La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company Announces Financial Results for the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017 and Recent Corporate Progress

On October 26, 2017 La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (NASDAQ: LJPC) (the Company or La Jolla), a leader in the development of innovative therapies intended to significantly improve outcomes in patients suffering from life-threatening diseases, reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and highlighted recent corporate progress (Press release, La Jolla Pharmaceutical, OCT 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234521288]).

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Recent Corporate Progress


In August 2017, La Jolla announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted for review the Company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for the investigational drug LJPC‑501, La Jolla’s propriety formulation of synthetic human angiotensin II, for the treatment of hypotension in adult patients with distributive or vasodilatory shock (dangerously low blood pressure with adequate cardiac function) who remain hypotensive despite fluid and vasopressor therapy (catecholamines and/or vasopressin). The review classification for the application is Priority, and the user fee goal date under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) is February 28, 2018. In its letter to the Company, the FDA stated that it does not currently plan to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss this application. The NDA for LJPC-501 is based on data from the ATHOS-3 (Angiotensin II for the Treatment of High Output Shock) multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 clinical study of LJPC-501 in patients with distributive or vasodilatory shock who remain hypotensive despite fluid and vasopressor therapy, which were published by The New England Journal of Medicine in May 2017.


In September 2017, an analysis from ATHOS-3 entitled, "Baseline angiotensin levels and ACE effects in patients with vasodilatory shock treated with angiotensin II," was presented during the 30th European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Annual Congress. The pre-specified analysis showed that a relatively low angiotensin II state (as measured by the ratio of angiotensin I to angiotensin II) predicted increased mortality in patients with vasodilatory shock, suggesting that a low angiotensin II state is a negative prognostic indicator of outcomes. Furthermore, the analysis showed a statistically significant treatment effect of LJPC-501 compared to placebo on mortality in these patients with a relatively low angiotensin II state (relative risk reduction of 36%; HR=0.64; 95% CI: 0.41-1.00; p=0.047).


In September 2017, La Jolla announced that the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) issued favorable Scientific Advice regarding the EU regulatory pathway for LJPC‑501 for the treatment of hypotension in adult patients with distributive or vasodilatory shock who remain hypotensive despite fluid and vasopressor therapy. Based on this Advice, La Jolla intends to submit a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for LJPC-501 in the third quarter of 2018.

"The first nine months of 2017 have been exciting for La Jolla, highlighted by the positive results from ATHOS-3, the publication of these results in The New England Journal of Medicine and the FDA acceptance of our NDA for LJPC-501," said George Tidmarsh, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of La Jolla. "We look forward to building on this momentum with the preparation for the potential commercial launch of LJPC-501, if approved by the FDA, and the initiation of our pivotal study of LJPC-401 in beta thalassemia patients suffering from iron overload."

Results of Operations

As of September 30, 2017, the Company had $120.8 million in cash and cash equivalents, compared to $65.7 million of cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2016. Cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $60.4 million, compared to $40.1 million for the same period in 2016. Net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $26.3 million and $76.3 million, or $1.19 per share and $3.65 per share, respectively, compared to a net loss of $21.3 million and $53.3 million, or $1.23 per share and $3.10 per share, respectively, for the same periods in 2016.

CohBar, Inc. to Announce Third Quarter 2017 Financial Results and Host Conference Call for Shareholders on November 13, 2017

On October 26, 2017 CohBar, Inc. (OTCQX: CWBR and TSXV: COB.U), an innovative biotechnology company focused on developing mitochondria based therapeutics (MBTs) to treat age-related diseases, reported that the Company will release its third quarter 2017 financial results on Monday, November 13, 2017 and will host a conference call for the shareholders at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) the same day to provide an update on its lead program, emerging pipeline and business (Press release, CohBar, OCT 26, 2017, http://cohbar.com/cohbar-inc-to-announce-third-quarter-2017-financial-results-and-host-conference-call-for-shareholders-on-november-13-2017/ [SID1234521223]).

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Details for the Conference Call and Slide Presentation:
Date: November 13, 2017
Time: 2:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)

Audio, Dial-in U.S. and Canada: 1-888-599-8667
Audio, Dial-in International: 1-719-325-2494
Conference ID# 6432383

Slide Presentation – go to www.webex.com, click on the ‘Join’ button and enter Meeting Number 921656999 and Password Q3Call.

For individuals participating in the Investor Call and Slide Presentation, we request you please call into the audio and log into WebEx approximately 10 minutes before the start of the presentation so that we can begin promptly.

An audio replay of the call will be available beginning at 6:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) on November 13, 2017, through 9:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) on November 27, 2017. To access the recording please dial 1-844-512-2921 in the U.S. and Canada or 1-412-317-6671 internationally and reference Conference ID# 6432383.

