On March 13, 2018 Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLCM), a leader in developing novel, controllable cellular immunotherapies for cancers and orphan inherited blood disorders, reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2017 (Press release, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, MAR 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234524726]).

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!

"In the past year, we made substantial progress toward our vision of delivering cures through controllable cell therapy," said Bellicum’s President & CEO Rick Fair. "We completed enrollment in our first registrational trial of BPX-501 and remain on track for our first filing for product approval in Europe in 2019. We moved three new projects featuring our industry-leading cellular control technology into clinical trials, including the first-ever GoCAR-T with our iMC activation switch. We also made substantial preclinical progress on our next generation ‘dual-switch’ platform containing both activation and safety switches in the same CAR-T cell, and initiated plans to move two dual-switch CAR-T projects into clinical trials in 2019."

2017 HIGHLIGHTS AND CURRENT UPDATES

Bellicum Submits Response to FDA Clinical Hold on BPX-501 Trials
Last week, the Company submitted a full response to the FDA clinical hold notification, including requested changes to study protocols to provide guidelines for comprehensive monitoring and management of neurologic adverse events associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplants. The Company expects the response to satisfy the conditions for removal of the clinical hold, which applies to BPX-501 clinical trials in the U.S.

Recruitment Complete in BPX-501 E.U. Registration Trial
The Company completed enrollment in the treatment arm of its BP-004 E.U. registration trial in pediatric patients undergoing haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplant (haplo-HSCT) and expects to report updated data from this trial at upcoming medical meetings. The Company remains on track to file European Marketing Authorization Applications for BPX-501 and rimiducid in 2019.

Positive BPX-501 Interim Results Reported in AML and Primary Immunodeficiencies
Earlier today, the Company announced interim survival results in pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) suggesting that the addition of BPX-501 T cells to a haplo-HSCT may improve the anti-leukemic effect of stem cell transplantation. The Company also reported interim data in pediatric patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) undergoing a curative haplo-HSCT with BPX-501 demonstrating favorable disease-free and overall survival rates at one year. These interim results have been submitted for presentation at an upcoming medical meeting.

Robust BPX-601 GoCAR-TCell Expansion Observed Following Rimiducid Administration
The Phase 1 study of BPX-601—the first product featuring the Company’s iMC activation switch—is enrolling patients with nonresectable pancreatic cancer who test positive for prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA). The first patient dosed with rimiducid—to activate iMC following infusion of BPX-601 cells—showed a robust expansion of circulating BPX-601 cells following a single dose of rimiducid, providing the first clinical proof of concept of iMC. The patient continues to be evaluated for safety and efficacy, and the clinical site is enrolling additional patients. Bellicum expects to report findings from the initial cohorts of pancreatic cancer patients at an upcoming medical meeting and to expand the trial to other PSCA-expressing cancers later this year.

Collaborator CD19 CAR-T Trial Initiated
The first patients have been treated in a Phase 1 pediatric ALL clinical trial of a CD19 CAR-T incorporating the CaspaCIDe safety switch, which is being conducted in collaboration with Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù (OPBG), a leading European pediatric research center and hospital. The trial is designed to assess the impact of CaspaCIDe in managing the acute toxicities of CAR-T therapy.

Completed Buildout of In-House Manufacturing and Vector Production Facility
The Company recently completed the buildout and initial launch of a 30,400 square foot state-of-the-art cell manufacturing and vector production facility at its headquarters in Houston, Texas. This facility is designed and constructed to satisfy both U.S. and European regulatory standards, and the Company expects the facility will meet U.S. clinical trial and early commercialization requirements.

Bellicum Continues to Strengthen its Management Team and Board of Directors
Since August 2017, the Company has added Gregory Naeve, Ph.D. (Chief Business Officer), William Grossman, M.D., Ph.D. (Chief Medical Officer), and several key leadership appointments to strengthen its clinical and quality functions. Additionally, Edmund P. Harrigan, M.D. was recently appointed to Bellicum’s Board of Directors, bringing 28 years of cross-functional pharmaceutical industry experience, most recently as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Safety and Regulatory at Pfizer.

