On November 12, 2024 Turnstone Biologics Corp. ("Turnstone" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: TSBX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a differentiated approach to treat and cure patients with solid tumors by pioneering selected tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (Selected TIL) therapy, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, and provided recent business highlights (Press release, Turnstone Biologics, NOV 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234648220]).

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"Earlier this quarter, we announced a corporate restructuring and the decision to focus resources on our Phase 1 program, TIDAL-01, which we believe puts us on the path to significant value creation. Importantly, our extended cash runway into the second quarter of 2026 enables us to achieve potential key clinical milestones and we remain steadfast in advancing our differentiated approach to TIL therapy for cancer patients with high unmet need," said Sammy Farah, M.B.A., Ph.D., Turnstone’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "Recently, we reported initial clinical data from our STARLING trial which showcased durable anti-tumor activity in a heavily pre-treated late-line microsatellite stable colorectal cancer patient population, including the achievement of a complete response. The patient remains in remission with progression-free survival extending beyond one year. Our encouraging initial clinical data, combined with results that continue to emerge from within the field in support of selection-based approaches, strengthen the competitive profile of our next-generation selected TIL technology and its potential to treat solid tumors. We look forward to sharing our next clinical update in 1H 2025."

Third Quarter 2024 and Recent Business Highlights

Presented at the 2024 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting – Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) Symposium, supporting ongoing clinical efforts. On November 6, 2024, Turnstone delivered a presentation titled "TIDAL-01: Enriching for a More Potent TIL Population with Selected TIL therapy" at the SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) TIL Symposium in Houston, TX. The presentation showcased Turnstone’s initial clinical data from its Phase 1 TIDAL-01 program, including the achievement of a complete response in a third-line microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer ("MSS mCRC") patient. Additionally, two posters were presented at the SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting with preclinical data that demonstrated the practicality of selecting and expanding tumor-reactive TIL as a potential treatment option for patients with solid tumors.

Reported positive initial data from the STARLING Phase 1 Trial of TIDAL-01 in MSS mCRC. In August, initial results were shared from the first 4 evaluable MSS mCRC patients from the STARLING Phase 1 study of TIDAL-01. The trial yielded a 25% overall response rate ("ORR") with durable clinical benefit and 50% disease control rate ("DCR") in a heavily pre-treated, advanced disease, third-line setting where patients are unresponsive to checkpoint inhibitors and have almost no treatment options. One patient had a complete response ("CR") and has been progression-free for over one year which is notable in this patient population, while another patient had stable disease ("SD") for 6 months. As a point of comparison, the current standard of care treatment for this patient population has resulted in an ORR of 1-6% and a median progression-free survival ("mPFS") of 2-5.6 months. There were also no new safety observations specific to Turnstone’s Selected TILs.

Completed strategic restructuring and portfolio review to extend cash runway. In October, Turnstone announced the streamlining of its operations to optimize its portfolio and strengthen its financial position to focus on achieving clinical milestones. Key initiatives include:

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Pipeline strategy and prioritization: Following a comprehensive evaluation of the business, Turnstone has decided to sharpen its focus on development of the TIDAL-01 program.
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Organizational restructuring: The Company executed a 60% workforce reduction to prioritize the development of its core Selected TIL program and extend its cash runway.

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Financial strategy: Turnstone expects its cash runway to support operations and clinical development through the second quarter of 2026.
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Talent strategy: As part of Turnstone’s updated corporate strategy, Ines Verdon, M.D., Senior Vice President of Clinical Development, is assuming leadership of all clinical activities. Michael Fitch, Ph.D., has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and will oversee all manufacturing and technical operations activities. Wendy Worcester, CPA, is assuming the responsibility of the Finance function as the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer. Saryah Azmat has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments: As of September 30, 2024, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $45.3 million. The Company expects that the combined cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund its operations into the second quarter of 2026.

Research and development (R&D) expenses: R&D expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024, were $14.4 million, compared to $14.2 million for the same period in 2023. The increase was due primarily to an increase in manufacturing, clinical, and regulatory costs related to TIDAL-01 clinical trials.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses: G&A expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024, were $3.9 million, compared to $4.8 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease was due primarily to reductions in personnel costs, professional service costs, and other general and administrative costs.

Net loss: Net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2024, was $17.0 million, compared to net loss of $17.3 million for the same period in 2023.

