Immunomedics Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2019 Results and Provides Corporate Update

On February 27, 2020 Immunomedics, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMMU) ("Immunomedics" or the "Company"), a leading biopharmaceutical company in the area of antibody-drug conjugates, reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2019 (Press release, Immunomedics, FEB 27, 2020, View Source [SID1234554902]). Please refer to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for more details on the Company’s financial results.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We are pleased to have submitted our Biologics License Application (BLA) in late November – our top priority for 2019," said Dr. Behzad Aghazadeh, executive chairman of Immunomedics. "While we are working closely with the FDA to facilitate their review of our BLA, we continued to execute against key initiatives across our commercial, clinical, and manufacturing operations. Our commercial team has been actively preparing for launch readiness, and, as we wait for an FDA decision, we are well positioned to commercialize sacituzumab govitecan in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) on or before the June 2, 2020 PDUFA goal date. In addition, our main goals for 2020 include maximizing the global commercial potential of sacituzumab govitecan, while accelerating its development as a single agent and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors across a number of clinical settings to meet our commitment to help transform the lives of people with hard-to-treat cancers worldwide."

2019 Highlights

Resubmitted BLA seeking accelerated approval for sacituzumab govitecan in mTNBC, which was accepted for filing by the FDA with a PDUFA target action date of June 2, 2020.
Completed enrollment of the Phase 3 confirmatory ASCENT study of sacituzumab govitecan in mTNBC.

Initiated the Phase 3 registrational TROPiCS-02 study of sacituzumab govitecan in hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2‒) metastatic breast cancer.

Continued to expand clinical collaborations to move sacituzumab govitecan into earlier lines of therapy in breast cancer, including the combination with Roche’s Tecentriq in frontline mTNBC and the German Breast Group’s Phase 3 study in the curative setting of HER2‒ breast cancer as a single-agent.

Corroborated the positive Phase 2 results of sacituzumab govitecan in metastatic urothelial cancer with an interim 29% overall response rate presented at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2019 Congress on 35 patients, while completing enrollment of the full cohort of 100 patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapies and immune checkpoint inhibitor.

Initiated the multi-cohort, Trop-2-enriched Phase 2 TROPiCS-03 study of sacituzumab govitecan for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC).

Closed the largest single-asset biologics license deal for Greater China to date, with $65 million upfront, $60 million to be received upon FDA approval, up to $710 million in additional development and sales milestone payments, and escalating royalties that begin in the mid-teens.
These accomplishments have positioned Immunomedics to have a transformative 2020. We entered the year with a robust balance sheet that will enable us to meet our goals.

The Company continued to bolster the leadership team, both at the board and the executive management level, with the nomination of Robert Azelby to the board, and the permanent appointment of Dr. Loretta Itri to the chief medical officer position.

The company has recently also broadened the development program for sacituzumab govitecan by expanding the TROPHY U-01 study to include a third cohort of checkpoint inhibitor-naïve patients to assess the combination with pembrolizumab. Furthermore, a new Phase 2 study in persistent or recurrent endometrial cancer was launched by Dr. Alessandro Santin, Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University. Finally, to help alleviate the unmet need of mTNBC patients between now and potential approval of sacituzumab govitecan, the Company instituted its first Expanded Access Program in January 2020. Details of this program can be obtained from View Source

Anticipated Key 2020 Milestones

Besides the FDA action date in the second quarter and a potential commercial launch, we anticipate the following key milestones in 2020:

Topline data from Phase 3 confirmatory ASCENT study around mid-year
Topline data from full cohort of 100 patients with prior platinum-based and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies from Phase 2 pivotal TROPHY U-01 study
Enrollment completion for the Phase 3 registrational TROPiCS-02 study
Enrollment completion for the 40-patient cohort of cisplatin-ineligible patients in TROPHY U-01
Evaluate preliminary results from signal-seeking Phase 2 TROPiCS-03 study in mNSCLC
Continue to expand combination development opportunities between sacituzumab govitecan and checkpoint inhibitors across indications, internally and through partnerships
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2019 Financial Results

Total revenues were $0.3 million for both the quarter and the year ended December 31, 2019 due to service fee revenues earned related to the Janssen Promotion Agreement. The Company had no revenues in 2018 for the comparable quarter ended, and $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Total costs and expenses were $91.5 million for the quarter and $325.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to $87.4 million for the comparable quarter and $235.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increases were primarily due to an increase in research and development expenses, 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 mTNBC in the United States, and CRL remediation costs, including outside manufacturers’ organizations services costs, and external consulting services to improve our manufacturing and regulatory functions.

