BioCryst to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Financial Results on February 27

On February 20, 2018 BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BCRX) reported that its fourth quarter and full year 2017 financial results will be reported on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 (Press release, BioCryst Pharmaceuticalsa, FEB 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234524065]).

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BioCryst will host a conference call and webcast at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss financial results and to provide an update regarding the Company’s clinical development programs. The call will be led by Jon P. Stonehouse, President & Chief Executive Officer, Thomas R. Staab II, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, and Dr. Bill Sheridan, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

Links to a live audio webcast and replay of the presentation may be accessed on the BioCryst website events page at View Source

Lilly to Participate in Cowen Health Care Conference

On February 20, 2018 Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) reported that it will participate in the Cowen and Company 38th Annual Health Care Conference on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 (Press release, Eli Lilly, FEB 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234524067]). Sue Mahony, Ph.D., senior vice president and president of Lilly Oncology and Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president of global development and medical affairs for Lilly Oncology will participate in a fireside chat at 8:00 a.m., Eastern Time.

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A live audio webcast will be available on the "Webcasts & Presentations" section of Lilly’s Investor website at View Source A replay of the presentation will be available on this same website for approximately 90 days.

HALOZYME REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL-YEAR 2017 RESULTS

On February 20, 2018 Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO), a biotechnology company developing novel oncology and drug-delivery therapies, today reported financial results and recent highlights for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2017 (Press release, Halozyme, FEB 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234524069]).

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"Building on a truly transformative year in 2017, we begin 2018 executing against a strong portfolio of new ENHANZE collaborations," said Dr. Helen Torley, president and chief executive officer. "With Janssen now studying Darzalex SC in four Phase 3 trials, Roche recently initiating a Phase 1 study with ENHANZE and multiple targets projected to enter the clinic in the coming quarters, we have good line of sight to our goal of having six targets in clinical development by year-end, doubling the number of targets in the clinic from 2017.

"In our oncology pillar, we continue to project achieving the target number of progression-free survival events in HALO-301 late in the fourth quarter of 2018. In addition, we are making good progress in our exploration of the pan-tumor potential of PEGPH20 and look forward to sharing response-rate data from our combination studies with Halaven and potentially with Keytruda in the second half of the year. We begin 2018 in a strong position with multiple value-generating opportunities ahead for patients, the company and for shareholders."

Fourth Quarter 2017 and Recent Highlights include:


Janssen expanding its development program for the subcutaneous formulation of DARZALEX (daratumumab) with six planned and ongoing clinical studies. Halozyme’s ENHANZE technology has the potential to enable a 15-ml injection to be delivered in five minutes or less. The ongoing or planned trials in patients with Amyloidosis, Smoldering Myeloma and Multiple Myeloma include four Phase 3 studies, one Phase 2 study and one Phase 1 study.


Roche initiating a Phase 1 study of an undisclosed target with Halozyme’s ENHANZE drug-delivery technology.


Alexion announcing plans to initiate a Phase 1 trial in 2018 to study a next-generation subcutaneous formulation of ALXN1210 (ALXN1210 SC) with ENHANZE.


Baxalta and Roche achieving commercial milestones for products using ENHANZE triggering $5 million and $7 million in respective milestone payments.


Continued progress screening and enrolling patients in the HALO-301 study of PEGPH20 in combination with ABRAXANE (nab-paclitaxel) and gemcitabine in first-line metastatic pancreas cancer patients with high levels of tumor hyaluronan (HA-High). An interim analysis will be conducted for the first primary endpoint of progression-free survival when the target number of events has been reached, which the company continues to project will be in late Q4.

Fourth Quarter 2017 Financial Highlights


Revenue for the fourth quarter was $189.6 million compared to $39 million for the fourth quarter of 2016. The year-over-year increase was driven by $101.4 million recognized upon the effective date of the BMS collaboration, a $15 million milestone payment from Janssen, a $40 million upfront payment from Alexion and growth in royalties from partner sales of Herceptin (trastuzumab) SC, MabThera (rituximab) SC and HYQVIA (Immune Globulin Infusion 10% (Human) with Recombinant Human Hyaluronidase), offset by a decrease in research and development reimbursements. Revenue for the fourth quarter included $17.7 million in royalties, an increase of 24 percent from the prior-year period, $8.4 million in sales of bulk rHuPH20 primarily for use in manufacturing collaboration products and $4.2 million in HYLENEX recombinant (hyaluronidase human injection) product sales.
Revenue for the full year was $316.6 million, compared to $146.7 million in 2016.

Research and development expenses for the fourth quarter were $41.4 million, compared to $41.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2016.
Research and development expenses for the full year were $150.6 million, compared to $150.8 million in 2016.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter were $14.8 million, compared to $12.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2016. The increase was primarily due to personnel expenses, including stock compensation, for the period.
Selling, general and administrative expenses for 2017 were $53.8 million, compared to $45.9 million in 2016.


