Abeona Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results and Business Highlights

On August 9, 2018 Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ABEO), a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel cell and gene therapies for life-threatening rare genetic diseases, reported financial results for the second quarter of 2018 (Press release, Abeona Therapeutics, AUG 9, 2018, View Source [SID1234528779]). The Company will host a call to update investors on recent clinical developments and quarter financial results on Friday, August 10th at 10:00 am (Eastern). Interested parties are invited to participate in the call by dialing 877-407-9210 (toll-free domestic) or 201-689-8049 (International) or via webcast View Source

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"The second quarter was marked by continued progress in our clinical, pre-clinical and corporate initiatives," stated Carsten Thiel, Ph.D., Abeona’s CEO. "The strength of our lead programs, which continue to demonstrate robust and durable clinical effects, is underscored by the achievement of additional regulatory designations and the recent appointment of key executives and Board members. Notably, the opening of our in-house GMP manufacturing facility in Cleveland reinforces Abeona’s ongoing commitment to transforming patients’ lives and bolsters our position for commercial readiness."

2nd Quarter Summary Financial Results:

·Cash position: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of June 30, 2018 were $120 million, compared to $132 million as of March 31, 2018.
·Revenues: Revenues were $819 thousand for the second quarter of 2018, compared to $217 thousand in the second quarter of 2017. A portion of the increased quarterly revenues consisted of the recognition of Foundation grants that were announced during the fourth quarter of 2017. A portion of the grants were received in the second quarter of 2018, and the amount recognized is matched against corresponding expenditures for drug manufacture and clinical readiness. Additional revenues consisted of royalties from marketed products, primarily MuGard.
Loss per share: Loss per share was $0.25 for the second quarter of 2018, compared to a loss per share of $0.21 in the comparable period in 2017.

Abeona Recent Highlights:

July 26, 2018: Announced Leadership Appointments with Max Colao as Chief Commercial Officer
May 31, 2018: Announced Opening of Commercial Gene & Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility in Ohio
May 18, 2018: Reported Update on MPS IIIA Gene Therapy Trial at the 21st Annual ASGCT (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) Meeting
ABO-102 18-month efficacy and safety data continue to demonstrate time- and dose-dependent reductions in underlying disease pathology, including decreased CSF and urine GAGs and improved liver volumes
11 subjects enrolled through > 4,200 days cumulative follow up
May 17, 2018: Reported Update from EB-101 Gene Therapy in Epidermolysis Bullosa at 21st Annual ASGCT (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) Meeting
Phase 1/2 study update results confirm EB-101 is safe and well-tolerated, with durable efficacy throughout various timepoints post-administration

Collagen VII (C7) expression: C7 and morphologically normal NC2 reactive anchoring fibrils were observed as early as one month in EB-101 treated wounds and have remained up to three years post-administration.
Wound healing, defined as >50% closure after EB-101 administration, was observed in:
100% (42/42 treated wounds, n=7 subjects) at 3 months;
90% (38/42 treated wounds, n=7 subjects) at 6 months;
67% (24/36 treated wounds, n=6 subjects) at 12 months;
88% (21/24 treated wounds, n=4 subjects) at 24 months; and
100% (6/6 treated wounds, n=1 subject) at 36 months post-administration.
May 14, 2018: Announced Appointment of Stefano Buono and Richard Van Duyne to its Board of Directors
April 23, 2018: Announced FDA Grants RMAT Designation to ABO-102 Gene Therapy in MPS IIIA
April 20, 2018: Announced EMA Grants Orphan Drug Designation in the European Union for ABO-202 Gene Therapy Program in Batten Disease
April 2, 2018: Announced Appointment of Carsten Thiel, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer

"As we advance towards becoming a key player in the development of novel breakthrough gene and cell therapies for rare genetic diseases, 2018 continues to be a year of execution for Abeona," stated Steven H. Rouhandeh, Abeona’s Executive Chairman

ARCA BIOPHARMA ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER 2018 FINANCIAL RESULTS AND PROVIDES CORPORATE UPDATE

On August 9, 2018 ARCA biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq:ABIO), a biopharmaceutical company applying a precision medicine approach to developing genetically-targeted therapies for cardiovascular diseases, reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 (Press release, Arca biopharma, AUG 9, 2018, View Source [SID1234528815]).

