On August 8, 2024 INOVIO (NASDAQ:INO), a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing DNA medicines to help treat and protect people from HPV-related diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases, reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2024 and provided an update on recent company developments (Press release, Inovio, AUG 8, 2024, View Source [SID1234645606]).
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"We continue to make progress with our lead candidate, INO-3107, which has the potential to significantly improve the lives of patients with RRP. We expect all non-device related elements of our BLA package to be completed by year end and our pre-BLA meeting last week with the FDA provided us with confidence that we remain on the right track for the regulatory submission. However, as part of the testing process required for BLA submission, we’ve recently identified a manufacturing issue with the single use disposable administration component of our device that we believe is resolvable, but will take additional time to rectify," said Dr. Jacqueline Shea, INOVIO’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "We’re taking corrective steps to address the issue, and while we have not altered our ultimate expectations for INO-3107 to be a potentially transformative therapeutic option for RRP patients that could be the first DNA medicine approved for use in the United States, we now expect to be able to submit the BLA in mid-2025. We will continue to work hard to advance all other elements necessary for INO-3107’s success, including working to initiate our confirmatory trial, advancing plans for our redosing trial, making key regulatory progress in Europe and the U.K., and continuing commercial preparations to be launch-ready if we receive approval. These efforts will help maintain the momentum that’s carried us from Breakthrough Therapy Designation to BLA preparation in less than a year."
"We’ve continued making progress in other key areas of our business as well," Dr. Shea continued. "We submitted our Phase 3 clinical plans for INO-3112 to European regulatory authorities, anticipate re-submitting our Phase 2 clinical plans for our Ebola booster vaccine candidate, INO-4201, to the FDA in the third quarter, and are continuing discussions with partners to advance INO-5401 as a potential treatment for GBM. We also welcomed Steve Egge to our leadership team as our Chief Commercial Officer. Steve brings extensive launch experience in HPV-related diseases, cancer, immunology and rare diseases and I know his commercial expertise will be invaluable as we work to advance INO-3107 and our other promising candidates."
Recent Business Highlights
INO-3107 – Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP)
INOVIO continued advancing preparations for submitting its BLA under the FDA’s Accelerated Approval pathway, including holding a pre-BLA meeting with the FDA, advancing development of all BLA modules, trial site preparations and ongoing commercial readiness plans. However, INOVIO has identified an issue related to the manufacturing of the single use disposable administration component of the CELLECTRA device that will delay its BLA submission, now anticipated in mid-2025. INOVIO is working to rectify the issue as quickly as possible, using all resources available, and expects to provide further updates at the next quarterly report.
INO-3107 was designated an innovative medicine as part of the U.K.’s Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP). The designation, called an Innovation Passport, is the first step on a development pathway that offers enhanced access to regulators and development tools that could accelerate the timeline for achieving U.K. regulatory approval.
INO-3107 received an Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) Certification from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) after review of chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) and nonclinical data. This certification confirms that the data reviewed complies with the standards that would be used to evaluate a European marketing-authorization application.
Immunology data for INO-3107 has been accepted at the following fourth quarter conferences:
Fall Voice, a leading conference for clinicians focused on vocal disorders
36th International Papillomavirus Conference,a platform for sharing cutting-edge international HPV research
International Society for Vaccines Annual Congress
INO-3112 – Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC)
INOVIO submitted its Phase 3 trial design for INO-3112 to European regulatory authorities. The proposed multi-center Phase 3 trial will investigate INO-3112 in combination with LOQTORZI as a potential treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). INOVIO plans to conduct the trial in Europe and North America. INOVIO received positive feedback on this study protocol from the FDA in the first quarter of 2024. The manufacturing issue with the single use disposable administration component of the device that is impacting INO-3107 will also need to be resolved before we can commence the Phase 3 trial with INO-3112.
The combination of INO-3112 with LOQTORZI has the potential to address a substantial unmet need in patients with HPV-16 and -18 related high-risk throat cancer. The Phase 3 study will investigate whether LOQTORZI can help amplify the tumor-infiltrating abilities of the antigen-specific T cells generated by INO-3112. INO-3112 is a DNA medicine candidate containing a DNA plasmid encoding HPV-16/-18 E6 and E7 antigens combined with another DNA plasmid encoding IL-12 as an immune activator. LOQTORZI is an FDA-approved PD-1 inhibitor approved for the treatment of recurrent locally advanced/metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
INO-4201 for Ebola
INOVIO anticipates submitting its revised protocol to the FDA for a Phase 2/3 clinical trial with INO-4201 as a heterologous boost to the FDA licensed Ebola vaccine, Ervebo, in the third quarter. INOVIO previously announced positive results from a Phase 1b clinical trial evaluating INO-4201 as a booster in healthy adult participants who previously received a single injection of Ervebo. In the trial, INO-4201 was well-tolerated and boosted humoral responses in 100% (36 of 36) of treated participants.
Operational and Financial Updates
INOVIO appointed Steve Egge as Chief Commercial Officer to lead the company’s commercial strategy and operations as it prepares to launch INO-3107. Mr. Egge has extensive experience in many different therapeutic areas, including immunology and vaccines, HPV, and rare disease. Mr. Egge spent 20 years at Merck, where he held a number of different commercial leadership roles, including leading Merck’s HPV Vaccines Franchise and serving as Chief Marketing Officer for the Vaccine Division. Over the course of his career, he has overseen or contributed to more than 13 commercial product launches. INOVIO welcomes his expertise, particularly in creating and growing new therapeutic areas as well as driving market share in competitive markets.
INOVIO strengthened its balance sheet with an offering of common stock and pre-funded warrants in April 2024; net proceeds from the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, were $33.2 million.
Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-term Investments: As of June 30, 2024, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $110.4 million compared to $145.3 million as of December 31, 2023.
Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: R&D expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024, were $23.1 million compared to $23.7 million for the same period in 2023. The slight decrease in R&D expenses was primarily the result of overall lower drug manufacturing costs and lower employee and consultant compensation, including non-cash stock-based compensation, among other variances.
General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses: G&A expenses were $10.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 compared to $13.5 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease in G&A expenses was primarily related to a decrease in employee compensation, including non-cash employee and consultant stock-based compensation, and a decrease in legal expenses, among other variances.
Total Operating Expenses: Total operating expenses were $33.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $37.3 million for the same period in 2023.
Net Loss: INOVIO’s net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2024 was $32.2 million, or $1.19 per basic and diluted share, compared to net loss of $35.5 million, or $1.61 per basic and diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2023.
Shares Outstanding: As of June 30, 2024, INOVIO had 26.0 million common shares outstanding, 2.1 million pre-funded warrants outstanding, and 29.9 million common shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis, after giving effect to the exercise, vesting, and conversion, as applicable, of its outstanding pre-funded warrants, options, restricted stock units and convertible preferred stock.
INOVIO’s balance sheet and statement of operations are provided below. Additional information is included in INOVIO’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, which can be accessed at: View Source
Cash Guidance
INOVIO estimates its cash runway to extend into the third quarter of 2025. This projection includes an operational net cash burn estimate of approximately $28 million for the third quarter of 2024. These cash runway projections do not include any further capital-raising activities that INOVIO may undertake.
Conference Call / Webcast Information
INOVIO’s management will host a live conference call and webcast with slides at 4:30 p.m. ET today to discuss INOVIO’s financial results and provide a general business update. The live webcast and replay may be accessed by visiting INOVIO’s website at View Source