On May 13, 2019 Transgene (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech company that designs and develops virus-based immunotherapiesfor the treatment of solid tumors, reported that it has received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed with a Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead myvac candidate TG4050 as a potential treatment for ovarian cancer patients after first-line surgery and chemotherapy (Press release, Transgene, MAY 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234536206]).

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TG4050 is an individualized MVA-based immunotherapy derived from the myvac platform. It has been designed to stimulate and educate the immune system of patients to recognize and destroy tumor cells. Tumor cells accumulate mutations and each patient has a set of mutations that are unique to his tumor. TG4050 is designed to target a panel of patient specific mutations selected using a NEC’s Neoantigen Prediction System

"We are very pleased to have been granted an IND for TG4050 by the FDA allowing us to commence the first trial with our lead myvac candidate in ovarian cancer patients who have already received first-line treatment" said Maud Brandely, Chief Medical Officer of Transgene. "We believe individualized vaccination is a promising solution with significant potential to transform treatment outcomes for a wide range of solid tumors. With TG4050, we are confident that we can show that this therapeutic modality will improve patient outcome. We look forward to updating you on the progress of this clinical trial, which is expected to start later this year."

The Phase 1 clinical trial will evaluate the safety and the tolerability of TG4050 in patients with ovarian, fallopian or peritoneal serous cell carcinoma. Antitumor activity will also be measured. This multicenter, one-arm trial will recruit patients in the United States and Europe.

The study, sponsored by Transgene, will be co-financed by Transgene and its partner NEC, which will also support the trial by contributing to the therapeutic vaccine design and the selection of target neoantigens (see press release dated March 5, 2019.

Contacts Transgene:

Lucie Larguier Director Corporate Communications & IR +33 (0)3 88 27 91 04 [email protected] Media: Citigate Dewe Rogerson EU: David Dible/Sylvie Berrebi US: Marine Perrier-Barthez + 44 (0)20 7638 9571/+1 424 341 9140 [email protected]

About TG4050
TG4050 is an immunotherapy designed to stimulate the immune system of patients in order to induce a response that is able to recognize and destroy tumor cells in a specific manner. This personalized immunotherapy is developed for each patient, on the basis of mutations identified through sequencing of tumor tissue, prioritized using NEC’s Neoantigen Prediction System and delivered using the myvacTM technological platform which allows development and manufacture of a product that is specific to the patient within time frames compatible with clinical management.

About myvacTM myvacTM is a viral vector (MVA) based, individualized immunotherapy platform that has been developed by Transgene to target solid tumors. The myvacTM-derived products are designed to stimulate the patient’s immune system, recognize and destroy tumors using the patient’s own cancer specific genetic mutations. Transgene has set up an innovative network that combines bioengineering, digital transformation, established vectorization know-how and unique manufacturing capabilities. Transgene has been awarded an "Investments for the Future" funding from Bpifrance for the development of its platform myvacTM.

About NEC’s Neoantigen Prediction System NEC’s neoantigen prediction utilizes its proprietary AI, such as graph-based relational learning, which is combined with other sources of data to discover candidate neoantigen targets. NEC comprehensively evaluates the candidate neoantigens with a primary focus placed on its in-house MHC-binding affinity prediction. These allow NEC to effectively prioritize the numerous candidate neoantigens identified in a single patient.

On May 13, 2019 Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO), a biotechnology company developing novel oncology and drug-delivery therapies, reported that it will participate in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Health Care Conference 2019 in Las Vegas, NV (Press release, Halozyme, MAY 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234536225]). Laurie Stelzer, senior vice president and chief financial officer, will provide an overview of the company on Thursday, May 16 at 12:20 p.m. ET / 9:20 a.m. PT.

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A live webcast of the presentation can be accessed through the "Investors" section of www.halozyme.com, and a recording will be made available for 90 days following each event. To access a live webcast, please visit Halozyme’s website approximately 15 minutes prior to the presentation to register and download any necessary audio software.