On November 12, 2024 Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. ("Checkpoint") (Nasdaq: CKPT), a clinical-stage immunotherapy and targeted oncology company, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, and recent corporate updates (Press release, Checkpoint Therapeutics, NOV 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234648162]).

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"With the Prescription Drug User Fee Act ("PDUFA") goal date set for next month, we await the decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") on our Biologics License Application ("BLA") resubmission for cosibelimab, our anti-programmed death ligand-1 ("PD-L1") antibody," said James Oliviero, President and Chief Executive Officer of Checkpoint. "The $9.2 million in cash proceeds received this month from the exercise of existing warrants has strengthened our balance sheet to extend beyond our PDUFA date and into 2025. We are now fully focused on preparing for the potential approval of cosibelimab and look forward to potentially offering oncologists a new, differentiated treatment option for patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma ("cSCC")."

Recent Corporate Updates:

In July 2024, Checkpoint announced that the FDA accepted for review the resubmission of its BLA for cosibelimab as a complete response to the complete response letter ("CRL") issued in December 2023 and set a PDUFA goal date of December 28, 2024.
Also in July 2024, Checkpoint announced a collaboration to explore the combined therapeutic potential of cosibelimab, its anti-PD-L1 antibody with dual mechanism of action, with GC Cell’s Immuncell-LC, an innovative autologous Cytokine Induced Killer T cell therapy composed of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer T cells.
Also in July 2024, Checkpoint completed a registered direct offering priced At-the-Market under Nasdaq rules and a concurrent private placement of warrants to purchase Checkpoint common stock, for total gross proceeds of approximately $12.0 million.
In September 2024, Checkpoint presented longer-term data from its pivotal trial of cosibelimab in locally advanced and metastatic cSCC during the European Society for Medical Oncology ("ESMO") Congress 2024. Longer-term results for cosibelimab presented at the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Congress demonstrate a deepening of response over time, with higher objective response and complete response rates than initially observed at the primary analyses. A copy of the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) poster can be found on the Publications page of Checkpoint’s website.
In November 2024, Checkpoint received $9.2 million in cash proceeds through the exercise of existing warrants.
Financial Results:

Cash Position: As of September 30, 2024, Checkpoint’s cash and cash equivalents totaled $4.7 million, compared to $5.0 million at June 30, 2024 and $4.9 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $0.3 million for the quarter and a decrease of $0.2 million, year-to-date. Subsequent to the end of the quarter, in November 2024, Checkpoint received $9.2 million in cash proceeds through the exercise of existing warrants.
R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses for the third quarter of 2024 were $6.4 million, compared to $5.5 million for the third quarter of 2023, an increase of $0.9 million. Research and development expenses for the third quarter of 2024 included $0.5 million of non-cash stock expenses, compared to $0.3 million for the third quarter of 2023.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2024 were $3.4 million, compared to $2.2 million for the third quarter of 2023, an increase of $1.2 million. General and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2024 included $1.4 million of non-cash stock expenses, compared to $0.6 million for the third quarter of 2023.

Net Loss: Net loss attributable to common stockholders for the third quarter of 2024 was $9.7 million, or $0.23 per share, compared to a net loss of $5.7 million, or $0.29 per share, in the third quarter of 2023. Net loss for the third quarter of 2024 included $1.9 million of non-cash stock expenses, compared to $0.9 million for the third quarter of 2023.

On November 12, 2024 mAbxience, a Fresenius Kabi majority-owned group with partial ownership from Insud Pharma, and Egis Pharmaceutical PLC, reported a new strategic license agreement for the commercialization of biosimilar candidates across key Central and Eastern European markets, including Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Lithuania (Press release, mAbxience, NOV 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234648178]). The partnership also includes the option to expand to additional territories in the future.

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Under the terms of the agreement, mAbxience will hold the marketing authorization for the biosimilars in these regions, while Egis will manage the commercialization and marketing activities. This collaboration underscores the commitment of both companies to broaden access to essential, high-quality therapies in markets where affordability and accessibility are critical.

José Ramón Millán, Global Partnering & Portfolio Director at mAbxience, commented on the partnership: "We are delighted to partner with Egis to bring our biosimilar candidate to patients in these important Eastern European markets. This agreement strengthens our presence in the region and reaffirms our dedication to ensuring that life-saving treatments are accessible and affordable. We look forward to working closely with Egis to make a significant impact on patient care."