The audio replay along with the slide presentation will also be available at www.cohbar.com beginning November 14, 2017 through November 27, 2017.

Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2017 Results

On October 26, 2017 Apollo Endosurgery, Inc. (“Apollo”) (NASDAQ: APEN), a leader in less invasive medical devices for bariatric and gastrointestinal procedures, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017 (Press release, , OCT 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234521228]).

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Third Quarter 2017 Highlights

Total revenues increased 4.8% compared to the third quarter 2016
Total Endo-bariatric product sales increased 20.6% compared to the third quarter 2016 and were 56.3% of total revenues
Raised $33.6 million in a public equity offering
Todd Newton, CEO of Apollo Endosurgery, said, “The third quarter was a great quarter of accomplishment and performance for our business as we completed an equity offering, received CE Mark approval for Orbera365, and worked through a challenging disruptive event to the U.S. market for intragastric balloons due to an FDA communication in early August. Total revenue in the third quarter increased by 4.8% as worldwide Endo-bariatric product sales increased 20.6% to $9.3 million, representing 56.3% of total revenues on excellent OverStitch demand both in the U.S. and in our direct markets internationally. While Surgical product sales continued to decline, the rate of decline continued to show improvement this quarter.”

Third Quarter 2017 Financial Results

Total sales for the three months ended September 30, 2017 were $16.5 million compared to $15.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 representing growth of 4.8%.

In the U.S., Endo-bariatric product sales, excluding U.S. Orbera starter kit sales were $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 versus $2.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, an increase of 14.0%, and $10.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 versus $8.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, an increase of 25.1%. As previously announced by the Company in August 2017, the FDA issued a letter to Health Care Professionals relating to potential risks with liquid-filled intragastric balloons. U.S. Endo-bariatric product sales increased at a slower rate in the third quarter compared to the first half of 2017, due to lower demand for Orbera in the aftermath of the FDA’s letter. Overstitch sales growth remained consistent with its year to date trend.

In markets outside the United States (OUS), Endo-bariatric product sales were $6.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 versus $4.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, an increase of 35.3%, and $15.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 versus $12.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, an increase of 21.9% primarily due to higher OverStitch sales in our direct markets. Direct market sales were 72.9% and 70.4% of total OUS sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, compared to 53.2% and 66.9%, for the same periods in 2016, respectively.

Surgical product sales decreased $0.9 million, or 11.6%, and $3.2 million, or 12.9%, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, when compared to the same periods in 2016. In the U.S., Surgical product sales decreased $0.9 million, or 16.5%, and $3.0 million or 18.3%, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, when compared to the same periods in 2016 due to reductions in gastric banding procedures being performed in the U.S. In OUS markets, Surgical product sales decreased by $0.1 million, or 1.9%, and $0.2 million, or 2.5%, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 when compared to the same periods in 2016, respectively.

Gross margin as a percentage of revenues was 63.7% and 63.2% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, compared to 66.7% and 60.8% for the same periods in 2016, respectively. Gross margin was impacted by the change in inventory reserve which decreased 0.3% and 6.3% as a percentage of total revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2016. In June 2016, we recorded an inventory impairment charge related to expiring finished good inventory and excess raw materials transferred from Allergen that we were required to purchase in accordance with the transition services agreement. The remaining change in gross margin is due to the ongoing shift in our product sales mix from higher gross margin Surgical products to Endo-bariatric products that realize lower relative gross margins.

Total operating expenses were $14.8 million and $47.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, compared to $14.3 million and $43.0 million for the same periods in 2016. For the three months ended September 30, 2017, sales and marketing expenses increased due to higher incentive compensation, Orbera consumer marketing campaign costs and OverStitch physician training program costs. This increase was partially offset by lower general and administration expenses due to transaction costs incurred during the third quarter of 2016 associated with the Lpath merger. The increase for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was due to higher sales and marketing expenses for the same reasons referenced above and higher general and administrative expenses due to costs incurred to meet our public company filing and corporate governance obligations. Research and development expenses also increased primarily due to costs associated with new product development efforts.

Interest expense decreased $0.5 million and $0.9 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 when compared to the same periods in 2016 primarily due to reduced cash interest on our senior secured credit facility after principal reductions. The additional decrease for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was due to the elimination of non-cash interest primarily associated with the convertible notes that converted to equity in December 2016.

Net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $4.9 million and $20.0 million, respectively, compared to $5.9 million and $21.5 million for the same periods in 2016.

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were $35.5 million as of September 30, 2017.

Capitalization Update

On July 25, 2017, the Company completed a public offering selling 6,542,453 shares at a price of $5.50 per share, including 853,363 shares sold to the underwriters upon exercise of the option to purchase additional shares. The public offering generated net proceeds of approximately $33.6 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and related offering expenses.

