BioGenerator Invests in New Immunotherapy Company, Unleash. Company will open operations in St. Louis.

On February 18, 2016 BioGenerator, an evergreen investor that creates, grows and invests in promising companies and entrepreneurs, reported that it has made an investment from its Concept Fund into Unleash Immuno Oncolytics, a company focused on treatments of cancer (Press release, Unleash Immuno Oncolytics, FEB 18, 2016, View Source [SID1234540112]). Unleash is an immune-oncology company developing virus immunotherapy products to treat cancer. The company was developed based on collaborations between Dr. David Curiel, Director, Biologic Therapeutics Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Dr. Osvaldo Podhajcer, Director of the Argentinian Consortium of Genomic Technology and is licensing technology from Leloir Institute. As part of the funding, Unleash will set up headquarters in St. Louis and operate from CIC in the @4240 building.

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BioGenerator is the investment arm of BioSTL, a nonprofit civic organization building St. Louis’ innovation ecosystem and which in the last two years has added a focus of recruiting international companies to the region. "Through our GlobalSTL initiative we are leveraging St. Louis’ scientific and business strengths to attract cutting-edge technologies and talent that enrich our region," explained Donn Rubin, president and CEO of BioSTL. "Unleash’s decision to locate in St. Louis is a testament to our world-class strengths in medicine and human health." "Unleash is based on technology from two leaders in the field of oncology and has promising applications," said Charlie Bolten, vice president of BioGenerator. "Immunotherapy is a quickly evolving area of human health and BioGenerator is pleased to be one of the first investors in a company at the cutting edge of research."

Other investors in the round include Axia Ventures, a Latin American investment and support organization. Unleash will use the initial investment to fund IND-enabling tasks including cGMP manufacturing, toxicology and bio-distribution studies for its oncolytic immunotherapy product.

¨We are pleased with BioGenerator’s role as lead investor in this round and establishing Unleash in Saint Louis," said Daniel Katzman, CEO of Unleash. "We are now eager to advance Unleash’s virus immunotherapy products to the clinic."

6-K – Report of foreign issuer [Rules 13a-16 and 15d-16]

On February 18, 2016 Rosetta Genomics Ltd. (NASDAQ: ROSG), a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based and other molecular diagnostic testing services, conditional approval status for RosettaGX Reveal, its novel microRNA classifier for the diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA) smears from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) under the Company’s Molecular Oncology permit (Filing, 6-K, Rosetta Genomics, FEB 18, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509216]). RosettaGX Reveal is the only molecular test in the thyroid market that has been validated in a multicenter, international, blinded study using convenient, routinely prepared cytology slides.

The assay is CLIA certified, but New York requires an additional license from the NYSDOH for CLIA-certified tests to be offered to patients in the state. With this conditional approval, RosettaGX Reveal is now available in all 50 states. In making the assay available pending final approval, the NYSDOH requires the Company to provide any additional information that it may request within 60 business days.

"We are very pleased to have approval to market this important cancer diagnostic for the benefit of physicians and patients in the vast New York market," stated Kenneth A. Berlin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rosetta Genomics. "It is estimated that nearly 550,000 FNAs are performed on thyroid nodules each year in the U.S. and that approximately 740,000 are performed annually in Europe. Interpretation of FNA samples is not always straightforward, leading to an indeterminate result in up to 30% of the samples. Many patients with indeterminate results undergo surgery as a precaution despite the fact that up to 80% of these cases are benign. This exposes patients to unnecessary surgical risk and costs the healthcare system hundreds of millions of dollars. Through an analysis of our validation study data, we believe we can help prevent up to 75% of unnecessary thyroid surgeries."

"In addition to this expanded geographic access, recent managed care contracting initiatives have resulted in covered lives for RosettaGX Reveal exceeding 150 million in the U.S. These increases in geographic and health insurance access, along with the potential health economic benefits the RosettaGX Reveal assay can bring by avoiding unnecessary surgeries, should enhance adoption into a market valued at more than $350 million annually in the U.S. alone. This market is one that continues to see accelerating penetration of molecular classifiers such as RosettaGX Reveal, which we expect to continue over the next several years," added Mr. Berlin.

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8-K – Current report

On February 17, 2016 AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAG), a specialty pharmaceutical company with a diverse portfolio of products in the areas of maternal health, anemia management and cancer supportive care, reported unaudited consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2015 (Filing, 8-K, AMAG Pharmaceuticals, FEB 17, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509079]).