The increases in research and development costs were partially offset by a decrease in general and administrative expenses, which was primarily due to decreased legal and advisory expenses resulted from reduced reliance on outside legal counsel, as well as a decrease in other and consulting services, partially offset by an increase in labor costs.

The Company had no non-cash warrant-related income or expense for the quarter and the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to a $0.2 million of non-cash gain for the comparable quarter and a $47.6 million warrant-related expense for the year ended December 31, 2018, due to changes in the fair value of then outstanding warrants. There were no warrants outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Interest expense was $10.0 million for the quarter and $40.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to $9.9 million for the comparable quarter and $40.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The differences were due primarily to changes in the fair value of our debt balances as a result of the agreement with RPI Finance Trust.

Net loss attributable to stockholders was $99.6 million, or $0.50 per share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2019, compared to $93.5 million, or $0.50 per share, for the comparable quarter ended December 31, 2018. Net loss attributable to stockholders was $357.2 million, or $1.84 per share, for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to $310.2 million, or $1.74 per share, for the year ended December 31, 2018.

As of December 31, 2019, the Company had $613.2 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. The Company believes this amount is adequate to accelerate commercial launch readiness, pending FDA approval, of sacituzumab govitecan in the United States in mTNBC; continue to expand the clinical development programs for sacituzumab govitecan; invest in the broader clinical development of the ADC platform (including IMMU-130 and IMMU-140); continued scale up of manufacturing and manufacturing process improvements; and general working capital requirements.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call and live audio webcast today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss fourth quarter and full year 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 4365097. 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.

Allogene Therapeutics Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2019 Financial Results

On February 27, 2020 Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T) therapies for cancer, provided a corporate update and reported fourth quarter and full-year 2019 financial results for the periods ended December 31, 2019 (Press release, Allogene, FEB 27, 2020, View Source [SID1234554919]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"2019 was a very successful year for Allogene. We accomplished all of our corporate goals, which includes the establishment of world-class capabilities across multiple new functions and the initiation of our first clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma," said David Chang, M.D., Ph.D., President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Allogene. "Our momentum and focus towards making AlloCAR T therapies and their life-saving potential a reality for patients will continue at full speed in 2020. This year will be an important one as we look to demonstrate proof-of-concept data from two key programs and plan for potential pivotal studies."

Recent Highlights

ALLO-501 (anti-CD19 AlloCAR T)
•In 2019, Allogene initiated the ALLO-501 Phase 1 ALPHA trial in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This study utilizes ALLO-647, Allogene’s anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody (mAb) as a part of the lymphodepletion regimen. Initial data is planned to be presented at a medical meeting in Q2 2020.
•The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for ALLO-501A, the Company’s next generation anti-CD19 AlloCAR T construct devoid of the rituximab off-switch. ALLO-501A, previously referred to as ALLO-501.1, was created to eliminate the rituximab recognition domains in ALLO-501, allowing for use in a broader patient population, including those NHL patients with recent rituximab exposure.
•The Company expects to initiate an abbreviated Phase 1 portion of the ALLO-501A trial (ALPHA2) in the second quarter of the year. The ALPHA2 trial will leverage the findings of the ALPHA trial to finalize the ALLO-501A cell dose and the ALLO-647 based lymphodepletion regimen for a potential pivotal Phase 2 trial.

ALLO-715 (anti-BCMA AlloCAR T)
•The Company has created a robust anti-BCMA strategy centered around ALLO-715 for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM).
•In 2019, Allogene initiated the ALLO-715 Phase 1 UNIVERSAL trial in patients with relapsed/refractory MM, designed to assess the safety and tolerability of ALLO-715. This trial is also intended to identify the optimal dose of ALLO-647 and includes the potential to evaluate lymphodepletion regimens that do not include fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. UNIVERSAL continues to accrue as planned with initial data anticipated in Q4 2020.
•In January 2020, Allogene entered into a clinical collaboration with SpringWorks Therapeutics to evaluate ALLO-715 in combination with SpringWorks’ investigational gamma secretase inhibitor, nirogacestat, in patients with relapsed/refractory MM. The Company expects to initiate this combination trial in the second half of 2020.
•The Company nominated ALLO-605 as its first TurboCARTM candidate and part of its larger MM strategy. The TurboCAR technology provides the effects of cytokine stimulation to AlloCAR T cells with the goal of enhancing

their potency, expansion and persistence. ALLO-605 is advancing in preclinical development with a potential IND in 2021.