Conference Call

Apollo will host a conference call on Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time / 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company’s operating results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017.

To participate in the conference call dial (888) 576-4387 for domestic callers and (719) 457-6931 for international callers. The conference ID number is 3769341. A live webcast of the conference call will be made available on the “Events and Presentations” section of our Investor Relations website: ir.apolloendo.com.

A replay of the webcast will remain available on Apollo’s website, apolloendo.com, until Apollo releases its fourth quarter 2017 financial results. In addition, a telephonic replay of the call will be available until November 2, 2017. The replay dial-in numbers are (844) 512-2921 for domestic callers and (412) 317-6671 for international callers. The replay conference ID number is 3769341. A transcript of the earnings call will be made available on the “Events and Presentations” section of our Investor Relations website: ir.apolloendo.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our financial results presented on a GAAP basis, we provide certain non-GAAP financial measures including adjusted total revenues, excluding U.S. Orbera starter kit sales. Adjusted total revenues, excluding U.S. Orbera starter kit sales is defined as GAAP total revenues excluding one-time U.S. Orbera starter kit sales. Adjusted total revenues, excluding U.S. Orbera starter kit sales is a supplemental measure of our performance that is not required by, and is not determined in accordance with, GAAP.

Non-GAAP financial information is not a substitute for any financial measure determined in accordance with GAAP and should be read only in conjunction with Apollo’s condensed consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Apollo’s management uses certain supplemental non-GAAP financial measures internally to understand, manage and evaluate Apollo’s business, and make operating decisions. Reconciliations for each non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is provided in the tables below. Management believes that making non-GAAP financial information available to investors, in addition to GAAP financial information, may facilitate more consistent comparisons between the company’s performance over time with the performance of other companies in the medical device industry, which may use similar financial measures to supplement their GAAP financial information.

GeneCentric Therapeutics to Present Data on Potential of its Cancer Subtyping Platform to Identify Responders to PARP Inhibitors for Treating Lung Cancer

On October 26, 2017 GeneCentric Therapeutics reported that it will present data on the potential of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) biologic subtypes based on its Cancer Subtyping Platform (CSP) to provide novel biomarkers for response to PARP inhibitors (Press release, GeneCentric Therapeutics, OCT 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234521242]). The data will be presented at a poster session during the 2017 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) – National Cancer Institute – European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (AACR-NCI-EORTC) (Free AACR-NCI-EORTC Whitepaper) International Conference on Molecular Targets and Therapeutics being held October 27-30, 2017 at the Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA.

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GeneCentric’s core CSP technology is based on generating high resolution, genomic-defined cancer subtypes that characterize disease-related molecular pathways and immune cell expression, and employing the subtypes as biomarkers for response to specific drugs. To date the company has generated subtype-based profilers for NSCLC, head and neck, and bladder cancers.

In the research to be presented at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)-NCI-EORTC meeting company scientists evaluated the potential susceptibility of GeneCentric lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma gene expression subtypes to PARP inhibitors. By examining differential expression of homologous recombination genes and several previously published BRCAness signatures, the study identifies subtype-associated differences that might inform likely response to PARP inhibitors, an emerging class of drugs targeting DNA damage response. The researchers show that variable expression of DNA damage response genes in lung squamous cell carcinoma is maintained following adjustment for proliferation and BRCAness signatures, suggesting underlying biologic differences in lung squamous cell carcinoma subtype susceptibility to DNA damage response inhibitors. Confirmation of these findings via prospective cohorts could substantiate their utility as novel biomarkers for PARP inhibitor response.

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Title: “Differences in BRCAness/PARP inhibitor response signatures and homologous recombination
gene expression across lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma gene expression subtypes.”
Poster Number: 37
Abstract Number: A037
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Time: 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Location: Hall E, Pennsylvania Convention Center
Presenter: Hawazin Faruki, DrPH, Chief Scientific Officer, GeneCentric

To read the abstract, please visit: View Source!/4557/presentation/144

Karyopharm to Report Third Quarter 2017 Financial Results on November 2, 2017

On October 26, 2017 Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:KPTI), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, reported that it will report third quarter 2017 financial results on Thursday, November 2, 2017. Karyopharm’s management team will host a conference call and audio webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 2, 2017 to discuss the financial results and recent business developments (Press release, Karyopharm, OCT 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234521226]).

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To access the conference call, please dial (855) 437-4406 (local) or (484) 756-4292 (international) at least 10 minutes prior to the start time and refer to conference ID 98527624. A live audio webcast of the call will be available under “Events & Presentations” in the Investor section of the Company’s website, investors.karyopharm.com/events.cfm. An archived webcast will be available on the Company’s website approximately two hours after the event.