On N ovember 14, 2018 RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII), a biotechnology company developing the next generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics based on its proprietary self-delivering RNAi (sd-rxRNA) therapeutic platform, reported its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018 and announces several business updates, including new management appointments and a new Company name and ticker symbol (Press release, RXi Pharmaceuticals, NOV 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234531293]).

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"In the past few months, we have focused on continuing to generate meaningful data through our R&D activities, while at the same time being extremely diligent in spending our cash in a way that can maximize the outcome," said Dr. Geert Cauwenbergh, President and CEO of RXi Pharmaceuticals. "The significant reduction in net loss for the third quarter, and for the first nine months of 2018, has been the result of a careful selection of academic and industrial partners who have shown a high interest in the potential of our self-delivering platform for RNAi in immuno-oncology (IO) and adoptive cell transfer therapy (ACT). In addition, we have been able to complete a financing of $15 million last month, providing us with a financial runway we expect to last until at least through the first half of 2020."

Dr. Cauwenbergh continued, "The pending name change from RXi Pharmaceuticals to Phio Pharmaceuticals signifies our commitment to develop our sd-rxRNA platform as a key therapeutic modality in the rapidly expanding field of IO and ACT by weaponizing the body’s immune system in its fight against cancer. Also, in that context, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gerrit Dispersyn as our President and Chief Operating Officer. In the past 18 months, Gerrit has shown a remarkable aptitude in handling the complexities of preclinical and clinical R&D activities in our Company and I believe that under his leadership our Company will succeed in executing its goals, which should result in our shareholders doing well, and most importantly, patients doing well."

Dr. Gerrit Dispersyn said, "I am grateful for the opportunity to provide additional leadership for our Company’s new chapter and looking forward to delivering on our upcoming milestones. Under Geert’s direction, the Company built an impressive dataset that allows us to confidently develop the next generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics based on our sd-rxRNA platform. I look forward to building on that foundation alongside Geert."

Conference Call Information

The Company will host a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. EST to discuss financial results and provide an update on the Company. The webcast link will be available under the "Investors – Event Calendar" section of the Company’s website, www.rxipharma.com. The event may also be accessed by dialing toll-free in the United States and Canada: +1 844-376-4678. International participants may access the event by dialing: +1 209-905-5958. An archive of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website approximately two hours after the presentation.

Select Financial Highlights for Q3 2018

Cash Position

At September 30, 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $3.2 million as compared with $3.6 million at December 31, 2017.

On October 3, 2018, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of (i) 3,725,714 units, at a public offering price of $0.70 per unit, with each unit consisting of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock and (ii) 17,702,858 pre-funded units, at a public offering price of $0.69 per pre-funded unit, with each pre-funded unit consisting of one pre-funded warrant to purchase one share of common stock and one warrant. Assuming the warrants are not exercised, net proceeds from the offering were approximately $13.3 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses paid by the Company.

The Company believes that with its current cash on hand and the proceeds from the underwritten offering, it has sufficient cash to fund operations through the first half of 2020, which includes initiating a clinical trial with RXI-762 and advancing our immuno-oncology programs toward clinical development. This assumes no new funding through licensing or collaboration agreements.

Revenues

Revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were $57,000 and related to the work performed by the Company as a sub-awardee under the government grant awarded for the development of a novel sd-rxRNA compound, BA-434, that targets PTEN for the treatment of spinal cord injury. The Company had no revenues during the three months ended September 30, 2017.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 were $0.8 million as compared with $1.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2017. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in clinical trial-related expenses as subject participation is complete for all of the Company’s clinical trials in dermatology and ophthalmology and a decrease in payroll-related expenses due to a reduction in headcount as compared with the prior year period.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 were $0.7 million as compared with $1.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2017. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in payroll-related expenses, including those as a result of a reduction in headcount, as compared to the prior year period.

Net Loss

Net loss for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 was $1.5 million compared with $2.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2017. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in operating expenses, as discussed above.