Net income for the fourth quarter was $123.9 million, or $0.85 per share, compared to net loss in the fourth quarter of 2016 of $27.4 million, or $0.21 per share.
Net income for the full year was $63 million, or $0.45 per share, compared to a net loss of $103 million in 2016, or $0.81 per share.

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $469.2 million at December 31, 2017, compared to $316.9 million at September 30, 2017.

Financial Outlook for 2018

Halozyme reiterated its financial guidance of:


Net revenue of $115 million to $125 million, including 25% to 30% royalty growth;

Operating expenses of $230 million to $240 million;

Operating cash burn of $75 million to $85 million; and

Year-end cash balance of $305 million to $315 million.

Webcast and Conference Call
Halozyme will webcast its Quarterly Update Conference Call for the fourth quarter of 2017 today, Tuesday, February 20 at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. Dr. Torley will lead the call, which will be webcast live through the "Investors" section of Halozyme’s corporate website and a recording made available following the close of the call. To access the webcast and additional documents related to the call, please visit halozyme.com approximately fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. The call may also be accessed by dialing (877) 410-5657 (domestic callers) or (334) 323-7224 (international callers) using passcode 769890. A telephone replay will be available after the call by dialing (877) 919-4059 (domestic callers) or (334) 323-0140 (international callers) using replay ID number 95494046.

Diplomat to Release Fourth Quarter and 2017 Year End Financial Results, Provide 2018 Guidance and Host Conference Call On Monday, February 26, 2018

On February 20, 2018 Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) reported that it will release its fourth quarter and 2017 year end financial results and provide 2018 guidance on Monday, February 26, 2018 after market close, with a conference call to follow at 5:00 p.m. ET (Press release, Diplomat Speciality Pharmacy, FEB 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234524096]).

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Shareholders and interested participants may listen to a live broadcast of the conference call by dialing 833-640-6814 and referencing conference call ID 5992797 approximately 15 minutes prior to the call. A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the investor relations section of the Company’s website and an audio file of the call, as well as supplemental investor information, will be available for 90 days at ir.diplomat.is.

St. Louis-based Unleash Immuno Oncolytics Attracts $3 Million Investment from Publicly-traded Japanese Company

On February 19, 2018 St. Louis-based startup Unleash Immuno Oncolytics, which has developed viral-based biologics to attack cancerous tumors, reported that it has attracted a major investment from publicly-traded Japanese company Oncolys BioPharma (Press release, Unleash Immuno Oncolytics, FEB 19, 2018, View Source [SID1234540110]).

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Unleash is an immunotherapy company that develops genetically-engineered adenoviruses to harness the immune system to fight cancer. While malignant tumors can trick the body’s immune system from attacking them, the Unleash viruses trigger the body’s immune system into action. By introducing a virus designed specifically to attack cancer, the virus invades the cancer cells, then unleashes the body’s ability to recognize and fight those malignant cells, thus killing the virus and killing the cancer.

Oncolys, a publicly-traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange that also is developing oncolytic adenoviruses, has invested $3 million into Unleash to advance its lead patented programs UIO-512 and UIO-702 toward clinical trials. The programs have already shown promising proof-of-concept results in animal models and human explants.

An additional $330,000 investment from Oncolys also gives it an equity position within Unleash sister company Precision Virologics, which has developed biologically-targeted vaccines for Zika and Chikungunya. Less than a year ago, Oncolys invested $500,000 into those programs.

"We are honored to initiate this partnership with the Oncolys team, also leading developers of oncolytic viruses, who assessed tremendous potential in Unleash’s technology," Daniel Katzman, Unleash CEO, said. "Oncolys’ solid expertise in manufacturing and clinical development of oncolytic viruses is of great value for advancing our virus-based therapies through clinical trials."

Unleash Immuno Oncolytics was founded on the basis of licensing complementary viral-based technologies developed by research groups led by David T. Curiel, MD, PhD, Director of the Biologic Therapeutics Center at Washington University in St. Louis, and Osvaldo Podhajcer, PhD, member of the CONICET, National Council for Scientific and Technological Research of Argentina, and Head of the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy at the Fundación Instituto Leloir in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"This collaboration will allow us to expand our efforts in developing the next generation of oncolytic viruses for the treatment of cancer," Curiel said. "Labeled as promising for many years, now oncolytic viruses are in the forefront of cancer research. Unleash is positioned to become a leading player in this new field."

"I’m proud to see our research project advancing its way towards clinical trials and helping patients in need," Podhajcer said. "We are amazed by the level of interest it created among world-class organizations."

BioGenerator is the lead investor in Unleash and also supported the company with entrepreneur training through its Fundamentals program, non-dilutive grants, intellectual property strategy, independent third-party evaluation, and moving the company from Argentina to St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation Community.

"St. Louis’ innovation economy has to be globally-connected to grow and thrive, so being home to a company from Argentina with validated investors from Japan is another big step forward for our community," Donn Rubin, President & CEO of BioSTL, said. "With this new investment from Oncolys BioPharma, we’re seeing Unleash take a lead role in developing next-generation immunotherapy and solidifying St. Louis’ reputation as a world-class research hub."