"2015 was a pivotal year for AMAG as we drove revenue growth of Makena and Feraheme, expanded our presence in maternal health through the acquisition of Cord Blood Registry and made an investment in a promising therapy for the potential treatment of severe preeclampsia," said William Heiden, AMAG’s chief executive officer. "Growing revenues and integrating these transactions, combined with advancing our next generation programs for Makena and Feraheme, have positioned us well for continued strong growth."

Full Year 2015 Business Highlights:

· Increased net product sales of Makena by 52% to $251.6 million, compared with pro forma net product sales of $165.8 million(2) in 2014. This growth in sales was driven by a 56% increase in volume as more at-risk pregnant women were treated with Makena.

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· Made progress toward commercialization of a single-dose, preservative-free formulation of Makena. The company responded to questions contained in the FDA’s complete response letter in November 2015 and anticipates an approval of its manufacturing supplement in the first quarter of 2016 with commercial launch in the second quarter of 2016.

· Advanced the development of the next generation program for Makena with an auto-injector device for subcutaneous administration of Makena through a partnership with Antares Pharma, Inc., an experienced drug device company.

· Expanded the maternal health portfolio through the acquisition of Cord Blood Registry (CBR), the world’s largest private newborn stem cell bank serving pregnant women and their families, and the purchase of an option to acquire worldwide rights to an orphan drug candidate being developed for severe preeclampsia.

· Returned Feraheme (ferumoxytol) to growth in the second half of the year, increasing sales by 5% to $88.5 million in 2015, compared with $84.4 million in 2014.(3)

(1) See summaries of non-GAAP adjustments for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 at the conclusion of this press release.
(2) Unaudited. Includes net product sales of Makena as though Lumara Health had been acquired at the beginning of 2014. Lumara Health was purchased on November 12, 2014.

· Initiated start-up activities for a head-to-head, Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety of Feraheme compared to Injectafer (ferric carboxymaltose injection) in adults with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). This study is intended to support an sNDA filing to broaden the use of Feraheme beyond the current chronic kidney disease (CKD) indication to include all adult IDA patients who have failed or cannot tolerate oral iron treatment.

Fourth Quarter Ended December 31, 2015 (unaudited)

Financial Results (GAAP Basis)

Total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2015 were $108.7 million, compared with $53.3 million for the same period in 2014. Net product sales of Makena were $67.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with $22.5 million(4) in the same period last year. Sales of Feraheme and MuGard totaled $23.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with $24.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2014, which included a favorable $1.8 million release of product return reserves. Service revenue from CBR totaled $17.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Total costs and expenses for the fourth quarter of 2015 were $86.1 million, compared with $56.6 million for the same period in 2014. The increase in costs and expenses was primarily due to higher costs associated with managing the company’s expanded portfolio and infrastructure following the acquisitions of Lumara Health in November 2014 and CBR in August 2015.

The company reported operating income of $22.7 million and net income of $7.2 million, or $0.21 per basic share and $0.20 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with an operating loss of $3.4 million and net income of $143.0 million, or $5.98 per basic share and $4.67 per diluted share, for the same period in 2014. In the fourth quarter of 2014, the company recognized a non-cash income tax benefit of $153.2 million associated with the release of reserves on certain tax attributes (i.e., net operating losses) as a result of the Lumara Health transaction. The weighted average diluted shares used in calculating diluted net income per share in 2015 and 2014 followed the if-converted method of accounting for the convertible debt.

Financial Results (Non-GAAP Basis)(1),(5)

Non-GAAP revenues totaled $120.6 million, up from $51.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2014. Non-GAAP CBR revenue totaled $28.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2015. The difference between GAAP and non-GAAP revenue for CBR represents purchase accounting adjustments related to deferred revenue.

Total costs and expenses on a non-GAAP basis totaled $59.2 million resulting in a gross margin of 92% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 51% for the fourth quarter of 2015. This compares to costs and expenses of $36.4 million in the same period of 2014, which resulted in a gross margin of 89% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 29%. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $61.3 million, compared with $14.5 million for the same period in 2014.

(3) Excludes a favorable $1.8 MM release of product return reserves in 2014.
(4) AMAG purchased Lumara Health maternal health business on November 12, 2014.
(5) See share count reconciliation at the conclusion of this press release.