ANTICIPATED 2018 MILESTONES

Report updated data from the BP-004 study of BPX-501
Initiate pivotal clinical trials of BPX-501 in adult AML and in either pediatric AML or PIDs, pending regulatory clearances
Report initial results from the BPX-601 clinical trial, and expand the trial to include additional PSCA-expressing cancers
Present initial findings from the BPX-701 clinical trial at upcoming medical meetings

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Financial Results

Cash Position and Guidance: Bellicum ended the year on December 31, 2017 with cash, restricted cash and investments totaling $106.5 million, compared to $113.4 million at December 31, 2016. In the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company paid off its Hercules Capital debt facility with a $35.0 million loan from Oxford Finance. The new loan provided approximately $2.1 million in additional liquidity, interest-only payments until February 1, 2020 and a lower interest rate. Based on current operating plans, Bellicum expects that current cash resources will be sufficient to meet operating requirements through the first quarter of 2019.

R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $14.3 million and $65.7 million for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, respectively, compared to $15.1 million and $51.3 million during the comparable periods in 2016. The higher expenses in 2017 were primarily due to increased clinical trial costs, particularly for BPX-501, start-up costs related to Bellicum’s in-house manufacturing facility and contract manufacturers in Europe and increased personnel and consulting expenses. The higher R&D expenses in the fourth quarter of 2016 were attributable to costs associated with characterization studies of rimiducid.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses were $5.1 million and $21.0 million for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, respectively, compared to $4.2 million and $16.9 million during the comparable periods in 2016. The increased G&A expenses in 2017 were primarily due to Bellicum’s overall growth, including an increase in personnel-related costs, facility costs, and other administrative costs.

Net Loss: Bellicum reported a net loss of $21.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2017 and $91.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to a net loss of $19.9 million and $69.2 million for the comparable periods in 2016. The results included non-cash, share-based compensation charges of $3.4 million and $13.6 million for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, respectively, and $3.1 million and $12.3 million for the comparable periods in 2016.

Shares Outstanding:
At December 31, 2017, Bellicum had 33,285,177 shares of common stock outstanding.

Conference Call and Webcast
Bellicum management will host a webcast and conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern today to discuss the financial results. To access the call, participants should dial 877-407-3103 (domestic) and 201-493-6791 (international) at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. The event will be webcast live and can also be accessed in the Investors & Media section of bellicum.com. An archived version of the webcast will also be available for replay in the Investors & Media section of the Bellicum website for at least two weeks following the call.

About BPX-501
BPX-501 is an adjunct T cell therapy administered after allogeneic HSCT, comprising genetically modified donor T cells incorporating Bellicum’s CaspaCIDe safety switch. It is designed to provide a safety net to eliminate alloreactive BPX-501 T cells (via administration of activator agent rimiducid) should uncontrollable GvHD or other T-cell mediated complications occur. This enables physicians to more safely perform stem cell transplants by administering BPX-501 engineered T cells to speed immune reconstitution, provide control over viral infections and enhance Graft-versus-leukemic effect without unacceptable GvHD risk. The ongoing BP-004 clinical study of BPX-501 is being conducted at transplant centers in the U.S. and Europe.

About BPX-601
BPX-601 is a GoCAR-T product candidate containing Bellicum’s proprietary inducible MyD88/CD40, or iMC, activation switch, designed to treat solid tumors expressing prostate stem cell antigen, or PSCA. Preclinical data show enhanced T cell proliferation, persistence and in vivo anti-tumor activity compared to traditional CAR-T therapies. A Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with nonresectable pancreatic cancer is ongoing. In addition to pancreatic cancer, PSCA is expressed in several other solid tumor indications, including: gastric, esophageal, cholangiocarcinoma, glioblastoma, prostate and bladder cancers. The Company plans to expand the clinical development of BPX-601 to include additional PSCA expressing cancer types.

About BPX-701
BPX-701 is a high affinity T cell receptor product candidate designed with the CaspaCIDe safety switch. It is currently being tested in a Phase 1 study of patients with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who test positive for PRAME, or preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma. In preclinical studies, PRAME-specific clones showed high reactivity against a panel of PRAME positive tumor cell lines, metastatic melanoma, sarcomas and neuroblastoma tissues. In vitro study data showed that BPX-701 demonstrated strong affinity to panels of cancer cells presenting PRAME peptides and low affinity to non-tumor cells, as well as complete elimination of BPX-701 cells in response to rimiducid.

On March 13, 2018 AVEO Oncology (NASDAQ:AVEO) reported financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2017 and provided a business update (Press release, AVEO, MAR 13, 2018, View Source;p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2337743 [SID1234524719]).