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"The second quarter of this year saw an important milestone for the Gencaro development program with the completion of an End-of-Phase 2 FDA meeting that provided important guidance for the next steps in our development of Gencaro as potentially the first genetically-targeted treatment for atrial fibrillation," commented Dr. Michael Bristow, ARCA’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "With work underway on completing the Gencaro Phase 3 trial protocol and continued progress with IND enabling activities for AB171 in PAD and HF, we believe ARCA is advancing our pipeline of genetically-targeted therapeutics to address the unmet medical needs of patients with cardiovascular disease."

Pipeline Update

Gencaro (bucindolol hydrochloride) – a pharmacologically unique beta-blocker and mild vasodilator being developed for the potential treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF).

In April 2018, Medtronic, Inc. and ARCA agreed to extend their current U.S., Canadian and European Clinical Trial Collaboration Agreement for one additional year.

In May 2018, results from ARCA’s GENETIC-AF Phase 2B clinical trial were presented in a "Late Breaking Clinical Trials" oral presentation at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Heart Failure 2018 World Congress.

In June 2018, ARCA held an End-of-Phase 2 meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review the GENETIC-AF data and potential future Gencaro development plans.

FDA concurrence to proceed into Phase 3 was reached. ARCA anticipates submitting a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) application for the proposed Gencaro Phase 3 clinical trial in the third quarter of 2018. Progress to Phase 3 is dependent on the Company receiving additional funding.
AB171 – a thiol-substituted isosorbide mononitrate being developed as a potential genetically-targeted treatment for heart failure (HF) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) activities were continued in the second quarter.

IND-enabling non-clinical studies are anticipated to begin in the first half of 2019.
Second Quarter 2018 Summary Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $9.6 million as of June 30, 2018, compared to $11.8 million as of December 31, 2017. ARCA believes that its current cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund its operations, at its projected cost structure, through the end of the first quarter of 2019.

Research and development (R&D) expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 totaled $1.2 million compared to $4.5 million for the corresponding period of 2017. The $3.3 million decrease in research and development expenses in the second quarter of 2018 as compared to the second quarter 2017 was primarily due to decreased clinical expenses following the completion of the GENETIC-AF clinical trial. The Company expects R&D expenses in 2018 to be lower than 2017 as the GENETIC-AF clinical trial has been completed.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 were $1.0 million, relatively unchanged compared to the $1.1 million in the second quarter of 2017. ARCA expects G&A expenses in 2018 to be consistent with those in 2017 as it maintains administrative activities to support ongoing operations.

Total operating expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2018 were $2.2 million compared to $5.6 million for the second quarter of 2017. The decrease in total operating expenses for the second quarter of 2018 was primarily due to the decrease in R&D expense due to the completion of the GENETIC-AF clinical trial.

Net loss was $2.1 million, or $0.15 per share, for the second quarter of 2018 compared to $5.5 million, or $0.59 per share, for the second quarter of 2017.

Momenta Pharmaceuticals Reports Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results

On August 9, 2018 Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNTA) reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018 and provided a corporate update (Press release, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, AUG 9, 2018, View Source [SID1234528838]).

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"The strategic review of our business announced earlier this year is progressing and we are actively evaluating options for our biosimilars business. We expect to complete this review and announce an outcome in the coming weeks," said Craig A. Wheeler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Momenta Pharmaceuticals. "Our novel drug candidates for rare autoimmune diseases continue to advance. We remain on track to initiate two Phase 2 proof of concept studies of M281 in the fourth quarter of 2018 and a Phase 1/2 proof of concept study of M254, our hyper-sialylated IVIg candidate, in late 2018 or early 2019, pending regulatory feedback."

Second Quarter Highlights and Recent Events

Complex Generics:

Glatopa Products: a fully substitutable, AP-rated generic version of three-times-a-week COPAXONE 40 mg/mL and daily COPAXONE 20 mg/mL (glatiramer acetate injection) for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis developed in collaboration with Sandoz

In the second quarter of 2018, Momenta recorded $11.8 million in product revenues from Sandoz’s sales of Glatopa 20 mg/mL and 40 mg/mL products.

Enoxaparin Sodium Injection: First FDA-approved, substitutable generic LOVENOX (Enoxaparin Sodium Injection) used for the prevention and treatment of deep vein thrombosis developed in collaboration with Sandoz

In June 2018, Sandoz alerted its customers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it will be discontinuing the supply of the Enoxaparin Sodium Injection product.

Biosimilars:

M923: a fully-owned proposed biosimilar to HUMIRA (adalimumab)

· In January 2018, the Company announced that the Biologics License Application (BLA) for M923 is prepared to be filed with the FDA.