On May 13, 2019 Equillium, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQ), a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging deep understanding of immunobiology to develop products to treat severe autoimmune and inflammatory disorders with high unmet medical need, reported financial results for the first quarter 2019, and recent business highlights Cash and cash equivalents (Press release, Equillium, MAY 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234536246]).

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"We achieved a significant milestone during the first quarter of 2019 with the initiation of the open label Phase 1b portion of our EQUATE trial evaluating itolizumab in acute GVHD, our initial indication," stated Daniel Bradbury, chairman and chief executive officer of Equillium. "In parallel, we continue to advance plans to initiate two additional trials this year – uncontrolled asthma and lupus nephritis – all of which we believe set the stage for multiple opportunities to demonstrate the value of itolizumab in treating severe immuno-inflammatory diseases. The body of evidence implicating the CD6-ALCAM pathway in immuno-inflammatory diseases continues to grow. Itolizumab’s unique mechanism of action, which selectively targets CD6 and downregulates cellular pathways that modulate both the activity and trafficking of effector T cells, represents an entirely new approach to treating these serious diseases. We look forward to data from these important proof-of-concept trials."

Business Highlights:

Initiated the open label Phase 1b portion of the EQUATE trial for the first-line treatment of aGVHD

Received FDA Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations for itolizumab for both the prevention and treatment of aGVHD

Announced plans to develop itolizumab for the treatment of lupus nephritis

Upcoming Milestones:

Initiation of the Phase 1b EQUIP proof-of-concept trial evaluating itolizumab for the treatment of uncontrolled moderate to severe asthma expected during the second quarter of 2019

Initiation of a Phase 1b proof-of-concept trial of itolizumab for the treatment of lupus nephritis expected during the second half of 2019

Data from the EQUATE aGVHD trial expected during the first quarter of 2020, approximately 12 months following initiation

First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Research and development (R&D) expenses. Total R&D expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $3.8 million, compared with $0.7 million for the same period in 2018. The increase in R&D expenses was primarily driven by additional costs related to increased headcount and the ramp up in regulatory and clinical activity including initiation of the Phase 1b portion of the clinical trial of itolizumab in aGVHD, and preclinical research activities to support Equillium’s clinical development program.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses. Total G&A expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $2.6 million, compared with $0.4 million for the same period in 2018. The increase in G&A expenses was primarily driven by additional costs related to increased headcount, legal and other professional fees and costs associated with being a public company.

Net loss. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $6.0 million, or $(0.34) per basic and diluted share, compared with a net loss of approximately $1.6 million, or $(0.15) per basic and diluted share, for the same period in 2018.

Cash and cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2019, Equillium reported total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $61.6 million, compared to $65.9 million as of December 31, 2018.

On May 13, 2019 Unum Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: UMRX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of cellular immunotherapies to treat cancer based on its novel T cell technology platforms, reported financial results and provided a corporate update for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019, and recent activities (Press release, Unum Therapeutics, MAY 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234536207]).

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"We remain on track to deliver on key milestones across our pipeline of hematologic and solid tumor cancer programs," said Chuck Wilson, President and CEO of Unum. "The dose escalation phases of our non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and HER2+ advanced cancer trials based on our Antibody-Coupled T cell Receptor (ACTR) platform are proceeding as planned, positioning us to report data and drive decisions on next steps. Simultaneously, we continue to advance and expand our preclinical pipeline of Bolt-On Chimeric Receptor (BOXR) programs, aiming to address the unmet need in solid tumor cancers by engineering improved T cell functionality."