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!

"Last year was one of major progress for AVEO, with highlights including the first commercial launch of tivozanib (FOTIVDA); the completion of the enrollment for TIVO-3, our U.S. registration study; the receipt of promising results from the Phase 1b/2 TiNivo combination trial of tivozanib and nivolumab (OPDIVO); and progress across our earlier stage pipeline," said Michael Bailey, president and chief executive officer of AVEO. "These achievements are only the beginning of our effort to unlock the value of tivozanib through registration and development including combination therapy. We also are excited by the potential of our AVEO-developed pipeline candidates, including ficlatuzumab, AV-203, AV-380 and AV-353. Supporting our multifaceted goals, we have worked to strengthen our executive management team and Board with the appointment of experienced leaders and to reinforce our balance sheet through milestone payments, royalties, the renegotiation of our debt agreement and careful financial stewardship."

Tivozanib (FOTIVDA) European Union Update

Tivozanib (FOTIVDA) Launched in Germany, Granted Positive NICE Final Appraisal Determination for the Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (aRCC) in the UK. In November 2017, AVEO and EUSA Pharma, the licensee for tivozanib in Europe, North and South Africa, Latin America and Australasia, announced the first commercial launch of FOTIVDA with the initiation of product sales in Germany. In February 2018, AVEO announced that the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a Final Appraisal Determination recommending FOTIVDA for the first line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). The positive recommendation was followed by the launch of FOTIVDA in the United Kingdom and triggered a $2M milestone payment to AVEO from EUSA Pharma. FOTIVDA was granted European Commission (EC) approval in August 2017 for the treatment of adult patients with aRCC in the European Union plus Norway and Iceland.
Tivozanib TIVO-3 Study North America Update

Successfully Completed the TIVO-3 Futility Analysis with No Changes to Study Protocol. In October 2017, AVEO announced the completion of a pre-planned interim futility analysis of the Phase 3 TIVO-3 trial, the Company’s randomized, controlled, multi-center, open-label study to compare tivozanib to sorafenib (NEXAVAR) in subjects with aRCC. Based on the results of the futility analysis, which were reviewed by an independent statistician, the study continued as planned without modification. The analysis did not allow for early stopping due to efficacy to assure adequate follow-up for the key secondary endpoint of overall survival. Based on the current rate of progression-free survival (PFS) events, the Company expects the TIVO-3 trial to read out in the second quarter of 2018. The TIVO-3 trial, together with the previously completed TIVO-1 trial of tivozanib in the first line treatment of aRCC, is designed to support a potential regulatory approval of tivozanib in the U.S. as a first- and third-line treatment for aRCC.
TiNivo Combination Study Clinical Update