·In June 2018, Momenta announced that it had reached a contract amendment to an agreement with Human Genome Sciences, Inc. ("GSK"), the supplier of product for M923, in which Momenta will pay GSK $15.0 million by August 15, 2018 and $15.0 million by July 1, 2019 as part of Momenta’s contractual commitments for the purchase of product batches for M923 through 2022.

M834: a proposed biosimilar to ORENCIA (abatacept) being developed in collaboration with Mylan

·In late 2017, Momenta announced that M834 did not meet its primary pharmacokinetic endpoints in a Phase 1 study to compare the pharmacokinetics, safety and immunogenicity of M834 to US- and EU-sourced ORENCIA in normal healthy volunteers. Momenta and Mylan continue to investigate these results in order to determine the next steps for the program.

M710: a proposed biosimilar to EYLEA (aflibercept) candidate being developed in collaboration with Mylan

·In January 2018, Momenta and Mylan disclosed that M710 is a proposed biosimilar to EYLEA and announced an IND acceptance by the FDA. The two companies are in the process of initiating the pivotal clinical trial in patients and the trial is progressing according to plan.

Novel Drugs for Rare Autoimmune and Immune-mediated Diseases:

M281 (anti-FcRn): a fully human anti-neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) aglycosylated immunoglobulin G (IgG1) monoclonal antibody (mAb)

·Momenta is finalizing its development strategy for M281 and planning two Phase 2 proof of concept clinical trials in the fourth quarter of 2018, pending regulatory feedback.

M230 (CSL730): a recombinant Fc multimer being developed in collaboration with CSL

·CSL’s Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers to evaluate the safety and tolerability of M230 is ongoing and is targeted to be completed in 2019.

M254 (hsIVIg): a hyper-sialylated immunoglobulin designed to be a higher potency alternative to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) with the potential for enhanced safety and convenience

·The Company has successfully completed the IND-enabling toxicology study of M254 and is targeting the initiation of a Phase 1/2 proof of concept study in late 2018 or early 2019, pending regulatory feedback.

Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results

Revenue: In the second quarter of 2018, the Company recorded $11.8 million in product revenues from Sandoz’s sales of Glatopa 20 mg/mL and 40 mg/mL products compared to $19.1 million in profit share from Sandoz sales of Glatopa 20 mg/mL for the same period in 2017, net of a deduction of $0.6 million for reimbursement to Sandoz of the Company’s share of Glatopa-related legal expenses. The decrease in product revenues of $7.3 million, or 38%, was primarily due to lower net sales driven by market decline and Mylan N.V.’s entry into the COPAXONE market.

Research and development revenue for the second quarter of 2018 was $1.3 million compared to $4.4 million recorded in the same quarter last year. The decrease in research and development revenue of $3.1 million, or 70%, was primarily due to lower revenue recognized from the Mylan upfront payment as compared to the amount recognized in the 2017 period and lower reimbursable expenses for the Company’s complex generic programs.

Total revenues for the second quarter of 2018 were $13.0 million compared to $23.6 million for the same period in 2017.

Operating Expenses: Total GAAP operating expenses were $83.9 million in the second quarter of 2018.

Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2018 were $31.3 million, compared to $39.1 million for the same period in 2017. The decrease of $7.8 million, or 20%, was primarily due to a decrease in external R&D expenses for M923 offset by increases in spending for M281 and M230.

General and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2018 were $22.5 million, compared with $22.6 million for the same period in 2017.

During the second quarter, Momenta entered into a contract amendment to an agreement with GSK, the supplier of product for M923, for which Momenta will pay GSK $30.0 million as

part of Momenta’s contractual commitments for the purchase of product batches for M923 through 2022. The amount has been included in operating expenses for the quarter. As a result, second quarter non-GAAP operating expense was $78.0 million. Excluding the expense associated with the amendment of the M923 agreement, non-GAAP operating expense would be $48.0 million. Momenta previously provided guidance of $45 – $55 million for non-GAAP operating expense for the second quarter. Non-GAAP operating expense is total operating expenses (which excludes collaboration expenses reimbursable by Mylan), less stock-based compensation expense and collaborative reimbursement revenues. See "Non-GAAP Financial Information and Other Disclosures" and the table below entitled "Reconciliation of GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for a reconciliation of GAAP operating expense to non-GAAP operating expense.

Net Loss: The Company reported a net loss of $69.9 million, or $0.91 per share for the second quarter of 2018 compared to a net loss of $36.9 million, or $0.50 per share for the same period in 2017.

Cash Position: At June 30, 2018, Momenta had $321.2 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities compared to $346.0 million at March 31, 2018.