Recent Highlights

Dose Escalation in ATTCK-20-03 Phase I Trial in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Continuing: Building upon results from the first two dose cohorts presented at the 2018 American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in December, Unum has continued dose escalation in Cohorts 3 and 4 in its ongoing Phase I study of ACTR707 in combination with rituximab in patients with relapsed/refractory CD20+ B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (r/r NHL). Cohort 3 has completed enrollment and dosed patients with 55M ACTR+ T cells, whereas Cohort 4 enrollment and dosing of patients with 80M ACTR+ T cells is ongoing. As of May 7, 2019, no dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and no severe adverse events of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or neurologic events have been reported. Unum plans to complete dose escalation in the second half of 2019 and subsequently to initiate safety expansion at the preliminary recommended Phase II dose of ACTR707. Unum plans to report results from the dose escalation phase in late 2019.

Expansion Cohort in ATTCK-20-2 Phase I Trial in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Ongoing: Enrollment has completed in the ATTCK-20-2 study, a Phase I clinical trial evaluating safety and anti-lymphoma activity of ACTR087 in combination with rituximab in patients with r/r NHL. Unum is continuing ACTR087 treatment, safety, and response assessments in the expansion cohort at the preliminary recommended Phase II dose (35M ACTR+ T cells). No severe adverse events of CRS or neurologic events have been observed as of May 7, 2019. Unum plans to report data on all enrolled patients from ATTCK-20-2 at the end of 2019. These findings will be used to advise other ACTR programs, in particular ATTCK-17-01, an ongoing Phase I trial of ACTR087 in combination with SEA-BCMA.

Dose Escalation in ATTCK-17-01 Phase I Trial in Multiple Myeloma Continuing: After reporting data at the 2018 ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting from the first three dose cohorts in the ATTCK-17-01 study, combining ACTR087 with very low doses of SEA-BCMA antibody, dose escalation is continuing at doses of SEA-BCMA that may be expected to have pharmacological activity based upon preclinical studies. Enrollment and dosing of patients at Dose Level 4 (30 MM ACTR+ T cells and 2.0 mg/kg SEA-BCMA) has completed, and enrollment and dosing of patients at Dose Level 5 (50M ACTR+ T cells and 2.0 mg/kg SEA-BCMA) is ongoing. As of May 7, 2019, no DLTs and no severe adverse events of CRS or neurologic events have been reported in this trial. Unum expects to continue to enroll and dose patients through the dose escalation phase of the trial and to report data from multiple dose cohorts in the second half of 2019.

Dose Escalation with ATTCK-34-01 Phase I Trial in HER2+ Advanced Cancers Ongoing: In December, 2018, Unum initiated the first clinical site in the ATTCK-34-01 study, a Phase 1, multicenter, single-arm, open-label dose escalation study evaluating ACTR T cells in combination with trastuzumab for the treatment of patients with HER2+ advanced cancers. Enrollment, dosing, and assessment of patients in the first dose cohort are ongoing. As of May 7, 2019, no DLTs or severe adverse events of CRS or neurologic events have been reported in this trial. Unum plans to report initial clinical data from ATTCK-34-01 at the end of 2019.

Preclinical Development of BOXR1030 Targeting GPC3+ Advanced Cancers Ongoing: Earlier this year, Unum nominated BOXR1030 as the first product candidate from their BOXR platform, which seeks to counter immunosuppression, improving T cell functionality for solid tumors. IND-enabling preclinical studies of BOXR1030 are underway, as well as research to characterize its mechanism of action. Unum plans to present additional data regarding BOXR1030 in the second half of 2019.

First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Collaboration Revenue: Collaboration revenue recognized during the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 was $3.1 million, compared to $2.2 million in the same period of 2018. The increase reflects the recognition of a portion of the $25.0 million upfront payment received from Seattle Genetics under Unum’s collaboration agreement as well as reimbursements of research and development costs attributed to the collaboration agreement.

R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $12.4 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to $8.1 million for the same period of 2018. The increase reflects higher clinical trial costs for the active Phase I clinical trials, as well as increased personnel-related costs, materials and facility-related costs related to scaling manufacturing processes, and increased consultant costs to support these activities.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019, were $2.5 million, compared to $1.1 million for the same period of 2018. The increase is primarily related to higher personnel related costs due to increased headcount and increased expenses around operating as a public company.