Recent Business Highlights

Research Collaboration with Karolinska Institutet

In August 2018, the Company announced it entered into a research collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. This collaboration will explore RXi’s sd-rxRNA compounds against targets involved in T-cell and NK cell differentiation and/or in the immune cell tumor-induced stress response with the aim of producing anti-tumor adoptive cell therapy grafts with improved functionality and persistence.

New Data Using sd-rxRNA in NK Cells

In September 2018, the Company presented data from its immuno-oncology program using sd-rxRNA therapeutic compounds targeting intracellular checkpoint Cbl-b in NK cells at the 16th Annual Discovery on Target Conference. Data showed that sd-rxRNAs are rapidly and efficiently taken up by immune effector cells without the use of transfection reagents. Using sd-rxRNA compounds against checkpoint inhibitors, we can suppress their expression levels up to 95% in immune cells, including T-cells and NK cells. By treating NK cells ex-vivo, prior to adoptive cell transfer with sd-rxRNA reducing the expression of proteins such as Cbl-b, the anti-tumor response of these cells may be improved.

In November 2018, the Company presented a poster highlighting data demonstrating the potential of sd-rxRNA to improve NK cell potency in ACT at the 33rd Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper). Data showed that by treating NK cells with sd-rxRNA targeting inhibitory receptors such as TIGIT ex vivo, prior to ACT, the anti-tumor response of these cells may be enhanced resulting in a more effective therapy for hematological malignancies.

Additional Corporate Events Announced

Corporate Name Change

As the Company transformed into an immuno-oncology company with the acquisition of MirImmune in 2017 and the strategic decision to focus solely on immuno-oncology in 2018, it became clear that the name RXi Pharmaceuticals no longer accurately reflected the Company’s current business and future direction. The new name reflects the Company’s commitment to providing new treatment options for patients battling cancer.

The Company expects the change in the Company’s name from RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation to Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. and the change in the Company’s ticker symbol from RXII to the new trading symbol PHIO to become effective in the coming week.

Appointment of Gerrit Dispersyn as President and Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Dispersyn has been the Company’s Chief Development Officer since April 2017. In connection with the Company’s recently announced corporate name change to better reflect its core focus on immuno-oncology, Dr. Dispersyn will become the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer as of today. As COO, he will oversee all day-to-day activities of the Company and is in line to become the next CEO of the Company. Dr. Cauwenbergh remains as CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and will focus on financial, intellectual property and strategic matters.

On November 14, 2018 Genmab reported Interim Report for the First Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018 (Press release, Genmab, NOV 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234531309]).

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Highlights

USD 1,441 million in net sales of DARZALEX (daratumumab), resulting in royalty income of DKK 1,111 million
DARZALEX approved in Europe in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone (VMP) for frontline multiple myeloma, triggering USD 13 million milestone payment from Janssen
Entered strategic collaboration with Immatics to discover and develop next-generation bispecific cancer immunotherapies
"During the third quarter, Genmab continued to push ahead towards completing our goals for 2018. This quarter’s highlights included the European approval of DARZALEX in combination with other standard therapies for the treatment of frontline multiple myeloma and the strategic collaboration we signed with Immatics to fuel the growth of Genmab’s innovative immunotherapy pipeline in the future," said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab.

Financial Performance First Nine Months of 2018

Revenue was DKK 1,789 million in the first nine months of 2018 compared to DKK 1,348 million in the first nine months of 2017. The increase of DKK 441 million, or 33%, was mainly driven by higher DARZALEX royalties, the payment from Novartis of USD 50 million and reimbursement income from our collaborations with Seattle Genetics and BioNTech, partly offset by a decrease in DARZALEX milestones.
Operating expenses were DKK 1,130 million in the first nine months of 2018 compared to DKK 707 million in the first nine months of 2017. The increase of DKK 423 million, or 60%, was driven by the advancement of tisotumab vedotin, additional investments in our product pipeline, and the increase in employees to support expansion of our product pipeline.
Operating income was DKK 659 million in the first nine months of 2018 compared to DKK 641 million in the first nine months of 2017. The increase of DKK 18 million, or 3%, was driven by higher revenue, which was offset by increased operating expenses.
Subsequent Events