Phase 1b/2 Results from the TiNivo Trial of Tivozanib and Nivolumab (OPDIVO) in aRCC presented at International KCS and ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GU. In November 2017, the results from the Phase 1b portion of the Phase 1b/2 TiNivo study were presented at the 16th International Kidney Cancer Symposium. In February 2018, Bernard Escudier, M.D., from the Institute Gustav Roussy in Paris, France presented preliminary results from the Phase 2 portion of the TiNivo study at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper)’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU). TiNivo is a Phase 1b/2 multi-center trial of oral tivozanib in combination with intravenous nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb), an immune checkpoint, or PD-1, inhibitor, for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The Phase 1b/2 study has enrolled a total of 28 patients. The Phase 2 portion of the study (n=22) was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and anti-tumor activity of the full dose and schedule of oral tivozanib (1.5 mg/QD for 21 days followed by a 7-day rest period), as established in the Phase 1b portion of the study (n=6), in combination with intravenous nivolumab (240 mg every 2 weeks). The combination was generally well tolerated. Treatment-related Grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 44% of patients, the most common of which was hypertension. Preliminary efficacy was assessed in 14 patients treated with the full dose and schedule of oral tivozanib in combination with intravenous nivolumab and enrolled at least 4 months prior to the data cutoff date. Of these, seven patients had received at least one prior systemic therapy and seven were treatment naive. A partial response was observed in 64% of patients, and a disease control rate (partial response + stable disease) was observed in 100% of patients. At the time of data collection, 11 of 14 evaluable patients remained on study. The Company and EUSA Pharma expect to present further updates to the TiNivo study at upcoming medical meetings in the second half of 2018.
TiNivo Combination Study Opt-in. In September 2017, AVEO announced that EUSA Pharma, under its multi-territory licensing agreement with AVEO for tivozanib, opted in to co-develop the Phase 1b/2 TiNivo study and potential future combination studies in exchange for research and development reimbursement payments totaling $2.0 million. Under terms of the agreement, EUSA will fund up to half of the Phase 1b/2 TiNivo study, not to exceed $2.0 million, and may utilize the data from the study for regulatory or commercial purposes.
Tivozanib Clinical Development in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Phase 1b/2 Study Results of Tivozanib in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GI. In January 2018, AVEO announced the presentation of data from a multi-center, Phase 1b/2 study of tivozanib in previously untreated patients with advanced, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI). The study, designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tivozanib in advanced HCC, enrolled a total of 21 patients at three study sites. Tivozanib at 1.0 mg daily was selected in the Phase 1b portion of the study as the dose for the Phase 2 expansion. Of 19 patients evaluable for efficacy, at a median follow up of 16.9 months, the study’s primary endpoint of PFS and PFS at week 24 were 5.5 months and 47%, respectively. A partial response (PR) was seen in 21% (4/19) of patients and stable disease (SD) was observed in 42% (8/19) of patients, for a disease control rate (DCR) of 63%. Overall survival (OS) at 6 and 12 months was 58% and 25%, respectively, with a median OS of 7.5 months. Notably, 4 patients have maintained SD for over two years. There were no significant changes in hepatitis B or hepatitis C viral load during study treatment. Tivozanib was generally well tolerated, with adverse events consistent with those observed in previous tivozanib trials. Findings from the study suggest that tivozanib has the potential to yield comparable PFS and a favorable response rate when compared to current first-line standards of care for HCC patients, and demonstrated a favorable safety profile which may enable therapeutic combinations with immunotherapy. The Phase 1b/2 study was led by Renuka Iyar, M.D., from the Roswell Park Cancer Center and was one of several studies funded by a grant provided to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network by AVEO.
Pipeline Updates

Phase 2 Study of Ficlatuzumab in Combination with Cetuximab in HNSCC Initiated. In December 2017, AVEO announced the initiation of an investigator-sponsored randomized, multi-center Phase 2 trial of ficlatuzumab and cetuximab (ERBITUX), an EGFR-targeted antibody, in patients with cetuximab-resistant, metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). AVEO has partnered with Biodesix, Inc. on the development of ficlatuzumab, a humanized IgG1 antibody that binds to the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) ligand with high affinity and specificity to inhibit the biological activities of the HGF/c-Met pathway. The study will seek to confirm findings from a Phase 1 study where the addition of ficlatuzumab to cetuximab resulted in a disease control rate of 67%, and prolonged progression free and overall survival compared to historical controls, in addition to being well tolerated. This Phase 2 multi-center study, which is being conducted under the direction of Julie E. Bauman, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Associate Director of Translational Research, University of Arizona Cancer Center, is expected to enroll approximately 70 patients randomized to receive either ficlatuzumab alone or ficlatuzumab and cetuximab.
Phase 1b Study of Ficlatuzumab in Combination with Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel in Pancreatic Cancer Initiated. In December 2017, AVEO announced the initiation of an investigator-sponsored Phase 1b study to test the safety and tolerability of ficlatuzumab when combined with Nab-paclitaxel and Gemcitabine in previously untreated metastatic pancreatic ductal cancer (PDAC). The goal of the study, which is based on preclinical findings demonstrating a synergistic effect of these drugs in a preclinical model of PDAC, is designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ficlatuzumab when combined with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. Secondary outcome measures include response rate and progression free survival. The study, which is being conducted under the direction of Kimberly Perez, M.D. at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is expected to enroll approximately 30 patients.
IND Application for CAN017 (AV-203) Trial in Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer (ESCC) Filed by CANbridge In China. In December 2017, CANbridge Life Sciences, the licensee for CAN017 (AV-203) outside of North America, announced that it filed an Investigational New Drug application with the China Food and Drug Administration for a Phase 1b/3 clinical study of CAN017 in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). CAN017 is an ErbB3 (HER3) inhibitory antibody candidate developed by AVEO. CANbridge also announced that it entered into a strategic partnership with Amoy Diagnostics Co., Ltd. to develop a CAN017 biomarker companion diagnostic.
Corporate Updates