Additional Pipeline Updates
•The Company nominated ALLO-316, an anti-CD70 AlloCAR T, as its next clinical candidate for potential development in acute myeloid leukemia, T-cell malignancies and/or renal cell carcinoma. Submission of the IND for ALLO-316 is expected by year end 2020.

Fourth Quarter Financial Results
•As of December 31, 2019, Allogene had $588.9 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments.
•Research and development expenses were $49.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2019, which includes $6.4 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expense and $10.0 million in expenses associated with the signing of our collaboration with Notch Therapeutics. For the full year of 2019, research and development expenses were $144.5 million. Research and development expense for the year includes $19.4 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expense.
•General and administrative expenses were $15.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2019, which includes $7.5 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expense. For the full year of 2019, general and administrative expenses were $57.5 million, which includes $26.6 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expense.
•Net loss for the fourth quarter of 2019 was $61.0 million, or $0.58 per share, including non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $13.9 million. For the full year of 2019, our net loss was $184.6 million, or $1.83 per share, including non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $46.1 million.

2020 Financial Guidance
•Allogene expects full year GAAP net losses to be between $260 million and $280 million including estimated non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $70 million to $75 million and excluding any impact from potential business development activities.

Conference Call and Webcast Details
Allogene will host a live conference call and webcast today at 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time / 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss financial results and provide a business update. To access the live conference all by telephone, please dial 1 (866) 940-5062 (U.S.) or 1 (409) 216-0618 (International). The conference ID number for the live call is 2981059. The webcast will be made available on the Company’s website at www.allogene.com under the Investors tab in the News and Events section. Following the live audio webcast, a replay will be available on the Company’s website for approximately 30 days.

NuVasive to Participate in Cowen 40th Annual Healthcare Conference

On February 27, 2020 NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUVA), the leader in spine technology innovation, focused on transforming spine surgery with minimally disruptive, procedurally integrated solutions, reported that management will present at the Cowen 40th Annual Healthcare Conference at The Boston Marriott Copley Place in Boston on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 9:20 a.m. ET/6:20 a.m. PT (Press release, NuVasive, FEB 27, 2020, View Source [SID1234554937]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

A live webcast of the presentation will be available online from the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website at www.nuvasive.com. A replay of the presentation will remain available on the website for 30 days after the live webcast.

Radiation/immunotherapy combination shows promise for recurrent/metastatic HNSCC

On February 27, 2020 The American Society for Radiation Oncology reported that a new phase II trial finds that a combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy led to encouraging survival outcomes and acceptable toxicity for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) (Press release, ASTRO, FEB 27, 2020, View Source [SID1234555007]). The combination of radiation and pembrolizumab may offer a new treatment option for patients who are ineligible for cisplatin chemotherapy, part of standard treatment for the disease. Findings will be presented at the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium, taking place February 27-29 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The single-arm trial was designed specifically for patients who normally would receive platinum chemotherapy together with radiation but may not be able to tolerate its side effects, most often due to preexisting hearing problems that place patients at risk of permanent hearing loss. Preexisting kidney damage and nerve damage also tend to be aggravated by cisplatin and place patients at risk for permanent side effects.

"That is a common dilemma in the exam room because cisplatin, while effective, tends to be particularly toxic for patients and can lead to permanent side effects for some," explained lead author Jared Weiss, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. "I will have patients I want to treat with platinum chemotherapy, but I also want to align treatment with their values. Is the patient willing to accept a risk of deafness or exacerbated ringing in their ears? These are not acceptable consequences for most people."

The single-arm trial included 29 patients with locally advanced HNSCC. All patients would have ideally received cisplatin with their radiation but were ineligible for platinum chemotherapy. Patients were treated with three cycles of pembrolizumab and concurrent radiation therapy over six weeks, followed by three additional cycles of the immunotherapy drug.

With a median follow-up of 21 months, the rates of one-year progression-free and overall survival were 76% [95% CI 56-88] and 86% [67-95], respectively. Estimated two-year PFS was 71% [49-84] and estimated two-year OS was 75% [51-88]. For patients with p16+ oropharynx cancer, the one-year PFS and OS rates were 88% and 94%, respectively; for the other patients, the rates were 58% and 75%, respectively.