October: The Phase III CASSIOPEIA study (MMY3006) of daratumumab in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (VTD) versus VTD alone as frontline treatment for multiple myeloma patients who are candidates for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) met its primary endpoint of number of patients that achieved a stringent Complete Response (sCR), which was reported in 28.9% of patients treated with daratumumab in combination with VTD, compared to 20.3% of patients who received VTD alone with an odds ratio of 1.60 (95% CI: 1.21 – 2.12, p ≤ 0.001). The safety profile of daratumumab in combination with VTD is consistent with the known safety profile of the VTD regimen used in patients receiving ASCT and the known safety profile for daratumumab.
October: The Phase III MAIA study (MMY3008) of daratumumab in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (DRd) versus Rd alone as treatment for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are not candidates for high dose chemotherapy and ASCT met its primary endpoint of improving progression free survival (PFS) at a pre-planned interim analysis (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.55 (95% CI 0.43 – 0.72), p < 0.0001), resulting in a 45% reduction in the risk of progression or death in patients treated with DRd. The median PFS for patients treated with DRd has not been reached, compared to an estimated median PFS of 31.9 months for patients who received Rd alone. Overall, the safety profile of daratumumab in combination with Rd is consistent with both the known safety profiles of the Rd regimen and daratumumab.
Outlook
Genmab is maintaining its 2018 financial guidance published on February 21, 2018.

Conference Call
Genmab will hold a conference call in English to discuss the results for the first nine months of 2018 today, Wednesday, November 14, at 6.00 pm CET, 5.00 pm GMT or 12.00 pm EST. To join the call dial
+1 646 828 8193 (US participants) or +44 330 336 9411 (international participants) and provide conference code 4314747.

On November 14, 2018 CohBar, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWBR), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing mitochondria based therapeutics (MBTs) to treat age-related diseases, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018, and provided a business update (Press release, CohBar, NOV 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234531310]).

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"As we previously discussed, we are moving forward with our plan to address the mild but persistent injection site reactions observed in our Phase 1 clinical trial of CB4211, under development for NASH and obesity," said Simon Allen, Chief Executive Officer of CohBar. "We will be sharing this plan shortly with the FDA, and look forward to the agency’s timely feedback and resuming clinical activities as expeditiously as possible."

"This first groundbreaking study of a mitochondria based therapeutic in humans will help inform us not only for the development of CB4211, but also for the development of other potential therapeutics from our large portfolio of novel peptides. We continue to believe in the potential of MBTs to treat a broad range of age-related diseases with large-population indications, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disease and cardiovascular disease," Mr. Allen concluded.

Third Quarter and Recent Business Highlights:

Clinical Study Update for CB4211. On November 5, 2018, the company announced the temporary suspension of its ongoing Phase 1 clinical study of CB4211, its lead MBT candidate under development as a potential treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and obesity, in order to address mild injection site reactions that have been unexpectedly persistent. The company has a plan to address the persistent reactions and is seeking feedback from the FDA before resuming the clinical study.

Partnership with LifeSci Advisors. CohBar engaged LifeSci Advisors LLC ("LifeSci"), a leading New York-based investor relations consultancy serving life science companies, to implement a comprehensive investor outreach program that will include analyst and investor targeting/outreach, non-deal roadshows, corporate communications, and Key Opinion Leader (KOL) events in the field of mitochondria based therapeutics and age-related diseases.

Investment and Scientific Community Outreach. During the third quarter, CohBar’s CEO Simon Allen presented an overview of the Company and its clinical development program at the Bio Investor Forum. Additionally, company management met with investors during the H.C. Wainwright 20th Annual Global Investment Conference.
During the third quarter, CohBar’s founders, Dr. Pinchas Cohen and Dr. Nir Barzilai, continued to be recognized as international leaders in the study of aging, age-related diseases and mitochondrial science.