After deducting cash interest expense, the company generated fourth quarter 2015 non-GAAP cash earnings of $46.5 million, or $1.34 per non-GAAP basic share and $1.12 per non-GAAP diluted share. In the fourth quarter of 2014, non-GAAP cash earnings totaled $10.2 million, or $0.33 per non-GAAP diluted share. The weighted average diluted shares used in calculating the non-GAAP cash earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2015 includes the impact of the convertible debt and related bond hedge and warrants.

Full Year Ended December 31, 2015 (unaudited)

Financial Results (GAAP Basis)

Total revenues in 2015 were $418.3 million, compared with $124.4 million in 2014. This increase is primarily related to the addition of Makena in November 2014 and CBR in August 2015, which contributed $251.6 million and $24.1 million, respectively, in product revenue to the 2015 results. In addition, the company recognized $52.3 million of collaboration revenue in 2015 related to the company’s ex-US ferumoxytol marketing agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, compared with $14.4 million of collaboration revenue in 2014. The marketing agreement was terminated in 2015, resulting in the recognition of all previously deferred revenue.

Net income totaled $32.8 million in 2015, compared with $135.8 million in 2014. Basic net income per share was $1.04, compared with $6.06 in 2014. Diluted net income per share was $0.93 in 2015, compared with $5.45 in 2014. In 2014, the company recognized a non-cash income tax benefit of $153.2 million associated with the release of reserves on certain tax attributes (e.g., net operating losses) as a result of the Lumara Health transaction. The weighted average diluted shares used in calculating diluted net income per share in 2015 and 2014 followed the if-converted method of accounting for the convertible debt.

Financial Results (Non-GAAP Basis)(1),(5)

Non-GAAP revenues totaled $397.4 million in 2015, up from $116.2 million in 2014. Non-GAAP CBR revenue totaled $43.3 million since the acquisition in August 2015. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA totaled $213.4 million in 2015, compared with $14.3 million in 2014. After deducting cash interest expense, the company generated non-GAAP cash earnings of $173.7 million in 2015, or $4.43 per non-GAAP diluted share. In 2014, non-GAAP cash earnings totaled $7.7 million, or $0.30 per non-GAAP diluted share. The weighted average diluted shares used in calculating the non-GAAP cash earnings per diluted share in 2015 included the impact of the convertible debt and related bond hedge and warrants.

Balance Sheet Highlights

As of December 31, 2015, the company’s cash and investments totaled approximately $466.3 million and total debt (face value) was approximately $1.0 billion.

"The two transformative acquisitions that we completed in the past eighteen months fueled our significant top- and bottom-line growth in 2015, resulting in adjusted EBITDA of more than $210 million in 2015," said Frank Thomas, AMAG’s president and chief operating officer. "These strong cash flows, combined with more than $460 million in cash and investments on the balance sheet, positions us well for future acquisitions that will allow us to leverage our commercial organization and add new, innovative products to our portfolio to drive future growth."

2016 Goals

The company’s goals for 2016 include the following:
· Drive significant net product sales growth (+40%) over 2015

· Grow non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA to more than $255 million

· Continue to execute on the Makena next generation development program, including:

· Receiving a favorable decision from the FDA in 1Q 2016 for the single-dose, preservative-free formulation of Makena with a 2Q 2016 commercial launch

· Completing chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) and pilot pharmacokinetics (PK) work to support the initiation of a bio-equivalence study for the Makena subcutaneous auto injecter by the end of 2016

· Enroll patients in a head-to-head Phase 3 clinical trial in 2016 evaluating the safety of Feraheme compared to Injectafer in adults with IDA

· Complete preclinical work and initiate clinical program for severe preeclampsia Velo option

· Further expand the company’s product portfolio through acquisitions or in-licensing of products or companies

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

AMAG has presented certain non-GAAP financial measures, including non-GAAP revenue, non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA (earnings before income taxes, depreciation and amortization), non-GAAP net income, or

(6) See reconciliation of 2016 financial guidance of non-GAAP CBR revenue, non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP cash earnings at the conclusion of this press release.