Strengthened Executive Team and Board of Directors. In November 2017, AVEO announced the appointment of Nikhil Mehta, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Quality Assurance. In this role, Dr. Mehta oversees all aspects of regulatory, quality and technical operations for the Company’s portfolio. Dr. Mehta brings to AVEO more than 25 years of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

AVEO also recently appointed Mike Ferraresso as Vice President, Business Analytics and Commercial Operations. Mr. Ferraresso brings more than 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience in commercial strategy, sales operations and business analytics. He previously worked at AVEO from 2011 to 2013 as Senior Director of Business Analytics.

AVEO also announced today that Karuna Rubin has been named Senior Vice President and General Counsel, effective February 1, 2018. Ms. Rubin has more than 15 years of experience representing public companies in a variety of industries in securities, finance, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and other matters and has served as AVEO’s lead counsel since 2015. She received her J.D. from Columbia Law School and A.B. from Brown University.

In February 2018, AVEO announced the appointment of John H. Johnson to the Company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Johnson brings to AVEO over three decades of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industries, having held commercial and executive management roles at leading global corporations that have a focus on oncology.
Refinanced Debt Facility, Extending Cash Runway into 2019. In January 2018, AVEO announced that it completed the refinancing of its existing $20.0 million debt facility with Hercules Capital, Inc. and its affiliates, the terms of which enable approximately an additional $12.1 million in cash flow over 2018 and 2019, when compared to the prior loan. The new $20.0 million facility has a 42-month maturity from closing, no financial covenants, a lower interest rate and an interest-only period of no less than 12 months, which could be extended up to a maximum of 24 months, assuming the achievement of specified milestones relating to the development of tivozanib. Extension of the interest-only period is expected to enable the Company to extend its cash runway into the first quarter of 2019. Proceeds of the new facility were used to retire the Company’s previous $20.0 million of secured debt with Hercules.
Full Year 2017 Financial Highlights

AVEO ended 2017 with $33.5 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as compared with $23.3 million at December 31, 2016.
Total collaboration revenue for 2017 was approximately $7.6 million compared with $2.5 million for 2016.
Research and development expense for 2017 was $25.2 million compared with $23.7 million for 2016.
General and administrative expense for 2017 was $9.1 million compared with $8.2 million for 2016.
Net loss for 2017 was $65.0 million, or a loss of $0.61 per basic and diluted share, compared with net loss of $26.9 million for 2016, or a loss of $0.39 per basic and diluted share. Approximately $33.7 million of the 2017 net loss was a non-cash loss attributable to the increase in the fair value of the warrant liability that principally resulted from the increase in the stock price that occurred within the year. In 2016, the non-cash gain attributable to the decrease in the fair value of the warrant liability was $4.8 million.
Updated Financial Guidance

We believe that our $33.5 million in cash resources would allow us to fund our planned operations into the first quarter of 2019. This estimate assumes no receipt of additional milestones from our partners or related payment of potential licensing milestones to third parties, no additional funding from new partnership agreements, no additional equity or debt financings, and no sales of equity through the exercise of our outstanding warrants issued in connection with our 2016 private placement.

Verastem has filed a 10-K – Annual report [Section 13 and 15(d), not S-K Item 405] with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Filing, 10-K, Verastem, 2018, MAR 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234524710]).

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!

On March 15, 2018 Cellectar Biosciences (Nasdaq: CLRB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of cancer, announces that results from two preclinical studies highlighting the potential benefits of fractionated dosing regimens of CLR 131 and the ability of the company’s phospholipid drug conjugates (PDCs) to provide improved targeting of tumor cells have been selected for late-breaking poster presentations at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2018 (AACR 2018), April 14-18, 2018 in Chicago.