Dr. Cohen co-authored a number of papers published in scientific journals during the quarter including "Humanin Prevents Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Mice and is Associated with Improved Cognitive Age in Humans," in Nature Scientific Reports; "Chronic Treatment with the Mitochondrial Peptide Humanin Prevents Age-related Myocardial Fibrosis in Mice," in American Journal of Heart Circulation Physiology; "Characterizing the Protective Effects of SHLP2, a Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide, in Macular Degeneration," in Nature Scientific Reports; and "Mitochondrial biology and prostate cancer ethnic disparity," Carcinogenesis. Dr. Cohen also received a major grant from the National Institutes of Health recognizing his ground-breaking work in the field of mitochondrial science entitled, "Humanin is an AD resilience factor through its interaction with APOE4."

Dr. Barzilai delivered a keynote speech at the Aging Cell Conference in Sitges, Spain and co-authored a number of scientific papers published during the quarter including: "Aging as a Biological Target for Prevention and Therapy," in JAMA; "A framework for selection of blood-based biomarkers for geroscience-guided clinical trials: Report from the TAME Biomarkers Workgroup," in Geroscience; "Targeting Senescence," in Nature Medicine; "APOE Alleles and Extreme Human Longevity," Journals of Gerontology; "40 Years of IGF1: The Jekyll and Hyde of the Aging Brain," in Journal of Molecular Endocrinology; "Late-Life Targeting of the IGF1 Receptor Improves Healthspan and Lifespan in Female Mice," in National Communications.
Third Quarter 2018 Financial Highlights

Cash and Investments. CohBar had cash and investments of $24,223,712 on September 30, 2018, compared to $8,452,459 on December 31, 2017.

R&D Expenses. Research and development expenses were $3,435,509 in the three months ended September 30, 2018, compared to $2,316,454 in the prior year quarter. The increase was primarily due to the costs of our clinical activities and a net increase in stock-based compensation related to performance equity grants that vested within the current year quarter, offset by a decrease in costs related to the timing of IND-enabling activities incurred in the prior year period.

G&A Expenses. General and administrative expenses were $1,061,709 for the three months ended September 30, 2018, compared to $549,505 in the prior year quarter. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to an increase in stock-based compensation related to performance equity grants that vested within the current year quarter, the costs associated with new grants made since the prior year period and an increase in directors fees in the current quarter.

Net Loss. For the three months ended September 30, 2018, net loss was $4,613,042, or $0.11 per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $2,861,107, or $0.07 per basic and diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2017.

Details for Conference Call

Date: November 14, 2018
Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

- Dial-in U.S. and Canada: (888) 394-8218
- Dial-in International: (323) 701-0225
- Conference ID Number: 1659879

We kindly request that you call into the conference audio approximately 10 minutes before the start time so that we can begin promptly.

An audio replay of the call will be available beginning at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 14, 2018, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 5, 2018. To access the recording please dial (844) 512-2921 in the U.S. and Canada, or (412) 317-6671 internationally, and reference Conference ID# 1659879. The audio replay will also be available at www.cohbar.com from November 14 through December 5, 2018.

About CB4211
CohBar’s lead program is based on CB4211, a first-in-class mitochondria based therapeutic (MBT) that has demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in preclinical models of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and obesity. CB4211 is a novel and improved analog of MOTS-c, a naturally occurring mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) which was discovered in 2012 by CohBar founder Dr. Pinchas Cohen and his academic collaborators and has been shown to play a significant role in the regulation of metabolism. In July 2018, CB4211 entered a Phase 1a/1b clinical trial which includes a potential activity readout relevant to NASH and obesity. In November 2018, the company announced the temporary suspension of the trial to address mild injection site reactions that were unexpectedly persistent. NASH has been estimated to affect as many as 12% of adults in the U.S., and there is currently no approved treatment for the disease.