cash earnings, non-GAAP diluted net income, or cash earnings, per share, and non-GAAP weighted average diluted shares. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude certain amounts, revenue, expenses or income, from the corresponding financial measures determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (GAAP). Management believes this non-GAAP information is useful for investors, taken in conjunction with AMAG’s GAAP financial statements, because it provides greater transparency regarding AMAG’s operating performance. Management uses these measures, among other factors, to assess and analyze operational results and trends and to make financial and operational decisions. Non-GAAP information is not prepared under a comprehensive set of accounting rules and should only be used to supplement an understanding of AMAG’s operating results as reported under GAAP, not as a substitute for GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures are unlikely to be comparable with non-GAAP information provided by other companies. The determination of the amounts that are excluded from non-GAAP financial measures is a matter of management judgment and depends upon, among other factors, the nature of the underlying expense or income amounts. Reconciliations between these non-GAAP financial measures and the most comparable GAAP financial measures are included in the tables accompanying this press release after the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

8-K – Current report

On February 17, 2016 bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLUE), a clinical-stage company committed to developing potentially transformative gene therapies for severe genetic diseases and T cell-based immunotherapies for cancer, reported treatment of the first patient in a Phase 1 study of its product candidate bb2121 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (Filing, 8-K, bluebird bio, FEB 17, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509086]). bb2121 is a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy targeting B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), and bluebird bio is developing bb2121 in collaboration with Celgene Corporation. bluebird bio also announced today that Celgene has exercised its option to exclusively license bb2121, under the terms of the collaboration agreement between the two companies.

"bb2121 is bluebird bio’s first oncology program to enter the clinic, and the treatment of this first patient marks an important milestone for us as we build a broad, fully integrated T cell immunotherapy franchise," said Nick Leschly, chief bluebird. "We are pleased that Celgene has exercised their option to license bb2121. We believe our combined manufacturing, development and commercial expertise will enable us to rapidly advance bb2121 through clinical trials."

"Despite many recent advances in the field, multiple myeloma remains incurable, with almost all patients becoming refractory to therapy eventually," said James N. Kochenderfer, M.D., National Cancer Institute, an investigator for the CRB-401 study. "BCMA is one of the most exciting targets in multiple myeloma, and we are eager to explore the potential of bb2121 to become an important new treatment option for patients living with multiple myeloma."

bluebird bio and Celgene amended and restated their collaboration agreement in June 2015 to focus on developing product candidates targeting BCMA during a three-year collaboration term. By exercising its exclusive option under the terms of the agreement, Celgene will be responsible for worldwide development and commercialization of bb2121 after Phase 1. bluebird bio is responsible for the development of bb2121 through the completion of the CRB-401 Phase 1 study and has an option to share in the development, promotion and profits in the United States. bluebird bio will receive a $10 million option exercise payment from Celgene, and bluebird bio is also eligible to receive specified development and regulatory and commercial milestone payments and royalty payments on net sales.

About the CRB-401 Study

The primary objective of the CRB-401 study is to evaluate the maximum tolerated dose of bb2121 and determine the recommended Phase 2 dose. The secondary objective is patient response, measured using the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Response Criteria for Multiple Myeloma. The first portion of the study includes a dose-escalation phase in which cohorts of patients will receive ascending doses of bb2121 to determine the maximum tolerated dose and establish a recommended Phase 2 dose. The second portion of the study is a dose expansion phase where patients will receive bb2121 to further evaluate the safety, tolerability and clinical activity at the recommended Phase 2 dose.

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Full-year 2015 financial results : Creating the platform for growth

On February 08, 2016 Innate Pharma SA (the "Company" – Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 – IPH) reported its consolidated financial results for the year ended December 31, 2015 (Press release, Innate Pharma, FEB 17, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509346]). The consolidated financial statements are attached to this press release.

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Hervé Brailly, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Innate Pharma, commented: "2015 was a very important year for Innate Pharma. We signed a landmark co-development and commercialization agreement in April with AstraZeneca which we can leverage on to bring us to the next steps of our corporate progress, i.e. late stage drug development and marketing. The initial payment also gives us financial flexibility which we are using to expand the base of the Company. We are growing the organization, hiring new talent and investing in our proprietary clinical and preclinical pipeline to ensure the future growth of Innate. One tangible move in this direction was the recent acquisition of CD39, a new, preclinical first-in-class checkpoint inhibitor program, and our investment in innovative technologies such as the NK bispecific engagers illustrated by the recently announced collaboration with Sanofi.

As we await important clinical data for lirilumab, we intend to continue to broaden and consolidate our unique positioning in the very promising area of immuno-oncology".