Net Loss: Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $11.7 million, or $0.39 per share, for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019, and $6.8 million, or $0.66 per share, for the same period of 2018.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities: As of March 31, 2019, Unum had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of $67.1 million. Unum believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, will fund operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into early 2021.

Investor Call and Webcast Information

Unum will host a live conference call and webcast today, May 13, 2019, at 8:00 a.m. ET, to discuss these financial results and company updates. To access the call, please dial 866-300-3411 (domestic) or 636-812-6658 (international) and refer to conference ID number 1443149. A webcast will be available at View Source at least 10 minutes before the event begins. The archived webcast will be available at the same location approximately two hours after the event and will be archived for 90 days.

On May 13, 2019 Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: XBIO) ("Xenetic" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, research and development of next-generation biologic drugs and novel orphan oncology therapeutics, reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 and provided a corporate update (Press release, Xenetic Biosciences, MAY 13, 2019, View Source [SID1234536226]).

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"We expect 2019 to be a transformative year for Xenetic. With the anticipated closing of our acquisition of XCART, our differentiated CAR T platform technology, on track for this quarter, I believe Xenetic will be well positioned to drive momentum in the innovation and development of new oncology therapeutics where there remains significant unmet need," commented Jeffrey Eisenberg, Chief Executive Officer of Xenetic. "We plan to focus our R&D efforts initially on leveraging the XCART platform to develop cell-based therapeutics for the treatment of B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphomas. All of this marks a very important moment in the evolution of Xenetic, and I firmly believe the Company can become a significant player in the oncology space with this potentially transformative technology platform, providing therapeutic solutions for physicians and individuals fighting cancer and their families as well as driving value for our shareholders."

XCART Technology

On March 1, 2019, the Company entered into agreements to acquire a novel CAR T ("Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell") platform technology, called "XCART." XCART is a proximity-based screening platform capable of identifying CAR constructs that can target patient-specific tumor neoantigens, with a demonstrated proof of mechanism in B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The XCART technology, developed by The Scripps Research Institute in collaboration with the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, is believed to have the potential to significantly enhance the safety and efficacy of cell therapy for B-cell lymphomas by generating patient- and tumor-specific CAR T cells. The acquisition is subject to conditions typical for a transaction of this kind, including appropriate stockholder approvals, and is expected to close by the end of the second quarter.

The XCART technology platform was designed by its originators to utilize an established screening technique to identify peptide ligands that bind specifically to the unique B-cell receptor ("BCR") on the surface of an individual patient’s malignant tumor cells. The peptide is then inserted into the antigen-binding domain of a CAR, and a subsequent transduction/transfection process is used to engineer the patient’s T cells into a CAR T format which redirects the patient’s T cells to attack the tumor. Essentially, the XCART screening platform is the inverse of a typical CAR T screening protocol wherein libraries of highly specific antibody domains are screened against a given target. In the case of XCART screening, the target is itself an antibody domain, and hence highly specific by its nature. The XCART technology creates the possibility of personalized treatment of lymphomas utilizing a CAR with an antigen-binding domain that should only recognize, and only be recognized by, the unique BCR of a particular patient’s B-cell lymphoma.

An expected result for XCART is reduced off-tumor toxicities, such as B-cell aplasia. Xenetic’s clinical development program will seek to confirm the early preclinical results, and to demonstrate a more attractive safety profile than existing therapies.

Once the acquisition is consummated, the Company intends to pursue development efforts of the XCART technology as well as other development efforts in the area of CAR T therapy.

Summary of Financial Results for First Quarter 2019

Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2019, was approximately $1.3 million compared to a net loss of approximately $1.8 million for the same period in 2018. Working capital (deficit) was approximately $1.2 million and $(0.4) million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. During the quarter ended March 31, 2019, the Company’s working capital increased by $1.6 million due to the issuance of common stock and warrants in our March 2019 offering resulting in $2.7 million of net proceeds to Xenetic. The Company ended the quarter with approximately $2.0 million of cash.