On November 14, 2018 The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson reported the submission of two Type II variation applications to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) seeking approval for the expanded use of IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) (Press release, Johnson & Johnson, NOV 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234531468]). One application seeks to include use of ibrutinib in combination with obinutuzumab in previously untreated adults with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and to add long-term follow-up data from the existing label studies RESONATETM (PCYC-1112) and RESONATETM-2 (PCYC-1115). The second is for use of ibrutinib plus rituximab for the treatment of previously untreated and relapsed/refractory adults with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM).

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"Today’s news brings us one step closer to potentially offering ibrutinib in new combinations for patients where unmet needs still persist," said Dr. Catherine Taylor, Haematology Therapy Area Lead, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Janssen-Cilag Limited. "Ibrutinib continues to demonstrate clinical benefit over the long term for a broad
group of patients living with blood cancer, and we look forward to working with relevant authorities to secure approval of these new combinations."

Ibrutinib, a first-in-class Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, is jointly developed and commercialised by Janssen Biotech, Inc., and Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie company. The CLL submission is supported by positive results from the Phase 3 iLLUMINATE (PCYC1130) study which investigated ibrutinib in combination with obinutuzumab versus
chlorambucil plus obinutuzumab in patients with newly diagnosed CLL.

1 Study findings from iLLUMINATE will also be featured as an oral presentation (abstract #691), whilst further analysis of RESONATETM and RESONATETM-2 results in comparison with real-world evidence databases (abstract #4427) will be included at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place in San Diego next month.1,2 A supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) which was also recently submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received Priority Review.

2 In WM, the submission is supported by data from the Phase 3 iNNOVATE (PCYC-1127) study evaluating ibrutinib in combination with rituximab, versus rituximab with placebo, in patients with previously untreated and relapsed/refractory WM.

3 Follow-up efficacy and safety findings from the iNNOVATE study will also be presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2018 (abstract
#149).

4 In August 2018, the FDA approved ibrutinib in combination with rituximab for the treatment of WM based on the data from iNNOVATE.

5 Additional information about both studies can be found at www.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02264574 and NCT02165397).
6,7
#ENDS#

About ibrutinib
Ibrutinib is a first-in-class Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, which works by forming a strong covalent bond with BTK to block the transmission of cell survival signals within the malignant B-cells.8 By blocking this BTK protein, ibrutinib helps kill and reduce the number of cancer cells, thereby delaying progression of the cancer.9 Ibrutinib is currently approved in Europe for the following uses:10

 Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL): As a single agent for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated CLL, and as a single agent or in combination with bendamustine and rituximab (BR) for the treatment of adult patients with CLL who have received at least one prior therapy.

 Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL): Adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell MCL.

 Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM): Adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy or in first-line treatment for patients unsuitable for chemoimmunotherapy.

The most common adverse reactions seen with ibrutinib include diarrhoea, neutropenia, haemorrhage (e.g., bruising), musculoskeletal pain, nausea, rash, and pyrexia.10

For a full list of side effects and information on dosage and administration, contraindications and other precautions when using ibrutinib please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics for further information.

About CLL
CLL is typically a slow-growing blood cancer of the white blood cells.11 The overall incidence of CLL in Europe is approximately 4.92 cases per 100,000 persons per year with rates amongst men and women approximately 5.87 and 4.01 cases per 100,000 persons per year, respectively.

12 CLL is predominantly a disease of the elderly, with a median age of 72 years at diagnosis.13
CLL is a chronic disease; median overall survival ranges between 18 months and more than 10 years, according to the stage of disease.14 The disease eventually progresses in the majority of patients, and patients are faced with fewer treatment options with each relapse. Patients are often prescribed multiple lines of therapy as they relapse or become resistant to treatments.
3
About Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia
Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).15 It causes overproduction of a protein called monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody, which causes a thickening of the blood.
16 Incidence rates among men and women in Europe are approximately 7.3 and 4.2 per million persons, respectively.17 The causes of WM are unknown, with it typically affecting older adults and being slightly more
common in men than women.15,17

On November 14, 2018 Neuralstem, Inc. (Nasdaq: CUR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of nervous system therapies based on its neural stem cell and small molecule technologies, reported its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018 (Press release, Neuralstem, NOV 14, 2018, View Source [SID1234531311]).