Dr. Klara Marton, Business Development Director from Egis added: "This collaboration with mAbxience enables us to deliver high value treatments to patients across Central and Eastern Europe. We are proud to join forces with a trusted partner like mAbxience, whose commitment to high-quality, affordable healthcare solutions aligns with our mission to improve patient access and patient outcomes in our region."

This agreement marks a significant milestone in mAbxience’s expansion into new markets and further reinforces its commitment to providing accessible, high-quality biosimilar therapies to patients worldwide.

On November 12, 2024 Pyxis Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: PYXS), a clinical stage company focused on developing next generation therapeutics to target difficult-to-treat cancers, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, and provided a corporate update (Press release, Pyxis Oncology, NOV 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234648206]). The Company ended the third quarter of 2024 with $146.3 million in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments, which is expected to provide a cash runway into the second half of 2026 and enable the Company to fund the next phase of PYX-201 clinical development.

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"At Pyxis Oncology, our team has been working diligently to deliver preliminary data from our first-in-patient clinical trial of PYX-201. Investigator enthusiasm around our novel mechanism of action, along with our clinical development team’s operational execution, has kept us on track to provide the preliminary clinical findings from our ongoing dose escalation study," said Lara S. Sullivan, M.D., President and CEO of Pyxis Oncology.

Dr. Sullivan continued, "We have now enrolled 80 patients in the PYX-201 trial across multiple tumor types, and I am thrilled to present the Phase 1 dose escalation data next Wednesday in New York City at our first-ever Pyxis Oncology Investor Event."

Recent Clinical Program Updates

PYX-201

PYX-201 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is designed to uniquely target Extradomain-B Fibronectin (EDB+FN), which is believed to be a key structural component of the tumor extracellular matrix. PYX-201 is the Company’s lead clinical program being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 1 trial in multiple types of solid tumors.

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To date, 80 subjects have been dosed with PYX-201 in this Phase 1 trial. Dose escalation and safety monitoring remain ongoing for the trial.

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The Company will present preliminary data from the Phase 1 dose escalation trial of PYX-201, including efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics (PK). The Company will provide an update on future development plans at a Company hosted investor event in New York City on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Additional information about the event can be found here.

PYX-106

PYX-106, a fully human Siglec-15-targeting antibody designed to block suppression of T-cell proliferation and function, is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 1 clinical study in multiple types of solid tumors.

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Dose escalation of PYX-106 and safety monitoring is ongoing with 45 subjects dosed to date in the Phase 1 trial.

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The Company expects to report preliminary data from the Phase 1 trial of PYX-106, including PK/pharmacodynamic results, by year-end 2024.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

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As of September 30, 2024, Pyxis Oncology had cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash and short-term investments of $146.3 million. The Company believes that its current cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund its operations into the second half of 2026.

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Research and development expenses were $17.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to $14.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The period-over-period increase was primarily due to increased clinical trial-related expenses, including manufacturing of drug product and drug substance for our ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials of PYX-201 and PYX-106.

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General and administrative expenses were $6.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to $10.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The period-over-period decline was primarily due to lower legal, professional and consulting fees.

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Net loss was $21.2 million, or ($0.35) per common share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to $23.0 million, or ($0.56) per common share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Net losses for the quarters ended September 30, 2024, and 2023 included $3.0 million and $5.2 million, respectively, related to non-cash stock-based compensation expense.

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As of November 12, 2024, the outstanding number of shares of common stock of Pyxis Oncology was 59,465,729.

On November 12, 2024 Vincerx Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: VINC), a biopharmaceutical company aspiring to address the unmet medical needs of patients with cancer through paradigm-shifting therapeutics, reported financial results for the third quarter of 2024 and provided an overview of its clinical programs and anticipated milestones (Press release, Vincerx Pharma, NOV 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234648221]).

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"As we direct our efforts and resources toward our ADC technologies and programs, we are committed to advancing VIP943 based on the encouraging safety, efficacy, and tolerability results observed to date. We look forward to presenting additional data from patients at efficacious dose cohorts by early next year," said Ahmed Hamdy, M.D., Chief Executive Officer. "Securing the funding necessary to advance our programs remains a priority. Alongside exploring financing options, we remain focused on strategic partnerships, particularly as pharmaceutical companies intensify their search for truly differentiated and transformative technologies."