2018 Financial Guidance

Due to the ongoing strategic review of the business, Momenta’s 2018 operating expense guidance is no longer accurate and may continue to change subject to the outcome of the Company’s strategic review. Momenta plans to provide updated 2018 operating expense guidance for 2018 when it reports its third quarter 2018 financial results.

Non-GAAP Financial Information and Other Disclosures

Momenta uses a non-GAAP financial measure, non-GAAP operating expense, to provide operating expense guidance. Momenta believes this non-GAAP financial measure is useful to investors because it provides greater transparency regarding Momenta’s operating performance as it excludes non-cash stock compensation expense and collaborative reimbursement revenues. This non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered a substitute or an alternative to GAAP total operating expense and should not be considered a measure of Momenta’s liquidity. Instead, non-GAAP operating expense should only be used to supplement an understanding of Momenta’s operating results as reported under GAAP. Momenta has not provided GAAP reconciliation for its forward-looking non-GAAP annual or quarterly operating expense because Momenta cannot reliably predict without unreasonable efforts the timing or amount of the factors that substantially contribute to the projection of stock compensation expense, which is excluded from the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measure. The Company has provided the estimated reconciling information

that is available without unreasonable effort in the section of this press release above entitled "2018 Financial Guidance."

Conference Call Information

Management will host a conference call and webcast today at 8:00 am ET to discuss these results and provide an update on the Company. A live webcast of the conference call may be accessed on the "Investors" section of the Company’s website, www.momentapharma.com. An archived version of the webcast will be posted on the Momenta website approximately two hours after the call.

To access the call you may also dial (877) 224-9084 (domestic) or (720) 545-0022 (international) prior to the scheduled conference call time and provide the access code 8687156. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call and will be accessible through August 16, 2018. To access the replay, please dial (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and provide the access code 8687156.

Vaxart Announces Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results and Corporate Update

On August 9, 2018 Vaxart, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing oral recombinant vaccines that are administered by tablet rather than by injection, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018 and provided a corporate update (Press release, Aviragen Therapeutics, AUG 9, 2018, View Source [SID1234528574]).

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"We are encouraged by the recent publications in Vaccine and the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight recognizing the unique ability of our oral recombinant vaccines to elicit both systemic and mucosal immune responses, further validating the value of our proprietary platform," said Wouter Latour, M.D., chief executive officer of Vaxart. "Our team is fully focused on advancing our vaccine programs, and we are on track to initiate our Phase 1 norovirus bivalent study and Phase 2 norovirus challenge study later this year."

Second Quarter 2018 and Recent Highlights:

Corporate:

· On May 31, 2018, the Company presented additional data on the previously disclosed Phase 1 norovirus vaccine trial in a poster presentation at the American Society of Microbiology 2018. As described in the poster, the Vaxart GI.1 norovirus tablet vaccine generated IgG and IgA antibodies in serum that were highly cross-reactive against other GI genotypes, specifically GI.3 and GI.4.

· On June 4, 2018, Vaxart reported the topline results from a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating teslexivir, a small-molecule antiviral for the treatment of condyloma that Vaxart obtained in the acquisition of Aviragen earlier in 2018, in which the primary efficacy endpoint was not achieved.

· On June 27, 2018, the Company announced the publication of preclinical results from its oral F-protein based Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV-F) vaccine in Vaccine. As described in the article, the oral RSV-F vaccine candidate provided complete sterilizing protection against RSV infection in the cotton rat challenge model at the target dose.

· On July 12, 2018, Vaxart announced the publication of the comprehensive results of the previously disclosed Phase 1 clinical trial with its norovirus oral tablet vaccine in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight. As reported in the article, the vaccine generated robust systemic and mucosal immune responses, including mucosal IgA, memory B cells, and serum blocking antibody titers (BT50), all potential correlates of protection.

Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results

· Vaxart ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $23.9 million compared to $17.5 million at March 31, 2018. The increase was primarily due to $12.0 million received from royalty payments offset by cash used in operations.

· Revenue for the quarter was $0.6 million compared to $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2017. The decrease was due to lower revenues from the contract with HHS BARDA, where activities are winding down.

· Research and development expenses were $5.0 million for the quarter compared to $4.3 million for the second quarter of 2017. The increase was due to additional personnel, amortization of intangibles and clinical trial costs resulting from the merger with Aviragen, offset by lower expenditures on the HHS BARDA activities and Vaxart’s norovirus Phase 1 clinical trial.