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"During the third quarter of 2018 we have made progress with our programs, have taken steps to strengthen the balance sheet, and, perhaps most importantly, have determined how we will focus our efforts moving forward," said Jim Scully, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Neuralstem. "We believe that proceeds from our recent offering, combined with our efforts to reduce cash burn, will allow us to pursue key development initiatives that will be detailed in the coming weeks."

Clinical Highlights

In August, NSI-189 received from FDA the orphan designation for treatment of Angelman Syndrome. Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare congenital genetic disorder caused by a lack of function in the UBE3A gene on the maternal 15th chromosome. It affects approximately one in 15,000 people – about 500,000 individuals globally. Symptoms of AS include developmental delay, lack of speech, seizures, and walking and balance disorders. Patients with AS may never walk or speak and require life-long care. Life expectancy is normal which places a significant burden on patients and caregivers. There are currently no FDA-approved therapies for the treatment of Angelman syndrome.

In July, the company announced initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial to further evaluate NSI-566 in ischemic stroke. This follows the positive results of the open-label Phase 1 stroke study disclosed in a 2018 ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research) abstract on June 23, 2018. The Phase 2 study is a randomized, double-blind, sham-surgery controlled study. It is intended to further test the safety and efficacy of NSI-566 to reverse paralysis in stroke patients with half of their body partially paralyzed. The trial is taking place at BaYi Brain Hospital in Beijing, China, and commenced on August 1, 2018.

In October, the company announced publication of a manuscript in Scientific Reports showing that transplantation of NSI-532.IGF1 mitigates disease pathology and improves cognition in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease. The study was performed at the University of Michigan by a team led by Dr. Eva Feldman, Director of the Program for Neurology Research and Discovery, and Research Director of the University of Michigan ALS Center of Excellence. NSI-532.IGF1 is the first candidate from the NSI-532 program, a second-generation cell therapy program which combines neural stem cells with neuroprotective proteins.
Corporate Highlights

In October, the company completed a registered direct offering of its securities which resulted in gross proceeds to Neuralstem of $2.1 million. Neuralstem intends to use the proceeds from this offering to further its clinical and preclinical programs, and for general working capital.
Financial Results for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2018

Cash Position and Liquidity: At September 30, 2018, cash and investments was $5.7 million as compared to $7.1 million at June 30, 2018. The $1.4 million decrease reflects a loss for the period, which was somewhat ameliorated by management’s cost reduction efforts. The company expects its existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments to fund its operations, based on its current operating plans, into the second quarter of 2019.

Operating Loss: Operating loss for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018 was $2.1 million compared to a loss of $2.6 million for the comparable period of 2017. The reduction in loss is attributed to reduced clinical development activity and management efforts to reduce overall expenses.

Net Loss: Net loss for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018 was $1.8 million, or $0.12 per share (basic), compared to a loss of $0.1 million, or $0.01 per share (basic), for the comparable period of 2017. The increase in net loss was primarily due to the non-cash gains related to the change in the fair value of our liability classified warrants in 2017, partially offset by a decrease in our operating loss.

Research and Development Expenses: The $0.9 million of research and development expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2018 represents a 35% decrease over the comparable period of 2017. This decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease in personnel and facility expenses, and a decrease in clinical trial and related costs due to the completion of our NSI-189 Phase 2 clinical trial.

General and Administrative Expenses: The $1.2 million of general and administrative expenses for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018 represents a 2% decrease over the comparable period of 2017. This decrease was primarily attributable to lower payroll and related expenses due to corporate restructuring and cost reduction efforts coupled with a decrease in non-cash share-based compensation expense which was offset by an increase in tax and insurance expenses and consulting and professional fees.