Most toxicities were mild (grade 1-2) with the exception of grade 3-4 lymphopenia, which affected 59% of patients. "This toxicity profile is better than what patients generally experience with cisplatin and radiation," explained Dr. Weiss. "It was more consistent with what we see from radiation therapy alone, with the exception of a high rate of lymphopenia that warrants additional study."

While engaging PD-1/PD-L1 blockade following chemoradiotherapy has improved survival in lung cancer, this trial is one of the first to show its potential efficacy for head and neck cancers. "There are convincing arguments that radiation sensitizes patients to immunotherapy and can enhance its effects. And the opposite direction also seems to be true – radiation therapy needs a functional immune system to work, and our hope was that pembrolizumab might be a radiation sensitizer for these patients," said Dr. Weiss.

Additionally, unlike chemoradiation therapy, the combination of radiation and pembrolizumab pairs two active modalities that can be curative by themselves. "If you look back to the historic studies, radiation alone often cures patients with this disease.Some of the first patients treated with pembrolizumab for recurrent/metastatic cancer are still alive many years out, with no evidence of disease," said Dr. Weiss. "And so, our concept was that, in addition to whatever synergy the immunotherapy might provide with radiation, we also conceived of it in a more straightforward way as a ‘second shot on goal’ toward cure."

Dr. Weiss cautioned that findings need confirmation in a randomized trial before the combination is recommended to patients.

Dr. Weiss will present "Progression-free survival, overall survival and immunophenotyping outcomes for patients with stage III-IV head and neck cancer and cisplatin contraindication treated with definitive radiotherapy plus pembrolizumab" tomorrow during the symposium’s Oral Abstract Session. The study was funded by Merck. Email [email protected] for a copy of the abstract or presentation slides from the meeting.

Attribution to the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium requested in all coverage. This release includes updated information not available in the abstract.

2020 Head and Neck Cancers Symposium News Planning Team
Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD; Maie St. John, MD, PhD; Francis P. Worden, MD; Charu Aggarwal, MD, MPH; Sue Yom, MD, PhD; Brian O’Sullivan, MD, FASTRO; disclosures available online.

ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM
The 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium is a two-and-a-half-day meeting that convenes radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, surgeons and all members of the treatment team for a practical and comprehensive examination of treatment advances for patients with head and neck cancers. Scientific, interactive and case-based educational sessions will cover the latest research on multidisciplinary therapies, clinical applications and new treatment strategies, supportive care and toxicity mitigation. The meeting is cosponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper), the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper).

Acceleron Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2019 Operating and Financial Results

On February 27, 2020 Acceleron Pharma Inc. (Nasdaq: XLRN), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of TGF-beta superfamily therapeutics to treat serious and rare diseases, provided a corporate update and reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2019 (Press release, Acceleron Pharma, FEB 27, 2020, View Source [SID1234554903]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"2019 was a pivotal year for Acceleron as we achieved the most important milestone to date in our 16-year history-our first U.S. FDA approval," said Habib Dable, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acceleron. "In November, REBLOZYL (luspatercept-aamt) became the first and only FDA approved erythroid maturation agent and is now indicated to treat anemia in adults with beta-thalassemia who require regular red blood cell transfusions. The approval of REBLOZYL marks a huge victory for patients with beta-thalassemia, who-up until now-have been waiting for a better way to treat their anemia. It is also a validation of Acceleron’s scientific platform leveraging our expertise in the TGF-beta superfamily of proteins and our unwavering commitment to develop and commercialize medicines to treat serious and rare diseases."

Continued Mr. Dable: "While our hematology program remains a top priority, we are equally excited by the progress we are making in pulmonary disease. We recently announced positive topline results from the PULSAR Phase 2 trial of sotatercept for the treatment of PAH. These data introduce the possibility that sotatercept could potentially change the way physicians currently treat patients with PAH. We look forward to presenting the detailed topline results at the American Thoracic Society 2020 International Conference in May and to our upcoming interactions with health authorities as we plan to globally develop and, if approved, commercialize sotatercept in PAH. We also expect to announce topline results from our Phase 2 neuromuscular program in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in March."

Development Program Highlights

Hematology

REBLOZYL (luspatercept-aamt): Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), Beta-Thalassemia, and Myelofibrosis (MF)
REBLOZYL is the first and only U.S. FDA approved erythroid maturation agent designed to promote red blood cell production through a novel mechanism. Luspatercept-aamt is being developed to treat anemia in patients with beta-thalassemia, MDS, or MF. REBLOZYL is part of the global collaboration between Acceleron and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

In November 2019, Acceleron and partner Bristol-Myers Squibb announced the FDA approved REBLOZYL for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with beta thalassemia who require regular red blood cell transfusions. The companies are also seeking approval of luspatercept-aamt for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with very low- to intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who have ring sideroblasts and require red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. The FDA target action date for the MDS indication is April 4, 2020.