· General and administrative expenses were $1.8 million for the quarter compared to $0.7 million for the second quarter of 2017. The increase was due to the additional costs of being a public company, including the costs of additional personnel and higher legal and other services.

· During the quarter, Vaxart recognized an impairment charge of $1.6 million resulting from the write-off of the teslexivir intangible asset acquired in the merger with Aviragen.

BeiGene Initiates New Phase 3 Trial of Anti-PD-1 Antibody Tislelizumab Combined with Chemotherapy as First-line Treatment for Patients with Advanced Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in China

On August 9, 2018 BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative molecularly-targeted and immuno-oncology drugs for the treatment of cancer, reported that the first patient was dosed in a Phase 3 clinical trial of tislelizumab, an investigational anti-PD-1 antibody, combined with chemotherapy, as a potential first-line treatment in China for patients with Stage IIIB or IV squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Press release, BeiGene, AUG 9, 2018, View Source;p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2363006 [SID1234528591]).

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Tislelizumab is also being studied in global Phase 3 trials in solid tumors, including second-line NSCLC, first-line hepatocellular carcinoma, and second-line esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; two global Phase 2 trials in previously treated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and relapsed/refractory mature T- and natural killer-cell lymphomas; a Phase 3 trial in China in non-squamous NSCLC; and two pivotal Phase 2 trials in China in relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma and second-line urothelial cancer.

"With the start of this important Phase 3 trial in China for patients with squamous NSCLC, our broad development program for tislelizumab, an advanced immuno-oncology therapy, continues to make great progress in China and globally. More than 1,500 patients have been enrolled in clinical trials with tislelizumab over the past three years, and we are excited to evaluate its potential when combined with both paclitaxel and carboplatin, the worldwide standard of care, or nab-paclitaxel (ABRAXANE) and carboplatin, a newer regimen which has not yet gained approval in China but is approved in other geographies," commented Amy Peterson, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Immuno-Oncology at BeiGene.

"Despite some recent developments, available data indicate that outcomes in patients with squamous NSCLC may be worse than those in patients with other forms of lung cancer. As shown by most recent data with other checkpoint inhibitors, combining immunotherapy and chemotherapy consisting of platinum and paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel improves anti-tumor activity and significantly improves outcomes for patients with advanced squamous NSCLC. This Phase 3 study, in addition to our Phase 3 first line trial in China for patients with non-squamous NSCLC, will assess the impact of tislelizumab given in combination with chemotherapy, as a potential way to improve outcomes in Chinese patients with advanced lung cancer, for whom prognoses are typically quite poor," commented Lai Wang, Ph.D., Head of China Development at BeiGene.

The Phase 3, open-label, multi-center trial is expected to enroll approximately 340 chemotherapy naïve patients with Stage IIIB or IV squamous NSCLC in mainland China who will be randomized to receive i) carboplatin and paclitaxel, ii) carboplatin, paclitaxel and tislelizumab, or iii) carboplatin, nab-paclitaxel (ABRAXANE, which is commercialized by BeiGene in China) and tislelizumab. The trial is designed to compare progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by the Independent Review Committee (IRC) per RECIST v1.1. Key secondary endpoints include overall survival, overall response rate, duration of response, PFS by investigator assessment, and safety and tolerability.

For more information about the trial, patients and physicians should email BeiGene at [email protected].

About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

In China, there were an estimated 733,300 new cases of lung cancer in 2015.[1] Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women, with an estimated 610,200 deaths in China in 2015.[1] According to the American Cancer Society, about 80 to 85 percent of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and there are three main subtypes: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell (epidermoid) carcinoma and large cell (undifferentiated). For patients with advanced NSCLC, five-year survival rates are approximately 26 percent for Stage IIIB, 10 percent for Stage IVA, and 1 percent for Stage IVB.[2]

About Tislelizumab

Tislelizumab (BGB-A317) is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody that belongs to a class of immuno-oncology agents known as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Discovered by BeiGene scientists in Beijing, tislelizumab is designed to bind to PD-1, a cell surface receptor that plays an important role in downregulating the immune system by preventing the activation of T-cells. Tislelizumab has demonstrated high affinity and specificity for PD-1. It is potentially differentiated from the currently approved PD-1 antibodies in an engineered Fc region, which is believed to minimize potentially negative interactions with other immune cells, based on preclinical data. Tislelizumab is being developed as a monotherapy and in combination with other therapies for the treatment of a broad array of both solid tumor and hematologic cancers. BeiGene and Celgene Corporation have a global strategic collaboration for the development of tislelizumab in solid tumor cancers outside of Asia (except Japan).