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.

Exelixis to Present at the Credit Suisse 26th Annual Healthcare Conference on November 7th

On October 26, 2017 Exelixis, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXEL) reported that Michael M. Morrissey, Ph.D., the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will provide an overview of the company at the Credit Suisse 26th Annual Healthcare Conference taking place November 6-8 in Scottsdale, AZ (Press release, Exelixis, OCT 26, 2017, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2311868 [SID1234521212]). The Exelixis presentation is scheduled for 5:20 PM EST / 2:20 PM PST on Tuesday, November 7, 2017.

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Know more, wherever you are:
Latest on Exelixis Cancer Pipeline, book your free 1stOncology demo here.

To access the webcast link, log onto www.exelixis.com and proceed to the News & Events / Event Calendar page under the Investors & Media heading. Please connect to the company’s website at least 15 minutes prior to the presentation to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to listen to the webcast. A replay will also be available at the same location for 14 days.

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

First Patient Treated in a Phase 1/2a Trial (Oncovirac) of Novel Oncolytic Virus TG6002 in Recurrent Glioblastoma

On October 26, 2017 Transgene (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech company that designs and develops viral-based immunotherapies, reported that the first patient with recurrent glioblastoma has been treated at La Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Greater Paris University Hospitals,AP-HP (Paris), in the first-in-human clinical trial (Oncovirac trial) of TG6002, a novel oncolytic virus (Press release, Transgene, OCT 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234521244]). TG6002 represents the next generation of oncolytic virus(OV), which is administered intravenously and has multiple functions. It has been engineered to combine oncolysis (the breakdown of cancer cells) with the local
production of 5-FU chemotherapy agent in the tumor. It is also expected to induce an immune response
following the antigen spreading that is caused by the cancer cells’ breakdown.

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TG6002: a novel oncolytic virus allowing the targeted production of chemotherapy in the tumor
TG6002 is a next generation oncolytic immunotherapy, which has a double mechanism of action. It has been
designed by Transgene to:
1. induce the breakdown of cancer cells (oncolysis) by tumor-selective viral replication. In preclinical
experiments, TG6002 was able to induce response in the primary tumor and an immune-mediated
regression of distant metastases (immunogenic cell death);
2. allow the local production of chemotherapy (5-FU), a widely used cancer chemotherapy, in the
tumor. TG6002 expresses the proprietary Fcu1 gene in the cancer cells it has infected, leading to
the local conversion of the 5-FC into 5-FU.

First-in-human trial to deliver first readouts in H2 2018
Oncovirac is an open-label Phase 1/2a trial evaluating the safety and tolerability of multiple-ascending doses
of TG6002 administered intravenously in combination with oral 5-FC, a non-cytotoxic pro-drug, flucytosine,
that can be converted in 5-FU. The anti-tumor activity of this novel oncolytic virus will also be monitored.
The study will enroll patients suffering from recurrent glioblastoma, who have failed standard of care
treatment.

Dr. Ahmed Idbaih, M.D., PhD, neuro-oncologist at La Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (Paris, France), is the principal
investigator of the study. He is involved in several clinical trials dedicated to primary brain tumor patients. He
also coordinates "GlioTex", a research group focused on glioblastoma and experimental therapeutics at ICM (The
Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière – Brain & Spine Institute). AP-HP Paris Greater Hospitals, is the
sponsor of Oncovirac, a trial also supported by INCa (French National Cancer Institute). More information on the
trial is available on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03294486). The first readouts of the study are expected in the second
half of 2018.

Maud Brandely, M.D., PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Transgene, added: "TG6002 is a very promising new
generation of oncolytic virus, which has the potential to be administered intravenously. Based on our
compelling preclinical data, we have established that its replication induces immunogenic cell lysis and the
local production of chemotherapy. We are excited to see this novel immunotherapy with multiple modes of
action enter the clinic and look forward to obtaining results that will allow further development of TG6002
in several solid tumors indications."

Dr. Ahmed Idbaih, M.D., PhD, neuro-oncologist at La Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, AP-HP, and principal
investigator of the trial, added: "Current treatments of recurrent glioblastoma are insufficient. By combining
the immunogenic lysis of cancer cells with the targeted production of chemotherapy in the tumor, TG6002
has the potential to show anti-tumor efficacy and to avoid systemic side effects of chemotherapy. We are
very pleased to be conducting this first in human clinical trial evaluating this novel immunotherapy that we
believe could improve the overall survival of recurrent glioblastoma patients while preserving their quality
of life."

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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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

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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.