 days following the call. In addition, a telephonic replay of the call will be available until August 15, 2019. The replay dial-in numbers are (855) 859-2056 for domestic callers and (404) 537-3406 for international callers. Please use the conference ID number 1695303.