THIRD QUARTER 2024 CLINICAL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS AND ANTICIPATED MILESTONES

VIP943

VIP943 is a novel CD123-targeted ADC developed with the Company’s next-generation VersAptx platform.
VIP943 has shown promising safety, efficacy, and tolerability in an ongoing Phase 1 dose-escalation study for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) (NCT06034275). In October, the Company reported two complete responses in this Phase 1 study: one out of four patients with relapsed AML in the 1 mg/kg dose cohort achieved complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi), and one out of one patient with higher-risk MDS in the 1.3 mg/kg dose cohort achieved complete remission with limited count recovery (CRL).
VIP943 has shown effective target engagement and elimination of CD123+ malignant cells, with pharmacodynamic data demonstrating decreases in CD123+ blasts after dosing. Preliminary pharmacokinetic data indicates minimal payload release (≤1% in plasma), signifying a stable linker.
Given the favorable safety and tolerability observed for VIP943, the Company continues dose escalation to assess potential for additional efficacy. Enrollment in the once-weekly and twice-weekly (as an induction therapy) dosing schedules is ongoing.
Vincerx expects to share additional Phase 1 study data for VIP943 by early 2025.
Enitociclib

Enitociclib is a highly selective CDK9 inhibitor designed to block the activation of RNA polymerase II, leading to inhibition of oncogenes, including MYC and MCL1.
Enitociclib is currently in a Phase 1 dose-escalation study (NTC05371054) evaluating the combination of enitociclib, venetoclax, and prednisone in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). This study is being conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As of September 2024, the study reported four partial responses (PRs) in seven patients (57% overall response rate), including one patient with double hit lymphoma (DH-DLBCL) and three patients with PTCL.
Enitociclib has successfully completed its Phase 1 dose-escalation study as a monotherapy (NCT02635672), enrolling 63 patients across dose-escalation and expansion cohorts. The treatment demonstrated a favorable safety profile, dose-proportional pharmacokinetics, and on-target pharmacodynamic activity. Clinical benefits included durable complete metabolic remissions in two patients with DH-DLBCL, lasting 3.7 and 2.3 years, with both remissions continuing more than two years after treatment cessation. In addition, a transformed follicular (tFL) patient achieved a PR with a 63% tumor reduction after nearly two years, a meaningful outcome given the historically poor prognosis of tFL. Furthermore, 13 patients with solid tumors achieved stable disease as their best response, including five ovarian cancer patients—indicating a promising path for future combination studies in this indication.
The Company is actively focused on finding a strategic partner to continue the development of this asset.
VIP236

VIP236 is a αVβ3 SMDC conjugated to an optimized camptothecin (CPT) payload developed with the Company’s VersAptx platform.
VIP236 has completed its Phase 1 dose-escalation study (NCT05712889), identifying the maximum tolerated dose that could be utilized in future studies. As reported in October, a total of 29 patients were enrolled in the Phase 1 study, resulting in a 45% disease control rate. The drug demonstrated a favorable safety profile, distinguishing itself from other CPTs by showing no instances of common dose-limiting side effects such as life-threatening diarrhea, severe stomatitis/mucositis, or interstitial lung disease.
The Company intends to identify a partner to champion VIP236 through further development.

THIRD QUARTER 2024 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Vincerx had approximately $10.1 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of September 30, 2024, as compared to approximately $16.3 million as of June 30, 2024. Based on its current business plans and assumptions, Vincerx believes its available capital will be sufficient to meet its operating requirements into early 2025.
Research and development expenses for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, were approximately $3.9 million, as compared to approximately $6.1 million for the same period in 2023. This decrease is primarily the result of decreases in research services of approximately $2.4 million and personnel-related expenses of approximately $0.8 million, offset by an increase in clinical-related expenses of approximately $0.9 million.
General and administrative expenses for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, were approximately $3.9 million, as compared to approximately $3.5 million for the same period in 2023. This increase was due to a $0.5 million increase in professional services, partially offset by a decrease in personnel-related expenses of $0.1 million.
For the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, Vincerx reported a net loss of approximately $7.8 million, or $0.17 per share. For the third quarter ended September 30, 2023, Vincerx reported a net loss of approximately $9.0 million, or $0.42 per share.