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 following research will be presented:

Poster Title: Phospholipid drug conjugates show specificity for a broad range of tumor cells and provides a novel approach for targeted or precision therapy

Poster Number: 10957

Session Title: Late-Breaking Research: Cancer Chemistry

Session Date and Time: Monday, April 16, 2018, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm (CT)

Session Location: Poster Section 43

Presenter: Jarrod Longcor, chief business officer of Cellectar Biosciences

Poster Title: Efficacy of fractionated injections of CLR 131 in an OPM-2 SCID nude mouse model

Poster Number: 10770

Session Title: Late-Breaking Research: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics 3

Session Date and Time: Tuesday, April 17, 2018 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm (CT)

Session Location: Poster Section 43

Presenter: Jarrod Longcor, chief business officer of Cellectar Biosciences

CLR 131 is Cellectar’s investigational radioiodinated PDC therapy that exploits the tumor-targeting properties of the company’s proprietary phospholipid ether (PLE) and PLE analogs to selectively deliver radiation to malignant tumor cells, thus minimizing radiation exposure to normal tissues. Poster 10770 compares bolus dosing to fractionated dosing of CLR 131 in a preclinical mouse model.

Various PDC molecules have been shown to provide specificity in targeting tumor cells versus normal cells both in vitro and in vivo irrespective of the payload. Poster 10957 will further elaborate upon the mechanism of targeting and uptake as well as the cellular trafficking of these molecules.

"Over the past year, we have greatly enhanced our understanding of both our lead asset CLR 131, and our proprietary delivery platform," said James Caruso, chief executive officer of Cellectar Biosciences. "Our data suggest a more optimized dosing scheme that we have recently incorporated into our current Phase 1 trial and also speak to the broad potential of the delivery technology itself."

About Phospholipid Drug Conjugates

Cellectar’s product candidates are built upon a patented delivery and retention platform that utilizes optimized PDCs to target cancer cells. The PDC platform selectively delivers diverse oncologic payloads to cancerous cells and cancer stem cells, including hematologic cancers and solid tumors. This selective delivery allows the payloads’ therapeutic window to be modified, which may maintain or enhance drug potency while reducing the number and severity of adverse events. This platform takes advantage of a metabolic pathway utilized by all tumor cell types in all cell cycle stages. Compared with other targeted delivery platforms, the PDC platform’s mechanism of entry does not rely upon specific cell surface epitopes or antigens. In addition, PDCs can be conjugated to molecules in numerous ways, thereby increasing the types of molecules selectively delivered. Cellectar believes the PDC platform holds potential for the discovery and development of the next generation of cancer-targeting agents.

On March 13, 2018 Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MLNT), a commercial-stage company discovering, developing and commercializing novel antibiotics to treat serious bacterial infections, reported financial results and an update on commercial and regulatory activities for the quarter ended December 31, 2017 (Press release, Cempra, MAR 13, 2018, View Source [SID1234524729]). During the quarter, the Company completed its reverse merger with Cempra, Inc. (Cempra) to become a publicly traded company. Fourth quarter and full year 2017 results include the addition of the Cempra business as of the merger date of November 3, 2017. Immediately following the quarter, the Company acquired the infectious disease business of The Medicines Company, including products Vabomere (meropenem and vaborbactam), Orbactiv (oritavancin) and Minocin (minocycline) for Injection. This press release includes highlights from The Medicines Company infectious disease business as of acquisition close on January 5, 2018.

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!

"Following Melinta becoming a public company on November 3, we swiftly acquired the infectious disease business from The Medicines Company, transforming Melinta into the largest global, pure-play antibiotics company. Today, we have a strong portfolio of products including Vabomere, Orbactiv and Minocin for Injection, together with our first drug Baxdela that we launched just this quarter," said Dan Wechsler, president and CEO of Melinta.

"We have a strong combined team, including the addition of over 150 seasoned professionals at the time of The Medicines Company transaction, and a leading pipeline of development and discovery assets including those from our own Nobel Prize-winning discovery platform. 2018 will be an exciting year for Melinta, and we look forward to launching our products, furthering our pipeline and telling our story focused on bringing life-saving anti-infective products to areas of unmet need and, in turn, building strong shareholder value over the long-term," Mr. Wechsler concluded.

Full Year 2017 and Recent Business Highlights

• March 2, 2017 – entered into commercial and co-development agreement with Menarini Group for delafloxacin in 68 countries outside of the United States

• >$100 million of upfront and potential milestone payments and double-digit royalties on sales in partnered territories

• Menarini pays 50% of future delafloxacin indication-expansion efforts

LOGO

• June 19, 2017 – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Baxdela indicated in adults for treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by susceptible bacteria

• A fluoroquinolone that exhibits activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including the distinction of being the only approved drug in its class that covers methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

• A fixed-dose therapy with limited disease or drug interactions and is available in interchangeable intravenous and oral formulations