In January 2020, the New England Journal of Medicine published results from MEDALIST, the pivotal Phase 3 study evaluating the use of luspatercept-aamt to treat anemia in adult patients with very low- to intermediate-risk MDS who have ring sideroblasts and require RBC transfusions.

Six clinical abstracts of luspatercept-aamt were presented at the 61st American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando in December 2019, including:

Long-term results from two pivotal Phase 3 trials, the MEDALIST and BELIEVE trials;

Initial results from a Phase 2 trial in patients with anemia associated with MF.

The Company and partner Bristol-Myers Squibb announced plans for a pivotal Phase 3 study, called INDEPENDENCE, of luspatercept-aamt in adult patients with anemia associated with MF who are being treated with JAK inhibitor therapy and require RBC transfusions. The study is expected to open in 2020.

Pulmonary Disease

Sotatercept: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)
Sotatercept is an investigational agent designed to be a selective ligand trap for members of the TGF-beta superfamily to rebalance BMPR2 signaling, which is a key molecular driver of PAH. In preclinical studies of PAH, sotatercept (RAP-011) reversed pulmonary vessel muscularization and improved indicators of right heart failure.

In January 2020, Acceleron reported that the PULSAR Phase 2 trial in patients with PAH met its primary and key secondary endpoints. Sotatercept was generally well tolerated in the trial and adverse events observed in the study were generally consistent with previously published data on sotatercept in other diseases.

◦
The PULSAR topline results are expected to be presented at the American Thoracic Society’s (ATS) 2020 International Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 15 to 20, 2020.

Enrollment is ongoing in the SPECTRA trial in patients with PAH, with preliminary results expected in 2020.

Additional Pulmonary Updates

The Company entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Fulcrum Therapeutics to identify small molecules designed to modulate specific pathways associated with a targeted indication within the pulmonary disease space.

Neuromuscular Disease

ACE-083: Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
ACE-083 is an investigational locally-acting therapeutic designed to have a concentrated effect on muscle mass and strength in target muscles for diseases that cause focal muscle weakness. ACE-083 utilizes the "Myostatin+" approach to inhibit multiple TGF-beta superfamily ligands involved in muscle formation.

Topline results from Part 2 of the Phase 2 trial in patients with CMT are expected in March 2020.

Corporate Highlights

In December, Jay T. Backstrom, M.D., M.P.H., formerly Chief Medical Officer of Celgene, joined Acceleron’s senior leadership team as Head of Research and Development.

Kemal Malik, M.B. B.S., was appointed to the Board of Directors effective January 1, 2020. Dr. Malik has served on the Board of Management of Bayer AG since 2014, with responsibility for Innovation across the Bayer group.

Financial Results

Cash Position – Cash, cash equivalents and investments as of December 31, 2019 were $453.8 million. Based on the Company’s current operating plan and projections, it believes that current cash, cash equivalents and investments will be sufficient to fund projected operating requirements until such time as it expects to receive significant royalty revenue from REBLOZYL sales.

Revenue – Collaboration revenue for the year was $74.0 million. The revenue was all derived from the Company’s partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb and is primarily related to expenses incurred by the Company in support of REBLOZYL, as well as one-time gross milestone payments totaling $60.0 million earned upon the FDA acceptance of the BLA and EMA validation of the MAA of REBLOZYL in June, and the FDA approval of REBLOZYL in November 2019.

Costs and Expenses – Total costs and expenses for the year were $210.4 million. This included R&D expenses of $154.0 million and G&A expenses of $56.4 million.

Net Loss – The Company’s net loss for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $124.9 million.

Conference Call and Webcast
The Company will host a webcast and conference call to discuss its fourth quarter and full year financial results for 2019 and provide an update on recent corporate activities on February 27, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. EST.

The webcast will be accessible under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors & Media page of the Company’s website at www.acceleronpharma.com. Individuals can participate in the conference call by dialing 877-312-5848 (domestic) or 253-237-1155 (international) and referring to the "Acceleron Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2019 Earnings Call."

The archived webcast will be available for replay on the Acceleron website approximately two hours after the event.