• September 26, 2017 – announced the expansion of agreement with Eurofarma Laboratorios S.A. (Eurofarma) to include 19 countries in South and Central America and the Caribbean

• Eurofarma has submitted a marketing authorization for delafloxacin in Argentina

• November 3, 2017 – completed the reverse merger with Cempra to become a publicly traded company

• January 5, 2018 – acquired the infectious disease business of The Medicines Company, including approved products Vabomere, Orbactiv and Minocin for Injection

• Added a well-experienced commercial, medical affairs and commercial support organization

• Integration nearing completion

• Minimal disruption to product launches or performance, including Vabomere, which was recently launched

• February 6, 2018 – launched Baxdela in the United States

• March 8, 2018 – partner Menarini submitted a marketing authorization application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for delafloxacin for treatment of adults with ABSSSI

Q4 and Full Year 2017 Financial Results

Melinta reported a net loss available to shareholders of $20.9 million, or $1.48 per share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2017 compared to a net loss of $27.7 million for the same period in 2016. For the full year ended December 31, 2017, the Company reported net loss available to shareholders of $78.2 million.

Research and development expenses were $11.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2017, compared to $16.3 million for the same period in 2016. The decrease was driven primarily by fourth quarter 2016 New Drug Application (NDA)-related fees and milestone payments and lower manufacturing costs. For the full year ended December 31, 2017, the Company reported R&D expenses of $49.5 million.

LOGO

Selling, general and administrative expenses were $37.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2017, compared to $4.6 million for the same period in 2016. The increase was driven primarily by commercial launch preparation activities for Baxdela and transaction- and integration-related costs, including severance and stock-based compensation, due to the merger. For the full year ended December 31, 2017, the Company reported selling, general and administrative expenses of $63.3 million.

As of December 31, 2017, Melinta had cash and cash equivalents of $128.4 million. In addition, the Company has available debt capacity under the Deerfield agreement. It is anticipated that Melinta may strengthen its cash position through the completion of business development activities, similar to the transaction completed with Menarini. The Company also recently filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC, which will allow the Company to provide more timely and efficient access to the capital markets should the Company decide to issue securities in the future, subject to market conditions.

2017 and Recent Pipeline and Publication Highlights

Includes highlights from The Medicines Company infectious disease business as of acquisition close on January 5, 2018.

• Publication of Baxdela Outcomes in ABSSSI Patients with Fluoroquinolone-resistant S. aureus Isolates

• Presented Outcomes of Baxdela Treatment of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Pathogens at IDWeek 2017

• Announced Topical Radezolid (partnered product) Well Tolerated in Phase 1 Study for Treatment of Acne, Initiation of Program in Patients with Bacterial Vaginosis, and Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) Designation for Bacterial Vaginosis

• Publication in Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy of 1st Pivotal Phase 3 Baxdela Trial Data in ABSSSI

• Complete Results from the Phase 3 TANGO-1 Data for Vabomere Published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)

• 2nd Pivotal Phase 3 Baxdela ABSSSI Trial Data Published in Clinical Infectious Diseases

• Discovery Platform Oral Presentations at European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) and American Society for Microbiology (ASM Microbe) Highlighting Progress Towards Leads for Drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Multidrug- and Extremely Drug-resistant ESKAPE Pathogens

2018 Upcoming Potential Catalysts

• Pivotal Phase 3 data for Baxdela in community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP)

• Vabomere EMA regulatory approval decision

• TANGO-2 additional data and potential publications

• Additional ex-US approvals for Baxdela in Central and South America

• Ex-US partnership opportunities for Vabomere, Orbactiv and Minocin for Injection

• IND-enabling studies for lead ESKAPE compound

Conference Call and Webcast

Melinta’s earnings conference call for the quarter ended December 31, 2017 will be broadcast at 8:30am EDT on March 13, 2018. The live webcast can be accessed under "Events and Presentations" in the Investor Relations section of Melinta’s website at www.melinta.com.

Investors wishing to participate in the call should dial: 877-377-7553 and international investors should dial: 253-237-1151. The conference ID is 7787858. Investors can also access the call at View Source

A live webcast of the call will be available online from the investor relations section of the company website at www.melinta.com and will be archived there for 30 days. A telephone replay of the call will be available by dialing 855-859-2056 for domestic callers or 404-537-3406 for international callers and entering the conference ID # 7787858.